Call for entries: 2021 Unsigned Only competition

The competition is also aimed at artists who are seeking more opportunities such as landing a record deal. All musicians who are not signed to a major label record company and/or its affiliates or subsidiaries are eligible to participate.

The grand prize Winner will be awarded $20 000 in cash, plus additional prizes, and one-on-one mentoring by an elite group of record company executives. First-place and second-place winners will be selected in each category and will be awarded prizes. The first-place winner in the Screen Shot category will be mentored by a group of music execs who place songs in film, TV, ads and video games.

All the prizes are listed here.

Interested artists should submit their entries here.

The deadlines are as follows:

• Early-bird deadline – 30 September 2020 ($25 per entry).
• Regular deadline – 1 October 2020 ($30 per entry).
• Extended deadline – 28 April  2021 ($35 per entry).

Entrants should read the rules here before submitting.

Categories

• AAA (Adult Album Alternative)
• AC (Adult Contemporary)
• Americana
• Blues
• Christian
• Country
• EDM (Electronic Dance Music)
• Folk/Singer-Songwriter
• Instrumental
• Jazz
• Latin Music
• Pop/Top 40
• R&B/Hip Hop
• Rock
• Screen Shot (original songs in all genres suited for placement in film/TV/advertising/gaming)
• Teen (for artists 18 years old and younger)
• Vocal Performance
• World Music

Note: Unsigned Only accepts original and cover songs in all categories, except for the Screen Shot category, which accepts original songs only. Entries in the Vocal Performance category will be based solely on the quality of the vocals. Unsigned Only accepts all genres of music in the Teen, Vocal Performance, and Screen Shot categories.

"The goal of Unsigned Only is to find an outstanding, talented performer, a band, singer, or solo artist, a newcomer or veteran. Past winners have been signed to record deals, licensing deals, publishing deals, better gigs, and more. Judges include celebrity artists and music industry executives, the exact kind of people who can have a major impact on your career," the competition said.

View the original call here.