Judy Collins,
Grammy Winning Artist
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Universal Audio
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Are you ready to enter the 2025 Songwriting Contest?
Closing Soon!
And/Or
Previous Winners
2022
2023
2024
Contest Categories
Whatever your style, we’ve got a place for your music. We welcome submissions in all genres, including:
- Blues
- Country
- Folk
- Pop
- Rock
- AI Generated
- Lyrics-Only
Submit as many songs as you like—there’s no limit to how many entries you can make.
What You Get by Entering
When you submit your song in January, here’s what you’ll get:
- Personalized feedback from expert judges on every song you enter
- Real-time tracking of your song’s progress through each stage of judging
- Digital certificate of entry plus scores and detailed feedback in your profile
- Unlimited song entries—submit as many songs as you like in any genre!
Incredible Prizes for 2025 Winners*
Every year, the Talent Is Timeless Contest changes lives. Here’s what our 2025 winners will receive:
- Record your song at a world renowned studio Abbey Road Studios (London), Windmill Lane (Dublin), Chalet Studio (Canada), Fitting Room Studio (Nashville)
- Perform live at our 2025 Nashville Conference, or UK showcases
- Record deal (UK-based) and full promotion of your winning song
- Publicity in the Talent Is Timeless community and beyond
- Equipment from our sponsors
Celebrity Judges Panel
- Judy Collins – Grammy-winning folk legend
- Ian Matthews – Kasabian
- Chris Difford – Squeeze, Ivor Novello award winning artist
To Enter Your Song You Will Need:
1
URL or Mp3/Wav
of your song
2
Lyrics
(typed)
3
Entry Contribution 15 GBP
(19 USD/EUR, 27CAD)
Special AI category with the theme "It's Never Too Late".
To support songwriters who are enjoying experimenting with AI we’ve created a separate category for AI generated songs. These entries won’t compete with traditionally written entries and have their own special prizes.
AI Category if using:
- AI-generated lyrics
- AI-generated melody
- AI-generated chords
NOT considered AI:
- DAWs
- Autotune
- Band-in-a-Box
- Synthesizers
- Drum machines
- Rhyme dictionaries
- Loop libraries
- Guitar tuners
- Effects plugins
- Backing tracks
Win the Ultimate Prize: A Grammy-Winner Making Your Song!
Submit your original lyrics for a chance to have Grammy-winner Daisy Chute compose and record your song! 🎤✨
- £15 per entry – Unlimited submissions!
- Judged by professional songwriters
- Every entry receives detailed feedback
- Monitor your entry’s progress via your profile
💡 Enter now and bring your words to life in song!
All lyric entries will be scored on:
- Originality/creativity
- Emotional impact
- Technical skill (rhyme, meter, structure)
- Storytelling/narrative strength
- Imagery/use of language
- Memorability/hooks
Important Notes:
- Contest opens January 1st, 2025
- Contest closes March 31st, 2025
- All songwriters must be 50+ by March 31st, 2025
- Co-writers welcome (all must meet age requirement)
- Save your progress and return anytime
- Multiple entries welcome
Recording: Live Submission Demonstration
Welcome to ‘Ready, Set, Create’ – the live demonstration video featuring Talent Is Timeless founder Saskia Griffiths-Moore showing how to enter your song into the 2025 Talent Is Timeless annual contest using our submission portal.
FAQs
About the Contest
What is Talent Is Timeless?
Founded in 2020, Talent Is Timeless is the world’s largest community of songwriters over 50, with 15,500+ members. It’s a global songwriting contest dedicated to uncovering hidden talent and dismantling age barriers in the music industry.
How long has the contest been running?
2025 marks our 5th annual contest. We’ve received over 10,000 song entries since our founding in 2020.
Technical Questions
What's the age requirement?
All contestants must be age 50 or older by March 31st, 2025 to be eligible to enter the contest.
When does my song need to have been written?
For most categories, there are no time restrictions on when the song was written – it could be a recent composition or one you wrote years ago. Full category-specific guidelines will be provided when the contest opens.
Eligibility Requirements
What's the age requirement?
All contestants must be age 50 or older by March 31st, 2025 to be eligible to enter the contest.
When does my song need to have been written?
