For more than 20 years, the American Songwriter Amateur Lyric Contest has helped thousands of songwriters become involved in our community. Established in 1984, America Songwriter magazine sponsors six contests per year that run in conjunction with each issue published. Entrants should send lyric sheet only, no cassettes or musical direction. The winning lyric, along with four runners-up and ten honorable mentions from each contest, will be published in the issue of American Songwriter that follows the deadline of each contest. The writer(s) of the winning lyric for each contest receives a DX1 Martin Guitar^TM (valued at $669). One guitar per contest will be awarded. The three runners-up will also receive a Shure microphone. Don’t miss the opportunity to see your work in print! The annual winner, chosen from the six contest winners, will receive round trip airfare for two to Nashville on American Airlines and a master production demo from Music City Music Productions, Inc., valued at over $1500 and last but not least…a dream co-writing session with your choice of several soon-to-be-announced hit songwriters, including Bobby Braddock (”He Stopped Loving Her Today”) and Kent Blazy (”If Tomorrow Never Comes”)!

Enter online at Sonic Bids
American Songwriter partners with Sonicbids to make it easier and more efficient for you to enter lyrics online. When you enter online, you will receive a complimentary 3-month membership to Sonicbids which allows you to create and send an electronic press kit (EPK) consisting of photos, bio, calendar, and even music. Using a Sonicbids EPK will save you time and money, help you look professional, and make online submissions to hundreds of music events a breeze. Although it is not required as part of the online entry process, it is a great tool for you to utilize in a variety of ways, and we hope you will take advantage of the membership. Please note that there is a small processing fee for entering online, but it is still less expensive than going through the post office. If you are not in agreement with this fee, you can always send in your lyrics by mail with a check or money order. Ready to enter?