Categories for Billboards 14th Annual Song Contest include Hip-Hop / Rap Rock / Alt.Rock, Pop, Country, Latin, Contemporary Christian / Traditional Gospel, Jazz, R&B / Blues, World, Folk / Americana and Dance. Submissions for the Billboard 14th Annual Song Contest are officially open.

This year's contest seeks to define what has been on everyone's mind lately. What is AMERICANA music?  We''ve separated Folk from Country and made it into its own Folk/Americana category. We believe that the definitive moment for this question may lay in the very moment Bob Dylan and band first stroked electric instruments on that Newport festival stage so long ago. No one has been able to put their finger on it since. We know it surely lies somewhere between the subtlety of acoustic performance and power of electric grit. But today as yesterday, Americana's true genius is in its message. Is yours the voice of the American heart?

The Billboard Song Contest was the first of its kind and continues to break ground in exposing new talent to the world. The top three winners in all categories benefit from distribution of the Billboard World Song Contest Winners'' CD which is sent to music executives, producers, publishers, agents, promoters, and more throughout the industry.  We distribute over $30,000 in winner and consolation prizes.  For many participants this is a springboard to success. All submissions are due by November 15, 2006.

Other categories alongside our new Folk/Americana include Rock/Alt.Rock, Pop, Country, Latin, Contemporary Christian/Traditional Gospel, Jazz, R&B/Blues, HipHop/Rap, World, and Dance.

Sponsors include Billboard Magazine, D''Addario Strings, TAXI-The Independent A&R Vehicle, Indie Band Manager, Discmakers, BMI, MENC, Blublocker Sunglasses, GoGirlsMusic.com, The Halsey Institute, FIDOF, and online song submission partner Sonicbids.com.