International Songwriting Comp Announces 2014 Judges

By HC News | July 8, 2014

14 Record Label Presidents and CEOs Join Recording Artists To Judge The 2014 International Songwriting Competition (ISC)

Sarah McLachlan, Tom Waits, American Authors, Pat Metheny, Sara Evans, Bastille, Avicii, Wayne Shorter, Casting Crowns, John Hiatt, and Many More To Select ISC Winners

Click here to enter!

July 2, 2014 — The International Songwriting Competition (ISC) today announced its judging panel for the 2014 competition which is now accepting entries. This year, ISC has expanded on the participation of music industry executives, offering the opportunity for artists to have their music heard by the highest level of decision-makers in the music business. Judges include Presidents and CEOs from Republic, Atlantic, Warner Bros., Elektra, Columbia, Virgin, Sony Music Latin, Mercury, Wind-Up, Tommy Boy, Alligator, S-Curve, Blind Pig, and Concord Music Group.

Coupled with additional high-profile industry executives and a notable group of recording artists - many of whom are currently dominating the charts - ISC offers the opportunity for artists to have their music heard by the most impressive and elite panel of judges yet.

"This year we decided to invite more record company executives in order to open up more opportunities to songwriters and artists," states Candace Avery, Founder and Director. "It is so difficult for up-and-coming artists to reach these elusive music executives, so this is an incredible chance for artists to have their music heard by the people who actually make career-changing decisions. We are very excited and honored that so many high-level industry professionals want to participate - this is truly unprecedented in any competition."

ISC gives away more than $150,000 in cash and prizes (shared among the 68 winners) including an overall Grand Prize consisting of $25,000 (US) cash and much more in merchandise and services. Open to both amateur and professional songwriters, ISC offers 22 categories to enter, representing all genres of popular music. Past winners have included Grammy winners, chart-topping artists, amateur songwriters, and everyone in between, including Bastille; Gotye; Lindsey Stirling; Kimbra; The Band Perry; Andrew Bird; Passenger; Gin Wigmore; Missy Higgins; King Charles; and many more.

ISC Judges

Recording Artists

Tom Waits	American Authors	Pat Metheny	Sarah McLachlin	Bastille
John Hiatt	Wayne Shorter	Casting Crowns	Avicci	Darryl McDaniels RUN D.M.C.
DJ Snake	Sara Evans	Chayanne	Newsboys	Martina McBride

Also:

Keane; Robben Ford; Danilo Perez; Kenny Wayne Shepherd; Natasha Bedingfield; Jon Secada; The Chainsmokers; Jason Isbell; Afro Celt Sound System; London Grammar; Michael W. Smith; Craig Morgan; Gerald Casale (Devo); Jean-Luc Ponty; James Cotton; Taylor Goldsmith (Dawes); Matt Thiessen (Relient K); J. Holiday; and more to be announced...

Industry Executives

Monte Lipman Founder/ Chairman/CEO Republic Records	Craig Kallman Chairman/CEO Atlantic Records	Dan McCarroll President Warner Bros Records	Jeff Castelaz President Elektra Records	Alison Donald Co-President Columbia Records UK
Ted Cockle President Virgin Records UK	Nir Seroussi President Sony Music Latin	Rosie Lopez President Tommy Boy Ent.	Ed Vetri President Wind-Up Records	Glen Barros President Concord Music Group
Bruce Iglauer President Alligator Records	Keith Naftaly Executive VP of A&R RCA Records	Steve Greenberg CEO S-Curve Records	Joseph Burney VP of A&R RCA Inspiration Records	Gary Briggs Senior VP of A&R New West Records

Also:

Mike Smith (President, Mercury Records UK); Rex Rideout (VP of A&R, Motown Records); Edward Chmelewski (President, Blind Pig Records); Jay Landers (Executive VP of A&R, Verve Music Group); Bryan Stewart (VP of A&R, Curb Records); Jason McArthur (VP of A&R, Provident Label Group / Sony Music Entertainment); Angel Carrasco (Sr. VP A&R, Sony Latin America); Steve Lillywhite (Producer); Richard Stumpf (CEO, Atlas Publishing); Kim Buie (A&R, Thirty Tigers); Albert Schilcher (VP of Music and Music Marketing, MTV International); Lori Teig (VP of Talent, VEVO); Jermaine Hall (Editor-In-Chief, Vibe Magazine); Jamie Masada (Owner, Laugh Factory); Cory Robbins (Founder/President, Robbins Entertainment); Julie Kertes (General Manager, National Parenting Publications Awards, NAPPA); Claire S. Green (President, Parents' Choice Foundation); Leib Ostrow (Founder/CEO, Music For Little People); Wende Curtis (Owner, Comedy Works); and more to be announced...

