Frequently Asked Questions

OurStage is the only democratic competition where the fans decide who's the best in emerging entertainment. Fans have the real voice because our patent-pending judging system eliminates cheaters. Each artist gets a fair shot. The bottom line is, if you're really the best, the fans will drive you to the top.

As a collective, taste-making community of both fans and artists, we value honesty and active involvement above all else.

Honesty: Listen to music and watch videos. Compare one item with another in a battle and be honest about how you feel. Our system randomizes all entries which means fans have no way of knowing or controlling who they judge. This keeps OurStage from becoming a crappy little monthly dustup, instead of the artist discovery venue, a place where musicians get a stab at fame without having to kiss the rear end of people they would rather just make deals with.

Involvement: We need all users to be a active in the fan rebellion taking place on OurStage, to judge fairly and often, to make sure their profiles reflect their unique brand of hipness. Include picture and bios because people like to know just who they're dealing with. Join fan clubs, make play lists, promote artists to friends and family, anything to make a connection.

As an artist, your first step is to upload your music or video and decide which channel (music genre) competition to enter. Then, fans judge the work against the work of other artists. Our unique judging capability (known to us as Peer Relative Ranking) makes sure that each piece is judged fairly by the real audienceno rigging, no cheating, no celebrity judges. At the end of each month, the Top 20 is whittled down to the Top 10 in each channel. These artist go head-to-head in a special judging channel to determine a winner of a particular channel. Then a site-wide judging contest determines our Grand Prize winner. For more information about this, see the section on Judging below! As a fan, all you have to do is listen to some great music and give feedback about just how great you think it is. Find your favorite artists and follow them as they grow!

It is sometimes easier to know if you shouldn't join something than if you should. So we've gone ahead and identified the personality traits of people who shouldn't join OurStage (even though it's free to join and free to compete). To help you decide if you're one of them, we've listed those traits.

Personality Traits of a Non-Member
1. Doesn't like cool music and videos
2. Has never had an opinion
3. Has never shared an opinion
4. Is a hermit who doesn't like meeting cool people online who have similar tastes
5. Fears revolutionary concepts that will turn the traditional media/entertainment world upside-down.
6. Never tries new things

So if the above applies to you, sorry. If not, welcome. We love you.

OurStage is the only fair, un-gamed, fan-driven, endearingly Darwinian music & video judging site on the Web. Not to mention:

• OurStage is free to join, free to compete in (aside form our Premium channels, read more about that) and free to participate in at all levels. Our competitions fit and welcome all types of music & video . If we don't have your genre, we'll add it
• Your art remains yours forever. We demand no rights. We just ask permission to post/display your work on our site (see our Terms & Conditions).
• There's no sharing, sending, giving or stealing of your property. If you want to sell your work, that's your business.

When signing up for OurStage, you were asked to choose a type of account to sign up with. Here is a description of each account:

Artist:
This account allows you to upload music, video, pictures and other general media necessary for an artist profile. You can compete in the music competitions as well as judge in the contests and you can even activate an EPK to send to venues, booking agents, record labels, etc. If you make music or video and want to display and promote it on OurStage, then create an Artist account.

Fan:
This account allows you to vote in competitions, comment on other users' profiles and even win fan prizes through the Website. If you are a music lover and you want to listen in to help decide the next big indie artist then start a Fan account.

Venue:
This account used to be called an "Industry Professional" account. If you are a music establishment and want to discover new artists to play for you or work with you, then create a venue account. You can also join Marketplace and post gigs for artists to sign up for.

It's easy! Just go to the Music Stage, and click on the type of music you like. You'll see top-ranked songs right there on the page, so you can start listening to the best right away. The player will move to the next song in the channel automatically.

OurStage is run and funded by music enthusiasts and investors who are really passionate about one thing: bringing true democracy to entertainment. Our aim is to make sure that every artists gets a fair shot and that every fan finds emerging talent they'll love.

A while back, Ben (our CEO) was surfing the Web and shaking his head in disgust. He couldn't believe how hard it was to find music he liked. You see, Ben is a music and film fanatic, who doesn't just sit idle when there is a problem he can solve.

So Ben went out, got some cash, found other cool people with skills different from his own, and said, Let's start a company where the fans have a voice in ranking content from emerging music and video artists! And OurStage was born. Our mission is to provide a platform for artists to showcase their talent and advance their careers, while the fans discover great music and help determine the stars of tomorrow.

The folks at OurStage have written up a pretty solid page about the values of the OurStage community and what it means to be a part of the best site for independent music on the internet. Check it out.

OurStage is a brand new and exciting way for you to succeed as an artist. Our site is designed to leverage the power of the Internet to connect fans to emerging artists. You get exposure to new fans through our ranking and judging system. You can track fans with a fan club and comments. There is a monthly cash prize of $100 for the top entry in each channel and a $5,000 grand prize for music. We also offer a $1,000 grand prize for video. You may also get additional exposure and prizes through our partners, such as NEMO, CMJ, Noise Pop, PASTE, the DV Show and many others. See Prizes for more details.

The ranking or judging is done via two patent-pending algorithms that serve up top ranking, middle ranking and newly uploaded material in a channel in a fair and unbiased fashion for someone to judge. We are careful to make sure that each media item in the channel gets equal exposurethis we guarantee.

Depending on how much our users like something (i.e. rank favorably), and how long they want to keep on judging, the ranking engine will try to get users to determine just how much a particular item is liked over other ranked items. This why users may see the same item coming up during several battles.

Our site users who act as judges cannot request material to rank. And they have to view or listen to the material served for a minimum of 15 seconds each before they can rank one item over another. After all of the rankings from all of the users are tallied, the best music bubbles to the top!

Sorry, but we currently are not hiring for any positions.

Here at OurStage, we like to continually strive to be better, improving the user experience whenever we can. This means that there will often be tweaks, changes, bug fixes, etc. We hope that all of these changes are for the better, and that all of our users embrace these changes (though,there will all be people resistant to change).

Many of these changes have, and will, go unannounced. Some changes, such as major design changes, are large and obvious whereas others, such as bug fixes. These are under the hood and go largely unnoticed. For new features on the website, these will normally get their own FAQ designated to teach people about them. For alterations to existing features and design changes, you can find the newest information in KB's blog.

KB does an awesome job at filling in people of changes and issues here at OurStage, as well as addresses concerns of our users. Check her blog often to keep up to date with everying (expecially since she tries really hard to keep the users informed and happy).

Did you notice a way we could further improve the user experience at OurStage? Well, we would like to know! After all, we're working hard to make OurStage a better place for you, but we can't always get it just right. Because of this, we need your feedback. We would appreciate, however, nice e-mails, not nasty ones. Send us an e-mail to fill us in on what you think of the new changes (or even things that have been around for a while).

If you find something that looks missing or broken, we would like to know as soon as possible so we can take care of it. For these type of things, you can contact tech help. In these cases, please make sure to give us as much information as possible so that we can handle the issue in a more effective manner. Things that are most useful to describe: what you were trying to do, what you expected to happen, what actually happened, and if you received any error messages.

