Song Contest Blog » Song Contest http://www.wearelistening.org/blog News, tips and resources for songwriters and song contest participants Wed, 23 Nov 2011 03:30:02 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 en hourly 1 More from Mark Towne… http://www.wearelistening.org/blog/more-from-marke-towne/ http://www.wearelistening.org/blog/more-from-marke-towne/#comments Thu, 03 Feb 2011 21:09:55 +0000 Lior Shamir http://www.wearelistening.org/blog/?p=3635 from: Mark Towne
to: Lior Shamir
date: Thu, Feb 3, 2011 at 12:35 PM
subject: BAD GIRLS CLUB (Season 6) / Songs Used / Vices I Admire

Lior,

After winning We Are Listening’s Breaking the Band contest our music was exposed to a diverse, large audience of independent radio lovers. Our web traffic skyrocketed and we made our first appearance on the CMJ radio charts. Months later we landed a placement on the Oxygen Network’s The Bad Girls Club through the contacts we made from We Are Listening. As an independent artist in today’s market every little bit helps and We Are Listening has given us a big push!

Mark Towne
Booking / Drums
Vices I Admire

]]> http://www.wearelistening.org/blog/more-from-marke-towne/feed/ 0 How To Pick The Right Song Contest http://www.wearelistening.org/blog/how-to-pick-the-right-song-contest/ http://www.wearelistening.org/blog/how-to-pick-the-right-song-contest/#comments Wed, 05 Jan 2011 00:47:13 +0000 Lior Shamir http://www.wearelistening.org/blog/?p=3594 We currently have three song contests open.  To compare and contrast, and select the right song contest for you, click here.

If you have any questions or comments about any of these song contests, please leave a comment below this post by clicking here and I will respond on the thread.

Or you can contact us via email here.

]]> http://www.wearelistening.org/blog/how-to-pick-the-right-song-contest/feed/ 1 My Promise To You http://www.wearelistening.org/blog/my-promise-to-you/ http://www.wearelistening.org/blog/my-promise-to-you/#comments Fri, 31 Dec 2010 22:17:30 +0000 Lior Shamir http://www.wearelistening.org/blog/?p=3576 On the 1st January 2010, exactly 364 days ago, I pledged to make this blog outstanding.

It was a new year’s resolution for me and my promise to you.  I wrote it down here.

Today, just a few hours from the turn of the year, did I achieved what I had set out to do?

If you believe that this blog is outstanding, let me know.  If I have fallen short [or flat on my ass], let me know.  And most importantly, let me know what you would like to see on this blog in 2011.

This is your blog.  In the past, I have tried to make it my own and failed.  You see, when I make it about me, nobody reads it.  When I make it about YOU, a conversation begins.

Whether you’re a regular reader or just drop in from time to time, I invite you to share your thoughts and help me create a blog that will help you succeed in music and beyond.

Leave your thoughts here >>

May the force be with you in 2011!

Lior Shamir
Founder, We Are Listening & Song Contest Blog

]]> http://www.wearelistening.org/blog/my-promise-to-you/feed/ 6 Help, I Need Your Creative Input! http://www.wearelistening.org/blog/help-i-need-your-creative-input/ http://www.wearelistening.org/blog/help-i-need-your-creative-input/#comments Thu, 30 Dec 2010 19:27:34 +0000 Lior Shamir http://www.wearelistening.org/blog/?p=3570 Two weeks ago, I wrote a post about my idea for a one million dollar song contest.  The premise of the idea is to give away a million dollars cash to one artist from a million who enter.  It’s a winner-takes-all concept where submissions are free and the prize is the largest in the industry’s history.  If you didn’t read the post, here it is.

I want to take this idea and develop it.  And I need your help:

I’ve been searching for names for this song contest.  For example, Million Dollar Song Contest or One Million Voices.  I’m not thrilled with either.

Please think of names that you believe are suitable and leave them in the comments below this post.

But there’s a catch!  The domain must be available.  Don’t suggest a name like “One Million” because buying this domain would cost about fifty grand.

If you think of a good name, check that the domain is available on www.godaddy.com before suggesting it.

Thanks for your creative input friends.

Leave your suggestions here >>

]]> http://www.wearelistening.org/blog/help-i-need-your-creative-input/feed/ 50 How Would You Spend A Million Dollars? http://www.wearelistening.org/blog/how-would-you-spend-a-million-dollars/ http://www.wearelistening.org/blog/how-would-you-spend-a-million-dollars/#comments Tue, 14 Dec 2010 02:27:23 +0000 Lior Shamir http://www.wearelistening.org/blog/?p=3553 Last week, I wrote about a free song contest idea where the winner would receive a million dollars cash.  No strings attached.  If you missed it, here it is.

