Read this page to discover the best categories for your songs.
You may submit the same song in multiple categories
Co-Writer Category NEW - Music OR Lyrics
The UKSC always encourages collaboration and co-writing opportunities and this year, instead of giving you a classic song to rewrite (as we did with Paul McCartney's Yesterday), we let YOU choose the song. Step one: choose a well known song by any major artist or songwriter. Step Two: choose to write new lyrics or a new melody for this song. Step three: submit your new co-write to the UKSC. You song and Certificate will be credited jointly to you and to the original songwriter, so this is a unique chance to get a joint credit with a famous artist.
LYRICS: If you have written new lyrics submit them to us as written lyrics on the entry form.
MUSIC: If you have written new music/melody to the original lyrics, send us a recording (with or without the vocals).
There is a space on the entry form to give the name of the original song and artist. You may give your new version of the song a new title if you have changed the lyrics. But keep the same title if you changed the music only. We look forward to receiving your creations.
Pop
This category is for chart style top 40 popular music. It includes slower pop ballads as well as up-tempo pop songs. This is the most commercial of all the categories and is for songs with mass (often younger) audience appeal. UKSC judges and producers have excellent contacts in the music industry who are looking for new pop songs. Past winners of this category have had major publishing deals and written for major artists, appeared on prime time TV and worked with some of the word's top producers. Past winners have had hundreds of millions of streams for their songs (in the case of UKSC Pop Winner Belle Humble, over a billion for her songs alone).
Singer Songwriter
This is a category is for songwriters who are also singers. Songs can be in any style or genre. The only rule is that the songwriter sings their own song. In this category the performance and vocals are judged together with the songwriting. NOTE: This is the only category where the vocals are also judged. In all other categories vocals are not judged. This is a good category for those songwriters who want to make a career as a solo performing artist as it is very closely watched by those in the music industry. It is also a very useful category for songwriters who simply want feedback to see how their own voice, combined with their own song, is rated by the judges.
Major Artist
Do you have a song that would suit a well known artist? The UKSC is a first point of call for many TV and radio producers, important music events organizers, media, publishers and labels. For example we work with The Voice UK to find artists for this popular TV show and UKSC organisers were asked to recommend new artists for King Charles´ Coronation Concert. The major artists category is for songs that you think are suitable for a well known artist. The artist can be current (eg Taylor Swift or BTS) or an artist from a past era (eg Frank Sinatra, Elvis). In the case of current artists the UKSC sends the winning song to the artist´s management or production team for consideration - we cannot guarantee a positive response, but we will contact the artist or their management and forward songs. NOTE: Lyricists can also enter this category - see more below.
Unsigned
Songs in this category may be in any genre or style, but the the writer(s) must be independent and unsigned at the time of entry. None of the writers can be signed to a deal or contract with a publishing, recording or management company. Songs may be simple home demos, or they may be studio recorded. Songs can be commercially available and independently released through a distributor, eg Distrokid or CD Baby etc, but if they are released this must be as a direct and independent release by the writer or artist, and not through a contractual signing to any record or publishing company. The winner and top finalist songwriters in this category will be presented to our many professional production, management and publishing contacts for consideration for signings and development.
Adult Contemporary
Artists described as AC include BRIT School graduates Amy Winehouse and Adele. Other artists and writers often referred to as AC include Ed Sheeren, Sting, Eric Clapton, James Taylor, Celine Dion, Simply Red, Bryan Adams - it is a huge and varied list and a very popular genre and category. Acoustic based singer/songwriter material is suited to this category. Younger, edgier bands, sometimes described as "Hot AC", are also welcome in this category. A large variety of music has been entered in this category over the years - listen to and compare past winners and hear the many different styles of music among the worthy winners. "Apart" by Neil Fitzpatrick, was signed to the world´s biggest independent music publishers after winning and Neil was signed through our recommendation to feature in a major Sky TV series about songwriting. Jaron Natoli was featured to millions on Australian nationwide prime time TV with UKSC judge and producer Stuart Epps. Johnny Schaefer´s UKSC winning Adult Contemporary song entry You Can´t Hide The Light was recorded by Grammy legend Melissa Manchester. There are many more examples.
