THE PERFECT STRANGER
CONTEST RULES & REGULATIONS
How to Enter:
The submission period begins on June 15, 2024, and ends on September 15, 2024. All submissions must include a private Soundcloud streaming link with lyrics included in the description on the Soundcloud page. By entering the contest, you agree to follow all rules. Future Youth Records (FYR) is not liable for lost, late, misdirected, inaccurate, or corrupted entries, whether due to human error, technical error, software or hardware failure, or otherwise. Incomplete, illegible, or indecipherable entries will be void at FYR’s sole discretion. FYR does not accept mail-in entries. There is no cost to enter this contest and no purchase is necessary. Click the button below to enter the contest.
Eligibility:
Submission songs must be unreleased and unpublished. The contest is open to anyone aged 18-24 years old living in the United States as of September 15, 2024. The submission song must have music and can be of any genre. Written lyrics must be included but do not have to be sung or recorded. Those who wish to record lyrics for the song are encouraged to do so. Entrants must have full rights to all elements used in their submission. All submitted songs must be unreleased, original, and unpublished (or self-published) and must be produced or co-produced and written or co-written by the entrant. An unreleased song has not been released to the public through (a) a streaming service, including, but not limited to, Spotify, Pandora, or YouTube, or (b) physical units, including, but not limited to, CDs, memory sticks, or vinyl records. An unpublished song is a composition recorded by the entrant and not published or co-published by a commercially active music publisher. Co-producers/writers are subject to all the same eligibility criteria as entrants outlined in these rules. The entrant must own a share or 100% of the copyright in the composition and recording submitted to FYR. Though co-producers/writers may be acknowledged, only the entrant can qualify to win a prize. Employees of FYR and employees of FYR’s independent contractors and each of their immediate families are not eligible. Void where prohibited by law.
Judging:
This contest is a talent and skill-based event. All entries are judged based on the music and lyrics’ creativity and quality with the theme of “Connection.” FYR will screen all entries. A group of industry professionals will then judge the best lyrics and musical composition among the screened entries. Production quality will not be a factor. The group will select one (1) first-place winner, one (1) second-place winner, and one (1) third-place winner. The first-place song will be released on Spotify, Apple Music, Soundcloud, and/or other streaming retailers on a date to be determined. FYR will notify the winner by email and will announce results on the FYR website and social media pages on or about October 1, 2024. The winner must sign and return a Certificate of Authorship that FYR will provide, confirming that the winner’s song is original and that the winner holds rights to the song. The winner must also deliver to FYR all song files necessary for the song’s production. Failure to sign and return the Certificate of Authorship and to deliver all master song files within one week (7 days) of the announcement of the winner will result in the entrant’s disqualification. FYR will then select an alternative winner. FYR will not individually notify entrants who are not winners of the contest.
Prizes:
First Place: Free production support from Future Youth Records, featuring Jesse Colin Young as co-producer, free promotional support, free song distribution, one (1) Taylor 417e-R Acoustic-electric Guitar - Tobacco Sunburst (valued at $2,999), and one (1) Taylor Watch (valued at $459).
Second Place: One (1) Taylor Watch (valued at $459) and one (1) Taylor Baby Guitar with electronics (valued at $549).
Third Place: One (1) Taylor Baby Guitar with electronics (valued at $549).
Winners are solely responsible for any taxes that may be owed.
Content:
Entrant grants a license to FYR. (a) FYR does not claim ownership in the materials submitted in conjunction with the contest. Such materials include written text, files, images, photos, video, songs, lyrics, poetry, sounds, musical works, works of authorship, remarks, suggestions, ideas, graphics, tags, hashtags, genres, splits, ownership splits, identifiable numbers, identifiable codes, songwriter name, personal identifiable information, copyright registration information, affiliated companies or individuals, rights holder, administrator, publisher, or any other materials (collectively, “Content”) that entrant displays, uploads, transfers, publishes, or posts, whether public or private. If FYR determines that a submission needs further professional support (mixing, mastering, additional production, lyric or melody changes), FYR will provide this support at no cost and will not claim copyright ownership for its contributions. (b) By entering the contest, entrant does, however, hereby grant to FYR a worldwide, non-exclusive, non-revocable, perpetual, transferable, sub-licensable, royalty-free license to (i) use, copy and store for backup and archival purposes, transmit, broadcast, distribute, reproduce, modify, adapt, translate, reformat, transcode, and otherwise create derivative works of, publicly perform, record, remix, and re-record entrant’s submission in any manner, in whole or in part, to incorporate entrant’s submission into other works, and to exploit the submission as a single in recognition of this contest, in any format or medium now known or later developed (collectively, the “Uses”) and (ii) use entrant’s name, likeness, voice, city, and state of residence, and other personal information supplied by entrant to identify the submission in the Uses and for future publicity and advertising purposes without compensation. Upon FYR’s request, the winner will provide to FYR written consent to such use.
