International Songwriting Competition (ISC)

The International Songwriting Competition is open to songwriters of any nationality, from complete beginners to working professionals, with separate categories spanning genres from country and hip-hop to children's music, comedy, and lyrics-only entries. There's no funding here: you're paying to compete, not applying for support. Entries cost $25 to $35 per song per category depending on when you submit, rising as the extended deadline of 23 November 2026 approaches, and fees aren't refundable. You enter online with an MP3 or streaming link, or by mail, on CD or tape, with two printed copies of the lyrics; you can enter as many songs and categories as you like, each incurring its own fee, with no limit on how many you submit. A listening committee narrows the field to finalists, who are then judged by working industry professionals, mainly on melody, composition, originality and lyrics; production quality and performance generally aren't scored, except in the dedicated Performance category. Prizes include a grand prize open to unsigned and unpublished entrants, category winners, and a publicly voted People's Choice award, though exact amounts sit on a separate prizes page this listing doesn't cover; some prizes come from sponsors and can take longer to arrive. AI tools may only play a minor, disclosed role in writing a song — fully AI-generated entries are disqualified, and in the Performance category vocals must be human.