FOR LYRICISTS
Lyrics Only
The category to submit written lyrics. You may add directions about musical style / production etc, or background information about the lyric (this is optional and not a requirement). Lyrics Only entries have the same chance of winning major prizes as entries in other categories. Lyrics winner Susan Muranty received mentoring with hit songwriter and UKSC judge Mark Cawley as a contest prize and recorded in studios in Nashville with him. Susan is now a UKSC judge with special interest in the Lyrics category. A number of UKSC lyrics winners have had collaborations with other songwriters and had their songs recorded with outstanding results. For example Lyrics Winner Mick Evans had music put to his winning lyric through connections with the UKSC and Lyrics Winner John Scholfield had his winning song recorded with a melody especially written for it by another UKSC winner, Elisabeth Roberts (watch and listen here). There are many more examples.You can also enter lyrics in this category if you have a recording of the same song in another category as it can be helpful to see if the judges considered the lyric alone stronger than with the music. Lyricists can also enter their song lyrics in the Major Artists category and the Crises and Protest Songs category and also take part in the Co-writing Challenge Category.
Lyrics for Major Artists
Lyricists can submit their written lyrics in the Major Artist category using the the lyrics box provided on the entry form. Please also add the name of the major artist in the box provided for this. You may also add details about production,melody, the history or background of the song etc. Read more about the Major Artist category above.
Crisis / Protest Lyrics
Lyricists can submit their written lyrics in the Crisis and Protest Songs category using the the lyrics box provided on the entry form. You may also add details about the lyrics, production, melody, the history or background of your song etc in the box provided for this. Read more about the Crisis and Protest Songs category below.
Co-Writer Lyrics
Lyricists can submit their new lyrics to a well known song in the Co-writing Category. Simply selcet Co Writer (Lyrics) on the entry form and send us your new lyrics.
Love Songs
These songs can be in any style - pop, rock, AC, country, disco, ballad, folk, opera, rock anthems, jazz, gospel - the only rule is that the song must be about love. Past winners of this category have been in many styles. The song can be about any aspect off love, from positive love experiences, to heartbreak and unrequited love. One of the past outstanding Love Song winners was What Love Is by Ken Brown. This impressed judge Stuart Epps so much that he put on his producer´s hat, re-recorded and remixed the song, added backing vocals and arrangements, and created a new master version applying the same skills he used on his well known tracks with Elton John. This is another closely watched UKSC category with many industry insiders checking out the winner. For example, the song video we made for the 2021 Love Songs winner by Azeem Alam had over 100,000 plays on YouTube alone within days of the results announcement.
Rock / Indie
Recent Winners, The Kut, received a lot of media attention for their win which quickly led to hitting the Number One position at the top of the Official UK Rock Charts. They were also nominated by the UKSC for an ISA Award and won best Rock writers in The International Songwriting Awards. All types and styles of rock and Indie songs are welcome and past entries include classic retro rock, many Indie styles, Alternative, Grunge, Heavy Metal, Ballads, modern contemporary rock, Progressive and pop/rock crossover. Bands and solo songwriters may enter and recordings can be of any type: studio, bedroom, garage, live show. Jason Flinter´s winning song was chosen to open and launched LABEL EXPO in Brussels and he was asked to write the music for the Capetown EXPO SUMMIT - "All thanks to the UKSC". Winner Nathaniel Porter had personal advise from UKSC judge Richard Niles and is now pursuing a career with US band Parias Day. Winner Jaron Natoli was featured and performed his winning song to millions on nationwide network TV show Today Tonight alongside our own Stuart Epps when results were announced.
