Lorde, Perry Farrell, Tommy Chong and Tom Waits, as well as industry heavies Seymour Stein, John Esposito and Afo Verde, are among the panelists for this year's International Songwriting Competition. The judging panel, which includes top executives from Glassnote, Razor & Tie and Atlantic, will be tasked with analyzing song entries from more than 130 countries.
The competition, established in 2002, is open to both professional and amateursin 23 genre categories. ISC gives away more than $150,000 split among 71 winners, with the grand prize comprised of $25,000 in cash and prizes. Past winners include Vance Joy, Gotye, Kimbra, Bastille, Andrew Bird, The Band Perryand Lindsey Stirling, among others.
"One of the biggest challenges facing artists is getting their music heard by the decision-makers in the music industry," said Candace Avery, the competition's founder and director. "Typically music executives receive so much new music each week that it is impossible for them to listen to even a fraction, or any, of what they get. Entering ISC offers an unique opportunity for artists to actually get their music heard by high-level industry executives, as well as some of their favorite recording artists."
See below for a list of this year's judges:
Artists:
Lorde; Perry Farrell (Janes Addiction, Founder, Lollapalooza); Tom Waits; Ziggy Marley; American Authors; Nancy Wilson (Heart); Don Omar; Martie Maguire (Dixie Chicks, Courtyard Hounds); Booker T. Jones; The Mavericks; Sara Evans; Bastille; Keane; Hardwell; Danilo Perez; Martin Russell and James McNally (Afro Celt Sound System); Billy Cobham; Gerald Casale (Devo); Zach Williams; Natalie Grant; Jesse & Joy; Krewella; Matt Nathanson; Amadou & Miriam; Matt Maher; Ana Barbara; Kaskade; Nicky Jam; Vijay Iyer; John Mayall; Art Alexakis (Everclear); Ray Benson (Asleep At The Wheel); Joe Louis Walker; Nicholas Gunn; Vassy; Ashwin Batish; Lonnie Liston Smith; Femi Kuti; Walter Trout; Trilok Gurtu; Tommy Chong; Tony Joe White; and more to be announced.
Industry:
Seymour Stein (Chairman/CEO, Sire Records); Afo Verde (Chairman, Sony Music Latin); Daniel Glass (President, Glassnote Records); John Esposito (Chairman/CEO, Warner Music Nashville); John Burk (President, Concord Label Group); Ed Vetri (President, Wind-Up Records); Bruce Iglauer (Founder/President, Alligator Records); Steve Yegelwel (Sr. VP, Island Records); Nate Albert (Executive VP of A&R, Capitol Records); Jacob Edgar (Founder, Cumbancha); Aaron Bay-Schuck (President of A&R, Interscope Records); Mike Easterlin (President Fueled By Ramen / Roadrunner Records); Craig Balsam (Co-Owner, Razor & Tie, Washington Square, and Kidz Bop); Josh Bailey (Senior VP of A&R, Word Entertainment); Gordon Kerr (CEO, Black River Entertainment); Richard Stumpf (CEO, Atlas Publishing); Steve Greenberg (CEO, S-Curve Records); Kim Buie (VP of A&R, New West Records); Albert Schilcher (VP Music & Music Marketing, MTV International); Cory Robbins (Founder / President, Robbins Entertainment); Angel Carrasco (Latin Music Consultant); Julie Kertes (Editor / Manager, Hot Diggity Media); Laura Margolin (Publishing, Glassnote Records); Cyndi Nelson (General Manager, Zanies Comedy Club); Leib Ostrow (Founder / CEO, Music For Little People); Katherine Danes (Co-President, The Children’s Music Network); Claire S. Green (President, Parent’s Choice Foundation); Benjamin Groff (Founder, The Brill Building); Sas Metcalfe (President, Global Creative, Kobalt Music); Golnar Khosrowshahi (President, Reservoir Media Management); Carianne Marshall (Partner, Songs Music Publishing); Tamara Conniff (EVP, Roc Nation); Dara Frank (Head of Comedy Central Records / Viacom); Carl Caprioglio (Founder / CEO, Oglio Entertainment); and more to be announced.
