Songwriters Submissions Page
Thank you for considering being a songwriter for the Warrior Songs “Story to Song” program. You do not need to be a Veteran to be a songwriter for Warrior Songs. Here’s what you need to know to get involved. Please review the requirements and then fill out the form below and submit.
Program Guidelines
Veteran Control: The Veteran is in control of the process the entire time. The Veteran may reject your song. This is rare but possible, and you must agree to not distribute the unapproved song.
Composer Agreement: The Songwriter must sign a Composer Agreement contract before being assigned a song.
Submission Requirements:
- Submit a one-page bio and no more than 2 examples of your songwriting.
- Provide at least one but no more than 2 links to songs you’ve written. Songs can be of any quality; just send us the best you have. We prefer a direct link to your song. SoundCloud is a free and easy way to upload your songs and share a link with us.
Co-Ownership: The Veteran becomes a co-writer and co-owner of the song. All parties sign a songwriter split contract.
Song Ownership: The Songwriters remain complete owners of the song as defined by the songwriter split contract. Songs distributed digitally through online retailers have their royalties administered by CD Baby Publishing. Every songwriter must belong to a Professional Rights Organization (PRO). Sign up as a songwriter or writer. BMI membership is free and easy here. Songwriters collect all royalties for digital sales, non-Warrior Songs physical sales, streaming, and any sync licensing. Monetary distribution is administered through your PRO and CD Baby Publishing.
Physical CD Distribution: The Songwriters must give Warrior Songs permission to distribute physical CDs royalty-free. Warrior Songs gives away physical copies for free to Veterans and for a donation to non-veterans. Therefore, we ask the songwriter to allow Warrior Songs to distribute these CDs royalty-free. This only applies to the CDs Warrior Songs distributes; any other physical CD distribution would need to pay songwriter royalties to all songwriters.
Exclusive Rights: The Songwriters must agree to give Warrior Songs two years of exclusive rights. The master made in the studio becomes the property of Warrior Songs. Songwriters agree not to release their own version of their song on any other CDs or compilations until two years after its release on a Warrior Songs compilation. Once the two years have elapsed, songwriters are encouraged to release the song on their own projects, though they must record a new version of the song.
Publishing Chords and Lyrics: The Songwriters must agree to allow Warrior Songs to publish the chords and lyrics. Warrior Songs creates a free-to-download PDF songbook to encourage Music Therapists and other Musicians to perform the songs. The songbooks are made available on the Warrior Songs website.
Promotion: The Songwriters must agree to allow Warrior Songs to use their likeness in promotion. Only the Veterans are allowed complete anonymity in this process. Songwriters who are not contributing Veterans must give permission for Warrior Songs to use their likeness and information as promotional tools.
Studio Recording Artist: The Songwriters must agree to allow Warrior Songs to pick the Studio Recording Artist. Often, the songwriters we work with are multi-talented, and we invite them into the studio to perform the song. However, Warrior Songs may choose, in conjunction with the Veteran, an artist or artists other than the songwriter for the Studio Recording. The songwriter must be willing to allow their song to be performed by an artist other than themselves to be part of this project.
If you agree with the program guidelines listed above and would like to be considered for a songwriting assignment, please fill out the form below.