For most categories, there are no time restrictions on when the song was written – it could be a recent composition or one you wrote years ago.
Can I enter songs I co-wrote with others?
Yes! Co-written songs are welcome. You just need to:
- Have permission from your co-writer(s) to enter the song
- Be at least 50 years old yourself by March 31st, 2025 (co-writers can be any age)
- Be able to provide co-writer details and permissions if requested
Do all co-writers need to be over 50?
No! Only the person entering the contest needs to meet the age requirement. Your co-writers can be any age.
If I wrote the lyrics but someone else wrote the music, can I enter?
Yes, as long as:
- You have permission from your collaborator(s)
- You clearly credit all contributors
- You meet the age requirement yourself
What about songs I wrote before turning 50?
You can enter songs written at any age, as long as YOU are 50+ by March 31st, 2025 when entering them in the contest.
Prizes
Genre Winners (5 Winners - 1 per genre)
- Studio recording time in winner’s country
- Wall plaque
- Performance opportunities
- Regional promotion
- Equipment from sponsors
- Publicity through TisT community
Grand Prize Winner (selected from genre winners)
- Recording session at Abbey Road Studios (London)
- UK record deal and song promotion
- Performance opportunity at Nashville Conference or UK showcases
- Additional equipment package
- International publicity campaign
AI Generated Songs
- Wall plaque
- Promotion for your winning song
- Special recogntion within the community
Lyrics-Only Entries
- Grammy winning songwriter Daisy Chute will turn your lyrics onto a full song and record it for you
- Wall plaque
General Contest Questions
Is this contest only for new/original songs?
All songs have to be original. Covers or samples are not welcome. However songs do not need to be new as long as you own all the rights to it.
Can I perform a cover song?
No – we are all about originals!
International Participants
Can I enter from outside the UK?
Yes! This is a global contest open to songwriters over 50 from any country.
Do songs need to be in English?
This contest will be judged by English speakers, so other languages are welcome to be present but we recommend that that majority language of the song is in English.
Technical & Submission
What kind of recording quality will I need?
Anything from a demo on your phone to a fully produced track is welcome.
Can I submit more than one song?
Yes! There’s no limit to how many songs you can submit when the contest opens.
Community & Support
Can I get help with recording my song?
No that’s all on you 🙂
Will I get feedback on my songs?
Yes! All entries receive personalized feedback from expert judges, plus scores and detailed feedback in your profile.
Professional & Industry
Do I need to be a professional musician to enter?
No! We welcome songwriters of all experience levels, from beginners to professionals. The only requirement is being 50 or older.
What if I've never entered a song contest before?
That’s perfectly fine! Many of our contestants are first-time competition entrants. We provide clear guidelines and support throughout the process.
Copyright & Songwriter Rights
Who owns the rights to my songs if I enter?
You retain 100% of your copyright and rights to your songs. This contest was founded by a songwriter for songwriters – we respect and protect your creative work.
Will entering affect my ownership of my songs?
Absolutely not. You maintain complete ownership and control of your songs. The contest is designed to uplift and promote songwriters, not to acquire any rights to your work.
Can I still perform, sell, or license my songs during and after the contest?
Yes! Your songs remain entirely yours. You can continue to use, perform, sell, or license your songs however you wish.
Does pre-registering or entering give the contest any rights to my music?
No. The contest is created to champion songwriters and their work, not to claim any rights. You retain all rights to your creative work.
Contest Mission & Values
What's the philosophy behind Talent Is Timeless?
Founded by a songwriter who was fed up with ageism in the music industry, Talent Is Timeless is dedicated to:
- Celebrating mature songwriters
- Dismantling age barriers in music
- Creating genuine opportunities for songwriters over 50
- Building a supportive community of creative artists
How is this contest different from others?
This contest was created by a songwriter who understands the importance of protecting artists’ rights. We focus on:
- Respecting songwriters’ ownership of their work
- Providing real opportunities and industry connections
- Offering constructive feedback from expert judges
- Building a supportive community of mature artists
- Challenging age-related barriers in the music industry
Updates
How often will I receive updates?
We’ll send occasional updates about the contest and important announcements as we approach significant milestones, e.g. end of submission period, start of judging rounds, etc., as well as info about feedback on your entries.