Stage One Official Rules
Last updated: October 22, 2026American Songwriter Live: Stage One (the "Contest") is a skill-based live performance competition operated by American Songwriter. By entering, you agree to these Official Rules.
Videos by American Songwriter
How To Enter
Entry Period. The Contest opens at 12:00 AM CT on October 1, 2026 and closes at 11:59:59 PM CT on November 12, 2026 (the "Entry Period"). American Songwriter's clock is the official timekeeper.
Entry Fee. An entry fee is required for each submission: $10 per entry submitted through 11:59:59 PM CT on October 15, 2026, and $15 per entry submitted after that through the close of the Entry Period. American Songwriter may offer promotional pricing from time to time. Each entry is paid individually, digitally, through americansongwriter.com. You agree the entry fee covers the processing and administration of the Contest. Each entry fee covers one recording of one song. You may enter as many times as you like; each entry requires a separate fee and is judged on its own.
What You Submit. Each entry is one link to one song, as a performance video or a song link. Any publicly viewable link is accepted, including video links (YouTube, TikTok, Instagram, Vimeo, Facebook, Google Drive, and self-hosted links) and streaming or audio links (Spotify, Apple Music, SoundCloud, Bandcamp, and Google Drive). Videos may be in any orientation (vertical, square, or landscape). File uploads are not accepted. You may enter online only via americansongwriter.com.
Song Entries. A song entry may be a studio, demo, or live recording, by you as a solo artist or with your band. Each song entry must be one song.
Performance Requirements. The following requirements apply to every Semifinalist Video (see Judging & Winner Selection). A video entry that does not meet them is judged as a song entry. The audio must be the audio captured in the room at the time of the performance. Each entry must be one song, performed in one continuous take, with a live vocal. A video containing more than one song counts as a single entry, and only the first song performed will be judged. The following are not permitted: lip syncing or miming to a pre-recorded track, overdubs, pitch correction, vocal stacking, and edits or cuts within the performance.
Original Songs and Covers. Original songs and cover songs are both eligible and are judged by the same criteria. If you perform an original song, it must be yours to perform, with all co-writers credited. If you perform a cover, you represent that you have the right to post the performance on the platform where it is hosted, and you acknowledge that entering does not grant you or American Songwriter any rights in the underlying composition.
Link Requirements. Your link, and any Semifinalist Video link, must open without logging in and must remain publicly viewable, unchanged, through the end of the Contest, including the live Showcase. A link that is removed, made private, or altered at any point during the Contest disqualifies the entry. Please check your link before entering. Entries disqualified for invalid links are not refunded.
No Refunds. Refunds will not be issued under any circumstances.
No Feedback. No feedback will be provided on entries.
Schedule
The Entry Period dates above are fixed, subject to extension under this section. All other dates are approximate:
- Semifinalists are announced after the Entry Period closes, approximately two weeks later.
- Each Semifinalist submits a live performance video by the deadline set in their notice (the "Video Deadline").
- The Top 10 are announced after the Video Deadline. The public vote opens with that announcement and runs for the period published with it.
- The three Showcase performers are announced after the public vote closes.
- The live Showcase takes place in Nashville, Tennessee in early 2027, at a venue and on a date announced by American Songwriter.
American Songwriter reserves the right to extend the Entry Period, change entry fees, adjust any date in the Contest, or modify any other Contest detail, at any time and for any reason. Any change will be posted at americansongwriter.com.
Stage One is a single, standalone contest. Entering Stage One does not enter you in any other contest or future stage, and no future stage is promised.
Eligibility
The Contest is open to independent, unsigned, and self-releasing artists, and artists on independent labels, from anywhere in the world. Artists currently signed to a major label or any of its imprints are not eligible.
The following parties are not eligible: (i) employees, independent contractors, and affiliates of American Songwriter or any of its affiliated companies, and their immediate family members (spouses, parents, children, and siblings, and their respective spouses); (ii) contributors to the Contest, including screeners, judges, and other contributors as we may determine on a case-by-case basis; (iii) employees, contractors, and affiliates of Contest Sponsors; and (iv) persons living in the same household as any of the individuals listed above. "Sponsors" means companies or entities that provide sponsorship, prizing, or promotional support for the Contest, as identified in Contest materials.
By entering, you represent that you (and every performer in your entry) are not employed by or affiliated with American Songwriter, its affiliates, the Contest, or any Contest Sponsor, and have not been at any time during the previous two (2) years. You represent and warrant that (a) all registration information you submit is truthful and accurate; (b) you will maintain the accuracy of such information; and (c) your entry does not violate any applicable law or regulation.
If you are under 18 years of age, you must have permission from your parent or legal guardian to enter. A Showcase performer under 18 must be accompanied at the Showcase by a parent or legal guardian.
Void where prohibited.
Rights, Authorship & Ownership
Ownership and Authority. You represent and warrant that you own, or have obtained all necessary rights and permissions for, the recording you submit and any Semifinalist Video, that you have full authority to submit them and to grant the rights described in these Official Rules, and that every performer on them has agreed to their submission. You must be a performer on the recording you submit. If you did not record or post the recording yourself, you represent that you have permission from the person or account that did.
No Infringement. You represent and warrant that your submission does not infringe or violate the copyrights, trademarks, publicity rights, privacy rights, contract rights, or any other rights of any person or entity.
Name, Image & Likeness (NIL). Submissions may not simulate, replicate, imitate, or otherwise exploit the voice, likeness, name, image, or distinctive characteristics of any identifiable individual, including any artist, celebrity, or public figure. This prohibition applies regardless of how the submission was created.
Ownership Disputes. American Songwriter is not responsible for resolving ownership, authorship, or rights disputes between collaborators, co-writers, band members, contributors, or third parties. You assume all risk related to authorship, ownership, and rights associated with your submission.
Verification. American Songwriter reserves the right, at any point in the Contest, to request additional information about any submission, including how and when it was recorded, and to disqualify, in its sole discretion, any submission it cannot reasonably verify as meeting the Performance Requirements.
Judging & Winner Selection
This Contest is a talent and skill-based competition. All entries are judged on the following criteria: the song (the choice of song and what the performer does with it, and for originals, the writing); the voice (tone, control, and feel); artistry (what makes the performer distinctive and unmistakable as an artist); and command of the performance (the ability to hold an audience). Production quality is not a judging criterion: professionally produced recordings are permitted but not required, and are judged by the same criteria as recordings made on a phone. Semifinalist Videos must also meet the Performance Requirements. For song entries, command of the performance is assessed from the Semifinalist Video.
Screening. All entries are screened by the American Songwriter team. The team may flag entries for review by Savage Music A&R at any point during screening. A&R review is separate from the Contest, is not a prize, and does not affect Semifinalist or Top 10 selection.
Round One: Semifinalists. From all eligible entries, the American Songwriter team selects the Semifinalists, in a number it determines in its sole discretion. Each Semifinalist must submit a link to a live performance video of the same song they entered (the "Semifinalist Video") that meets the Performance Requirements by the Video Deadline. If a Semifinalist entered with a video that meets the Performance Requirements, that video stands as their Semifinalist Video unless they submit a new one by the Video Deadline. A Semifinalist who does not submit a compliant Semifinalist Video by the Video Deadline is no longer eligible to advance.
Round Two: The Top 10. From the Semifinalists who submit a compliant Semifinalist Video, the American Songwriter team selects ten (10) (the "Top 10"), based on the judging criteria above. American Songwriter may, in its sole discretion, select more or fewer. The Top 10 are featured on americansongwriter.com and entered into the public vote.
Round Three: The Public Vote. The public votes online for the Top 10. At the close of voting:
- The Top 10 performer with the highest vote total earns a Showcase slot and the closing performance slot of the Showcase.
- The Top 10 performer with the second-highest vote total earns a Showcase slot.
- The American Songwriter team selects the third Showcase performer from the remaining Top 10, based on the judging criteria above (the "Team Selection").
- The remaining Top 10 performers are ranked as alternates in order of vote total.
Round Four: The Showcase. The three Showcase performers (the "Three") each perform a full set at the live Showcase. The winner is determined by combined score:
- 40%: online vote. The performer with the highest Round Three vote total receives the full 40%. The other two performers receive no online vote score.
- 40%: in-room vote, cast by attendees at the Showcase.
- 20%: American Songwriter team scoring of the Showcase performances.
The performer with the highest combined score is the winner, announced from the stage at the Showcase. If two or more performers have an identical combined score, the performer with the higher American Songwriter team score wins. If still tied, the performer with the higher in-room vote share wins.