My Profile is your personal destination on OurStage, a place where you can communicate with your fans, post upcoming shows, promote new songs and albums, upload pictures, music, bios and more. The information blocks on the page can be moved and edited so you can tailor the look of your page.

You can also learn more about who your fans are by viewing their profile pages, because every registered user of OurStage shares themselves with the community, whether their an musician, filmmaker or simply someone who appreciates music and film.

PartyLine is a new OurStage feature where you can create private chat rooms on the site just like the Judge's Chambers. What's different about the PartyLine is that you can stream music to your friends in the chatroom, play videos, and more all while talking to your friends. This way, you can all be listening to the same song or watching a video and talking about the song or video. You can play your favorites list or anything else when making a room, and share the link to your room with a friend!

You can make your PartyLine by going to your profile and clicking on the PartyLine button at the top right of your Overview tab. It's a little green button that says "Join My PartyLine". In your PartyLine, you can select a music playlist to begin streaming in the top right. In the bottom right, you might see your photo gallery or videos playing, depending on what you've uploaded. On the left is a list of everyone in your PartyLine.

People who visit your profile page can see you have an active PartyLine and join it using the "Join My PartyLine" button, or you can share your PartyLine by giving out the URL in the very top right of the party line window. Just click, copy, and paste it anywhere you want. You can send that URL out to people via email, instant messaging programs, OurStage Messaging, or anything else you like.

Go to your profile page and click on the Add Stuff to Page link below your bio. Select the calendar block from the menu on the left and click on Add to Main Section. Now there is a calendar section in your profile labeled My Events. Just click on Add Event to feature any upcoming performances. Once you're done adding your events, click on Done Editing to see the fruits of your labor. If you have an EPK, these gigs will also appear in the CALENDAR section of your EPK.

Another great feature on OurStage is the playlist editor that looks and behaves a lot like iTunes. Say you're streaming the channels or judging the competitions and you like the songs you hear. You've bought the songs already, but you want to do more with them. So you click the "Manage playlists" button on your profile page. You will see a general description of the editor as well as some directions on how to use it. You will also see a side bar on the left with a list of your playlists. There will be lists of music and video that you have "favorited" which make up your "library". Please note that you can favorite a song by clicking the "favorite" button anywhere you find the song on the site, or by adding "thumbs" to the song while streaming it (the thumbs appear if you hover over the player).

From here you can create your own playlists by clicking the "add" button. Name your playlists and then drag songs from your library to the playlist's icon in the side bar. You can play any song on the playlist by double-clicking it or clicking the play button in the music player below. You can also access links and info about the artist and the song in the song info section below the sidebar list.

Finally, you can share a playlist you've made by right-clicking or control-clicking on it's name in the side bar and clicking "copy embed code." This code can be placed anywhere on the web that supports HTML embed codes (myspace profiles, OurStage blogs on your profile, etc).

You can email your EPK to anyone you want by clicking on the Email EPK link in the header above your EPK. All you need is the contact's name and email address. Type in a short, personal messagethis step is optional, but highly recommendedthen press Send to deliver the email. The recipient will open the message to find the Artist Info page of your EPK front and center. They can click on any other tab of your EPK to see more. If you prefer to print out your EPK and mail it, click on the Print EPK link in the header above your EPK. To submit your EPK to a contest, simply email or mail it to the address given in the official contest rules.

An EPK helps you get gigs and other career opportunities by showcasing your unique features, qualifications and original material in a professional, easy-to-follow format. The kit enables you to convince potential employers and promoters that you mean business and that you're different from the rest of the artists out there. In some cases, the EPK is the only acceptable format to submit to contests or venue gigs.

First, you must be registered on OurStage with an active account (to activate your account click on the activation link emailed you). To create your EPK, go to your profile page and create a bio, add photos post upcoming performances to your calendar (see information on adding the calendar feature to your profile below) and add your best songs and videos. To upload music and videos, highlight the word 'Upload' in the menu bar at the top of the screen and follow prompts to guide you through the process. When your profile is bursting with evidence of your talent, click the View My EPK link at the top right of your profile page. All of the information you entered on your profileas well as your uploaded songs and videosappear under one of six folder tabs on your new EPK. Like what you see? Now activate it.

When you first click on View My EPK, you'll see an activation message at the top of the screen. Simply click on the activate link so you can begin sharing your EPK with friends, fans, venues, contest judges and talent buyers.

The main audience for your EPK is venues and talent buyers looking to book artists for live shows. With that in mind, be sure to upload only your best live performance videos. Music videos or other promotional videos for your act are helpful, too. (Click on the word 'Upload' in the menu bar at the top of the screen and follow prompts through the process.) Any video you upload will automatically appear in your profile and on your EPK.

Most of the content for your EPK comes from your profile page and your music uploads. This is why we recommend you complete your profile to the best of your ability and upload your best work before fine tuning your EPK. After your profile is loaded with songs, videos, photos and performance dates, click View My EPK. The information you entered on your profile page automatically appears under one of six folder tabs on your EPK. To further customize your EPK, click on the Artist Info tab to tailor your bio to a more professional audience and add group member names and setup requirements. Click on AUDIO to enter your setlist and click on the PRESS folder tab to enter media reviews. You can always add more songs and videos to your EPK by clicking on Upload; in the menu bar at the top of the screen. Tip: Keep the performance calendar on your profile up-to-date because gig details will carry over to your EPK.

The more information you add to your EPK, the better you'll look to potential talent buyers and venues. To see your current EPK completion score, go to Marketplace and look for the EPK completion meter on your "dashboard." The percentage shown here has a strong influence on your Mojo rating (a measure of your overall strength on the site that helps venues decide whether or not to book you). To increase your percentage of EPK completion, go to your EPK and add a bio, photos, videos, and songs if you haven't already. Filling in other fields including ones as simple as Band Members, Set List, and Genre will also increase your EPK completion score and, more importantly, your Mojo rating. Update your EPK continually to give yourself the competitive advantage.

You can add events to your calendar from two locationsyour profile and your EPK. To add the performance calendar from your profile, go to your profile page and click on the Add Stuff to Page link below your bio. Select the calendar block from the menu on the left and click . Now you'll see a calendar section in your profile labeled My Events. Just click on Add Event to feature any upcoming performances. Once you're done adding your events, click on Done Editing to view your updated calendar. To add events to your performance calendar from your EPK, go to your EPK and click on the Calendar tab. Next, click Add New Event link, fill in the event and press details and press the save button to see the newly added event. Once you add an event, it will appear in both locations so there is no need to add the information twice.

You can email your EPK to anyone by clicking on the Email EPK link in the header above your EPK. You'll need the contact's name and email address. A short, personal message is optional, but highly suggested. Press Send to deliver the email. The recipient will open the message to find the ARTIST INFO page of your EPK front and center. They can click on any other tab of your EPK to see more. If you prefer to print out your EPK and mail it to someone, click on the Print EPK link in the header above your EPK. To submit your EPK to a contest, simply email or mail it to the address given in the contest rules.