Disqualification:
Failure to comply with the contest rules or provide FYR with proof of eligibility for the contest may disqualify the entrant from the contest or prizes at FYR’s sole discretion. Any deliberate attempt to damage any website, tamper with the entry process, or otherwise undermine the legitimate operation of the contest may be a violation of the law. If such an attempt is made, FYR reserves the right to cooperate in the prosecution of any such individuals and to pursue all remedies available to it to the fullest extent permitted by law.
Other Rules & Regulations:
FYR may terminate, suspend, or modify the contest or the rules at any time for any reason, regardless of whether FYR has awarded any prizes to the winner, without notice to individual entrants. FYR will use reasonable business efforts to announce such termination, suspension, or modification on FYR’s website. To the extent that the contest rules conflict with any other agreement, the contest rules shall take priority. FYR expressly disclaims any warranty, and FYR cannot guarantee and does not promise any specific results. By entering, entrant agrees that FYR may share entrant’s email address with one or more contest sponsors.
Representations and Indemnity:
By entering the contest, entrant represents and warrants that (a) the submission is an original work and that the content does not violate the privacy rights, publicity rights, copyrights, trademarks, contract rights, or any other rights of any person or business; (b) the submission does not contain any sample(s) of others’ songs or recordings, except for royalty-free samples legally owned by the entrant; (c) the submission recording is unreleased; (d) the submission song is unpublished; (e) the entrant is not employed by or affiliated with FYR or a contest sponsor; (f) all registration information that the entrant submits is truthful and accurate; (g) the entrant will maintain the accuracy of such information; and (h) entrant’s entry to the contest does not violate any applicable law or regulation. FYR relies upon entrant’s representations. Entrant further agrees to indemnify and hold FYR, its subsidiaries, and affiliates, and its officers, agents, partners, and employees harmless from any loss, liability, claim, or demand, including reasonable attorneys’ fees, made by any third party due to or arising out of any breach of entrant’s representations and warranties set forth above and/or if any part of the submission causes FYR to be liable to another. Entry is void where prohibited or otherwise restricted by law. All federal, state, and local laws, regulations, rules, and ordinances apply. Materials submitted will not be returned, and FYR reserves the right to dispose of all submitted materials in any manner.
Conflict Resolution and Limitation of Liability:
FYR and the entrant shall attempt in good faith to resolve any dispute arising out of or relating to the contest promptly by negotiation between persons who have the authority to settle the controversy. Any party may give the other party written notice of the failure to resolve the dispute in the normal course of business. If not resolved, any dispute, claim, or controversy (i.e., contractual, tort, and/or statutory) arising out of or relating to the contest or the breach, termination, enforcement, interpretation, or validity thereof, including the determination of the scope or applicability of this agreement to arbitrate, shall be determined exclusively by arbitration in Santa Clara County, California before one arbitrator. Either ADR Services, Inc. or JAMS, in FYR’s discretion, shall administer the arbitration. All claims, judgments, liabilities, and an award, if any, shall be limited to actual out-of-pocket costs entrant incurred and in no event shall entrant be entitled to recover attorneys’ fees. Under no circumstances will entrant be entitled to receive (and entrant waives all rights to claim or recover), including, but not limited to, punitive, exemplary, indirect, incidental, consequential, lost-profit, and special damages, any rights to have damages multiplied or otherwise increased, and any other damages. California law governs all issues, disputes, and questions concerning the construction, validity, interpretation, and enforceability of the contest rules, the Certificate of Authorship, entrant’s rights and obligations, or FYR’s rights and obligations in connection with the contest, without regard to choice of law or conflict of law rules. Failure to enforce any term of these contest rules shall not constitute a waiver of that term or rule.
Sponsor:
Future Youth Records Inc., P.O. Box 1866, Morgan Hill, CA 95038.
Contest Entry Deadline:
September 15, 2024, at 11:59 P.M. (PST).
Odds of Winning:
The odds of winning a prize will depend upon the number of contest entrants.