Voting
Online Voting. Online voting is free. It opens when the Top 10 are announced and closes at the time published with that announcement. Online voting is limited to one vote per verified email address per day, subject to fraud-prevention and rate controls. Before voting opens, American Songwriter will set a volume threshold per IP address; votes from any IP address exceeding that threshold may be voided. Votes cast by American Songwriter staff are excluded from all tallies.
In-Room Voting. In-room voting is limited to one ballot per Showcase attendee, cast during the Showcase by the method announced at the event.
Integrity. Voting is administered by American Songwriter, whose tabulation is final. American Songwriter reserves the right, in its sole discretion, to void any vote or ballot it reasonably believes to be fraudulent, duplicative, automated, or otherwise non-compliant, and to disqualify any performer who participates in or benefits from vote manipulation. American Songwriter may change voting terms for future contests.
Prizes
Semifinalists are featured on americansongwriter.com.
The Top 10 are featured on americansongwriter.com, open to the public vote.
Each of the Three receives:
- a full performance slot at the live Showcase in Nashville;
- $500 cash;
- reimbursement of travel expenses to the Showcase up to $750, against receipts submitted within thirty (30) days of the Showcase;
- a feature on americansongwriter.com; and
- two (2) mentorship sessions: one with Savage Music A&R and one with an established music manager.
The Winner receives an additional $1,000 cash, for a total of $1,500 cash.
Total cash prizes: $2,500 across the Three. American Songwriter reserves the right to substitute any prize with one of equal or greater value.
Extended Opportunities. American Songwriter and Savage Music may contact any entrant, whether or not a Semifinalist, about further opportunities, which may include label, publishing, or distribution discussions. These are not prizes, are not promised, and are not part of the Contest.
Taxes. Prize recipients are solely responsible for all federal, state, local, and, where applicable, foreign taxes, and for any fees or expenses associated with acceptance or use of a prize. As a condition of receiving any prize, recipients must complete and return any tax documentation American Songwriter reasonably requires (including, for U.S. recipients, an IRS Form W-9, and for non-U.S. recipients, an applicable IRS Form W-8) before the prize is issued. American Songwriter will report prize payments as required by law and may withhold taxes where required.
Minors. Any prize awarded to a recipient under 18 years of age will be awarded to the recipient's parent or legal guardian on the recipient's behalf, subject to American Songwriter's verification requirements.
Showcase Participation & Substitution
Participation Requirement. The Three must perform at the live Showcase in person. Participation is required to receive Showcase prizes and to win.
Substitution. If any of the Three is unable to perform at the Showcase after being notified and confirmed, for any reason (including illness, scheduling conflicts, travel restrictions, or personal emergencies), American Songwriter will offer the slot to the next alternate in vote order. An alternate who accepts a slot is subject to the same terms as the performer they replace. If the top vote-getter withdraws, the closing slot and the full online vote score pass to the performer among the Three with the highest Round Three vote total.
Other Obligations. At any point in the Contest, American Songwriter may substitute any participant who is unable to fulfill required participation obligations (including interviews, promotional activities, rehearsals, or live events) with the next eligible alternate.
Notification. American Songwriter will notify Semifinalists, the Top 10, and alternates by the email address and/or phone number associated with their entry. Each Semifinalist notice states whether a Semifinalist Video is required and gives the Video Deadline. A video is required from every Semifinalist who entered with a song link, and from any Semifinalist whose entry video does not meet the Performance Requirements. A notified Top 10 performer who does not respond within seven (7) days may be replaced by the next eligible Semifinalist. American Songwriter will notify affected participants of any substitution as soon as practicable, typically within forty-eight (48) to seventy-two (72) hours where feasible. Entrants who are not selected as Semifinalists will not receive individual notice; results will be posted at americansongwriter.com and announced via email.
Forfeiture. Performers who do not participate in the Showcase forfeit all Showcase-specific prizes and benefits, unless American Songwriter determines otherwise in its sole discretion.
Showcase Recording & Capture Rights
By accepting a Showcase slot, each performer grants American Songwriter and its designees the right to photograph, film, audio- and video-record, livestream, broadcast, and otherwise capture their Showcase performance, image, likeness, name, voice, and biographical information, and to use, edit, reproduce, publicly display, distribute, and exploit those captures in any and all media now known or hereafter devised, worldwide, in perpetuity, for purposes of operating, documenting, and promoting the Contest and American Songwriter, without further notice, payment, or consideration. American Songwriter owns all such captures and may share them with the performers for their own non-commercial promotional use. Performers are responsible for clearing the same rights for any additional musicians or guests they bring to the Showcase. Performers who perform cover songs acknowledge that American Songwriter's ability to publish recordings of those performances may be limited by third-party rights.