We suggest you look at the following artists' EPKs:
Mieka Pauley's EPK
Vivian Darkbloom's EPK
Hightide Blues' EPK

There is one thing that always impresses venues and talent agents: fans, fans and more fans. Keep making new fans on OurStage and encouraging your existing fanbase to join your OurStage fan club. The larger your online following, the more you will stand out to venues and talent buyers looking for their next big act. Make sure you compete on OurStage to get some impressive rankings under your belt, and keep your profile as complete as possible to showcase your noteworthy talents.

Marketplace is a networking arena that connects artists with talent buyers representing all types of venues. In other words, it's an easy way to find and book additional gigs for yourself or your band.

We recommend you use Marketplace to get more gigs, garner greater exposure, and make your life easier. With Marketplace, you can instantly send your free EPK (showcasing all your best songs, videos, press, photos and more) to venues looking for new talent. Flaunt your Mojo (a number you earn by uploading to our Channels and competing in our contest) to show them you can draw a crowd. Marketplace increases your exposure by letting venues search for you. When talent buyers plug in the kind of artist they want, your name and information could pop up. Talk about getting yourself out there!

All you need to use Marketplace is an OurStage profile. To get a profile, register on OurStage and activate your account using the link sent to you via email. Once your profile is filled out , you can click on Marketplace in the menu bar at the top of the screen to get rolling.

First, enter the Marketplace by logging in to your OurStage account and clicking Marketplace in the menu bar at the top of the screen. Now you can search for gigs by venue name or by adjusting the filters under the gig name search. If you're using the filters, you can specify your preference for genre and location. Press the search button to find all the gigs that are perfect for you.

The best way to sell yourself to a talent buyer is to email them your electronic press kit (EPK). Free EPKs are one of the many perks on OurStageif you don't already have one, go to How do I create an EPK? and get started. Once you've got an EPK, it's really easy to apply to gigs. On the detail page of your chosen gig, click the Submit My EPK button in the description header. You can add a personal note along with your EPK submission if you choose. When you're ready to put yourself out there, just click Apply. The talent buyer will receive an email alerting them to your application. To help you keep track of your pending submissions, every gig you apply for is saved under My Gigs in Marketplace.

We like to keep you in the loop so we'll let you know when a venue reviews your application. You can also check My Gigs in Marketplace (under the Applied' tab) at any time to see if a venue has reviewed your application, and whether they are Interested, Not Interested or have already requested to book you. If a venue books you for a show, you'll receive a congratulatory email alert. In order to accept the booking request, you need to click on the link provided in the email.

Every artist gets a Mojo rating based primarily on where the fans rank them in our Channel competitions. Other factors that figure into the Mojo rating are: number of Fans, number of Friends, number of media uploads as well as EPK completeness. Mojo ratings can help venues identify artists with a proven ability to draw a crowd.

To get a Mojo rating, register on OurStage and activate your account using the link emailed to you. From there, all you have to do is create a free EPK from your profile page and activate it by clicking Activate my EPK (which will give your mojo rating a small boost).

Go to your profile page to see your current Mojo rating displayed on your dashboard.

Your artist Mojo is a rating of how well you're doing on OurStage. The rating considers how well you've done in Channel competitions, how great your profile and EPK are and how active you are on the site. Artists who regularly rank well in channels and who have strong profiles and EPKs will have very high Mojo scores. If your score isn't where you think it should be, the best thing for you to do is make sure you stay active on the site, perform in competitions with your best music (not demo tracks!) and fill out your profile completely by uploading photos, videos and establishing a calendar.

Improve your Mojo rating by increasing your OurStage activity. The better your ranking in Channel contests, the greater your Mojo, and the more likely you are to book some gigs. Fans are also key. Make sure you recruit as many fans as possible to ensure prospective venues that you can draw a large crowd. One more thing you can do: keep your profile and EPK jam packed with your latest tracks, press clippings, photos, videos and performance dates. Always look your best because you never know when you could be discovered.

Some of the industry professionals postings gigs in Marketplace charge a non-refundable application fee to artists applying for their gig. You may be directed to the gig owner's Web site to pay the fee or you can pay through OurStage using a credit card or PayPal account. If you are paying your application fee through OurStage, you will be directed to PayPal to process your payment then returned to OurStage once your payment is complete. The full amount of the application fee, minus transaction costs, will be passed on to the gig owner.

Before you cancel anything remember that fairness, honesty and trust are key elements in the venue/artist relationship on OurStage. Please be sure your cancellation is absolutely necessary. If it is ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY, artists must provide the venue with a minimum of five weeks notice prior to their confirmed scheduled appearance. Venues must be contacted via phone and/ or email. It is understood that artist performances are subject to detention in the event of sickness, accident, riot, strikes, epidemic, acts of God or other legitimate conditions beyond their control. OurStage reserves the right to suspend or delete accounts of any parties found abusing the cancellation feature of Marketplace.

Marketplace is a networking arena that connects venue talent buyers with fresh talent. It's an easy and efficient way to find artists that draw the best crowd for your venue.

Marketplace can simplify and streamline the process of finding rising artists in your area and beyond. Post a gig on Marketplace, specify the kind of artist you're looking for and sit back while you wait for the right artist to come to you.

Marketplace also helps you choose artists based on their Mojo: a numeric indicator of their talent and fan following, and recommends other artists that may also suit your needs. Everything you need to keep your venue buzzing with fresh talent and avid crowds is provided by Marketplace.

All you need to use Marketplace is an OurStage venue profile. To get a profile, register on OurStage and activate your account using the link sent to you via email. Once your profile is filled out, you can click on Marketplace in the menu bar at the top of the screen to start booking some new talent.

Register as a venue on OurStage and we'll contact you right away to validate your registration information. Once this is done, your account will be activated and you will be able to create a venue profile. Make sure you fill in as much information as possible including a description of your venue, press reviews if available and your contact information.

When you log in and click on Marketplace at the top of the screen, you'll be able to see a list of your current gigs. To list a new gig, click the Add a Gig button on the right and enter the details. Once you've specified the kind of music and performer(s) you're looking for, you can either preview the gig listing, save it as a draft or publish it to the site. After you publish the listing to the site, all OurStage artists will be able to search for, view, and apply for your gig.

You will receive an email notification when artists apply for your gigs. To view all of your new applicants at once, click on the name of your gig in Marketplace and select the New Applicants folder tab. Click on the artist image to view their EPK or Fan Club, see their Mojo rating and play their music to determine what kind of talent they bring to the table.

If you're not ready to book an artist, but you know you want to keep them in the running or if you want to weed out the bad from the good, click the Action menu in the last column next to the artist name. Here you can select Interested or No thanks. All reviewed applicants will be moved to the Reviewed Applicants' folder tab. In the event you mark an artist as No thanks by accident, you will be able find them at the bottom of your reviewed applicant list and change the status. This makes the booking process a lot easier in case you don't remember who you liked and who didn't. Please note that reviewed artists will be notified of their status.

Every artist gets a Mojo rating based primarily on where the fans rank them in our Channel competitions. Other factors that figure into an artist Mojo rating are: number of Fans, number of Friends and number of media uploads as well as EPK completeness. One of the major benefits of Marketplace is the Mojo rating because it allows you to identify artists with the biggest talent, fan following and the most potential to fill your club.