New Age / Ambient NEW
The GRAMMYS defines New Age music as "generally ambient, exploratory and journey-like in nature, welcoming dissonance and consonance alike". Wikipedia describes it as "a genre of music intended to create artistic inspiration, relaxation, and optimism". It can be used as a backgound for healing, yoga, meditation, study, massage, stress management or for creating atmosphere. It is easier to define it by the way it is used and the effects and feelings it evokes, rather than by instruments or style or genre.used in its creation. In practice New Age Music covers all styles and genres, acoustic, electronic, instrumental, vocal, solo, ensemble, classical, traditional electroacoustic, synth and sequencing, piano, guitar, flute.There is no limit, and there are many articles to be found about this genre on the web.
Crisis and Protest Songs
The Crisis and Protest Songs category has become very popular in recent years and with all the troubles and crises in the world today it is more relevant than ever. We encourage a return to the protest songs of past decades as we face so many major world problems and challenges caused by, or ignored, by our political leaders today. All songs in any style and any genre are very welcome and will be given our full attention. We will be watching closely and will share our favourites. To submit to this category enter your song using the UKSC entry form and select Crisis and Protest Songs from the category list. Lyricists may also submit written lyrics to this category - see details above.
Acoustic / Folk
This is for all unplugged, non electric based songs of any style including Folk songs. There have been some very impressive acoustic entry winners in the past. For example Bloody Good Xmas by Jamie Hawkins was championed by UKSC judge Richard Niles and it received so much interest on winning that it was rush released as a Christmas Single and hit #2 in the Amazon charts - see the video on YouTube. A finalist song in the Acoustic Category, Down To Earth by Kate Diaz, was picked up and used as a theme tune by Music Aid International and others and it was played at major government events in the USA. All folk songs including traditional folk, regional styles, world folk styles, modern folk, easy listening folk/acoustic styles are welcome. Check out Dr James by Katriona Gilmore, an outstanding song in a classic old traditional English folk style, or the very topical and contemporary lyrics of the 2020 Folk winner in US American Traditional folk style. Or the powerful and descriptive imagery of the 2019 winner Kenmare Bay.This is a suitable category for many types and styles of songs including acoustic singer songwriter and acoustic bands.
Teen
There have been some impressive Teen winners in the UKSC. Jaron Natoli was only 13 when he won both the Rock and the Pop categories with his songs and and this led to him being seen and heard by millions in a special feature on the popular Today Tonight TV show in Australia (with UKSC judge Stuart Epps). When 15 year old Kate Cosentino won the Under 18s category with her beautiful outstanding song Just Remember and it caused a stir among many in the music business and hit songwriter Mark Cawley was quoted as saying he envied her writing skills and wished he had been able to write like that when he was 15. Seventeen year old Katie Kittermaster recently won this category with her song T-Shirt. She was soon performing the UKSC winning song on a nationwide tour with BoyzLife and is now enjoying a successful career with many TV appearances and sell out concerts, millions of online plays for her songs and a major international record deal with BMG. Anyone 19 and under at the time of entry can enter this category and songs can be in any style. (Co-written songs may also be entered but the main writer must be a Teen and listed first in the writing credits).
Open / All Genres
This category is open to all genres as the name says. Anything and everything goes in this open category and there are no restrictions on what you may enter. The Open Category is for songs that do not fit easily into any of the other categories. Entries have included opera, classical, ethnic and world music, songs for children, educational songs, show songs for musical theatre, comedy songs and advertising jingles. Remember - anything goes. We have had some very outstanding entries in this category and some big successes - for example after winning the Open Category the song "Sempre Vicino" was covered and recorded by The Canadian Tenors and released internationally. Another past winner of this category, Natalie Chua, was signed by Simon Cowell - she was only 12 years old when she won this category and she went on to receive a Platinum Album for sales over 500,000 with Cowell's band Angelis. More recently Chris Broom´s songs, sung by Lucy Thomas, have won the Open Category and it has been announced that they will be featured in the up-coming West End Musical, Rosie.