Content
We do NOT claim ownership in the materials you submit in conjunction with the Contest. Such materials include video, audio, songs, lyrics, musical works, performances, images, text, names, links, and any other materials (collectively, "Content"). By submitting Content, you grant American Songwriter a limited, non-exclusive license to access, view, embed from its source platform, link to, publicly display, and promote your Content, including the limited right to use your name, likeness, and persona, for purposes of the Contest. American Songwriter will embed or link to entries and Semifinalist Videos from the platform where they are hosted and will not re-upload an entry without the entrant's written permission.
By making an entry, you acknowledge that American Songwriter may receive many entries, that entries may be similar or identical in theme, idea, format, or other respects to other entries or to works created or developed by or for American Songwriter, and you waive any and all claims that any such similar entry or work infringes your entry. American Songwriter has no duty or liability, direct or indirect, vicarious, contributory, or otherwise, with respect to the infringement or protection of any copyright in and to your entry.
Indemnification
By entering, you agree to indemnify, defend, and hold harmless American Songwriter, its parent and affiliated companies, and their respective officers, directors, employees, agents, partners, Sponsors, screeners, and successors (collectively, the "American Songwriter Parties") from and against any and all claims, demands, actions, damages, losses, liabilities, costs, and expenses (including reasonable attorneys' fees) arising out of or relating to: (a) any breach of your representations, warranties, or obligations under these Official Rules; (b) any actual or alleged infringement of any copyright, trademark, trade secret, publicity right, privacy right, or other proprietary right of any third party arising from your submission; (c) the unauthorized use of any material in your submission, including compositions, lyrics, sound recordings, or artwork; (d) any violation of NIL rights, including unauthorized voice cloning, likeness replication, or impersonation of any identifiable individual; (e) any dispute between you and any co-writer, band member, collaborator, contributor, or third party regarding authorship, ownership, or rights in your submission; and (f) any claim that your submission, or American Songwriter's authorized use of it, infringes or misappropriates a third party's rights.
Your indemnification obligations survive the conclusion of the Contest. American Songwriter reserves the right, at its own expense, to assume the exclusive defense and control of any matter otherwise subject to indemnification by you, in which case you agree to cooperate fully.
Other Rules & Regulations
By entering the Contest through americansongwriter.com, you expressly agree to the Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy on the American Songwriter website, which are incorporated herein by reference. To the extent these Official Rules conflict with any other agreement, these Official Rules take priority. American Songwriter reserves the right to disqualify any entry that does not meet these Official Rules, with no obligation to return any entry fee. We expressly disclaim any warranty and do not guarantee or promise any specific results.
In no event shall we be liable to you or any third party for any indirect, consequential, exemplary, incidental, statutory, special, or punitive damages, including lost profit damages arising from your entry into the Contest. Our liability to you for any cause whatsoever, regardless of the form of the action, will at all times be limited to the amount you paid to enter, if any.
Conflict Resolution
The parties shall attempt in good faith to resolve any dispute arising out of or relating to these Official Rules promptly by negotiation between persons who have authority to settle the controversy. Any party may give the other party written notice of any dispute not resolved in the normal course of business. If not resolved, any dispute, claim, or controversy (contractual, tort, and/or statutory) arising out of or relating to these Official Rules or the breach, termination, enforcement, interpretation, or validity thereof, including the determination of the scope or applicability of this agreement to arbitrate, shall be determined EXCLUSIVELY by arbitration in Nashville, Tennessee before one arbitrator, administered by either AAA or JAMS. These Official Rules are governed by the laws of the State of Tennessee, exclusive of conflict or choice of law rules. Void where prohibited.
Prize Delivery
Prize delivery will be coordinated via email. Mentorship sessions will be scheduled at a mutually agreed time. If any prize is not fulfilled within 180 days of the winner announcement at the Showcase, it is the recipient's responsibility to notify American Songwriter in writing. If a recipient does not notify American Songwriter of an outstanding prize within 180 days, American Songwriter can no longer guarantee fulfillment.
Contact
For questions or issues regarding the Contest, email info@americansongwriter.com.
