Legal

Rules & Terms and Conditions

Please read these carefully before entering. By submitting an entry you agree to these terms.

Last updated: February 20th 2026  ·  Version 1.0

1. The Promoter

The Great British Lyric Contest ("the Contest") is organised and promoted by Verse-Chorus and SongwriterLink, United Kingdom ("the Promoter"). Contact: contact@verse-chorus.com

2. Eligibility

  • The Contest is open to entrants aged 18 or over at the time of entry.
  • Entries are welcome from writers worldwide. All entries must be in English.
  • Employees or contractors of the Promoter, their immediate family members, and anyone directly involved in administering or judging the Contest are not eligible to enter.
  • By entering, you confirm that you meet these eligibility requirements.

3. Entry

  • Entries must be submitted via the official entry form at greatbritishlyriccontest.com/enter before the published deadline.
  • Each entry requires payment of processed securely via Stripe. Payment constitutes entry.
  • Multiple entries are permitted. Each lyric must be submitted and paid for separately at £15 per entry.
  • Entries are non-transferable and the entry fee is non-refundable except as required by law.
  • The Promoter reserves the right to reject any entry at its sole discretion.
  • Incomplete or illegible entries will be disqualified.

4. Closing Date

The closing date for the contest is April 30th 2026.

5. The Theme

Each round of the Contest has a declared theme. Round One's theme is Home. Entries will be partly assessed on how thoughtfully and creatively the theme is interpreted. There is no single correct interpretation — the theme is a starting point, not a constraint.

6. Entry Requirements

  • Entries must be original, unpublished song lyrics that are entirely the work of the entrant.
  • Entries must not have been previously published anywhere (including online, in print, or on streaming platforms), commercially released as a recorded song, or placed with a music publisher.
  • Entries must be lyrics only — no audio file or music is required or accepted.
  • There is no strict word count. Most strong entries fall between 150–400 words.
  • Co-written entries are permitted, but only one person may submit and claim the prize. It is the responsibility of the submitting entrant to agree any prize-sharing with co-writers before entry.
  • AI-generated or AI-assisted lyrics are not permitted and will be disqualified. Entries are the work of human writers only.
  • Entries must not contain content that is defamatory, obscene, offensive, or unlawful, or that infringes the rights of any third party.

7. Intellectual Property & Copyright

  • Entrants retain full copyright to their submitted lyrics at all times. Entering the Contest does not transfer ownership of the lyric to the Promoter.
  • By entering, you grant the Promoter a non-exclusive, royalty-free, worldwide licence to publish, display, reproduce, and promote your entry on the Contest website, on verse-chorus.com, songwriterlink.com, and associated social media channels, and in press materials relating to the Contest. This licence is for promotional purposes only and does not constitute publication or commercial use.
  • The Promoter will always credit the entrant by name when publishing their lyric.
  • By entering, you warrant that your lyric is your own original work, that you have the right to grant the above licence, and that it does not infringe the copyright or other rights of any third party. You agree to indemnify the Promoter against any claim arising from a breach of this warranty.
  • The Promoter will not pitch, sell, or otherwise exploit submitted lyrics without the explicit written consent of the copyright holder.

8. Judging

  • All eligible entries will be read and scored by the judging panel appointed by the Promoter.
  • Judging is anonymous — judges are not shown the entrant's name, only the lyric title and lyrics.
  • Entries are scored on five criteria: Originality (25%), Emotional Impact (25%), Craft & Language (25%), Structure & Flow (15%), and Thematic Relevance (10%).
  • The judges' decision is final. No correspondence will be entered into regarding judging decisions.
  • The Promoter reserves the right to withhold a prize if, in the judges' opinion, no entry reaches the required standard.

9. Winners & Prizes

  • Winners will be notified by email within 7 days of the results announcement.
  • Results will be published on the Contest website on the announced date.
  • Prizes are as described on the Prizes page. The Promoter reserves the right to substitute any prize with one of equal or greater value where necessary.
  • Prizes are non-transferable and cannot be exchanged for cash, unless the Promoter agrees otherwise in writing.
  • Cash prizes will be paid via bank transfer or PayPal within 28 days of the winner confirming their details.
  • Winners must respond to the prize notification email within 14 days. Failure to respond within this period may result in the prize being forfeited and awarded to a runner-up at the Promoter's discretion.
  • Winners may be required to provide proof of identity and age before a prize is awarded.
  • Winners agree to participate in reasonable promotional activity related to the Contest (e.g. a short interview or quote for the website) at no charge.

10. Disqualification

The Promoter reserves the right to disqualify any entry and/or entrant who:

  • Submits an entry that violates any of these rules
  • Submits plagiarised, AI-generated, or previously published work
  • Provides false information in their submission
  • Attempts to manipulate or interfere with the judging process
  • Behaves in a manner that the Promoter considers inappropriate or damaging to the Contest

Entry fees are non-refundable in cases of disqualification for rule violations.

11. Data Protection & Privacy

  • The Promoter processes personal data in accordance with UK GDPR and the Data Protection Act 2018.
  • Personal data submitted as part of an entry (name, email, country) will be used solely for the purposes of administering the Contest, communicating results, and distributing prizes.
  • The Promoter will not sell or share personal data with third parties for marketing purposes without explicit consent.
  • If you opted in to marketing communications on the entry form, you may receive occasional updates from the Contest and partner sites (verse-chorus.com and songwriterlink.com). You may unsubscribe at any time.
  • You have the right to access, rectify, or request deletion of your personal data. Contact: contact@verse-chorus.com

12. General

  • The Promoter reserves the right to amend these rules, postpone, cancel, or terminate the Contest at any time, and will notify entrants via the Contest website if significant changes are made.
  • The Promoter accepts no responsibility for entries lost, delayed, or corrupted due to technical failure.
  • These Terms and Conditions are governed by the laws of England and Wales. Any disputes shall be subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the courts of England and Wales.
  • Nothing in these Terms and Conditions affects your statutory rights as a consumer under UK law.