18th BILLBOARD SONG CONTEST OFFICIAL RULES

1. Send in the following with each entry:

A) Completed entry form (or photocopy). Each entry must have an original signature and be the contestant’s original work.

B) Typed lyric sheet (please include English translation when applicable; lyrics not required for instrumental entries).

C) Each entry must be submitted on cassette, CD, or through Sonicbids.com (Sonicbids is required for Fan Favorites Entries).

D) Contestants may enter as many songs in as many categories as they wish, but each entry must have a separate cassette or CD, entry form, and lyric sheet. One check or money order for multiple entries will be accepted. Entrance fees for Billboard Song Contest, herein referred to as BBSC, are non-refundable. BBSC is not responsible for lost, late, misdirected, damaged, misappropriated, postage due, or stolen entries.

E) All songs that have placed in any category of the BBSC in the previous years are not eligible to be resubmitted. Previous winners, however, may submit new material.

2. The Billboard Song Contest is open to both amateur and professional songwriters. Employees of BBSC, their families, subsidiaries, and affiliates are not eligible.

3. Prizes and estimated retail value:

Twelve (12) Grand Prize Winners will receive the Excellence in Songwriting Award, a Casio keyboard ($400), a one-year subscription to Taxi ($300), Indie Band Manager software ($99), a pair of BluBlocker Sunglasses ($20), a set of D’Addario guitar strings ($10), and song placement on the 17th BBSC Winner’s CD.

Twelve (12) second place winners will receive placement on the 18th BBSC Contest Winners CD, Excellence in Songwriting Award, a one-year subscription to Taxi ($300), Indie Band Manager software ($99), a pair of BluBlocker Sunglasses ($20), and a set of D’Addario guitar strings ($10).

Twelve (12) third place winners will receive placement on the 18th BBSC Contest Winners CD, Excellence in Songwriting Award, a one-year subscription to Taxi ($300), Indie Band Manager software ($99), a set of D’Addario guitar strings ($10), and a pair of BluBlocker Sunglasses ($20).

The winning song titles and winners name of the top three (3) songs in each category will be placed on the official Billboard Song Contest website (www.billboardsongcontest.com).

4. A panel of Music Business Professionals will select the winners for each category. Songs will be judged based on composition, lyrics (when applicable), melody, and originality. The quality of performance and production will not be a consideration. In the event of co-writers, the division of prizes is the responsibility of the winners.

5. Winners will be notified by mail, email, and/or phone and must sign and return an affidavit within 14 days of notification. False/inaccurate information will result in immediate disqualification and an alternate winner will be selected. Winners under the age of 18 must have their affidavits countersigned by a legal parent or guardian. The affidavits will be subject to verification by BBSC and its agents. Entry into the BBSC constitutes permission to use winners’ names, voices, and likenesses for future publicity and advertising purposes without additional compensation. Songs of winners will be compiled into a “Winners CD”, to be distributed/used at the discretion of the BBSC.

6. Winners will be determined February 15, 2011 and will be posted on our website as well as being notified by email, mail, and/or phone. Sonicbids entrants will receive judges comments in their Sonicbids account via Submission Tracker status updates; mail-in entrants will receive theirs by mail. All entrants qualifying for honorable mention will receive consolation prizes within 90 days of winner’s list being posted. CDs, cassettes, lyric sheets and all other submitted materials will not be returned.