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For the first time in its nine year history, the John Lennon Songwriting Contest is accepting entries year round. The contest, which will continue to honor songs in twelve musical categories, will have two sessions, the first from April 15 to August 15, 2005, and the second from September 1 through December 15, 2005. Because of the expansion of the internationally acclaimed competition, the prize package is the biggest ever, totaling over $240,000 in cash and prizes.

The Grand Prize Winners of each session are selected by a panel of prestigious judges. The first session's judging panel includes John Legend, Fergie (Hip-Hop group Black Eyed Peas), the Bacon Brothers (Michael & Kevin Bacon), and Ken Komisar, VP, A&R, Sony Records.

Categories include: Rock, Country, Jazz, Pop, World, Rhythm & Blues, Hip Hop, Gospel/Inspirational, Latin, Electronic, Folk, and Children's. Instrumental compositions are encouraged.

Grand Prize Winners in each category receive $5,000 in project studio equipment from Roland/Edirol, Audio-Technica and Brian Moore Guitars and $500 gift certificates from MusiciansFriend.com. At the end of the second session, the Grand Prize Winners in each category will go head to head in an online voting competition in which the public will go to www.jlsc.com to select their choice for the Lennon Award Winner in each category. The 12 Lennon Award Winners each receive a $5,000 EMI Music Publishing contract and 1,000 CDs in full color 6-panel Digipaks from Disc Makers, worth $1,990.

The Maxell Song of the Year, which earns the winner $20,000 courtesy of the Maxell Corporation, will be selected from the 12 Lennon Award Winners by the Executive Committee of the JLSC, which boasts an extraordinary group of stellar songwriters and recording artists including Elton John, Carlos Santana, Wyclef Jean, Carole Bayer Sager, Tim McGraw, Amy Grant, and BeBe and CeCe Winans, to name a few.

In addition, 72 contestants will be recognized as Finalists and will each receive $100 gift certificates from MusiciansFriend.com. As an added bonus, one songwriter's band will be selected to perform for one week on Warped Tour 2006. This year's winner, Echovalve was selected from the 2004 entrants to appear on this summer's Warped Tour. This is the only instance in which performance is a factor in this songwriting competition which, otherwise, bases its decisions exclusively on melody, composition, and lyrics (when applicable).

The Contest is open to amateur and professional songwriters who may enter as many songs as they like in any number of categories. Anyone interested can go to www.jlsc.com  or can upload their entries on www.sonicbids.com .

The 2004 Maxell Song Of the Year recipient will be announced in July at the NAMM (The International Music Products Association) Summer Session in Indianapolis.