EDM
For all styles and sub-genres of Electronic and Dance and Ambient music. These include Electronica, Trance, Atmospheric, Minimal, House, Techno, D&B, Space Music, Jungle, Hardcore, Industrial, Breakbeat, Psychedelic, UK Garage, Electro, Downtempo, Chillout, Nu-Jazz, Nu-Disco, Organic, New Wave, Dub Step, Dance Punk, Progressive, Acid Rave, Gabba, Sambass, Funk, Jump, Freestyle, Euro, Snap, Synthpop, Dark Ambient, Industrial, Ambient Dub, Ethno, Isolationist... and everything in between. Instrumentals can also be entered in this category.
R&B / HipHop / Rap
All contemporary R&B, and all Hip Hop, Rap and Urban styles are welcome in this category. If you think that your songs may overlap with Pop or Adult Contemporary or Singer-Songwriter or Electronic/Dance you may wish to also enter your songs in those categories. R&B, HipHop and Rap are some of the most popular musical genres in the charts and we look forward to hearing your song entry in this category
Retro
This popular category was introduced by the UKSC because so many songwriters told us that they had written songs in older styles that they did not think were suitable for a contemporary song competition. This category was created for all these older style songs: for example 60s and 70s Pop, 80s Disco, 40s ballads, 50s Rock and Roll, 90s Brit Pop, California Surf and anything else that is in a Retro style. Check out the UKSC archives online: there have been some great songs in this category.
Christmas Songs
Christmas Songs are among the biggest grossing songs in the world with potential for repeat sales each year and lists of the world's most popular songs always include Christmas Songs at the top. The UKSC has had many excellent Christmas song submissions over the past years. One example is "Bloody Good Xmas" which went straight to number two in the Amazon download charts after it received a cult following through the UKSC and was championed by USC judge Richard Niles. Another Christmas song winner, My Favourite Time Of Year by Leigh Haggerwood, was signed as the theme music for ITV Television´s annual Christmas appeal and playlisted in over 140,000 stores worldwide. It has had many millions of streams and was officially listed as one of the "Most Popular Christmas Songs of All Time" on YouTube.
Country
This popular category is for Country music only and it has seen some outstanding entries in many different country styles in past years. The Country category includes all the many different styles and variations of country music and includes traditional country, ballads, foot stompers and pop crossovers. To see the different styles that have been entered check out the powerful winning country song He Only Broke My Heart, a good example of a contemporary pop/country style by young songwriter Molly Hunt, and compare this with the winning Country song I'm So Blue by Rob Cariddi, which has the feel of a timeless country classic from an earlier era. These are just two of the many examples of great country songs in the UKSC archives.
Jazz / Blues
All styles of Blues or Jazz are welcome, from ballads and big band, to experimental and modern. The category is suitable for all types of jazz from traditional to contemporary jazz based easy listening, experimental jazz, or heavily jazz influenced rock band styles (eg Steely Dan). You may also enter instrumental jazz pieces in this category. Blues entries can be hard core blues, or light acoustic blues, traditional, retro, latin influenced blues, raw basic blues, complex songs or simple 12 bars. This category is suitable for all styles of Jazz and Blues and Instrumentals are also welcome. We are constantly surprised and impressed by the variety and high standard of the Jazz and Blues entries..
Christian Music
All songs with Christian religious or faith theme including gospel, praise, worship etc. All musical styles are welcome in this category - traditional, modern and alternative, pop, rap, choral, soul, rock etc etc. Christmas carols may be entered in this category or in Christmas Songs (or both). Past winners have been in gospel, country, classical, pop, acapella and even electronic/dance styles.