OurStage artists can easily locate venues like yours by searching on Marketplace. They can search using keywords or parameters like submission deadline, gig date, venue capacity, genre, number of band members, location and venue type. When your venue comes up in their search results, they can click on the venue to review all the open gigs.

Once you have found the best artist for a show, click on the Action' menu in the last column next to the artist name and select Book this Artist.' We'll send the artist an email message to notify them of the selection. The artist will move to the Booked section of your Marketplace profile and their status in your Reviewed Applicants tab is listed as Pending until they confirm acceptance. When you're ready to discuss the show with the artist, you can do so by clicking the envelope icon next to their name to send a message and to sort out the details.

Once you've chosen the right artist and they click on the confirmation link, he/she is provided with the general terms and conditions of a live performance agreementthe most important term being that they show up to play. If you need more assurance, you can also add your own standard contract. Please send an email to community@ourstage.com if any issues arise and you need our help.

The best way to streamline the booking process is to classify the artists you review. Click on the arrow next to the artist's image and select Favorite for artists who impress you, Standby for those artists you are unsure about or Not For Me for artists who don't meet your standards. A corresponding icon visible only to you will appear beneath the artists' username. Not For Me artists will no longer appear as applicants for future gig listings which alone will save you valuable time. When you are booking future gigs, all you have to do is click a box to see those artists you previously favorited or placed on standby.

You can always change your mind about an artist and their gig application. If you decide that you are, in fact, Interested in an application you previously classified as No thanks, simply find the artist in your Reviewed Applicants folder and select the new classification from the Action menu on the right. If you want to change an artist from Standby to Favorite, just click the arrow next to their profile image and reclassify them.

The competitions take place on a monthly basis, so you have 12 chances to win. All you need to do is upload your work and enter contests. Entry includes four rounds: preliminary judging, quarterfinals, semifinals, and finals which decide the two Grand Prize winners. Preliminary judging between every item in every channel takes place from the first of the month until 7 days before the month ends.

You don't have to win the grand prize to feel like you've won on OurStage. Here are four reasons why just competing in our month-long competitions makes you a winner:

1. OurStage is the ultimate music discovery destination for fans. Even if you don't win, there is no better way for you to discover new fans here for sole purpose of discovering new artists.
2. Prizes aren't always awarded to the highest ranked song in a channel. Often the rules state that high-ranking artists are the ones considered for different opportunities.
3. We are changing the game for artists everywhere. And the industry is taking notice by sourcing talent from our pool of fan-ranked artists. If you don't participate in our channels contests, we can't help you as much.
4. OurStage is free to join, free to compete in and free to participate in at all levels so you risk nothing by taking a chance.

Judging is one of the central features on OurStage so we like to give our users as many options as possible. In addition to head-to-head battles, we also offer "Sort4 Battles." These battles allow you to listen to 4 songs within a specific competition and rate them from 1 to 4 (1 being your favorite; 4 being your least favorite).

If you want to judge Sort4 Battles, click "Judge" and select the competition you want to listen to. You should see a player with 4 songs below it then to the right you will see a chart with 4 slots for you to rank in. If you don't see the chart, click the "Switch to Sort4 judging" button. Once you're there, the first song will automatically play. Listen to at least 15 seconds of the song and then drag it into the ranking chart. Repeat with each of the other 3 songs. Arrange the songs in the order that represents what you liked best and what you liked least. Once their rank is in place, click "Lock in vote". You're free to listen to them as many times as you want before making your final choice.

That's all there is to it. Once this is done, you will be offered another Sort4 Battle with 4 new songs.

To judge head-to-head battles, follow 5 easy steps:

1. Click on the word Judge in our navigation bar.
2. Pick the stage and channel you want to judge. We have a Music and Music Video stage, each with different channels. You can pick one of our monthly channel competitions such as rock, hip hop, country, or select a special promotional channel where artists are competing for specific festival slots, or other specific channel prizes.
3. You'll be shown two items, chosen by our advanced software that guarantees every artist receives an equal number of views throughout the month- long competition. Listen or watch both items for at least 15 seconds. Then decide which one you like better and by how much. Your ranking is registered along with all the other votes and is used to compile our near real-time charting.
4. Repeat Step 3 or go back to Step 2 and select a new channel.
5. Set an alarm clock to remind you to stop and eat. This gets addicting!

At OurStage, "Plays" and "Judged Battles" are two different things. A song is ranked within a channel based on how well it performs during battles. However, these do not count as "plays" when referring to the number of times a song has been played. Plays are counted when someone streams a channel outside of competition, or they visit someone's profile and stream a given song.. For example, if a song's play count is 4, then it has been streamed 4 times outside of battle.

If users were allowed to choose an artist to judge then what's stopping them from repeatedly judging that same artist to push them up higher in the rankings and unfairly influencing our competitions? It's critically important that the OurStage rankings be free of gaming so they reflect the true wisdom of the community. This is one of the most unique things about our site because it differentiates us from the scores of other sites that are unable to separate quality from noise. On OurStage, each channel's artists are presented at random to give each entry a fair shot to be compared to one another and to prevent gaming. We know it asks more of our community to do things this way but we believe the results are worth it. Thank you for being a part of our unique community.

This is a pretty common question. After all, they're your fans, why shouldn't they vote just for you? That's because OurStage is like no other stage for emerging artists and their fans. Here's why:

• This is not a popularity contest. OurStage is a collective taste-making community of passionate fans of music and video. We exist to allow fans the chance to judge ALL content from ALL artists fairly. Let go of old ideals and values. Share your fans with us, and other artists will share their fans with you. This is how cooperation works.
• This is a site devoted to passionate fans of music and video. There is no better place for fans to introduce you to other potential fans than here. It's what everyone is here to do. Encourage your fans to use OurStage to discover new artists. It doesn't mean they won't still love you. Ask them to be active in our community and participate in our battles so that artists everywhere can break free of the industry constraints that are partially responsible for keeping your talent hidden. You want to give it back to the man. Here's your chance.

In order to decide our Channel Winners and Grand Prize Winner, we have four stages of judging. We feel this is the best way to award our prizes, because it gives every artist a completely equal shot to compete without cheating.

Quarterfinals
On OurStage quarterfinals begin one week before the end of the month. (You can check out our site countdown clock to know exactly when we go into Quarterfinals.) During this stage, the Top 20 entries in every channel are locked in at 12AM EST. Judging continues on with just these twenty entries. This way, OurStage fans and can concentrate on deciding which music and video is the best of the best.

Semifinals
On the fourth day of quarterfinals, the Top 10 lock in at 12AM EST, setting the stage for the semifinals. During semifinals, judging continues on to whittle the Top 20 entries down to the Top 10 in order.to determine which entry is the best in the channel. After two days of semifinals, the Number 1 entry in each channel is locked in, and moves on to the finals.

Finals
In the final twenty-four hours of judging, fans of all the genres rise to judge for their favorite pieces on OurStage. On the last day of the month, at 12AM EST, the #1 entry in Music and the #1 entry in Video are crowned our Grand Prize winners!

