2021 Future Youth Records Inc. “Think Peace” Songwriting Contest Rules
1. How to Enter. The submission period begins on April 20, 2021, and ends on June 23, 2021. Click the button below to register and upload the entrant’s submission. All submissions must include an audio file (mp3 and m4a only) and a lyric sheet (pdf, doc, docx, and txt only). There is a ten dollar ($10.00) non-refundable entry fee for each song submitted. There is a three (3) submission limit per person and email address. Entrants may request free entry (see link at bottom). If approved, Future Youth Records Inc. (“FYR”) will email entrant a link to a password-protected page where they can enter the 2021 FYR “Think Peace” Songwriting Contest (the “Contest”) without making payment. Only the email address associated with the request will be allowed to enter. By entering the Contest, the entrant and the entrant’s parents or legal guardians (if the entrant is a minor) accept and agree to be bound by all of these Contest rules (the “Contest Rules”). 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 in FYR’s sole discretion. FYR does not accept mail-in entries or external links.
2. Eligibility. Submission song(s) must be unreleased and unpublished. The Contest is open to any songwriter who is between the ages of 16–24 years old as of June 23, 2021. If entrant is 16 or 17 years old, the entrant’s parent or guardian must sign the online application. The submission song must have both lyrics and music and can be of any genre. All submitted songs must be unreleased, original, unpublished (or self-published) songs that have been written or co-written by the entrant.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 An unpublished song is a composition recorded by the entrant and not published or co-published by a commercially active music publisher.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-writers are subject to all the same eligibility criteria as entrants outlined in these Contest Rules. The entrant must own a share or 100% of the copyright in each of the composition and recording submitted to FYR. Although co-writers may be acknowledged, only the entrant can qualify to win a prize. Current and former employees of FYR and/or its independent contractors and immediate family members of such employees are not eligible.
3. Judging. This Contest is a talent and skilled-based event. All entries are judged based on the music and lyrics’ creativity and quality with a “Think Peace” theme. FYR will screen all entries. A group of industry professionals chosen by FYR will then judge the best lyrics and musical composition among the screened entries. Production quality will not be a factor. The group will select five (5) first-place winners. The five winning songs will be released on Spotify, Apple Music, Soundcloud, and/or other streaming retailers on September 21, 2021, as part of the “Think Peace” compilation album. FYR will notify the winners by email and will announce results on the FYR website and social media pages on or about September 1, 2021. Winners 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. Winners must also deliver to FYR all master song files. 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 winners 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.
4. Prize. Each winning musical submission will receive one thousand U.S. Dollars ($1,000.00). Each winner will also receive song distribution as part of the FYR “Think Peace” Compilation Album. If a winner is 16 or 17 years old, FYR will pay the $1,000 prize through a parent or guardian. Winners are solely responsible for sharing their prize money with any co-writers as those parties agree. Taxes are each winner’s sole responsibility.
5. 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. In the event that FYR determines a submission requires further professional support by way of mixing, mastering, additional production work, modifications to lyrics or melody, or other alterations FYR deems necessary to qualify as a winning submission, FYR will provide all support at no cost to entrant 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, irrevocable, 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 song on the FYR “Think Peace” Compilation Album, 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.
6. Disqualification. Failure to comply with the Contest Rules or to provide FYR with proof of eligibility for the Contest may disqualify the entrant from the Contest or a prize 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.
7. Other Rules & Regulations. FYR may terminate, suspend, or modify the Contest or the Contest Rules at any time for any reason, regardless of whether FYR has awarded any prizes to the winners, 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.
8. 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, business, or other entity; (b) the submission does not contain any sample(s) of others’ songs or recordings; (c) the submission recording is unreleased; (d) the submission song is unpublished; (e) that 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 and its subsidiaries, affiliates, officers, directors, 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.
9. 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 AAA 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, any other damages, including, but not limited to, punitive, exemplary, indirect, incidental, consequential, lost-profit, and/or special damages, and/or any rights to have damages multiplied or otherwise increased. 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.
10. Sponsor. Future Youth Records Inc., P.O. Box 1866, Morgan Hill, CA 95038.
11. Contest Entry Deadline. June 23, 2021, at 3:00 P.M. (PST)
12. Odds of Winning. The odds of winning a prize will depend upon the number of Contest entrants.
13. Contest Fee Waiver. Click here to request free entry.