2014 Sponsors

ISC is sponsored by Lowden Guitars, Berklee College Of Music, Airplay Direct, D'Addario, DiscMakers, Thayers, Slate Digital, SongU.com, The Music Business Registry, Indie Venue Bible, Celebrity Access, George Stein, Esq., and Taxi.

ISC is Now Accepting Entries for 2014 - Deadline to Enter: September 18, 2014

How To Enter

Winning ISC isn't just about the cash and prizes. The recognition, exposure, and kudos of winning ISC add to the reasons to enter and the benefits of winning. ISC is looking for great songs and songwriters - so, whether you're a professional songwriter or just starting out, ISC welcomes your entries.

You can enter online (mp3) or mail your songs (CD, tape, or DVD for music video entries). You can also enter simply by giving us a link to your songs, making it really easy because ISC will go to your page and listen to your songs there. Click here to enter.

Don't forget to check out our Instagram page where ISC entrants get featured! Click here.

2014 Categories

AAA (Adult Album Alternative), Adult Contemporary (AC), Americana, Blues, Children's Music, Comedy/Novelty, Country, Dance/Electronica, Folk/Singer-Songwriter, Gospel/Christian, Instrumental, Jazz, Latin Music, Lyrics Only, Music Video, Performance, Pop/Top 40, R&B/Hip-Hop, Rock, Teen, Unsigned Only (this category is open to unsigned songwriters and artists only), and World Music.

Entrants may submit as many songs as they wish - in the same category or in multiple categories.

Sponsor Spotlight

Taxi

Taxi is the World's Leading Independent A&R Company for good reason! For more than 20 years, Taxi has been helping unsigned, independent Songwriters, Artists, and Composers get their music to Major and Indie Record Labels, Music Publishers, Music Licensing Companies, and Top Music Supervisors working on TV Shows and Feature Films. Taxi's track record of success is second to none, and the quality and authenticity of the opportunities is considered the best in the industry. To see unedited success stories in their members' own words, click here. To learn more about Taxi, click here.