The cut off for every stage of our Finals Week is 12 AM EST so be sure to check our countdown clock. But because of heavy battling during finals week, the system can take up to 20 minutes to tally fall votes and refresh with the FINAL standings. Therefore we suggest you look at the rankings at 12:30 AM EST to verify your official channel rank.

To help prevent people from thinking they can cheat their way to the Number 1 spot in their channel by unfairly participating in thousands of battles, we limit artists to one set of battles in each of the final stages of the month. This means you can compete in 190 battles per channel in the quarterfinals, and 45 battles per channel during semifinals. You will be able to complete different amounts of battles in the Music and Video stages of the site during finals, because they have a different number of channels. This way, we guarantee that every item in a channel receives equal exposure with the same number of chances to be judged favorably as every other entry.

Until finals, OurStage never limits how many battles you can do or how long you judge for, but we decided to set a limit during the finals in the interest of keeping this competition fair to all artists and fans.

There are more fans judging on the site than there are artist making music but imagine if it were the other way around. Luckily, our computers are really smart. Artists can't game the system by voting down opponents. We hope and encourage everyone to be honest. But for those who choose to be counter to the counter-culture of OurStage, you are statistically irrelevant to the collective powers that be. Enough said.

The percentages you see at the top of the judging window reflects which track you selected as your favorite, and by how much you favored that item, as compared to other users.

Sometimes the numbers seem inaccurate if an item in a battle was uploaded very recently. But don't worry if you feel like you are in small a minority in your decision.

The agreement percentage you see after you judge a battle is an estimate that may include data from previous months' contests. This percentage is for entertainment purposes only and should not be used to infer channel ranking.

For the same reasons a political candidate can vote for themselves. It's part of what makes a democracy great. You might even judge one of your songs against another of your songs. You might like them both the same. Then again, you might not.

There could be a couple a reasons for moving up or drop down in the rankings.

1. Start of a new month:

   At the start of each month we archive the previous month's rankings and begin anew with a clean-slate for all. Because competitions run monthly all items in a channel start with a rank of zero. We have to assign a rank to everything to start the competition so that the battling can commence. The initial sequencing (which isn't fan-driven) may result in significant changes in the rankings in the initial days of battling as we sort it all out.

2. Heavy Battling

   Even during later stages of the monthly competition, significant ranking moves still take place due to the intensity of battling in a channel. So a number 20 can quickly become a number 150 same as a 200 can quickly become an 18. It's all based on taste.

Depending on the intensity of battling, the rankings can change constantly. However, it can take up to 35 minutes to update the rankings. So keep coming back, to check, and keep judging the content fairly. That's your job.

The simple answer is that not everyone has the same tastes as you.

The best remedy for this is to get out there and judge. If you're fan and you find that you often don't agree with the winners in channels, then it's probably time you start judging yourself! You can even convince some of your friends who have similar tastes as you to also judge. That way, your opinions about what is best is reflected in the final decision. As a fan, the power is in your hands.

OurStage members who are honest and active judge as well as those who are good at predicting winnersare rewarded with a shiny "Badge" of honor icon that follows them wherever they go on the site for a full calendar month. That way, artists and fans alike can see that they are a devoted and valued member of the OurStage community. In addition, exceptional judging will be recognized and forever etched in your Achievement block on your profile page.

Rather than try to explain them all, this diagram might help make the best example of how the Judging Influencer meter gives you your rank:

OurStage Judging Influence
	Stan "the Gavel God"	Sue "the honorable"	Skip "the weak"
Before finals	Judges frequently	Judges occasionally	Doesn't judge at all, waits for finals
Listens to songs	Sometimes for 15 seconds, often longer	Mostly for 15 seconds, sometimes longer	Always for 15 seconds
When judging	Is very thoughtful, friends might comment "You're a rock."	Is somewhat thoughtful, friends might comment "But I thought you liked that."	Isn't very thoughtful, friends might comment "Did you take your SAT that way?"
When battling Sort4	Cares about the first 2 slots same as the last 2	Cares more about getting the first 2 slots right	Doesn't really care about the order
When asked to "vote for me"	Appreciates the passion, but votes thoughtfully based on how he feels	Forms alliances that change throughout the month and is more thoughtful about who is in the alliance than what she is hearing or seeing	Votes thoughtfully only for themselves or the band they joined OurStage to support

At OurStage, an honest judge is someone who takes judging seriously, who listens/watches every song or video they review closely and who makes their final decisions carefully. An honest judge also bases their choices for the battle at hand in the moment, regardless of current position in competition, because it's all about the music. And they never rate in a malicious way because, well, that won't be honest.

Originally, you could select the channel and stream every entry (from 1st to last) when you wanted to listen to the media entries in our channel competitions,. We have changed the way these pages work so now only the Top 100 entries within each channel are visible. If there is a song in a given channel that isn't within the Top 100, users can still view the item's media page. The songs actual rank will only be visible to the artist who uploaded the song (the rest of the community will only see that the song is currently competing). Here's why we feel this change will benefit you as an OurStage user:

• For new users, the channel pages are a way to find the best music on OurStage.
• For older users, placement in the Top 100 now becomes a bigger mark of distinction Think of it like charting on the Billboard Charts or another similar recording chart. By being in the Top 100 you gain more exposure (and real bragging rights) than in the past because you are now one out of a hundred, instead of one out of many hundreds.
• When we reviewed our Web site activity logs, we found people were most interested in the first 20-30 songs. While some often listened deeper in a channel, virtually no one ever listened past 100.
• Many artists don't want low rankings shown on their profiles because they feel like this makes them look bad. Artists are uncomfortable inviting their friends and fans to join OurStage when their song was ranked 400th in a channel of 900 items.

The Best of Best charts show the top 100 artists on OurStage in Pop, Rock, Urban, and Country. Charts are generated 4 times a month and reflect the best artists over a 6 month period.

Charts are published up to 48 hours after the 1st, 8th, 15th, and 22nd of each month.

The Best of Best chart rankings are determined by a number of factors. The specific algorithm may change from chart to chart but basic factors include:

• Contest results over a 6 month period in channels assigned to the appropriate genre.
• External information gathered from the band URLs listed on the band page.
• General user preferences and behavior.

On OurStage music channels, the winner receives a $5,000 Grand Prize! On our video channels, the winner gets a $1,000 prize. In addition, channel semifinalists are awarded a cool $100 online gift code to spend however they like. Artists also have chances to win great prizes like performance slots at music festivals, reviews in major publications and more depending on what special promotions are running. Check here for the whole list of prizes. Please note that it typically takes us 6-8 weeks to award prizes because it is not an automated process.

We will let you know if you are a winner . All artists are able to view their rank at all times on OurStage.com. Please note there is a lag time in collecting and calculating votes so rankings may take up to 30 minutes to finalize. Once the winner is determined, we will contact them 6-8 weeks after the close of the contest.

Prizes awarded by OurStage partners are awesome but we do not select the winners for these prizes. Our partners do. To be eligible to win a prize, all you need to do is enter a song or video in competition as normal. If you win, you will be contacted by the partner who awards the prize. Check here for more details on each partner prize.