Instrumental
All styles and forms and genres of instrumental music are welcome in this category. Classical, rock, acoustic, electric, theme music, film music, jingles or mood music, songs without lyrics, or improvisational pieces - there are no limits. Any type of instrumentation is welcome - eg a single acoustic instrument, electronic, multiple instruments, all keyboards based, live band/ensemble performances etc etc. This year we have also added a section on the entry form for writers to add details and notes about the Instrumental entry for the judges to read. Instrumental composers can also enter their creations in the Co-writing Challenge, EDM, Jazz/Blues
The UKSC always encourages collaboration and co-writing opportunities and this year, instead of giving you a classic song to rewrite (as we did with Paul McCartney's Yesterday), we let YOU choose the song. Step one: choose a well known song by any major artist or songwriter. Step Two: choose to write new lyrics or a new melody for this song. Step three: submit your new co-write to the UKSC. You song and Certificate will be credited jointly to you and to the original songwriter, so this is a unique chance to get a joint credit with a famous artist.
LYRICS: If you have written new lyrics submit them to us as written lyrics on the entry form.
MUSIC: If you have written new music/melody to the original lyrics, send us a recording (with or without the vocals).
There is a space on the entry form to give the name of the original song and artist. You may give your new version of the song a new title if you have changed the lyrics. But keep the same title if you changed the music only. We look forward to receiving your creations.
Pop
This category is for chart style top 40 popular music. It includes slower pop ballads as well as up-tempo pop songs. This is the most commercial of all the categories and is for songs with mass (often younger) audience appeal. UKSC judges and producers have excellent contacts in the music industry who are looking for new pop songs. Past winners of this category have had major publishing deals and written for major artists, appeared on prime time TV and worked with some of the word's top producers. Past winners have had hundreds of millions of streams for their songs (in the case of UKSC Pop Winner Belle Humble, over a billion for her songs alone).
Singer Songwriter
This is a category is for songwriters who are also singers. Songs can be in any style or genre. The only rule is that the songwriter sings their own song. In this category the performance and vocals are judged together with the songwriting. NOTE: This is the only category where the vocals are also judged. In all other categories vocals are not judged. This is a good category for those songwriters who want to make a career as a solo performing artist as it is very closely watched by those in the music industry. It is also a very useful category for songwriters who simply want feedback to see how their own voice, combined with their own song, is rated by the judges.
Major Artist
Do you have a song that would suit a well known artist? The UKSC is a first point of call for many TV and radio producers, important music events organizers, media, publishers and labels. For example we work with The Voice UK to find artists for this popular TV show and UKSC organisers were asked to recommend new artists for King Charles´ Coronation Concert. The major artists category is for songs that you think are suitable for a well known artist. The artist can be current (eg Taylor Swift or BTS) or an artist from a past era (eg Frank Sinatra, Elvis). In the case of current artists the UKSC sends the winning song to the artist´s management or production team for consideration - we cannot guarantee a positive response, but we will contact the artist or their management and forward songs. NOTE: Lyricists can also enter this category - see more below.
Unsigned
Songs in this category may be in any genre or style, but the the writer(s) must be independent and unsigned at the time of entry. None of the writers can be signed to a deal or contract with a publishing, recording or management company. Songs may be simple home demos, or they may be studio recorded. Songs can be commercially available and independently released through a distributor, eg Distrokid or CD Baby etc, but if they are released this must be as a direct and independent release by the writer or artist, and not through a contractual signing to any record or publishing company. The winner and top finalist songwriters in this category will be presented to our many professional production, management and publishing contacts for consideration for signings and development.
Adult Contemporary
Artists described as AC include BRIT School graduates Amy Winehouse and Adele. Other artists and writers often referred to as AC include Ed Sheeren, Sting, Eric Clapton, James Taylor, Celine Dion, Simply Red, Bryan Adams - it is a huge and varied list and a very popular genre and category. Acoustic based singer/songwriter material is suited to this category. Younger, edgier bands, sometimes described as "Hot AC", are also welcome in this category. A large variety of music has been entered in this category over the years - listen to and compare past winners and hear the many different styles of music among the worthy winners. "Apart" by Neil Fitzpatrick, was signed to the world´s biggest independent music publishers after winning and Neil was signed through our recommendation to feature in a major Sky TV series about songwriting. Jaron Natoli was featured to millions on Australian nationwide prime time TV with UKSC judge and producer Stuart Epps. Johnny Schaefer´s UKSC winning Adult Contemporary song entry You Can´t Hide The Light was recorded by Grammy legend Melissa Manchester. There are many more examples.
