We had a great time on Tuesday night hearing all the terrific Round 2 entries for the first time. If you missed the Listening Party, you can download or stream the full Round 2 album on Bandcamp or embedded below. As always, our faithful graphic designer Matt Schubbe provides brand-new album artwork. Happy listening!
Thursday, September 25, 2025
Monday, September 22, 2025
ST25 Round 2 Deadline News; Tuesday Listening Party; Round 1 Review Podcast
Hello all!
The Round 2 deadline has passed. Congratulations to everyone who submitted. We received 20 out of 21 eligible submissions, leaving one spot open for shadow reinstatement. The contestant closest to the elimination cutoff in Round 1 has been reinstated. Welcome back to the competition, Möbius Strip Club!
Your first chance to hear all 21 competing entries and five shadows is at tomorrow night's Round 2 Listening Party hosted by Tommy G. He'll start spinning the Round 2 entries at 9 pm EDT tomorrow (Tuesday, September 23). Join us on YouTube or embedded below.
In the meantime, be sure to check out the latest episode of Two Jerks One Vote, where SpinTunes 13 Champions Ryan and Chumpy of Jerkatorium are joined by our own ST25 judge Joy Sitler to review and discuss the Round 1 entries. It's a great listen, full of insight, pleasant conversation, and humor - be sure to check it out!
Monday, September 15, 2025
All-Request Listening Party!
Tonight at 8 pm EDT, Tommy G is hosting an All-Request Listening Party! He'll be spinning SpinTunes classics from past competitions and wants to play your requests!
Leave a comment here on the blog or email me at SpinTunes Contest@gmail.com and I'll pass your requests on to Tommy G!
Join us tonight on YouTube or embedded below:
Sunday, September 14, 2025
SpinTunes 25 Round 1 Results
SpinTunes 25 Round 1 is officially in the books. And what a round it's been! The quality and variety on display have already resulted in some intriguing differences in judging. It stands to reason - when the batch of songs as a whole is this good, technical details, personal preference, prior experience, and simple gut feeling may guide one judge one way and another judge another way.
However, even in a round this good, there are usually a few entries that rise to the top, and this round is no exception. One song in particular made a big impact, receiving the first place spot from four out of the five judges and earning its artist their first SpinTunes round victory. Congratulations to Hot Pink Halo, whose plaintive, affecting song "Move Mountains" wins SpinTunes 25 Round 1!
Showcasing the stylistic diversity within SpinTunes, two very different entries fill out the podium: The Alleviators' "Right By You", a tender tale of a family supporting each other the best they can, takes second place; and Wendy Wiseman Fisher's tale of a grisly road trip, "Where the Pumpkins Lie" comes in third.
Read on for the full results!
ST25.1 Rankings and Reviews - Joy Sitler
Here are your Round 1 rankings from Joy Sitler:
Read on for Joy's reviews, and be sure to check out her appearance on the Two Jerks, One Vote podcast as well!
ST25.1 Rankings and Reviews - Mike of The Dutch Widows
Here are your rankings from Mike of the Dutch Widows:
Read on for Mike's reviews!
ST25.1 Rankings and Reviews - Nancy Rost
Here are your rankings from Nancy Rost:
Read on for Nancy's reviews!
ST25.1 Rankings and Reviews - Vehicles of Beware
Here are your rankings from SpinTunes 25 Champion Vehicles of Beware (aka Phil):
Read on for Phil's reviews!
ST25.1 Reviews - Micah Sommersmith
What a great batch of songs to start this tournament with! I really enjoyed hearing the various takes on the "Day in the Life" challenge - I was particularly drawn to songs that managed to sketch out a wider timeline in the past or future while keeping the events that were directly portrayed within a single day, as well as - independently of this specific challenge - songs that surprised me, that offered a thoughtful central insight or vivid image, or simply made me smile.
Of course, since I'm not an actual judge, my opinions have no bearing on your performance in the contest, but I offer them anyway. I also gave some listening recommendations; my intention was to include one for every entry, but it quickly became apparent that my time was better spent commenting on your own songs. If you got a listening recommendation, I hope you enjoy it. If you didn't, please know it isn't personal!
Read on for my reviews, in submission order.
Saturday, September 13, 2025
Tables of Secondary Dominant Chords
This blog post is a resource to help you in fulfilling the SpinTunes 25 Round 2 challenge. Included in this post are tables of secondary dominant chords and the chords they resolve to, in 12 major keys and 12 minor keys.
To use them, find the key of the song you are writing to see which secondary dominant chords and resolutions are available in that key. You are not required to use every progression listed in any given key, and you may of course also use progressions in your key that are not listed here.
