Entry Guidelines

Modern Sound Worship Song Contest 2026

The Modern Sound Worship Song Contest is a nationwide songwriting competition created to discover, celebrate, and elevate emerging worship songwriters. These Entry Guidelines outline who can enter, what materials are required, and how submissions will be reviewed.

 

Eligibility

The contest is open to:

  1. U.S.-based solo artists, worship leaders, and songwriters

  2. Entrants age 18 and older

  3. Entrants submitting as an individual solo artist

  4. Entrants who own or control all rights to their submitted original song

  5. Entrants who are the sole writer of the submitted original song

The contest is not open to:

  1. Co-written songs

  2. Duos

  3. Groups

  4. Bands

  5. Choirs

  6. Songs previously released on digital streaming platforms

  7. Entrants who do not own or control the rights to the submitted original song

Entry Fee

The 2026 Modern Sound Worship Song Contest is free to enter.

Only one submission is allowed per entrant. Duplicate entries may be disqualified.

Submission Window

Submissions open on June 1, 2026, and close on June 30, 2026, at 11:59 PM CT.

Late submissions will not be accepted.

Required Submission Materials

Each entrant must submit:

  1. A live video performance of their original worship song

  2. A live video performance of a popular worship, gospel, or CCM cover song

  3. Full typed lyrics for the original song

  4. Confirmation that the original song was written solely by the entrant

  5. Artist name and contact information

  6. A short artist bio or statement of inspiration

  7. One clear artist photo

  8. Social media profiles where applicable

  9. Agreement to the contest Terms & Conditions

  10. Agreement to the AI and authenticity policy

  11. Permission for approved contest-related promotional use of submitted materials

Original Song Requirements

The original song submitted for contest consideration must be:

  1. Written solely by the entrant

  2. Original to the entrant

  3. Owned or controlled by the entrant

  4. Unreleased on digital streaming platforms at the time of submission

  5. Faith-centered, worshipful, and appropriate for Christian audiences

  6. Free from unauthorized copyrighted material

  7. Performed live by the entrant in the submitted original song video

  8. Between 2 and 6 minutes in length

Previously written songs are allowed as long as they are unreleased and otherwise meet all contest requirements.

Original Song Video Requirements

The original song video may be simple and self-recorded. A phone recording is acceptable.

The video must:

  1. Feature the entrant as the sole vocalist

  2. Be performed live

  3. Clearly show or capture the entrant performing the song

  4. Not include pre-recorded lead vocals

  5. Not include AI-generated vocals

  6. Not include additional vocalists, duets, groups, bands, or choirs

The goal is not production polish. The review team is looking for strong songwriting, worshipful impact, and a sincere performance.

Cover Song Video Requirement

Each entrant must submit a 60 to 120 second live performance video of a popular worship, gospel, or CCM cover song from the past 25 years.

The cover song video must:

  1. Be performed live

  2. Feature the entrant as the sole vocalist

  3. Be 60 to 120 seconds long

  4. Include a recognizable worship, gospel, or CCM song

  5. Not include pre-recorded lead vocals

  6. Not include AI-generated vocals

The cover song video helps verify live vocal authenticity, gives the review team a clearer sense of the artist’s performance ability, and helps discourage misrepresented or AI-generated submissions.

The cover song video is not used as the primary judging score for the original song.

Because cover songs may involve third-party copyrighted material, Modern Sound may use cover song videos internally for review and verification. Public use of cover song videos will only occur if Modern Sound determines that doing so is appropriate and legally permissible.

Optional Instrumental Accompanist

Entrants who do not play an instrument may perform with an instrumental accompanist for both the original song video and cover song video.

The accompanist may provide instrumental support only. The entrant must remain the sole vocalist and featured performer.

The accompanist does not share:

  1. Songwriting credit

  2. Artist credit

  3. Performance credit

  4. Contest entry status

  5. Finalist status

  6. Winner status

  7. Prize eligibility

Submissions that include additional vocalists, duets, groups, bands, choirs, or other featured performers may be disqualified.

AI and Authenticity Policy

All submissions must be original, human-written, and human-performed work.

The following are not allowed:

  1. AI-generated vocals

  2. AI-generated instrumentation for the submitted live performance

  3. Substantially AI-generated lyrics

  4. AI-generated artist identity, likeness, or vocal identity

  5. Misrepresented authorship

  6. Misrepresented vocal performance

  7. Misrepresented ownership or control of the song

Use of AI-assisted production tools, such as mixing, mastering, cleanup, transcription, or file preparation, is acceptable as long as the submitted song itself is written and performed by the entrant.

Modern Sound reserves the right to disqualify any submission that violates the AI and authenticity policy.

Public Voting and Fan Favorite

Approved submissions may be featured on the Modern Sound website during the Fan Favorite voting period.

Voting will take place from June 1, 2026 to June 30, 2026, unless modified by Modern Sound.

Voting rules:

  1. One vote per verified email address

  2. Email verification may be required

  3. Votes may be monitored for suspicious activity

  4. Fraudulent, automated, duplicated, or manipulated votes may be invalidated

The Fan Favorite Winner is determined by public vote and is separate from the Grand Prize Winner.

Fan Favorite voting does not determine the Grand Prize Winner.

Finalist and Winner Selection

After submissions close, Modern Sound will review eligible entries and select the Top 5 Finalists.

Finalist selection may consider:

  1. Lyric quality

  2. Melodic strength

  3. Originality and creativity

  4. Emotional and spiritual impact

  5. Overall potential for professional production and release

  6. Alignment with the purpose and spirit of the contest

The Top 5 Finalists may then be reviewed by a panel of Christian music executives, leaders, songwriters, artists, or industry professionals selected by Modern Sound and/or contest partners.

The final Grand Prize Winner will be selected by Modern Sound, taking the review panel’s input into account.

Key Dates

Date

Milestone

June 1, 2026

Submissions open

June 1 to June 30, 2026

Submission window and Fan Favorite voting period

June 30, 2026

Submissions close at 11:59 PM CT

July 6, 2026

Top 5 Finalists and Fan Favorite Winner announced

July 6 to July 13, 2026

Executive review period

July 15, 2026

Grand Prize Winner announced

October 6, 2026

Dove Awards experience in Nashville

October 7, 2026

Studio recording in Nashville

October 8, 2026

Music video and photoshoot

January 16, 2027

2026 winning song releases

Grounds for Disqualification

Entries may be disqualified for reasons including:

  1. Late submission

  2. Incomplete submission

  3. Duplicate entry

  4. Ineligible entrant

  5. Co-written song

  6. Group, duo, band, or choir submission

  7. Previously released original song

  8. Unauthorized copyrighted material

  9. Offensive, inappropriate, or non-worship-focused content

  10. AI-generated vocals, instrumentation, or substantially AI-generated lyrics

  11. Misrepresented authorship, ownership, identity, vocal performance, or eligibility

  12. Fraudulent voting activity

  13. Violation of contest rules or Terms & Conditions