PBSF 2024 SONGWRITER COMPETITION RULES
This is your opportunity to showcase your music at the Pensacola Beach Songwriters Festival and Win an assortment of cash and prizes! Contest opens for submissions on February 15, 2024 and will close at 11:59pm (Central) on April 30, 2024. Winners will be announced June 19, 2024. Please READ THROUGH ALL RULES very carefully. Contest will be judged by the Pensacola Beach Songwriters Festival Judges Panel consisting of hit songwriters and music industry professionals.
PRIZES
GRAND PRIZE WINNER: $1,000 cash
* Featured Performances at PBSF Songwriters Festival
* Free Business of Songwriting Consult with Gasaway Music
* A Co-Write with a Hit Songwriter
* PBSF Swag Pack + Pensacola Beach Swag Pack
* SESAC Prize Package
* D.a.T. Sauce Gift Pack
* Bill E-s Small Batch Bacon
**** Additional Prizes to be announced
CATEGORIES PRIZES: $150 cash
* Featured Round Peformance at Awards Ceremony
* Free Business of Songwriting Consult with Gasaway Music
* PBSF Swag Pack + Pensacola Beach Swag Pack
* D.a.T. Sauce Gift Pack
* Bill E-s Small Batch Bacon
* Additional Prizes to be announced
CATEGORIES:
Category A: COUNTRY
Category B: BLUES, R&B, or ROCK
Category C: BLUEGRASS or FOLK
Category D: GOSPEL
Category E: YOUTH (17 & Under- can enter songs of any genre listed above).
RULES & REGULATIONS
1. This competition is open to all amateur and professional songwriters and anyone regardless of nationality or origin.
2. There is NO FEE to enter the contest.
3. Winners will be announced on June 19, 2024.
4. Winners will attend awards ceremony during the festival where they will receive prizes and perform at Pensacola Beach Songwriters Festival 2024.
5. Entrants retain full song ownership rights and all copyrights to all songs submitted. Entering the contest does not in any way affect the writers’ ownership of their songs.
6. Entrants must be able to perform their song as an individual without an accompanist (any & all instruments are, however, allowed).
7. All entries will be considered. Submissions which have lyrics deemed inappropriate for family listening by PBSF shall be disqualified.
8. Songs must be original works written by entrant. Co-written songs may be submitted; however, only one of the writers may submit an email entry and perform the song at PBSF. It is the entrant’s responsibility to obtain signed permission from the co-writer and MUST INCLUDE this in the entry email.
9. There are no restrictions on when the song was written.
10. For the YOUTH Category: Entrants under the age of 18 years MUST provide written consent to enter from parent or legal guardian and include signed PDF letter in the entry email.
Submissions:
11. Entrants must abide by all rules in their initial submission in order to qualify for the contest.
12. Submissions are open to all songwriters, professional and amateur, aged 18 and older and residents of the USA, with the exception of the Youth Category (17 and under- see Rule #10).
13. All songs must be submitted by email to Pensacolabeachsongfest@gmail.com
Entries MUST include ALL of the following:
* The words “Song Contest” in the Email Subject Box.
* Name, address, and contact phone number.
* Category
* Attached file of the song. MP3, MP4, & WAV files will be accepted. There is no length limit.
* TYPED Lyric Sheet in PDF Form.
14. Contestants may enter up to three songs maximum.
15. Songs will be judged equally on originality, lyrics, melody and composition. Quality of performance and production will not be considered (worktapes, raw demos accepted).
16. Entrants will receive an email confirmation of their submission. Winners will be notified by phone and emails provided in submissions.
17. It is the entrants responsibility to provide correct contact details when entering the contest and to ensure that they can receive emails from the contest.
18. The judges decisions are final and binding and entrants agree by entering the contest to accept and abide by the judges decisions.
19. Entry in the PBSF 2024 Songwriting Competition constitutes permission to use winners’ names, likenesses, recordings, videos and voices for promotional and publicity purposes on the PBSF websites and social media outlets and on other third party websites and in publicity and promotional materials and press releases. This permission can be withdrawn by the entrant at any time upon written request.
20. By participating in the contest entrants agree to be bound by these rules and by any subsequent published revisions of these rules and by the decisions of Pensacola Beach Songwriters Festival Songwriting Competition which are final in all matters relating to the contest.