So, if YOU win, what will you do with the million dollars?

Leave a comment here.

]]> http://www.wearelistening.org/blog/how-would-you-spend-a-million-dollars/feed/ 7 The Truth About Production Quality In Song Contest Submissions http://www.wearelistening.org/blog/the-truth-about-production-quality-in-song-contest-submissions/ http://www.wearelistening.org/blog/the-truth-about-production-quality-in-song-contest-submissions/#comments Tue, 07 Dec 2010 01:58:11 +0000 Lior Shamir http://www.wearelistening.org/blog/?p=3537 Most song contests state that the production qualities of the recorded submissions they receive are not factored into the judging process.  In other words, the judges are instructed to ignore everything but the song and, in some cases, the vocal delivery.  This is true of We Are Listening’s song contest rules.

Song contest judges have the ears to distinguish between song and production.  However, production, like a good suit or firm handshake, makes a strong impression that’s impossible to ignore.  I wouldn’t be surprised if a couple of rough diamonds have been overlooked as a result.

I stand by our rules.  But these rules are not enforceable.

To be perfectly honest, if I were a judge, I think I would be swayed by awesome production.  Wouldn’t you?

]]> http://www.wearelistening.org/blog/the-truth-about-production-quality-in-song-contest-submissions/feed/ 1 Are Song Contests Letting You Down? http://www.wearelistening.org/blog/are-song-contests-letting-you-down/ http://www.wearelistening.org/blog/are-song-contests-letting-you-down/#comments Fri, 03 Dec 2010 23:02:17 +0000 Lior Shamir http://www.wearelistening.org/blog/?p=3534 I’m ready to take action.

If We Are Listening’s song contest has let you down, let me know.  If any other song contest has let you down, let me know.

What is it about our service that’s broken, below par or simply unappealing?  And what about other song contests?  Your feedback is We Are Listening’s future.

Let me know.

]]> http://www.wearelistening.org/blog/are-song-contests-letting-you-down/feed/ 9 This Is What Makes It All So Worthwhile http://www.wearelistening.org/blog/this-is-what-makes-it-all-so-worthwhile/ http://www.wearelistening.org/blog/this-is-what-makes-it-all-so-worthwhile/#comments Thu, 30 Sep 2010 13:00:29 +0000 Lior Shamir http://www.wearelistening.org/blog/?p=3514 from: Evan Field
to: Lior Shamir
date: Thu, Sep 30, 2010 at 1:12 AM
subject: THANK YOU from Honor By August!

Lior,

On behalf of the band I just wanted to thank you again — and emphatically — for everything that We Are Listening and Tinderbox have done for us.

As I mentioned to Jon, the band has been extremely excited about all of the success at radio and the licensing potential from the 10 show agreements Jon was able to secure for us.

We can’t thank everyone at Tinderbox enough for all of the great work and results they’ve achieved for Honor By August and, as Jon has been quick to point out, we have you to thank for making it all possible.

We hope to be able to maintain a relationship with you both moving forward and hope to be able to share success stories that we can attribute to your work and investment in the band.

As I said to Jon, if there’s anything we can do, like provide a quote or blurb from the band, please let us know and we’d of course be happy to provide anything that might be helpful. We’ve already raved about this experience to many of the bands we cross paths with on the road and will certainly continue to do so.

Cheers and thanks again,

Evan,
Honor By August

]]> http://www.wearelistening.org/blog/this-is-what-makes-it-all-so-worthwhile/feed/ 0 We Are Not Listening http://www.wearelistening.org/blog/we-are-not-listening/ http://www.wearelistening.org/blog/we-are-not-listening/#comments Tue, 28 Sep 2010 07:45:50 +0000 Lior Shamir http://www.wearelistening.org/blog/?p=3511 I received this email yesterday:

YouAreNOTListening…..

We need to earn a little something from our music, not give it away to web projects like YOU.  We have some world-class music, but could easily be £6,500 out of pocket if we had subscribed to all of the websites like you, who want our money.

Back off.  You are not helpful.

Post a comment >>

]]> http://www.wearelistening.org/blog/we-are-not-listening/feed/ 10 Song Contest Winner Lands Huge TV Placement http://www.wearelistening.org/blog/song-contest-winner-lands-huge-tv-placement/ http://www.wearelistening.org/blog/song-contest-winner-lands-huge-tv-placement/#comments Sun, 26 Sep 2010 14:53:28 +0000 Lior Shamir http://www.wearelistening.org/blog/?p=3505 Thanks to Jon Delange, our TV licensing mojo maker, 2006 song contest winner, Laurell, landed a HUGE placement in the season finale of The Real World: New Orleans.  The show aired on the 15th September with Laurell’s “In The Air”, vocals up, with ID.  Success!

Give it up for Laurell…

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