SpinTunes 25 Round 2 Challenge
While the judges finish their Round 1 deliberations, you get a head start on Round 2. While the Round 1 challenge was lyric-based, this one is music-based. It's based on a simple harmonic concept that might be familiar to you, or this might be your chance to learn something new. In either case, your Round 2 challenge is waiting for you. Read on:
Wednesday, September 3, 2025
ST25 Round 1 Album, and What to Do While the Judges Judge
If you missed Monday night's Listening Party, the full Round 1 album is available to stream or download for free on Bandcamp or embedded below. As always, our faithful and talented graphic designer Matt "Shoobs" Schubbe provides brand-new cover art. Thank you, Shoobs!
The Round 2 challenge is posted on Saturday September 13, and the results of Round 1 judging are posted on Sunday September 14. You may be wondering, "What the heck do I do until then?" Here are a few ideas!
Did you fall in love with someone else's Round 1 song? Record a cover version of it for the Bonus Round! I'll take Bonus Round covers any time throughout the tournament; submit them to me the same way you submit regular entries.
You're also welcome to write your own reviews of the Round 1 songs and post them on the Song Fight! bulletin board. Our friends over at Song Fight! have graciously given us space on their forums to do so, and if you need help registering an account there, they're quick to respond and get you sorted.
If you're simply itching to create more music, Song Fight! is always active throughout the year. Unlike SpinTunes, they post a song title which you are required to use for your song. After the deadline, the songs are all posted, participants (and anyone else) vote for the winner, and another fight begins. You can find the current title, deadline, and submission instructions on the Song Fight! homepage. Be aware: Song Fight! participants do not shy away from criticism of each other's songs, but it's a great way to grow as a musician and a fun community to be part of.
Monday, September 1, 2025
ST25 Round 1 Listening Party and Deadline News
Congratulations to everyone who submitted to Round 1 of SpinTunes 25. We have 29 competing entries as well as two non-competing shadow entries, and your first chance to hear them all is at tonight's Listening Party hosted by Tommy G at 8 pm EDT. Join us on YouTube or embedded below.
The judges have two weeks to listen to, review, and rank your songs. Based on the judges' rankings, the elimination schedule for the tournament will proceed as follows:
- Round 1: 29 entries. 8 eliminated; 21 proceed to Round 2.
- Round 2: 21 entries. 8 eliminated; 13 proceed to Round 3.
- Round 3: 13 entries. 8 eliminated; 5 (top 4 + 1 Wild Card) proceed to the Final Round.
- Final Round: 5 entries. 4 eliminated; 1 named SpinTunes 25 Champion.
Tuesday, August 26, 2025
SpinTunes 25 - Meet the Contestants!
The Round 1 challenge dropped three days ago - maybe your ideas are still percolating, maybe you're hard at work recording, or maybe you've already finished your song! Either way, you might also be wondering, "Who the heck am I up against?" Read on to find out who is competing in SpinTunes 25!
Friday, August 22, 2025
SpinTunes 25 Round 1 Challenge
It's the dawn of SpinTunes 25. Over four rounds, you will toil away at your songcraft, and when the sun sets on the tournament, one contestant will claim the title of Champion. But let's not get ahead of ourselves. Read on for your Round 1 challenge.
Friday, August 1, 2025
SpinTunes 25 - Meet the Judges and Support Staff
For SpinTunes 25, we have a terrific judging panel made of thoughtful musicians with diverse backgrounds and tastes, all of whom are excited to hear your new songs and offer thoughtful feedback. Read on to meet all our judges, as well as our behind-the-scenes support:
Announcing SpinTunes 25!
Hello, everyone! Micah here, excited to announce that SpinTunes 25 will be happening August 23 to October 27, 2025.
SpinTunes is a four-round tournament for songwriters and recording artists. In each round, contestants receive a challenge prompt and have nine days to write and record a brand-new song that meets the challenge. Our panel of judges then review and rank all entries on the strength of their songwriting, performance, and production, with the highest-ranked contestants moving on to the next round. The winner of the fourth round earns the title of SpinTunes 25 Champion!
SpinTunes is an opportunity to create new songs and hone your musical skills; to receive thoughtful feedback from fellow musicians; to connect with a vibrant and supportive musical community; and to engage in some playful competition.
Below, find links to all the information about the upcoming tournament. We hope you will join us for SpinTunes 25!
SpinTunes 25 Official Rules
Welcome to SpinTunes 25. I'm your contest administrator, Micah Sommersmith, and I'm excited to begin a new tournament!
If you’ve competed before, welcome back! The rules below are the same as in SpinTunes 24, with the addition of the Final Round Wild Card and some clarifying language about Shadow Reinstatements.
I'll also remind you that there is a Suggestion Box that you can use to submit suggestions for challenges or rule changes at any time. You'll find it in the left-hand sidebar if you're viewing this on a PC.
If you have any questions about any of the rules, feel free to contact me at SpinTunesContest@gmail.com.
Read on for the full rules!
SpinTunes 25 Schedule
All times given are in US Eastern Daylight Time. When in doubt, the SpinTunes Google calendar should list all deadlines in your local time.
Read on for the full SpinTunes 25 schedule.
