Major Lyric Contest Opens Doors for Aspiring Songwriters

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You’ve poured your heart onto the page, wrestled with rhymes, and polished every line until it shines. But what happens next? For many songwriters, a powerful set of lyrics sits silently in a notebook or a document, waiting for its moment. A major lyric contest can be that moment—the bridge between your private craft and public recognition, providing validation, feedback, and a direct line to the music industry.
It’s more than just a lottery ticket; it’s a strategic tool. The right contest can put your words in front of GRAMMY-winning artists, seasoned publishers, and industry executives actively searching for new talent. This is your chance to turn solitary effort into tangible opportunity.

Table of Contents

At a Glance: What You’ll Gain

Identify Your Goal: Learn to choose a contest based on what you need most—be it professional feedback, prize money, or industry exposure.
Navigate the Nuances: Understand the critical difference between lyric-only contests and full-song competitions where production quality matters.
Craft a Winning Submission: Get a step-by-step playbook for preparing your lyrics to stand out to judges.
Compare Top-Tier Contests: Discover which prestigious competitions, from the American Songwriter Lyric Contest to the John Lennon Songwriting Contest, align with your specific style and ambitions.
Demystify the Process: Find clear answers to common questions about entry fees, copyright, and what judges are really looking for.

Beyond Bragging Rights: The True Value of a Lyric Contest

Winning a contest is fantastic, but the benefits run much deeper than a cash prize or a trophy. Entering is an investment in your career, offering returns in several key areas. While a broad Song Contest Guide provides a panoramic view of all competition types, focusing specifically on lyric-centric contests reveals unique advantages for the wordsmith.

Professional Validation: Having your work recognized by a panel of established songwriters and industry pros is a powerful confidence booster. It’s external confirmation that your craft has merit and resonates with experts.
Constructive Feedback: Some of the best contests provide direct feedback. The Great American Song Contest, for instance, is the only major competition that provides written critiques from judges for every single entry. The NSAI Song Contest offers a similar perk, providing a scorecard and an evaluation credit. This is invaluable, like getting a one-on-one coaching session for the price of an entry fee.
Industry Exposure: Your lyrics won’t just be read; they’ll be seen by the right people. The American Songwriter Lyric Contest puts its winners in front of its massive readership and offers a “Dream Day On Music Row” prize, including a co-writing session and a full-band demo. The International Songwriting Competition (ISC) is known for its high-profile judging panel of music executives and iconic artists.
Motivation and Deadlines: A firm deadline is a powerful catalyst for creativity. It forces you to finish, polish, and perfect that song you’ve been putting off. It moves your work from “in progress” to “complete.”

Find Your Perfect Match: Choosing the Right Contest for Your Goals

Not all contests are created equal, and the “best” one depends entirely on your personal objectives. Think of them in categories based on their strongest selling point.

For the Feedback Seeker: Contests That Teach

If your primary goal is to improve your craft, target competitions that offer structured feedback. This is the fastest way to understand your strengths and weaknesses from a professional perspective.

Great American Song Contest: The gold standard for feedback. Every participant receives a written evaluation. This is perfect for songwriters who want to know why their song did or didn’t place.
NSAI Song Contest: Along with a judging scorecard, each entry comes with one NSAI Song Evaluation credit (a $25 value). This is an excellent perk from a respected songwriting organization.

For the Pure Lyricist: Where Words Reign Supreme

If you’re a writer first and don’t have access to high-quality recording equipment, look for contests that explicitly judge the lyrics, not the production.

John Lennon Songwriting Contest: Founded by Yoko Ono Lennon in 1997, this contest is legendary for its focus on the core elements of the song—melody, composition, and lyrics—explicitly stating that production quality is not a factor. This levels the playing field for writers who only have a simple guitar/vocal or piano/vocal demo.
American Songwriter Lyric Contest: As the name implies, this is all about the words on the page. Since its inception in 1984, it has been dedicated to the art and craft of lyricism. Your submission is just the text, making it a pure test of your writing skill.

For the Career Builder: Prestige, Prizes, and Connections

If you have a polished song and are ready for the big leagues, aim for the contests known for their industry clout and life-changing prizes.

International Songwriting Competition (ISC): Known for its incredibly influential judging panel, the ISC is a gateway to the industry. A win or even a finalist placement here carries significant weight.
USA Songwriting Competition: This competition is very direct about its goal: getting winners’ songs on the radio and into the hands of publishers. They specifically judge for “market potential,” making it a great fit for commercially-minded writers.
NSAI Song Contest: The grand prize package is a career launcher, including mentorship with stars like Ashley McBryde or Rivers Rutherford and a potential single-song publishing contract with BMG.

