Contests - American Songwriter

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American Songwriter Contests

Offering Discovery Platforms for Musical Talent

MARCH FORWARD PROMOTION OPEN NOW

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Win Gear, Cash + Feature with Songs About Chasing Your Dreams!

Introducing the MARCH FORWARD promotion open to ALL American Songwriter contests.

Looking for songs & lyrics about chasing your dreams and working hard to achieve your goals!

Arturia MicroFreak Synthesizer
✅ $500 in Cash

✅ Feature on American Songwriter
✅ And More!

Song Contest, Lyric Contest & Road Ready Talent Contest entries are ALL eligible for this promotion. 

Three Winners will be selected (one from each contest) and awarded the same prize package.

Note: All entries will be included in the respective contests and eligible for all regular prizes.

March Forward Promotion Deadline: April 1

Opportunity to become a winner by entering any of our contests!
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Progress Report

2024 Road Ready Talent Contest
Final Deadline: May 13 39%
2024 Song Contest
Final Deadline: Dec 9 28%
2024 Lyric Contest
Current Deadline: May 15 50%
SXSW VIP Experience Promotion
March 6, 2024 100%
It's A Wonderful Write Promotion
December 27 2023 100%
SXSW VIP Experience Promotion
March 6, 2024 100%
Session 1
January/February: Winners Announced 100%
Session 2
March/April: Winners Announced 100%
It's A Wonderful Write Promotion
December 27 2023 100%
Session 3
May/June: Winners TBD 100%
Session 4
July/August 7%

BE RECOGNIZED AS A SONGWRITER

PAST WINNERS INCLUDE

Song Contest

2023 Winners:

Winners: TBA

Top 25: TBA

Finalists: Click Here

Semi-Finalists: Click Here

Promotion Winners:

SXSW VIP Experience Winner: Dakota

May Flowers Winner: Belle Shea

Sounds Like Summer Winner: my friends call me Mel

Make It Count Winner: The Philharmonik

Heart Toppers Winner: Sade Frame

Still Standing Winner: Matt Jordan

Home Sweet Home Winner: Connor Pledger

Songs That Sync Winners: Josh Adams and Daniel Read

It’s A Wonderful Write Winner: Sam Palladio and Cassadee Pope

First Place:
“Somebody” By Harper O’Neill, Meg McRee

Second Place:
“American Spirits” By Austin Sawyer (Drumming Bird)

Third Place:
“Milky Way” By Nathalie Nedeljkovic (Nouel)

ALL WINNERS

First Place:
“Walk” By Lauryn Marie

Second Place:
“This Could Be My Last Song” By Frank Watkinson

Third Place:
“Right At The Wrong Time” By Jade Steg

ALL WINNERS

First Place:
“We Need More” By Taylor Fagins

Second Place:
“Still Life” By Ryan Dilmore

Third Place:
“Two Hearts and a Diamond” By Ava Suppelsa & Jesse Labelle

ALL WINNERS

Lyric Contest

Grand Prize Winner:

2024 Grand-Prize Winner: TBA

Session Winners:

November/December 2024 Lyric Contest Winners: TBA

September/October 2024 Lyric Contest Winners: TBA

July/August 2024 Lyric Contest Winners: TBA

May/June 2024 Lyric Contest Winners: TBA

March/April 2024 Lyric Contest Winners: Click Here

January/February 2024 Lyric Contest Winners: Click Here

Promotion Winners:

Autumn Leaves Winner: Ralston Wells, Brooke Hatala and Daniel Leathersic 

It’s A Wonderful Write Winner: Daniel Foshee, Marcus Hooper and Alex Perkins

Grand Prize Winner:

2023 Grand-Prize Winner: Click Here

Session Winners:

November/December 2023 Lyric Contest Winners: Click Here

September/October 2023 Lyric Contest Winners: Click Here

July/August 2023 Lyric Contest Winners: Click Here

May/June 2023 Lyric Contest Winners: Click Here

March/April 2023 Lyric Contest Winners: Click Here

January/February 2023 Lyric Contest Winners: Click Here

Promotion Winners:

Spring Breakup Winner: Jordon Frank

Sounds Like Summer Winner: Sara Leibman

Heart Toppers Winner: Robin Mac

Home Sweet Home Winner: Shawn Chambliss

2022 Grand Prize Winner: Click Here

November/December 2022 Lyric Contest Winners: Click Here

September/October 2022 Lyric Contest Winners: Click Here

July/August 2022 Lyric Contest Winners: Click Here

May/June 2022 Lyric Contest Winners: Click Here

March/April 2022 Lyric Contest Winners: Click Here

January/February 2022 Lyric Contest Winners: Click Here

2021 Grand Prize Winner: Click Here

November/December 2021 Lyric Contest Winners: Click Here

September/October 2021 Lyric Contest Winners: Click Here

July/August 2021 Lyric Contest Winners: Click Here

May/June 2021 Lyric Contest Winners: Click Here

March/April 2021 Lyric Contest Winners: Click Here

January/February 2021 Lyric Contest Winners: Click Here

2020 Grand Prize Winner: Click Here

November/December 2020 Lyric Contest Winners: Click Here

September/October 2020 Lyric Contest Winners: Click Here

July/August 2020 Lyric Contest Winners: Click Here

May/June 2020 Lyric Contest Winners: Click Here

March/April 2020 Lyric Contest Winners: Click Here

January/February 2020 Lyric Contest Winners: Click Here

BE FEATURED ON AMERICAN SONGWRITER

More Songs We Love From the 2022 Song Contest

More Songs We Absolutely Love From the 2022 Song Contest, Vol. II

American Songwriter’s 2022 Song Contest drew a massive number of outstanding entries, so we believe it’s worth sharing some of our favorites. Check out the second part of those songs below. Volume I can be found HERE and the winners of this year’s contest can be found HERE.  “SONG TITLE” BY SONGWRITER(S) Matthew Orgel · More

Read More »
2008 Grand Prize Lyric Contest Winner Quinten Collier with Rodney Crowell

Eyes On The Prize: How Rodney Crowell Met His Co-Writer

It’s hard to break through as a non-performing songwriter in the music business. Many try. They come to Nashville with a battered guitar and a suitcase full of lyrics and toil in oblivion for years. They play songwriter rounds, honky-tonks, and doggedly pursue the reps of publishing companies, oftentimes to no avail. Most never land More

Read More »

BE HEARD BY TOP ARTISTS & INDUSTRY EXECS

Song Contest Square Graphic copy

Song Contest

To Be Announced

Jelly Roll, Julia Michaels, Aly & AJ, Tommy Lee, Natalie Grant, and more. 

ALL JUDGES

Rob Thomas, Kara DioGuardi, Ross Golan, Taylor Momsen (The Pretty Reckless), Silversun Pickups, and more. 

ALL JUDGES

Ziggy Marley, Grace Potter, Mickey Guyton, Walker Hayes, and more. 

ALL JUDGES

2024 Lyric Contest Ads-2

Lyric Contest

Cassadee Pope, Levi Hummon, Jim Lauderdale, Emily Weisband and more. 

ALL JUDGES

Pam Sheyne, Shelly Peiken, Priscilla Block, Dave Bassett, and more.

ALL JUDGES

Scotty McCreery, Linda Perry, for KING & COUNTRY, Rhett Akins, and more. 

ALL JUDGES

Alex Alexakis, KT Tunstall, The Milk Carton Kids, and more. 

ALL JUDGES

WIN ADDITIONAL PRIZES WITH PROMOTIONS

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