Frequently Asked Questions

Song Fight! is a free Web site where Internet musicians enter their work into competition. Every ten days or so, a title is posted, the competitors write a brand new song written expressly for the title, and the Internet at large is invited to vote for their favorite song for each title.

Our goal is to provide a venue for new music and creative expression on the Internet. Keeping that goal in mind, the proprietors of songfight.org must reserve the right to add and remove any content from songfight.org at any time for any reason, as they see fit.

If you have a question not answered here please email fightmaster@songfight.org.

  • Can I enter?
  • How do I enter?
  • Can I use AI?
  • What do I name my file?
  • I am impatient. When will the fight be posted?
  • There is a problem! Help!
  • What do I get if I win?
  • I have an idea! Now what?
  • Can I vote more than once?
  • I need help making a song!
  • Please approve my message board registration.
  • People on the message board are mean!
  • What is Song Fight's stance on copyright?
  • I would like to contribute "cover art"
  • Where can I get the Song Fight! logo?
Can I enter?
Yes! Look over on the right side of the Song Fight page, under "Next Week's Fight" to see next week's title and the deadline for entering a song.
To maximize Song Fight's resources for everyone who wants to participate, please only enter one song per fight!
How do I enter?
  1. Write a song based on the posted title. Songs written before the title was announced are not eligible for competition. No covers are allowed, unless you are so creative with it that we can't tell it's a cover. You are not required to use the title in your lyrics but it is strongly encouraged, to make it clear you wrote your song for the fight.
  2. Make an MP3 file out of your song. Please use the lowest bitrate that sounds decent. VBR is preferred. MP3 files only! We do not accept .m4a or other files or GarageBand projects, etc.
  3. Compose a new email message.
    • To: fightmaster@songfight.org
    • Subject: (the title of the fight)
    • Body: (your band name)
    • (you may include other info in the body but only your band name is required)
  4. Please spell your band name correctly! Please spell it correctly both in the email and in the file name. If you use incorrect or multiple different spellings we probably won't be able to tell or guess what the correct spelling is.
  5. Attach your MP3 file to the message, then send it by or before the deadline for the fight. See here for how to name your file.
  6. (Optional but strongly encouraged) Post to the pre-fight thread that you are, as the kids say, "in." If you are new to the boards, please email fightmaster@songfight.org to have your new boards account activated.
Can I use AI?

Song Fight is a creative songwriting exercise for human beings.

Acceptable uses of AI in your Song Fight submissions include but are not limited to:

  • Using AI instruments such as Logic Session Musicians, Natural Drums, and other such plugins to create an instrumental performance track that is included in a larger arrangement
  • Using AI tools to generate sounds or lyrics that a human then edits, modifies, re-performs, or re-arranges
  • Using AI tools to modify the sounds you make yourself, for example changing a guitar into a trumpet, or converting a female vocal into a male vocal
  • Using automated mixing/mastering assistants (AI or otherwise) to improve the listenability of your song

Disqualifying uses of AI in Song Fight submissions include but are not limited to:

  • Full lyrics generated by AI and not human edited
  • Full musical arrangements generated by AI
  • Full songs with lyrics and music generated by AI

We do not have the resources to explore the gray areas around this so do not bother trying to make us do so. We reserve the right to refuse or take down any submitted song for any reason.

What do I name my file?

Name your file like so:

Suppose you are The John Benjamin Band and the title is "Look Good In Black":

johnbenjaminband_lgib.mp3

That's your band name, all lower case, all one word, not including "the", followed by an underscore, and then an acronym made of the words in the title you're submitting for (unless the title is a single word, in which case, use the whole word). If there is an "and" in your band name, replace it with "+". Please either remove any characters in your band name that are not letters or numbers, or replace them with letters if they are super duper important, e.g. if your band name is just "?" you can replace that with "questionmark".

Again, please spell your band name correctly! Please spell it correctly both in the email and in the file name. If you use incorrect or multiple different spellings we probably won't be able to tell or guess what the correct spelling is.

If your entry features a guest, a la "Octothorpe featuring Glenn Case", in your filename put both band names, separated by "feat", with no spaces, e.g. "octothorpefeatglenncase_awesomeness.mp3"

I am impatient. When will the fight be posted?
Your friendly FightMaster has a life to attend to. In most cases, songs are posted within a day or two of the deadline. Please don't complain if it takes longer.
There is a problem! Help!
Visit the Q.A. thread on the Song Fight message board and tell us all about your problems. Be sure to tell us your band name, if the problem is with your song.
What do I get if I win?
Bragging rights. Satisfaction. The jealous glances of strangers sitting next to you on the subway.
I have an idea! Now what?
Post your suggestions in the Suggestion/Complaint section on the message board or send all your clever ideas directly to your friendly neighborhood FightMaster.
Can I vote more than once?
We really wish you wouldn't. Voting multiple times doesn't really get you anything does it? There's no prize or anything after all, and what satisfaction is there in bragging rights if you cheated to get them?
I need help making a song!
Song Fight requires a modicum of resourcefulness. Check out the message board for help making music and for collaboration opportunities.
People on the message board are mean!
The message boards can be raucous and sometimes cruel to newcomers. Hang in there! You'll come to appreciate the honesty of the feedback you'll receive, and the opportunities for collaboration with like-minded musicians. Follow the rules (within reason), behave yourself, and things will all work out.
What is Song Fight!'s stance on copyright?
Song Fight! takes no ownership of your music; however, you enter at your own risk. By submitting your song, you are authorizing us to post it permanently on a publicly viewable Web site where it can be downloaded by anyone.
I would like to contribute "cover art".
Check out the Cover Art submission thread on the boards for instructions on how to submit your art. FightMaster will keep a copy for posterity, and it might be posted somewhere for people to see, if it is not used as cover art on songfight.org.
Where can I get the Song Fight! logo?
The logo is available in several formats along with usage guidelines on our visual standards document.