A Submission Playbook: How to Prepare Your Lyrics for Success

Judges often sift through thousands of entries. Your goal is to make their job easy by presenting your work professionally. A brilliant lyric can be overlooked if it’s submitted carelessly.

Step 1: Dissect the Rules and Guidelines

Every contest has specific rules. Read them twice.

Formatting: Do they require a simple text file or a PDF? Is there a specific font or layout requested?
Anonymity: Many contests use a blind judging process. Ensure your name or contact information does not appear on the lyric sheet itself.
File Naming: Follow their conventions precisely (e.g., SongTitle.pdf or EntryID_SongTitle.txt).
Deadlines: Note the exact date and time zone. The American Songwriter contest has six different session deadlines throughout the year; don’t mix them up.

Step 2: Curate, Don’t Delegate

Don’t submit every lyric you’ve ever written. Choose the one or two pieces that best represent your unique voice and skill. Ask yourself:

Which lyric tells the most compelling story?
Which one uses the most vivid imagery and clever wordplay?
Which piece has a universal theme but a unique perspective?
Does this lyric fit the contest’s vibe? (A protest song might be perfect for the John Lennon contest, while a radio-friendly hook might be better for the USA Songwriting Competition).

Step 3: Format for Readability and Impact

Your lyric sheet is your song’s first impression. Make it clean, clear, and professional.

Do ✅	Don’t ❌
Clearly label sections (Verse, Chorus, Bridge).	Use fancy, hard-to-read fonts.
Use a standard, legible font like Times New Roman or Arial.	Forget to proofread for typos and grammatical errors.
Use consistent spacing and indentation.	Include chord notations unless specifically requested.
Ensure the title is prominent at the top.	Clutter the page with graphics or unnecessary text.
A judge should be able to understand the structure and flow of your song just by glancing at the page.

Step 4: The Demo (If Applicable)

For contests that aren’t strictly “lyric-only,” a simple, clean demo is all you need.

Focus on Clarity: The recording should feature the vocal and the primary instrument (guitar or piano) clearly. Avoid excessive reverb or effects that obscure the words.
Vocal Performance: The vocal should be in tune and convey the emotion of the lyric. It doesn’t need to be a powerhouse performance, just an honest one.
Remember the Goal: For most of these contests, the demo’s purpose is simply to present the melody and phrasing of the lyrics, not to showcase your production skills. As the John Lennon contest proves, a great song is a great song, even on a simple iPhone recording.

Quick Answers to Pressing Questions

Here are some common concerns aspiring songwriters have about entering a lyric contest.

Do I lose the rights to my lyrics if I enter a contest?

Almost universally, no. Reputable contests like the ISC, American Songwriter, and others state clearly in their terms that the songwriter retains all rights and copyrights to their work. You are simply granting them a non-exclusive license to display or promote your work if you win. Always read the fine print, but this is standard practice.

Is it really worth paying the entry fee?

Think of the fee ($15 to $45 is typical) as an investment, not a gamble. If you’re entering a contest like the Great American Song Contest, you are paying for a professional critique. If you’re entering the NSAI contest, you’re getting an evaluation credit. For others, you are paying for access—the chance to have your work reviewed by people you could never otherwise reach.

What if I’m not from the US? Can I still enter?

Absolutely. Most major competitions, including the American Songwriter Lyric Contest, ISC, and The UK Songwriting Contest, are international. The primary requirement is usually that the lyrics be submitted in English.

Does my lyric need a melody before I submit it to a lyric-only contest?

No. For a pure lyric contest like the one hosted by American Songwriter, you are submitting only the text. The judges evaluate it based on its poetic and narrative merits—story, imagery, structure, rhyme scheme, and emotional impact—as a standalone piece of writing.

Your Next Move is Clear

Your lyrics deserve to be heard. Don’t let them languish in a notebook. Take a moment to assess your goals and pick a contest that aligns with them.

If you crave honest, professional feedback to grow as a writer, prepare your best work for the Great American Song Contest or the NSAI Song Contest.
If you have a powerful lyric but no demo, your top targets are the American Songwriter Lyric Contest and the John Lennon Songwriting Contest.
If you believe your song is commercially ready and you want maximum industry exposure, set your sights on the International Songwriting Competition (ISC) or the USA Songwriting Competition.
Pick one. Read the rules. Polish your lyrics. And send them out into the world. Taking that step is a victory in itself.