songwriting contests....

[jetflock]

Are songwriting contests really worth the $35 to $65 entrance fee when like 3 billion people are entering????
Does anyone else think they are generally a scam and/or should one enter only certain contests with valid credentials?
Anyone have any tips for spotting questionable songwriting contests?

[Reconsiderate]

I personally wouldn't bother.
Even in the contests that are legit
you've got to really kick rear
in a crowd-pleasing
pop sort of way.

Think "American Idol".

The chances of even getting exposure
are infinitessimal,
let alone winning.
Don't bother.





______________________________________________
Reconsiderate
Weird music for weird weirdos who are weird
Listen at Music Forte, and
Visit my home page.

[yourockradio]

Think of it like the Lottery. 1000's plop down X amount of dollars and the Host delivers a prize worth more than your lottery ticket. Pockets the rest.

You Rock Radio was going to scam your a** like that, I wouldn't allow it. Members of my organization begged me to do it, I couldn't see it as something I could sleep well with after the fact. All the contracts were drawn with Broadjam.com and a rep named Jesse, I put a stop to it before it could get off of the ground. My station, my reputation. Some people don't care about that, it is money that makes their decisions. While I admit the $200,000.00 estimated take still sounds like something I could use, I don't think that my ethics would appreciate the blow.

People buy into this nonsense without thinking it all the way through. The reality is that this is a business model devised by crooked people, to which the World abounds! The first one I saw and puked all over was the "John Lennon Song Writing Contest" scam that started way before American idol was a pimple on Simon's a**. $30 dollars and they will tell you how great you are but we are sorry you have not won the "contest".

Laws governing contests in most States in America require that anyone be able to enter without regard to any purchase or ownership of property delivered by the company of origin. This is a loophole by which the Internet has facilitated this model and it runs rampant on every website that has potential for people to enter for some prize, imaginary or otherwise. Most "prizes" are contrived at the last minute before the supposed contest contract is drafted. That was how it was with us. I had to "make up" the prizes so that we could complete the transaction.

It is funny. For years I have worked hard to provide legitimate avenues to profit from music, as I know that Music Forte itself has (I ought to know I used to work here just under Greg), and yet these so-called "contests" rake in money hand over fist, while legit operators continue to kiss your a** just to get you to try their hard fought delivery facilities or methods that actually have a chance to work for more than one person at a time in a real world sense. Not some "pretend" spot on a fake reality show or some facsimile promotion package that any jack-off with two brain cells could do themselves if they were not lazy.

Go figure. People love a grand illusion!

[hasya108]

FYI: if the previous two posts did not properly spook you, this happened
to me 5 years ago: Was a member of TAXI which is about as legit a
" forwarding" service as you can get. I have complaints about them
but that's another topic---anyway I got a demo forwarded to Gallimore
Productions a MEGA source of country MEGA stars: Shania Twain, Brooks
& Dunn etc. Of course no results from that but, my e-mail and snail
mail became positively CLOGGED with "invitations" to submit my stuff
to all sorts of these contests, many with insultingly snarky blurbs like:
Industry Insiders will personally push the button to start the incinerator
where YOUR ENTRY will be tossed!! Any way it so happens I'm in Nash-
ville for a small show ( unpaid....playing for inmates of an institution....
for the mentally challenged) and I remember the name of one particularly
pesky outfit who continues to send mailers, multicolored fancy papers
with pictures of famous friends, a beautiful contest form included, only
$35. per entry. I get their address from directory assistance and go there. It's an office bldg right on Music Row, just like they said, so I go
up to the 10th floor to find--a 12x12 room with TWO GUYS and ONE
DESK. I say here I am with my entry, tell you what just take a quick listen, I'll buy you lunch, gimme some feedback. Guy #1 panics and
mumbles his way out the door, Guy #2 sits down hard and asks for
my form and $35. I know I'm nut-cracking at this point and any REAL
music pro would probably call security, but I persist, saying I just want
to,like, get some kind of idea who I'm giving my money to. Poor Guy #2
looks for help at each wall, the floor and the cieling then spills: Ah..you
know..ahh ..we don't really LISTEN to the ..aah ..entry here. I notice that
there is not even a boom-box! This is your address, man what DO you do
in this wonderful office? We...aah..make a...aah ..deposit every day of
the entry fees...I mean sometimes we work all day processing those
credit card numbers! Then he points to a couple of plastic post
office bins, and sure enuf theres a pile of cd's and cassettes . When it gets full we call this messenger service....aah ...no, I don't know who
gets 'em....aah...Industry Insiders rate all this stuff, man, I mean
really dude. When he started with the "dude' word I thanked him and left
knowing where to submit my masterpiece once i get it together.

[yourockradio]

Right the hell on man! That is the funniest thing I have heard in months!

The sad part is I know it is true. That's the bad news. The good news is that there ain't no good news. Why is that good? Think about it people.

This person is telling you real world experience. First off, if you are managing yourself and you don't have BRASS BALLS like this person, then you are wasting your time. Most of the "artists" I have managed over the years, and ones I even recently fired... That's right FIRED!!! (Yes, that can be done), tdo not have the constitution that allows them to brazen and bold, will lose at EVERY turn and do it over and over. In most circles they call that "Insanity", but to the Indie artist that means to join another website and do some more of the same nothing they did at the last one!

Here is the truth... If you want to make money then find someone to manage you that knows what they are doing. You need to make music and make it well because it is 12 notes and a zillion others can make the same ones, the same way, so the competition for the BIG dollar is unfathomable by the rank amateur, which 99.9/10th of you are, whether your ego will allow you to admit it or not.

If you don't want to make money, that is cool. If you are over 40 chances are playing out is your only hope to catch the train, you past your prime in this business... Deal with it! There are no record "deals" in your future. Again, your ego/pride will fight and say "Well, I don't want no deal anyway" which is a lie, but we convince ourselves that the sky is orange if it fills our need to be hugged, and that is where a good manager can give you a REALITY check so that you know you are not delusional. Make music if you want, play bars if you want, but forget selling a million CD's pal 'cause it ain't likely to happen anytime soon!

Create a business plan, but don't plan the outcome. In music, as in most things, Right place + Right Time + Right product and you might have a slim chance. If any of those are not present at the exact same time... Forget it. Except it, and keep trying, but remember that you are in the WORST business man has to offer! There is no reasonable expectation that ANYTHING will happen NO MATTER what you do, who you are, or who you know. Fact... Deal with it or just make it a hobby.

But do quit hoping against hope that some "Dude" wearing sheep's clothing is anything other than a wolf!