FOR LYRICISTS
Lyrics Only
The category to submit written lyrics. You may add directions about musical style / production etc, or background information about the lyric (this is optional and not a requirement). Lyrics Only entries have the same chance of winning major prizes as entries in other categories. Lyrics winner Susan Muranty received mentoring with hit songwriter and UKSC judge Mark Cawley as a contest prize and recorded in studios in Nashville with him. Susan is now a UKSC judge with special interest in the Lyrics category. A number of UKSC lyrics winners have had collaborations with other songwriters and had their songs recorded with outstanding results. For example Lyrics Winner Mick Evans had music put to his winning lyric through connections with the UKSC and Lyrics Winner John Scholfield had his winning song recorded with a melody especially written for it by another UKSC winner, Elisabeth Roberts (watch and listen here). There are many more examples.You can also enter lyrics in this category if you have a recording of the same song in another category as it can be helpful to see if the judges considered the lyric alone stronger than with the music. Lyricists can also enter their song lyrics in the Major Artists category and the Crises and Protest Songs category and also take part in the Co-writing Challenge Category.
Lyrics for Major Artists
Lyricists can submit their written lyrics in the Major Artist category using the the lyrics box provided on the entry form. Please also add the name of the major artist in the box provided for this. You may also add details about production,melody, the history or background of the song etc. Read more about the Major Artist category above.
Crisis / Protest Lyrics
Lyricists can submit their written lyrics in the Crisis and Protest Songs category using the the lyrics box provided on the entry form. You may also add details about the lyrics, production, melody, the history or background of your song etc in the box provided for this. Read more about the Crisis and Protest Songs category below.
Co-Writer Lyrics
Lyricists can submit their new lyrics to a well known song in the Co-writing Category. Simply selcet Co Writer (Lyrics) on the entry form and send us your new lyrics.
Love Songs
These songs can be in any style - pop, rock, AC, country, disco, ballad, folk, opera, rock anthems, jazz, gospel - the only rule is that the song must be about love. Past winners of this category have been in many styles. The song can be about any aspect off love, from positive love experiences, to heartbreak and unrequited love. One of the past outstanding Love Song winners was What Love Is by Ken Brown. This impressed judge Stuart Epps so much that he put on his producer´s hat, re-recorded and remixed the song, added backing vocals and arrangements, and created a new master version applying the same skills he used on his well known tracks with Elton John. This is another closely watched UKSC category with many industry insiders checking out the winner. For example, the song video we made for the 2021 Love Songs winner by Azeem Alam had over 100,000 plays on YouTube alone within days of the results announcement.
Rock / Indie
Recent Winners, The Kut, received a lot of media attention for their win which quickly led to hitting the Number One position at the top of the Official UK Rock Charts. They were also nominated by the UKSC for an ISA Award and won best Rock writers in The International Songwriting Awards. All types and styles of rock and Indie songs are welcome and past entries include classic retro rock, many Indie styles, Alternative, Grunge, Heavy Metal, Ballads, modern contemporary rock, Progressive and pop/rock crossover. Bands and solo songwriters may enter and recordings can be of any type: studio, bedroom, garage, live show. Jason Flinter´s winning song was chosen to open and launched LABEL EXPO in Brussels and he was asked to write the music for the Capetown EXPO SUMMIT - "All thanks to the UKSC". Winner Nathaniel Porter had personal advise from UKSC judge Richard Niles and is now pursuing a career with US band Parias Day. Winner Jaron Natoli was featured and performed his winning song to millions on nationwide network TV show Today Tonight alongside our own Stuart Epps when results were announced.