SpinTunes 25 Sign-up Form
If you've read the official rules, consulted the full schedule, and met the judges, and decided that you're ready to compete in SpinTunes 25, you're in the right place!
Sign-up for SpinTunes 25 by filling out the form below. You must fill out the form by August 22 at 11:59pm EDT if you wish to compete in SpinTunes 25 as an official contestant; otherwise, you are welcome to submit non-competing shadow entries.
If it is not displayed properly in the blog, here is a direct link to the Google form.
Tuesday, May 6, 2025
ST24 Bonus Round Album
If you missed the Bonus Round Listening Party, never fear! You can hear all ten Bonus Round covers and re-imaginings, in glorious stereo sound, on Bandcamp or embedded below. Enjoy!
Monday, May 5, 2025
ST24 Round 4 Results
The results are in, and we have a champion! Amid four great Final Round songs (and a batch of excellent shadow entries too!), the techno-skeptical lament "Vulpes Vulpes" won over both the contestants and the judges. Congratulations to first-time participant Vehicles of Beware, who earns the title of SpinTunes 24 Champion!
The next two competitors were tied in the contestants' vote, so I turned to the judges for the tie-breaker. By just one point, David Taro earns second place, followed by Governing Dynamics in third. Celestial Drift comes in fourth place among our four excellent Final Round songs.
Read on for the full breakdown of contestants' and judges' votes!
ST24 Bonus Round Listening Party and Champion Announcement
The Final Round voting period has closed, and a SpinTunes 24 Champion has been chosen. But who is it? Find out at tonight's Listening Party, hosted at 10 pm EDT (note the later time!) by Tommy G.
Before the Champion is revealed, Tommy G will play the Bonus Round covers we've received - seven so far! Remember that the Bonus Round deadline is flexible, so if you're still working on a cover version of a SpinTunes 24 entry, send it in when it's finished!
Join us at 10 pm EDT on YouTube or embedded below.
Tuesday, April 29, 2025
ST24 Round 4 Album
If you missed last night's Listening Party, never fear: the SpinTunes 24 Round 4 album is available to download or stream on Bandcamp or embedded below.
Take a listen, and remember that if you competed in Round 1 but not Round 4, you'll have a chance to vote and determine the SpinTunes 24 Champion! You'll receive voting instructions later this week by email.
Monday, April 28, 2025
ST24.4 Listening Party and Contestant Voting/Bonus Round Reminder
The Round 4 deadline has passed, and we have received submissions from all four of our finalists, in addition to five shadow songs, all inspired in some way by Madeline Owen's painting Water Fox. Your first chance to hear all nine songs is at tonight's Listening Party at 8 pm EDT, hosted by Tommy G. Join us on YouTube or embedded below!
Contestant Voting
If you competed in SpinTunes 24 and you're not competing in the Final Round - you are a Final Round judge! Your votes will determine who claims the title of SpinTunes 24 Champion. You'll receive an email later this week with instructions to cast your ballot, with a deadline of Sunday, May 4 at 11:59 pm EDT. In the meantime...
Bonus Round
...now begins the Bonus Round, an optional, non-competitive round in which you're invited to submit a cover version of someone else's SpinTunes 24 song. Whether it was a competing entry or a shadow, if you heard a song in this tournament that you loved and want to put your own spin on, record it this week and send it in! Since this is a friendly, non-competitive round, your flexible deadline is next Monday when Tommy G hosts our Bonus Round Listening Party and reveals the identity of the SpinTunes 24 Champion!
Sunday, April 20, 2025
ST24.3 Reviews and Rankings - truth
Here are your rankings from SpinTunes 23 Champion truth:
Read on for truth's reviews!
ST24.3 Results
The judges have weighed in on Round 3, and their rankings have determined who will be competing in the Final Round.
This was a tough round to judge, but one entry rose quickly to the top of the list. With first place rankings from three of the five judges, David Taro claims his first SpinTunes round victory with his hooky in-and-out-of-love song "Don't You Want Me Anymore".
Two songs are tied for second place - Governing Dynamics and Vehicles of Beware scored equally in the judges' aggregate rankings. And finally, just a few points behind them in fourth place is Celestial Drift to round out the Final Round competitors.
As for the rest of our competitors - the shadow reinstatement rule is still in effect, and you've got a super cool painting to inspire you, so I hope we hear lots of shadow entries in the Final Round!
Read on for the full Round 3 results!
ST24.3 Reviews and Rankings - Valerie Polichar
Here are your rankings from Valerie Polichar:
Read on for Valerie's reviews!
ST24.3 Reviews and Rankings - Ethan Ivey
Here are your rankings from Ethan Ivey:
Read on for Ethan's reviews!
ST24.3 Reviews and Rankings - glennny
Here are your rankings from SpinTunes 23 Champion glennny:
Read on for glennny's reviews!
ST24.3 Reviews and Rankings - Jim of Seattle
Here are your rankings from Jim of Seattle:
Read on for Jim's reviews!
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