Any user who honestly judges a fair number of battles within the Fan Prize sponsored contest is eligible to win. The prize(s) will be awarded to the users whose honest votes cast over the judging season best predicts the final channel results, assuming they fulfill any additional requirements set by the Prize Sponsor.

Each prize comes with a set of "Rules" defined by OurStage and the Prize Sponsor. Most sponsors require prize recipients to agree not to make derogatory remarks against the Sponsor or its Products. See "Rules" on the Fan Prize Calendar for details.

OurStage will contact you 6-8 weeks after the close of the monthly contest.

OurStage is primarily a venue for original music. Once you've uploaded your original material, you can submit it into competition. Artists can submit cover material into the cover band channel. And, from time to time, we feature promotional channels that call for cover material. But, for the most part, artist can only submit original music or video that they have the rights to. If an artist uploads cover music to a competition outside the cover band or promotional channel, or we discover a copyright infringement, these items will be removed from competition and/or the site.

Like many other competitions, OurStage Offers the top-ranked artist in our music channels awardscash prizes, promotional opportunities or comparable compensation depending on the channel.

But there's much more to winning than prizes. By entering a competition, you gain exposure. Other users can hear your music on your profile, while streaming channels and while judging battles. Therefore, you will have a number of people hearing your song on a monthly basis who are honestly giving it a shot.

Additionally, our editorial staff watches the competitions and picks artists to feature on our blog based on the quality of material, professionalism and success in competitions. Therefore, you are getting even more publicity for your music.

So what are you waiting for? Enter your song now for the chance to win some extra money, some extra exposure and, better yet, some new fans.

Click on the "Upload" link on the top of our home page to select the items you want to submit into competition. You'll be asked to provide additional information in order to become a contributor. After the upload is complete, select the channel(s) that best fit your item and month(s) you want to compete in. That's all it takes! Just note that if your song or video is entered in an inappropriate channel, viewers can determine that the entry is off topic which may result in the entry being removed.

Once you submit a song, and it completes a channel competition, it must stay on the site for archival purposes. However, you are free to resubmit newer versions of that song at any time. In fact, we encourage users to submit new versions as often as they make sense for the artist.

Artist can only submit one song to a channel in any given month (with the exception of the "covers" channel which allows you to submit two at a time). Beyond this, we limit artist submissions to a total of three songs per month. Therefore, if an artist has songs entered in the male singer channel, the folk channel and the indie rock channel, then the artist has reached his/her limit for the month. Please note there is an exception to the one song per channel with regard to our promotional partner channels. If an artist enters a song into a promotional channel, they can also enter the same song into another non-promotional channel.

To remove a song or video from your profile, please email our Community team and let us know which song or video you want to delete. Please note that we can only remove songs or videos that have never completed a channel competition (i.e. been live in a competition at the rollover to finals). We can remove your song or video for you at any point leading up until Finals. However, at the end of the month, all competition entries are locked into our permanent Archives. We are working on making the removal feature available to our users, so that you will not need to email Community to delete a song from your profile in the future.

Please keep in mind our new "Hide media" feature before you request that we remove media from your page.

To hide your track go to your Manage My Stuff page, and locate the tab that allows you to edit your song info. You will notice a new addition to this tab, located below your song description. This is where you get the option to hide any one of your media items from your Fan Club page. If you click the "Hide in the MyStuff list" option and save your changes, you will no longer see the track on the page, neither will other users who visits your Fan Club. You can expect a slight delay with this function so please allow time for your update to appear.

To arrange the order of your tracks, simply drag and drop each song in the "My Stuff" list on the left. Whatever order you place your media items in when editing this list is the order they will appear on your Fan Club page.

If you attempt to upload media and are asked to enter more personal information, it is because you originally signed up for OurStage as a "Fan" or "Rater". When you click the "Upload" button to submit material, the system determines that you want to change your user account to an artist account. In this case, we ask for some identifying information, to make sure we can reach you in the event you win a competition. This information is kept in the strictest confidence. Please see our privacy policy for more details.

Yes, you keep the full rights when you submit your work. You are giving OurStage non-exclusive rights to display and play your work. See all of the details on licensing on the Terms & Conditions page.

Proprietary Rights Complaint Process and Notification Form

If you are a trademark or copyright owner and you believe that your rights have been violated in any way, please complete and mail a signed copy of the form below to our designated agent at:

OurStage Inc.
Attn: DMCA Agent Paula Schmitz
519 CR 455
Thorndale, Texas 76577

Our agent information is provided pursuant to the Digital Millennium Copyright Act, 17 U.S.C. 512(2).

Upon receipt of a fully completed and signed notification form, we will disable access to the allegedly infringing materials and will promptly notify the individual who posted the materials that access has been disabled as is our obligation under the Copyright Act. In the event your notification is (1) unsigned or (2) not on our form and therefore does not contain the authorization language of our form, we will work with you to obtain a properly executed notification. However, we will not be able to respond to your request, if any of the other information is missing from your notification. Pursuant to 17 U.S.C. 512(g)(2), the individual who posted the materials may provide us with counter-notification that the materials in question were removed or disabled as the result of a mistake or misidentification of the materials. This counter-notification must (1) be signed, (2) include the individual's name, address and telephone number, (3) include a statement that the individual is making the counter-notification under penalty of perjury and (4) state that the person consents to the jurisdiction of the federal district court where his or her address is located. If we receive such a counter-notification, and determine that we would like to restore access to the materials, we will send you notification stating access to the materials will be restored within ten to fourteen business days. Access will be restored between the tenth and fourteenth business day after we receive a counter-notification unless you inform OurStage that you have filed a court order to restrain the individual who posted the material from engaging in further infringement activity on our network and servers. If we determine that we do not want to restore access to the materials, you will not receive any further notification.

You can access the Notification Form here.

The earlier you upload and enter your song or video in the month, the better because you then have more opportunities to be judged. Monthly channel competitions will accept entries up until 2 days before quarterfinals. From this point on, entries must be made into the next month's competition.

For songs:
Upload the highest-quality audio file available, which may be an uncompressed .wav or an MP3 with a bit rate of 256 kbps or greater. Do not upload a music file that has copyright protection embedded because this will prevent the file from working on our site.
Accepted upload formats: .mp3, .wav, .ogg, .m4a
Maximum duration: 15 Minutes
For cover art image size: 360 width x 360 height pixels minimum size in .jpg, .png or .gif format

For video:
Submit a file in .flv format (flash video) with a data rate at or below 300 kbps to avoid filtering your video file through a transcoder. Please note we suggest a sum total of 428 kbps for both audio and video on the one file. Preferred size is 480x360 pixels. No need to letterbox since we do this.
Other file formats we support are: .wmv, .avi, .dv, .mpg, .mpg4, .mov, .3gp, .3gp2, .m4v, .mp4 or .asf format, but these formats need to go thru a transcoder at upload time. When a transcoder is used, it is critical to preview/run filescheck color/brightness, aspect ratio and audio syncafter the initial upload to make sure the file still plays as intended.