New Age / Ambient NEW
The GRAMMYS defines New Age music as "generally ambient, exploratory and journey-like in nature, welcoming dissonance and consonance alike". Wikipedia describes it as "a genre of music intended to create artistic inspiration, relaxation, and optimism". It can be used as a backgound for healing, yoga, meditation, study, massage, stress management or for creating atmosphere. It is easier to define it by the way it is used and the effects and feelings it evokes, rather than by instruments or style or genre.used in its creation. In practice New Age Music covers all styles and genres, acoustic, electronic, instrumental, vocal, solo, ensemble, classical, traditional electroacoustic, synth and sequencing, piano, guitar, flute.There is no limit, and there are many articles to be found about this genre on the web.
Crisis and Protest Songs
The Crisis and Protest Songs category has become very popular in recent years and with all the troubles and crises in the world today it is more relevant than ever. We encourage a return to the protest songs of past decades as we face so many major world problems and challenges caused by, or ignored, by our political leaders today. All songs in any style and any genre are very welcome and will be given our full attention. We will be watching closely and will share our favourites. To submit to this category enter your song using the UKSC entry form and select Crisis and Protest Songs from the category list. Lyricists may also submit written lyrics to this category - see details above.
Acoustic / Folk
This is for all unplugged, non electric based songs of any style including Folk songs. There have been some very impressive acoustic entry winners in the past. For example Bloody Good Xmas by Jamie Hawkins was championed by UKSC judge Richard Niles and it received so much interest on winning that it was rush released as a Christmas Single and hit #2 in the Amazon charts - see the video on YouTube. A finalist song in the Acoustic Category, Down To Earth by Kate Diaz, was picked up and used as a theme tune by Music Aid International and others and it was played at major government events in the USA. All folk songs including traditional folk, regional styles, world folk styles, modern folk, easy listening folk/acoustic styles are welcome. Check out Dr James by Katriona Gilmore, an outstanding song in a classic old traditional English folk style, or the very topical and contemporary lyrics of the 2020 Folk winner in US American Traditional folk style. Or the powerful and descriptive imagery of the 2019 winner Kenmare Bay.This is a suitable category for many types and styles of songs including acoustic singer songwriter and acoustic bands.
Teen
There have been some impressive Teen winners in the UKSC. Jaron Natoli was only 13 when he won both the Rock and the Pop categories with his songs and and this led to him being seen and heard by millions in a special feature on the popular Today Tonight TV show in Australia (with UKSC judge Stuart Epps). When 15 year old Kate Cosentino won the Under 18s category with her beautiful outstanding song Just Remember and it caused a stir among many in the music business and hit songwriter Mark Cawley was quoted as saying he envied her writing skills and wished he had been able to write like that when he was 15. Seventeen year old Katie Kittermaster recently won this category with her song T-Shirt. She was soon performing the UKSC winning song on a nationwide tour with BoyzLife and is now enjoying a successful career with many TV appearances and sell out concerts, millions of online plays for her songs and a major international record deal with BMG. Anyone 19 and under at the time of entry can enter this category and songs can be in any style. (Co-written songs may also be entered but the main writer must be a Teen and listed first in the writing credits).
Open / All Genres
This category is open to all genres as the name says. Anything and everything goes in this open category and there are no restrictions on what you may enter. The Open Category is for songs that do not fit easily into any of the other categories. Entries have included opera, classical, ethnic and world music, songs for children, educational songs, show songs for musical theatre, comedy songs and advertising jingles. Remember - anything goes. We have had some very outstanding entries in this category and some big successes - for example after winning the Open Category the song "Sempre Vicino" was covered and recorded by The Canadian Tenors and released internationally. Another past winner of this category, Natalie Chua, was signed by Simon Cowell - she was only 12 years old when she won this category and she went on to receive a Platinum Album for sales over 500,000 with Cowell's band Angelis. More recently Chris Broom´s songs, sung by Lucy Thomas, have won the Open Category and it has been announced that they will be featured in the up-coming West End Musical, Rosie.
