John Lennon Songwriting Contest

Enter the Contest

2025 Contest Schedule

2025 Session I - OPEN
Open - February 17, 2025
Deadline - June 30, 2025 - 11:59pm PST
Winner Announcement -
September 1, 2025
12 Grand Prize Winners (one in each category) and 36 Finalists (three in each category)

2025 Session II - CLOSED
Open - July 1, 2025
Deadline - December 31, 2025 - 11:59pm PST
Winner Announcement -
March 1, 2026
12 Grand Prize Winners (one in each category) and 36 Finalists (three in each category)

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2024 Awards Announcements

2024 Lennon Awards
Winner Announcement -
May 1, 2025
Grand Prize Winners of Session I and Session II will compete head-to-head in an online voting battle to become the Lennon Award Winner in their respective category.

2024 Song of the Year
Winner Announcement -
July, 2025
One of the 12 Lennon Award Winners will win Song of the Year and $20,000.

2024 Rules & Regulations

Each song submitted must be contestant's original work. Songs may not exceed five (5) minutes in length. Songs may have multiple co-writers, but please designate one name only on the application. Contestant may submit as many songs in as many categories as he/she wishes, but each entry requires a separate audio file uploaded in MP3 or AAC format. (Entrance fee is non-refundable. JLSC is not responsible for late, lost, damaged, misdirected, postage due, stolen, or misappropriated entries. The JLSC is not responsible for faulty file uploads accompanying online entries.)

The John Lennon Songwriting Contest is conducting 2 separate Contests during 2024: Session I and Session II. Twelve (12) Grand Prize winning songs from each Session (1 from each category) will receive a prize package consisting of musical instruments and home studio gear from the industry’s top manufacturers. Thirty-six (36) Finalists (3 in each of the 12 categories) in each Session will also receive prizes. The 12 Grand Prize Winners in each Session will proceed in the contest to a head-to-head online voting competition, the winners of which become the Lennon Award Winner in their respective category. These twelve (12) Lennon Award Winners will receive additional prizes. One (1) Lennon Award winning song will be selected by judges to be named "Song of the Year" and will receive even more prizes including a check for $20,000.
The Grand Prize winners and Finalists are announced simultaneously on September 1 (Session I) and March 1 (Session II). Lennon Award winners are posted on May 1. Song of the Year is announced in July.

Contest is open to amateur and professional songwriters. Employees of JLSC, their families, subsidiaries, and affiliates are not eligible.

Winners will be chosen by a select panel of judges comprised of noted songwriters, producers, and music industry professionals. Songs will be judged based on melody, composition, originality and lyrics (when applicable). The quality of performance and production will not be considered. Prizes will be awarded jointly to all authors of any song; division of prizes is responsibility of winners. Void where prohibited. All federal, state, and local laws and regulations apply. The JLSC reserves the right to substitute prizes of equal or greater value.

Winners will be notified by email and must sign and return an affidavit of eligibility/recording rights/publicity release within 14 days of notification date. The affidavit will state that winner's song is original work and he/she holds all rights to song. Failure to sign and return such affidavit within 14 days or provision of false/inaccurate information therein will result in immediate disqualification and an alternate winner will be selected. Affidavits for winners under 18 years of age at time of award must be countersigned by parent or legal guardian. Affidavits subject to verification by JLSC and its agents. Entry constitutes permission to use winner's names, likenesses, and voices for future advertising and publicity purposes without additional compensation.

CDs, cassettes, and lyrics will not be returned.

Songs will be judged based on melody, composition, originality and lyrics (when applicable). The quality of performance and production will not be considered. Prizes will be awarded jointly to all authors of any song; division of prizes is responsibility of winners. Void where prohibited. All federal, state, and local laws and regulations apply. The JLSC reserves the right to substitute prizes of equal or greater value.

Winner Announcements: Session I announced on or prior to September 1, 2024. Session II announced on or prior to March 1, 2025. Announcements will be sent to the email address provided by each entrant and will also be posted on jlsc.com, no other notification will be given. The $20,000 "Song of the Year" will be announced in July 2025. For more information contact info@jlsc.com.

Each entry requires the following elements:
	One song, five (5) minutes or less, uploaded in MP3 or AAC format (12MB or less)
	A lyric sheet -- no lyrics necessary for instrumental compositions
	A payment -- $30.00 per song