Here are some basic definitions of what our channels are like. This isn't meant to be comprehensive or too limiting, because it's art after all. It often defies being put into a box and given a name. But here are some guidelines to help you place your work. If the OurStage support team receives too many complaints about your work being in the wrong category, we may re-categorize your work. NOTE: Some songs may fit multiple categories. The OurStage community will flag a song if a better fit channel exists. Your entry may be moved to that channel as a result. If you have questions about where to enter your work, feel free to contact us at bestfit@ourstage.com and an expert at OurStage will tell you where they think it should go.

Acoustic

The featured or dominant instruments for entries in the Acoustic Channel must be acoustic. While the number of synthesized instruments should be limited, electric keyboard and electric bass are allowed to be present as background supporting instruments in Acoustic Channel entries. Drums are also allowed in the Acoustic Channel. Instrumentation can be as complex as a full acoustic rock band or as simple as vocals and acoustic guitar.

Some examples from the OurStage community:

"Different Hair, Different Shoes" by Houston Davis Jones
"Answers" by Chuck E. Costa
"Lullaby" by the Joel Brown Band
"I Won't Let You Go" by Sarah Thiele
"A Neighboring City" by Huna
"Looking Down" by Winterpills

Other well-known examples: Simon & Garfunkel, Nick Drake, Elliot Smith, Cat Stevens

All Instrumental

The All Instrumental Channel is home to a variety of music that is comprised entirely of non-vocal instrumentation. Instrumental pieces often fall into the classical, acoustic or jazz categories. Music in this channel is based on a melodic composition or solo features over background instruments and may include a mix of live and synthesized sound. If your features mostly electronic instruments, it may be a better fit for the Electronica Channel.

Some examples from the OurStage community:

"Ensueo" by Murillo Da Rs
"Waiting for the Storm" by Christian Gilbart
"Bounds No Bounds" by Peter Martinsson

Other well-known examples: Itzhak Perlman, John Williams, Rodrigo y Gabriela, George Gershwin

Alternative

Alternative music is an offshoot of rock. Like rock, it is primarily guitar-based but the dominant guitar sound is highly distorted or fuzzy with lots of feedback. Grunge, math rock, noise rock and shoegaze are all accepted in the Alternative Channel. If your song is largely electronic or has a strong dance beat, it will find a better fit in the Electronica Channel.

Some examples from the OurStage community:

"Gummie Bear" by Of Former Fame
"Save Our Selves" by Signal of Angels
"Kitty Litter" by The Worsties
"Stop Thief" by Stripmall Architecture

Other well-known examples: Nirvana, Sonic Youth, Pearl Jam, Soundgarden, Battles, Shellac

Alternative Country

Alternative country encompasses a wide variety of music, including Americana, roots, rockabilly, country rock, and other country hybrid genres like cowpunk. While music considered alternative country can vary from neo-traditional folk to country-punk fusions, the unifying factor is that all alternative country music is markedly different than the style of country music played on modern country radio. Alternative country usually eschews slick Nashville-style production in favor of a more lo-fi sound. Alt. country is lyrically rich but there is more variety in topic than in its country counter-parts, with bleaker or more socially aware lyrics than modern country.

Some examples from the OurStage community:

"That Train Keep Me Up At Night" by Shawn Byrne
"Temptation" by Girls Guns and Glory
"All This Time" by Petrina Foley
"Small of My Heart" by Madison Violet

Other well-known examples: Drive-By Truckers, Old 97's, Uncle Tupelo

Alternative Hip-Hop

The Alternative Hip-Hop Channel is for music that shares qualities of hip-hop and rap, but is nontraditional thus not in line with our Hip-Hop and Rap Channels. By and large, the Alternative Hip-Hop Channel is for hip-hop fusions with other genres of music such as jazz, country or rock where the instrumental plays a more prominent part than traditionally heard in hip-hop or rap. In addition, alternative hip-hop songs often touch upon more socially-conscious themes in comparison to rap or hip-hop. Depending on the degree of hip-hop influences in a song, it might not be the best fit for the Alternative Hip-Hop Channel, unless it features a fair amount of rapping.

Some examples from the OurStage community:

"Let it Go" by Venonous Voices
"No Sleep" by Mambo Sauce
"Heavy Metal Hip-Hop" by Kas Da God

Other well-known examples: Atmosphere, The Roots, Kid Cudi

Ambient/Chill

Ambient / chill music is a subgenre of electronic music that focuses largely on the timbral characteristics of sounds, often organized or performed to evoke an atmospheric or unobtrusive quality. The key element to this subgenre is relaxation. Upbeat, aggressive, or other forms of Electronic music should be entered in the Electronica Channel, including club music or what is sometimes referred to ambient techno. Non-electronic tracks do not belong in the Ambient/Chill Channel.

Some examples from the OurStage community:

"Morning" by Dan Wigham
"Dreamscape" by Eric Fischer
"Remembrance" by Gavern

Other well-known examples: Tangerine Dream, Brian Eno, Enigma

Blues

Blues is a style of music rooted in the Deep South, and is historically considered an African American tradition. The genre encompasses a wide range of emotions in its instrumentation and vocals. Blues often features electric guitar and a shuffle drum feel. This channel includes all styles of blues music (Delta blues, Chicago blues, Memphis blues, etc.). If your song features a strong vocal melody sung over a hip hop style backbeat, it is a better fit for the R&B Channel.

Some examples from the OurStage Community:

"Fall Blues" by the Mark Knoll Band
"Snake Oil" by Christopher Robin
"New Man Waiting" by a Jigsaw

Other well-known examples: B.B. King, Muddy Waters, Ledbelly

Christian

Christian music is music that has been written to express either a personal or a communal belief regarding Christian life and faith. Common themes of Christian music include praise, worship, penitence and lament, but its forms vary widely across the world. Like other forms of music, the creation, performance, significance and even the definition of Christian music varies according to culture and social context. Christian music is composed and performed for many purposes, ranging from aesthetic pleasure, religious or ceremonial purposes, or as an entertainment product for the marketplace.

Country

Country is a mix of bluegrass, folk and honky-tonk music. It centers on simple instrumentation, with little synthesized accompaniment. Typical country music has rich lyrical content, with an emphasis on a story telling. Prominent instruments in country music include banjo, steel guitar, acoustic guitar, electric guitar and fiddle. Songs in the Country Channel should have a similar sound to country songs featured on modern country radio stations or CMT.

Some examples from the OurStage community:

"Bittersweet" by Elyse Saunders
"Borderline Crazy" by Branan Logan

Other well-known examples: Reba McEntire, Garth Brooks, Montgomery Gentry, Taylor Swift, Rascal Flatts

Country Video

Submit a music video presentation that fits within the definitions of a country genre. All styles of country are acceptable. A music video is defined as a cinematic visual, often scripted, that acts as an interpretation of an artist's song. PLEASE NOTE: Cover songs are not allowed in any of the Video Channels. Also, promotional videos designed to market a product such as a CD, movie, etc., are not appropriate for the Video Channels and violate our terms and conditions.

