The Beat4Beat Contest Terms and Conditions
How To Enter
An entry fee of $25 payable digitally to American Songwriter is required with each song entry. By entering, you agree that this entry fee is necessary to cover the processing and administration of the contest. You may enter as many beats as you’d like. Each entry requires a $25 fee. Only valid streaming URL links will be accepted (e.g., YouTube, Soundcloud, Spotify). Please double-check URL links before entering. American Songwriter is not responsible for issuing refunds based on broken, private or otherwise invalid links. We are not accepting MP3 files. You may enter a variety of recording styles, including demos, worktapes and finished masters. We require the submission to be clearly audible in the recording. Beats will be evaluated on originality, likeability, and overall composition. Beats WILL NOT be evaluated on recording quality or other similar values. We simply require that the recording clearly presents the beat in its fullest light. You may enter online only via https://contest.according2hiphop.com/. Refunds WILL NOT be issued under any circumstances. No feedback will be provided on the beats entered into the contest.
Eligibility
The Contest is open to any artist and/or producer in the world. The following parties are not eligible: (i) Employees, independent contractors, and/or affiliates of According 2 Hip Hop, American Songwriter, or any of their immediate family members, (ii) contributors to the Contest (including judges and other contributors as we may determine on a case-by-case basis) and (iii) employees of Sponsors. By submitting, you are representing that you (and all associated co-writers on your submission) are not employed by or affiliated with According 2 Hip Hop, American Songwriter, or any of its affiliates, you are not a contributor in any way to the Contest, and you are not employed by or affiliated with any of the contest sponsors and you have not been at any time during the previous two years. You represent and warrant that (a) all registration information you submit is truthful and accurate; (b) you will maintain the accuracy of such information; and (c) your entry to the Contest does not violate any applicable law or regulation. If you are under 18 years of age, however, you must have permission and clearance to enter the Contest from your parent or legal guardian. Entry of the Contest is void where prohibited. All contest winners are notified by email address or phone number. If the chosen winners do not respond to American Songwriter’s notifications within seven (7) days, American Songwriter reserves the right to contact runner-ups for the receipt of the prizes. International winners must pay any and all customs fees for delivery of prizes.
Judging & Winner Announcements
This Contest is a talent and skill-based business event. All entries are judged based on the merit of the overall beat. All entries will be first screened by multiple Hip Hop professionals contracted by According 2 Hip Hop & American Songwriter. All contest entrants shall stay informed of the selection process via According2HipHop.com website. Finalists will be selected from all beats entered and will be turned over to a group of top music industry professionals and accomplished producers & artists who then narrow the finalists down to the Winners. The Winners will be notified via email and/or phone and all results will be posted on According2HipHop.com. If the chosen winners do not respond to American Songwriter’s notifications within seven (7) days, American Songwriter reserves the right to contact runner-ups for the receipt of prizes. International winners must pay any and all customs fees for delivery of prizes. Entrants who are not official Winners will not receive individual notifications but will be notified via e-newsletter.
Content
We do NOT claim ownership in the materials you submit 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 you display, upload, transfer, publish, or post to americansongwriter.com, whether public or private. By submitting any Content through the Contest, whether public or private, you hereby grant to us a limited, non-exclusive license to use, stream, transmit, beam, store, publicly display, translate, reproduce, and distribute such Content, in any format, whether known or unknown, including the limited right to use your likeness, persona, logo, trademark, and right(s) of publicity ONLY for purposes of the Contest.
By entering the Contest, you represent and warrant that your entry 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. You further agree to indemnify and hold According 2 Hip Hop and American Songwriter, contest judges and screeners, and all contest sponsors, their subsidiaries, and affiliates, and their respective 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 your representations and warranties set forth above and/or if any part of the entry causes American Songwriter to be liable to another.
By making an entry into the Contest, the entrant acknowledges and agrees that According 2 Hip Hop and American Songwriter may obtain many entries under this Contest and that such entries may be similar or identical in theme, idea, format or other respects to others submitted under this Contest and/or created or developed by According 2 Hip Hop and American Songwriter on its own or by those working on According 2 Hip Hop and American Songwriter’s behalf, and/or other promotions staged and/or led by According 2 Hip Hop and American Songwriter, and waive any and all claims entrant may have had, may have, and/or may have in the future, that any similar entry, and/or other works accepted, reviewed and/or used by American Songwriter (or its designees) may be similar to entrant’s entry. Entrant acknowledges and agrees that According 2 Hip Hop and American Songwriter do not have now, nor shall it have in the future, any duty or liability, direct or indirect, vicarious, contributory, or otherwise, with respect to the infringement or protection of any copyright in and to entrant’s entry.
Other Rules & Regulations
By entering the contest through https://contest.according2hiphop.com/, you expressly agree to the Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy listed on the According 2 Hip Hop website, the contractual terms of which are incorporated herein by reference. To the extent that the terms of this Contest conflict with any other agreement, the terms of this Contest shall take priority. According 2 Hip Hop and American Songwriter reserve the right to disqualify any entry that does not meet the rules herein outlined with no obligation to return any entry fee. We expressly disclaim any warranty and we cannot guarantee and do not promise any specific results. In no event shall we be liable to you or any third party for any indirect, consequential, exemplary, incidental, statutory, special or punitive damages, including lost profit damages arising from your entry into the Contest. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, our liability to you for any cause whatsoever and regardless of the form of the action, will at all times be limited to the amount paid, if any, by you. By entering you also understand that your email address will be shared with contest sponsors.
Conflict Resolution
The parties shall attempt in good faith to resolve any dispute arising out of or relating to this Agreement promptly by negotiation between persons who have authority to settle the controversy. Any party may give the other party written notice of any dispute not resolved 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 this Agreement 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 Nashville, Tennessee before one arbitrator. The arbitration shall be administered by either AAA or JAMS. This Agreement and the rights of the parties hereunder shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of Tennessee, exclusive of conflict or choice of law rules. Void where prohibited.
Prize Delivering
Prize delivery of all prizes will be coordinated via email. If any prize is not fulfilled within 180 days of the official winner announcement, it is the responsibility of the winner to notify According 2 Hip Hop and/or American Songwriter in writing. If the winner fails to notify According 2 Hip Hop and/or American Songwriter of any outstanding prizes within 180 days, According 2 Hip Hop and American Songwriter can no longer guarantee prize fulfillment.