We received a couple of questions recently, answered below:

Does this contest focus narrowly on the songs themselves, or are entries also judged on the quality and sophistication of the recordings that are produced?

The MASC is identified and we run it as "song first" contest. We believe in the quality of the song and the ability of our judges to look past the facade of production and performance to the song itself. We can't deny that the "listenability" of an entry gives it an edge with some judges because a song that is well played and sung well and on pitch always helps to encourage further exploration. I would assure you that it is the MASC's intent to find the best songs and that we try very hard to pay attention to the underlying songs in all our judging.

Are the entries for the "Lyrics Only" category all lumped together or are they divided by genre?

The new "Lyrics Only" submissions are not separated by genre.