The New York Songwriters Circle is now accepting submissions from songwriters of all musical genres for its 2008 Songwriters Contest. Writers who have appeared in the past include Norah Jones, John Oates, Gavin Degraw and Charlotte Sometimes. Company of Thieves, winners of the 2007 contest, were recently named “One of the top bands to watch for in 2008” by the Chicago Daily Herald. Deadline for submissions is Sept. 30, 2008.

www.songwriters-circle.com/contest.htm

Cooch Music’s Amateur Songwriting Contest is an outlet for amateur songwriters to get their songs heard and win publishing contracts and prizes that are designed to help further their careers in the industry. The contest is open to amateur songwriters only who submit entries in any one of 10 categories: Rock/Alternative, Country, Pop/Dance, Folk/World, Rhythm & Blues, Hip Hop/Rap, Gospel/Inspirational, Latin, Novelty/Comedy/Children’s and the “Lyrics Only” category. You can enter online through Sonicbids or by mail. The entry fee is $20 per song and the deadline is Jan. 31, 2009.

www.coochmusic.com

Acoustic Rainbow Radio Sampler CD is a co-op venture among no more than 18 acoustic artists, designed to pool the resources of many artists in order to reach a large amount of radio stations for airplay. The CD will consist of one track from 16-18 acoustic acts and is shipped to 1,286 radio shows on over 1,000 stations throughout the world. Airplay is tracked and reported back to the artist in about 12 weeks. A one time total cost of $695 is required for inclusion.

www.acousticrainbow.com

Dewey Beach Americana Music Fest, a bluegrass and alt–country festival in Dewey Beach, Del. is accepting submissions for possible artists to showcase. It takes place from October 17-18 and the entry fee is $20. You may apply by mail or through Sonicbids before Sept. 1, 2008.

www.deweybeachfest.com/americanamusicfest

Fame Games is a web-based competition for unsigned artists, and has just been picked up for major radio distribution in the U.S. Artists submit songs to the company, which are evaluated by a production team before being released online and on the radio for peer review. Positive reviews push the song along through several voting stages, until the final stage where it competes with others for the Track of the Month title. Currently, the show has an average listening base of 2.5 million and is expected to grow with its release on U.S. radio.

www.meermusic.com/content/games/rules.asp

The International Songwriting Competition is accepting applications for the 2008 competition. Over $150,000 in prizes will be shared among the 62 winners, including a grand prize of $25,000. The competition is judged by a barrage of top names in the industry, including Robert Smith of The Cure and Monte Lipman, the president of Universal Records. The competition is open to all genres of music. Applicants should visit www.songwritingcompetition.com for details and an entry form.