EDM
For all styles and sub-genres of Electronic and Dance and Ambient music. These include Electronica, Trance, Atmospheric, Minimal, House, Techno, D&B, Space Music, Jungle, Hardcore, Industrial, Breakbeat, Psychedelic, UK Garage, Electro, Downtempo, Chillout, Nu-Jazz, Nu-Disco, Organic, New Wave, Dub Step, Dance Punk, Progressive, Acid Rave, Gabba, Sambass, Funk, Jump, Freestyle, Euro, Snap, Synthpop, Dark Ambient, Industrial, Ambient Dub, Ethno, Isolationist... and everything in between. Instrumentals can also be entered in this category.
R&B / HipHop / Rap
All contemporary R&B, and all Hip Hop, Rap and Urban styles are welcome in this category. If you think that your songs may overlap with Pop or Adult Contemporary or Singer-Songwriter or Electronic/Dance you may wish to also enter your songs in those categories. R&B, HipHop and Rap are some of the most popular musical genres in the charts and we look forward to hearing your song entry in this category
Retro
This popular category was introduced by the UKSC because so many songwriters told us that they had written songs in older styles that they did not think were suitable for a contemporary song competition. This category was created for all these older style songs: for example 60s and 70s Pop, 80s Disco, 40s ballads, 50s Rock and Roll, 90s Brit Pop, California Surf and anything else that is in a Retro style. Check out the UKSC archives online: there have been some great songs in this category.
Christmas Songs
Christmas Songs are among the biggest grossing songs in the world with potential for repeat sales each year and lists of the world's most popular songs always include Christmas Songs at the top. The UKSC has had many excellent Christmas song submissions over the past years. One example is "Bloody Good Xmas" which went straight to number two in the Amazon download charts after it received a cult following through the UKSC and was championed by USC judge Richard Niles. Another Christmas song winner, My Favourite Time Of Year by Leigh Haggerwood, was signed as the theme music for ITV Television´s annual Christmas appeal and playlisted in over 140,000 stores worldwide. It has had many millions of streams and was officially listed as one of the "Most Popular Christmas Songs of All Time" on YouTube.
Country
This popular category is for Country music only and it has seen some outstanding entries in many different country styles in past years. The Country category includes all the many different styles and variations of country music and includes traditional country, ballads, foot stompers and pop crossovers. To see the different styles that have been entered check out the powerful winning country song He Only Broke My Heart, a good example of a contemporary pop/country style by young songwriter Molly Hunt, and compare this with the winning Country song I'm So Blue by Rob Cariddi, which has the feel of a timeless country classic from an earlier era. These are just two of the many examples of great country songs in the UKSC archives.
Jazz / Blues
All styles of Blues or Jazz are welcome, from ballads and big band, to experimental and modern. The category is suitable for all types of jazz from traditional to contemporary jazz based easy listening, experimental jazz, or heavily jazz influenced rock band styles (eg Steely Dan). You may also enter instrumental jazz pieces in this category. Blues entries can be hard core blues, or light acoustic blues, traditional, retro, latin influenced blues, raw basic blues, complex songs or simple 12 bars. This category is suitable for all styles of Jazz and Blues and Instrumentals are also welcome. We are constantly surprised and impressed by the variety and high standard of the Jazz and Blues entries..
Christian Music
All songs with Christian religious or faith theme including gospel, praise, worship etc. All musical styles are welcome in this category - traditional, modern and alternative, pop, rap, choral, soul, rock etc etc. Christmas carols may be entered in this category or in Christmas Songs (or both). Past winners have been in gospel, country, classical, pop, acapella and even electronic/dance styles.
Instrumental
All styles and forms and genres of instrumental music are welcome in this category. Classical, rock, acoustic, electric, theme music, film music, jingles or mood music, songs without lyrics, or improvisational pieces - there are no limits. Any type of instrumentation is welcome - eg a single acoustic instrument, electronic, multiple instruments, all keyboards based, live band/ensemble performances etc etc. This year we have also added a section on the entry form for writers to add details and notes about the Instrumental entry for the judges to read. Instrumental composers can also enter their creations in the Co-writing Challenge, EDM, Jazz/Blues
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