Read below to learn more how our esteemed panel of judges picked the winners for the Session One 2026 Lyric Contest.
Meet the Judges HERE.
Videos by American Songwriter
1st Place – “Heaven Ain’t The First Place”
By: Chris Nelson
Harper Grace: “This is so beautifully written, every bit of detail puts you right in the middle of the heartache of the loss of someone you love. The line “I still hear boots in the quiet sometime” made me almost shed a tear! WOWOW its just absolutely wonderful! I would listen to this a million times & then some.”
Parker Welling: “GREAT title and concept. This is the kind of idea you hope you can bring to a session or a co-writer walks in with. Songs about losing somebody can be tough to do well, but this is both beautifully reminiscent without being too sad and creative without being so outside of the box that it isn’t relatable.”
Tiera Kennedy: “This song captures the feeling of grief so well. The people we love and have lost always live in our memory and I think this song lays out that feeling so well.”
Lily Rose: “I always love a title that makes me want to know what the songwriter is going to do to make it land. This was the only song I went back and read through again because I really enjoyed all of the imagery of where you might see your loved ones who have left this earth too early!”
Read Lyrics HERE.
2nd Place – “Threadbare”
By: Brian Spahr
Baylee Littrell: ““Threadbare” is another song that lyrically catches my eye. There is a way it can be more concise lyrically, but it still holds a solid foundation for a great song.”
Caitlyn Smith: ““Threadbare” immediately pulled me in… the title and perspective feel fresh, and the sadness feels so real and honest.”
Jillian Jacqueline: “Reads like a beautiful poem. I really felt pulled in to the emotion behind the symbolic use of the thread metaphor for the interwoven nature of two souls that shared memories and life together.”
The Band Perry: “It commits to one haunting, original symbol (a life/love worn down to stitches) and lets that metaphor carry the whole story with cinematic, tactile images—quietly devastating in a way that feels timeless and singable.”
Read Lyrics HERE.
Since 1984, American Songwriter’s Lyric Contest has helped aspiring songwriters get noticed and have fun. Enter the 2026 Lyric Contest today before the deadline:
3rd Place – “Only Nineteen“
By: Dennis Gilkey
Baylee Littrell: ““Only Nineteen” tells the haunting reality of war. It’s well written and tells a bone chilling story. “Old man’s nightmares in a boys dreams” that line is very powerful. Definitely my favorite lyrics by far.
Erin Enderlin: “I love the way this lyric is deceptively simple. The lyric is boiled down to succinct sparse language that sets the scene “firing’ at the dark” the way it immediately evokes the fear of the unknown. The “bullets cutting back” line – the way that slightly different/unique way of using “cutting” as a verb here creates the sense of a specific jargon, being let into someone else’s world.”
Katie Pruitt: “The song tells an entire story about a teenager being drafted for war instead of getting to be a kid. It felt both personal & universal. This is because the writer uses the first person as if they are experiencing it first hand which helps put the listener in their shoes. I thought this idea was really thoughtful & well written.”
Lily Rose: “I think there is an incredibly heartbreaking yet hopeful story painted here. I felt like I was in the trenches with the soldier and understood his fear.”
Read Lyrics HERE.
4th Place – “Red, Yellow and You”
By: Josh Parolin
Jillian Jaqueline: “I loved the imagery in the verses and the clever turn of the common phrase. Felt poignant and nostalgic.”
The Band Perry: “The title/chorus is a clean, sticky triad that feels instantly singable, and the seasonal color metaphor is simple enough to be universal while still vivid. Best of all, it captures heartbreak through weather and objects (jacket smell, backseat, cold wind) rather than over-telling the feeling.”
Read Lyrics HERE.
Since 1984, American Songwriter’s Lyric Contest has helped aspiring songwriters get noticed and have fun. Enter the 2026 Lyric Contest today before the deadline:
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