Vanda & Young Songwriting Competition returns for 2020

Entries are open for the 2020 Vanda & Young Global Songwriting Competition, with $70,000 worth of prizes on the line for songwriters around the world.

Named after iconic songwriters and The Easybeats founders, Harry Vanda and the late George Young, the long-running competition helped many artists take their careers to new heights.

The first-place cash prize comes in at $50,000 thanks to APRA AMCOS, Alberts and BMG, with the top gong going to Matt Corby & Dan Hulme in 2019.

Their track 'Miracle Love' was from Corby's Rainbow Valley album. “I’m so grateful that such a positive song burrowed into the hearts and ears of our peers and genuinely humbled by this moment," Corby said last year.

Other winners in recent years have included Amy Shark, Gretta Ray, Isabella Manfedi of The Preatures and Kimbra.

Two runners-up also receive cash prizes, with 2nd place getting $10,000 thanks to Banki Haddock Fiora and 3rd taking home $5,000 thanks to Aon.

Amy Shark / by Bobby Rein

The AMPAL Emerging Songwriter Prize, previously named Unpublished, will see one recipient win $5,000 from the Australiasian Music Publishers Association.

The two previous winners of the emerging award were ARIA-winner Kaiit for 'Miss Shiney' and APRA-winner Mallrat for 'Better'.

2019 saw 3,683 entries from 48 countries, with $184,150 raised for Nordoff-Robbins Music Therapy Australia (NRMTA).

Entrants have contributed over A$1.2 million to the organisation over the history of the competition.

The judging panel is a who's who of music media from SCA, Double J and Billboard, plus industry representatives from Amazon, EMI and Falcona, and APRA AMCOS Ambassadors.

This year's judging panel also includes TMN publisher & editor Jake Challenor.

Entries are open now and close at 11:59 AEDT on Thursday, May 14.