Welcome to the Two-Hundredth Song Contest!
It was just two weeks shy of 14 years ago today that mith hosted Mafiascum's first Favourite Song Tournament (Stairway to Heaven won). Later that summer, ShadowLurker began the format that we know today with Song Contest 1, and we've been going strong ever since. We've had a full 199 contests plus 10 Battles of the Best, and pretty much everything of which you could think has been submitted at one point or another - but the beauty of music is that there's always more to imagine. Thank you to everyone who's kept the tradition going over the years, and here's to many more!
It was just two weeks shy of 14 years ago today that mith hosted Mafiascum's first Favourite Song Tournament (Stairway to Heaven won). Later that summer, ShadowLurker began the format that we know today with Song Contest 1, and we've been going strong ever since. We've had a full 199 contests plus 10 Battles of the Best, and pretty much everything of which you could think has been submitted at one point or another - but the beauty of music is that there's always more to imagine. Thank you to everyone who's kept the tradition going over the years, and here's to many more!
Submit your song via this FANCY FORM!
What is the MafiaScum Song Contest?
The MafiaScum Song Contest is a competition modeled after the annual Eurovision Song Contest. It's a means to gain exposure to new music through the tastes of your peers, like it or not. Those that enter must also vote for the people they are running against based on how much they like the songs. Everyone picks an alias in the form of a country (any one of your choosing) and sends in a song that they like in order to expose it to the other contestants. After voting, they are tallied in the thread and a winner is named. No matter who wins, everyone wins by gaining new knowledge of songs, artists, albums and genres of music in the process!
List of Previously Entered Songs
How to Participate in the Song Contest:
1. Find a song that you like on any internet medium that isn't restricted or private.
2. Submit it via the form linked above!
3. After submitting, you must confirm that you've entered by either posting in this thread or sending a PM to the Song Contest account.
4. Wait until I reveal the entries. You may or may not be cut (as stated at the end of this post).
5. Once entries are revealed, you will rank your top 10 countries! You will do this via a Google Form link to be provided later. The point values are as follows:
Please rate fairly by giving all countries a listen. You may not vote for yourself. Everyone, regardless of entry or cut status, may vote, so you can still participate even if you chose not to enter or if you got cut! However, if those that entered and are accepted do not vote, they will get a point penalty (see below), so please consider that before entering.12 points - 1st
10 - 2nd
8 - 3rd
7 - 4th
6 - 5st
5 - 6th
4 - 7th
3 - 8th
2 - 9th
1 - 10th
6. Wait for results. It's that simple!
What entries are/aren't allowed?
In order to eliminate bias, certain entries based on previous performance are banned. After dozens of contests and a following of a vague "Code of Ethics" by the Song Contest population, there have been so many entries that a rule system is now in place as to what can and cannot be entered. Please refer to the list of entered songs linked above and CTRL+F your artist AND song name to make sure it isn't included in the following list.
What isn't allowed?
-You cannot enter an artist that has won ANY contest in the past, no matter how far away that contest is.
-You cannot enter an artist that has been entered in the last 15 contests.
-You cannot enter a song that has been entered before, regardless of placement. (You can enter a cover or different version of that song.) For example: You cannot enter in "Seven Nation Army" by The White Stripes, but you can enter in "The Hardest Button to Button" by The White Stripes.
-You cannot enter an artist that has achieved a top-three finish in a Battle of the Best. For example: You may not enter anything by the Doves, as they got 2nd in a BotB.
-You cannot enter something that is not a 'song'. We generally interpret this term very loosely, but here are some examples:
Things considered a song: Anything created with an actual artist and song title that is INTENDED for the listener, even if it's painful to listen or even if there's nothing included (Examples: Nirvana - Smells Like Teen Spirit, Eminem - Lose Yourself, Barney - I Love You, John Cage - 4'33, Sunn 0))) - 0))) Bow 1, etc.)
Things not considered a song: Anything without an artist or title, a video clip of something random, a comedy routine (unless it's an actual song a la Stephen Lynch), a large square wave, an animal barking, total silence not being attributed to an artist, etc. (Examples: A clip of a comedian's standup special, an ibex screeching, a clip of a game show, a clip of someone screaming, etc.)
I will let you know if your entry does not meet the criteria of a 'song', but it should be fairly obvious.
What IS allowed, then?
-You can enter an artist that has achieved second place or lower at least 15 contests ago, as long as you do not repeat a song by that artist.
-You can enter an artist that reached the top three in a song contest, unless it won that contest or also got top three in a Battle of the Best.
-You can enter a different version of a song entered before, such as a cover (or the original if the cover was entered first). For example, Johnny Cash's Hurt has already been entered, but you can still enter Nine Inch Nails' version of Hurt.
Other than that, you're good! If your entry violates one of these rules, you'll have until the deadline to fix it or we reserve the right to deny your entry (as if you haven't entered one at all) due to time constraints.
Voting
Anyone is welcome to vote regardless of whether they've entered a song into the contest, but
those who entered songs are required to vote
. If you enter a song and fail to vote, you will be penalized in the form of deductions from the points your song earned from other people's votes (see below).If fewer than 75% of the people who entered the contest have voted by the end of the first deadline, the voting deadline will be extended, and anybody who hasn't voted will get a penalty. This process will repeat until either 75% of entrants vote or until 16 days have passed (three extensions). As more extensions are needed, those who haven't voted yet will receive escalating penalties, as follows:
-If you fail to vote and fewer than three extensions are needed: You lose 12 points
-If you vote after the first extension: You lose 5 points
-If you vote after the second extension: You lose 10 points
-If you vote after the third extension: You lose 15 points
-If you fail to vote, even after three extensions: You lose 20 points
Ties in final scores will be broken in favour of the entry with the most first-place rankings, then the most second-place rankings, and so on.
All ballots received before the final results are posted will be accepted, even if they come in after deadline.
Reserved Countries
Chile
Denmark
eSwatini
Gibraltar
Ireland
Israel
Lithuania
Mali
Oz
Peru
Slovenia
USA
Wales
Yemen
Deadline for entries is Wednesday, 24 May at 11:59 p.m. Greenwich Mean Time.
Spoiler: If we get more than 26 entries, the 26 participants in the competition will be decided based on the following criteria:
