American Songwriter — Song Contest (2026)

A paid-entry song contest run by the magazine, open to songwriters, artists and bands anywhere in the world. The grand prize is $10,000 in cash alongside A&R mentorship, a publishing deal opportunity with Savage Music, a two-page magazine feature, radio promotion through Play MPE, studio time and a custom guitar. Each of the twenty-odd genre categories also carries a first prize of $1,000 and a second of $500, both with editorial coverage.

You keep your song. The organisers claim no ownership; you grant a limited licence to use the entry for the contest itself, and your email address is shared with contest sponsors.

You enter by pasting a public streaming link — Spotify, SoundCloud, YouTube, Google Drive — at checkout. No MP3 uploads. Demos and work tapes are fine, because recording quality, production and vocal ability are explicitly excluded from judging. What is assessed is the song itself: lyrics, melody, likability, overall composition. Entries are first screened by contracted professional songwriters and staff, then a shortlist goes to a panel of artists and industry figures.

Budget for the cost. There is a fee for every entry, tiered by how early you enter — $25, $30 or $35 — and each category you select counts as a separate entry, so one song in three categories means three fees. Fees are non-refundable under any circumstances, including for broken or private links, and no feedback is given on entries.

Two categories are age-specific: Teen, for writers 18 or younger, and Golden, for 50 and over. Under-18s need a parent or guardian's permission to enter. The deadline is 7 December 2026 at 11:59:59pm CT, winners are announced in spring, and international winners pay any customs fees on physical prizes.