[MartynRich]

Ok, I realise this is a songwriter's lot so there's no point getting annoyed when your songs get rejected in any way, shape or form. However, I do fume and wonder where I'm going wrong sometimes. My latest rejection was failing to make the semi-final of the UK Songwriting Contest with what I thought was a very good song, so I immediately believed the judges to be useless, tone deaf nobodies who prefer to sip champagne than listen to good music. I realise this is a pointless attitude to take and it is extremely hard to get a breakthrough but it still makes me want to bash my head against the wall.

Maybe I should market things in a different way? I'm not arrogant in believing my songs are anything special or better than anyone else's as music is subjective blah blah blah, but from those on the forum that have been published/synched or whatever else, how do you make the impact needed for someone to sit up and take notice?

[montydog]

It's a familiar problem,I'm afraid. This year I submitted what I thought were 2 of the best and most favorably reviewed songs I have ever posted on here to the UK Songwriting Contest. Neither made the semi-finals. I really don't understand what they're looking for. I doubt the problem is with your songs, it's finding the right audience for them that's the tricky bit.

[Boydie]

Songwriting is far too subjective to be suitable for competitions - whether it be the UK Songwriting Contest or the fun competitions on this forum

I find it a much more worthwhile challenge writing to a "brief" as there is at least an element of objectivity - although you are still shooting in the dark knowing that the song will ultimately be picked up or rejected based on a subjective assessment

When pitching songs you may still have a very good song that just isn't right for that particular opportunity but may be perfect for another one

Just always make sure your next song is better than your last one 

[Hooded Singer]

Don't beat yourself up too badly, whoever the competition judge(s) were that's a ridiculously small sample size of opinions judging your song.

Me personally, I wouldn't care if someone hated my song because 1) I do this as a fun hobby and 2) I don't want to be popular (stick with me here), because the top of the charts are probably what is in my opinion mass market drivel a la Justin Bieber.

[tone]

Everybody hates rejection, but I think it's worth trying to build it into your reasonable expectations when pitching music. I've had music published for tv/ media usage (not songs mind - which are a different beast I think) and it was sheer persistence that paid off. If I'd thrown the towel in after the first round of rejections (like I did the first time I tried getting into production music many years ago) I would still be empty handed. I made lots of phone calls, built a database of companies with contact names, email addresses, direct phone numbers and systematically called them asking for consent to submit music. I made sure to ask how they wanted it submitted, and made a note to make a follow up call/ email in 4 weeks if I'd heard nothing.

As it happened, the music I was pitching wasn't picked up, but one of the production assistants liked it enough that he asked me to write something for a brief, which I did, and of the 2 pieces I submitted, one was picked up. Since then I've had a couple more pieces accepted, but it's slow going while you're unknown and unconnected, and I'm sure part of the reason I'm having difficulty is that my production chops aren't quite up to scratch yet. They're close, but only just close enough. I'm *hoping* a concerted effort on that front will yield better results next time I do this.

One last thing: yes, the rejection hurt. And the submissions process was long, boring and very time consuming. I'd have much rather been making music instead...

[MartynRich]

Lots of sensible answers here, I guess I was just venting in the moment. If I can´t be a prima donna somewhere I get frustrated  

To be clear, I do music mainly for my own satisfaction because it gives me pleasure, is very fulfilling and helps me sleep at night. I don´t want to write for boybands at the top of the charts either, I just come out with what I come out with, which will be across a variety of styles. Sometimes I think it´s poppy or commercial enough to send on and sometimes it isn´t. That said, music of all styles gets published so I don´t feel bound by any particular genre.

I agree with both Boydie and Tone about writing to a pitch, which always a good challenge, and being sheer bloody persistent. The contacts database is also a good idea and one I am trying to build up. As for Hooded Singer - I hear ya and agree totally. Monty, you have my empathy and understanding.

Anyway, onwards and upwards. My next song will be about a bear pooing in the woods.

[tina m]

I don't do these contests & pitches & things they seem like a lot of constant disapointment & fruitless banging on a door that never opens...
but anyway you are all not doing this right!
Think about it....theres  thousands of songs being submitted all the time with very little difference between them....these people arent going to listen to all of them they probably just pick some at random
what youve got to do is make  them pick yours to listen to
so you should be putting all your work into the stuff you submit with your song to get their attention..
so what are you allowed to provide?
A bio? A picture? your name? the songs name? whatever it is theyve all got to be totally attention getting ... Outrageous eyecatching funny topical clever ..anything that makes people stop & pick yours to listen to....even your name .... invent a amazing alter ego!
These are the things youve got to work on (im sure youve already got the fab songs to submit)
anyway thats what id do ...maybe I should start my own agency helping you all

im assuming none of you are young & beautiful... that always works best 

[Neil C]

Tina,

Re " assuming none of you are young & beautiful... that always works best  Grin"

I'm young at heart and beautiful on the inside. And my 89 mum agrees with me!

 
Neil

[Royston]

Hi All

This is a very interesting thread I sent one of my first compositions off to a publisher the song had been studio demoed (recently Mastered by Boydie thanks again for that) I made the best presentation package I could at that time (Demo tape no computers).

About week or so later back it came "thank you for your submission but I'm sorry to say that I am not looking for this type of music at this time however I would like to hear more your material in the near future thank you for submitting your music".

I was somewhat disappointed but after telling a friend who was also into music said that this was a positive step forward he claimed sometimes a publisher will reject the first submission to enable them to access you and your music.

I had a couple of songs at the studio being demoed and when they arrived back I gave them a good listen to see if they were good enough to send to this publisher I was very pleased with one but unsure about the other.

My friend and I sat down we discussed the songs and decided to send both but putting the one I was pleased with on the tape first included the letter I had received form the publisher and sent them off.

A few days later the publisher was in touch offered me a single song contract for both songs I could not believe it and waited for the contract to arrive later that week i received a telephone call from him asking if I had received the contract I said no he said he would get it sent out straight away I said to myself this guy is certainly on the ball.

The contract arrived I signed it sent it back I waited and waited been in touch but nothing has ever happened I've sent other songs to other publishers only to be rejected I consider my songs better now not great but better.

That first publisher still holds my songs and I consider myself just another songwriter gathering dust.

Royston         
         

[Bernd]

I'm fortunate since I'm writing for genres where music is NOT 'pitched' (to publishers or musicians) and where songwriting competitions (are there any serious ones, and do they help in any way?) make no sense. I'm less fortunate being not a musician myself, so my songs - the compositions - are quite useless. But I write for people who are, so my lyrics writing isn't.

Sometimes - but rarely - I encounter rejections, too. I wrote two completely different lyrics for a Norwegian rock musician - both were rejected in the end. A few years later something similar happened again. And then there is the odd cowriter who suddenly cuts off all communication...

How do I deal with such situations? I share my lyrics generously! Sometimes lyrics I thought were written for the rubbish bin are set to music by other musicians. I like that a lot. About half of what I've written so far - which is a lot - is 'out there'. Normally not making any money, mind you, but 'out there'.

Maybe change the genre - or the approach?

Good luck!

Bernd

[Royston]

Hi Bernd

I had recently done what you suggest here and teamed up with a musician sending him a selection of my lyrics about six in all.

He sent back two fully recorded songs and has since put them on an album one being named as the title of the album and sent me the album.

So what you suggest here seems to be the way forward and as you say its getting your material out there I'd just like say thanks for interest.

Best wishes

Royston