Industry Partners

	DownBeat DownBeat - There are many roads to jazz, as any collection of fans will demonstrate. But for many of those fans, whose age today can fall anywhere between 10 and 80, that road has been paved with issues of DownBeat magazine. Over the past 80 years it has instructed, recommended, criticized, praised, condemned, advocated and, in the aggregate, honored the most dynamic American music of the twentieth century. Each issue of DownBeat includes interviews with the greatest musicians on the planet - Everyone from Wynton Marsalis to Diana Krall, Herbie Hancock to Wayne Shorter, Robert Glasper to Esperanza Spalding. Millions have been led to records and artists on the strength of a DownBeat review, news tip, or profile. It has shaped young tastes in need of guidance and challenged older ones in need of a wake-up call. Celebrate DownBeat's 80th Anniversary and visit: www.downbeat.com
	National Association of Music Merchants (NAMM) NAMM opens its doors to musicians, music lovers, sound and staging professionals in Music City. Attend NAMM's Music Industry Day on Saturday, July 19 to: demo the gear of tomorrow; check out live performances by TV star Jonathan Jackson and country music artist Greg Bates; network with music industry leaders, designers and artists; and attend workshops to further music and sound careers. Summer NAMM Music Industry Day admission is now available for purchase online. Go to: http://www.namm.org/summer/2014/music-industry-day.
	Latin Alternative Music Conference (LAMC) Latin Alternative Music Conference - Every Summer, the Latin Alternative Music Conference (LAMC) takes to New York City, filling every corner with vibrant shows by acclaimed and up-and-coming artists alike, insightful talks about the state of the entertainment industry, art openings, movie screenings, and much more. Accounting for its many facets, the New York Times has called the LAMC the "Sundance of Latin Music," as it brings together artists, industry professionals, media, and fans from all over the world to celebrate, share, and converse about the music that profoundly influences them. For more information please visit www.LatinAlternative.com.
	Groove 3 Groove3.com is the premier online Pro Audio tutorial provider, making exceptional videos about today's DAWs, Plug-ins, Recording, Production, Mixing, and Mastering. They feature certified trainers and industry professionals who love to share their knowledge and skills, inspiring you to use your studio tools more efficiently and creatively. Groove3.com also features the All-Access Web Pass, which gives you instant access to every video on the site, plus any that get added during your membership. Get 30 days of the All-Access Web Pass today for free! Click here to signup and use Promo Code: song40.
	Indie Music Indie-Music.com - Where Serious Musicians Surf since 1996. Serving music creators and the industry that supports them, Indie-Music.com posts the latest news on how to make and market your music, what tools make you shine, and who has a buzz going on. Check in for your daily music industry fix.
	Jazz Monthly JazzMonthly.com is an online publication of interviews, reviews, global radio, news and entertainment covering all genres of Jazz. Their "Features" provide an insight into the experiences, efforts and opportunities of artists and their rise to recognition in the field of Jazz. Also featured, are industry professionals that have made major contributions in shaping and re-shaping the music world as we see it today. The "Jazz Teachers Directory" and "Jazz Clubs" pages are listed by State, so you are just clicks away from a local Masterclass or Event! Daily updates on: Breaking News, New Jazz Releases, and more! JazzMonthly.com - Jazz At Its Best!
	Maverick Country Maverick magazine is the leading independent country music magazine, embracing the best of country, folk, bluegrass and roots music. Maverick provides a wealth of information and entertainment, harnessed by the collective wisdom and profound industry knowledge of our writers. Renowned for its detailed features, current news, tour dates listings and extensive CD reviews covering both new and re-releases. Their readers now also enjoy a free CD with each issue, featuring both established and up and coming artists, signed or independent. Maverick is available from WH Smiths, Barnes and Noble in the US, or direct from their website: www.maverick-country.com.
	Mix Genius Make your demo shine! You dedicate yourself to developing your sound, your talent, your musical sensibilities. Your demo needs to bring out your very best and give you that Wow factor. LANDR is an intelligent mastering tool that offers a fresh way to professionally master tracks without learning complex software. Just drag and drop your track into LANDR and get a professional quality master in seconds. It will give your demo that final polish to make it really stand out. Friends of ISC can sign up here to receive 2 free months of the LANDR Pro account. Give your demo the pro treatment for free at LANDR.com.
	Southeast Urban Music Conference (SUMC) Southeast Urban Music Conference - The 10th Annual SUMC Conference will be held July 29th - August 1st at the Doubletree Hotel in Downtown Atlanta, GA. The theme for this year's conference is "The Business of Urban Entertainment" with a focus on music, film, lifestyle, technology & branding. New areas of engagement have been added for our attendees such as Artist and Producers Boot Camp, an SUMC Entertainment EXPO, breakout lounges, as well as several informative panels. Awards Luncheons & Dinner Showcases are planned as highlights of this year's conference. The conference will feature the best in R&B and Hip Hop with our "All the Way Live" concert and several other showcases. Register now for SUMC here.
	Section 101 Section 101 - Section 101 is the best website building platform for singer-songwriters and musicians. The Section 101 platform gives artists the ability to create their own beautiful, effective and easy-to-use websites complete with social media and ecommerce integration, design flexibility, ease of use in uploading music, videos and photos and superior customer support. Section 101 artists include: Jonatha Brooke, Duran Duran, BUSH, Aimee Mann, Rachael Yamagata, Kina Grannis, Pentatonix, Tracy Lawrence and many more. Section 101 is offering the International Songwriting Competition community a Free Guided Website Setup + 3 Months of Free Web Hosting & Customer Care on their Do-It-Yourself website building platform when you signup before August 1, 2014! Let a Section 101 specialist walk you through setting up your website in minutes and answer any questions you may have. In addition, they are offering Free Web Design Help, where their amazing creative team will help you pick out the perfect layout, fonts and colors for your branded website. It's only $24/month for web hosting and customer care when the offer ends. Go to Section 101.com and use Promo Code ISC101 to get started.