Some examples from the OurStage community:

"Do I Look Like Him" by Nikki Britt
"Bourgeois Gypsies"


Cover Bands

The Covers Channel is reserved for remakes of pre-recorded songs. If you had a song written specifically for you by a songwriter that has not been commercially recorded by another artist, your song is not a cover. All genres are welcome in Covers Channel.

Some examples from the OurStage community:

"Georgia On My Mind" by Louie Blue
"I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry" by DeAnna Cox
"Light My Fire" by Owen Brady
"Poor Poor Pitiful Me" by She SaiD/Australia
"Smells Like Teen Spirit" by Justin Thompson


Electronica

The Electronica Channel houses all types of electronic music, from techno to house to electropop. It is permissible for entries to contain some non-electronic elements, but the dominant characteristics of the track need to be electronic. Entries in this channel may or may not include vocals.

Some examples from the OurStage community:

"Why Can't You Be (My Super Candy Daddy)" by Lacerta
"My Name is Geno" by Pelly
"Plopaganda" by Emilowich

Other well-known examples: Kraftwerk, Daft Punk, Fatboy Slim

Experimental

Experimental music clearly crosses the boundaries of modern patterns of composition and/or arrangement. This type of music often combines two or more genres not typically be combined, or otherwise veers off the beaten track.

Some examples from the OurStage community:

"Pieve for Chamber Septet and Electronics V" by George Hurd
"Something to Share" by Sam Koch

Other well-known examples: Einstrzende Neubauten, The Residents, The Velvet Underground

Folk

Folk music is focused on lyrics, which are usually supported by a blend of acoustic and country sounds. Submissions in this channel should be somewhat instrumentally minimal and low-fi. In terms of lyrical content, songs in the Folk Channel are often socially conscious and focus on telling a story through lyrics. Songs in the Folk Channel should concentrate on lyrics, not instrumental capabilities. Acoustic voicing is preferred; instruments like fiddle and banjo are encouraged. Bluegrass is also welcome in this channel. If your song has folk instrumentation but no lyrics, it is better suited to the All Instrumental Channel. If your song lyrics do not contain a strong storytelling element, you may want to submit your song to the Singer-Songwriter or Acoustic Channels. If your song features mostly electric instruments and synthesized sounds, it is most likely not suitable for the Folk Channel.

Some examples from the OurStage community:

"The Bee Song" by Annie Lynch
"Two Dolla Pistols" by Sweet Sunny South
"Lost Boys" by Paper Bird
"Fleeting Transient Feelings" by Hauntedwindchimes
"Tantos Aos" by Rojos Calientes

Other well-known examples: Bob Dylan, Pete Seeger, J. Tillman, Avett Brothers, Gillian Welch, Low Anthem, Iron & Wine

Funk

Funk is an American musical style that originated in the mid-to-late 1960s when African American musicians blended soul music, soul jazz and R&B into a rhythmic, danceable new form of music. Funk de-emphasizes melody and harmony and brings the rhythmic groove of electric bass and drums to the foreground. Funk songs are often based on an extended vamp on a single chord, distinguishing it from R&B and soul songs, which are usually centered on chord progressions.

Some examples from the OurStage Community:

"Pedro" by 8 Minutes to Burn
"What A Waste" by NightFlight Mk4
"Bob's Speakin'" by Bad Bugalu

Other well-known examples: Stevie Wonder, Sly and the Family Stone, Rick James, Parliament-Funkadelic

Hard Rock

The Hard Rock Channel is for music that shares similarities with metal, but is less extreme. Notable features include distorted (and even detuned) guitars and powerful singing with very melodic vocal leads. There is a minimal amount of screaming in hard rock, though yelling is acceptable. Along with vocals, the drumming style is a key factor in differentiating metal from hard rock, with hard rock featuring slower drum playing.

Some examples from the OurStage community:

"Heretic" by Stonehigh
"The Right Time" by Soulicit
"Sandbox" by Level 12

Other well-known examples: Shinedown, Breaking Benjamin, Wolfmother, 10 Years, Audioslave, Chevelle

Hard Rock Video

Submit a music video presentation that fits within the definitions of a hard rock genre. All styles of hard rock are acceptable. A music video is defined as a cinematic visual, often scripted, that acts as an interpretation of an artist's song. PLEASE NOTE: Cover songs are not allowed in any of the Video Channels. Also, promotional videos designed to market a product such as a CD, movie, etc., are not appropriate for the Video Channels and violate our terms and conditions.

Some examples from the OurStage community:

"Make Your Game" by Taster's Choice
"Such A Waste" by Second Thief


Hip-Hop

The Hip-Hop Channel is for music that closely resembles rap music, but is less lyric-centric and often features more danceable rhythms and melodic choruses. Other common elements of modern hip-hop music are synthesizers, drum machines and auto-tuned vocals. Bordering closely with rap and alternative hip-hop, the distinguishing factors are largely based upon the nature of the beat, the addition of melodic vocal lines in the chorus and often subject matter. Hip-hop music is also more club friendly than rap or alternative hip-hop. If your song features mostly melodic vocal lines as opposed to rapping, it is likely more fitting for the R&B Channel.

Some examples from the OurStage community:

"Other People's Girls" by Nyce Daytona
"Look At Me Now" by Chris Young
"R.I.S.E." by Lok Akim
"Maybe (feat. Mr. Bits)" by Underground Realroad

Other well-known examples: Kanye West, Soulja Boy, Lupe Fiasco, Lil' Wayne, Wale

Hip-Hop Video

Submit a music video presentation that fits within the definitions of a hip-hop genre. All styles of Hip-Hop are acceptable. A music video is defined as a cinematic visual, often scripted, that acts as an interpretation of an artist's song. PLEASE NOTE: Cover songs are not allowed in any of the Video Channels. Also, promotional videos designed to market a product such as a CD, movie, etc., are not appropriate for the Video Channels and violate our terms and conditions.

Some examples from the OurStage community:

"Mas Que tu Amigo" by David Rolas
"West Coast Rocks" by Chadallac


Indie Pop

Indie pop is the more playful, upbeat offshoot of indie rock. Sometimes called twee pop, indie pop is heavily influenced by the sound of 1960s pop music and often features harmony vocals and a jangly guitar sound. Indie pop songs are often more lo-fi than Top 40 pop songs. If you are an independent pop artist with a more mainstream pop sound (i.e. higher production values, a dance music influence) your song might be a better fit for the Pop Channel.

Some examples from the OurStage community:

"No Crow, Scarecrow" by Kirk Hamilton
"Clap Your Hands" by Pale Young Gentlemen
"Composure" by A Big Yes and a small no
"Up & Over" by Shenandoah Davis

Other well-known examples: Tilly And The Wall, The Apples In Stereo, Architecture In Helsinki, Clap Your Hands Say Yeah, Dressy Bessy

Indie Rock

Indie rock is a subgenre of rock music. Like rock, indie rock prominently features guitar. Indie rock has more a lo-fi aesthetic than mainstream rock music. Guitar sounds are often distorted, and vocalists usually incorporate shouting or mumbling into their vocal styling. Indie rock often explores arrangements, instrumentation and lyrical subject matter not usually seen in mainstream rock music.

Some examples from the OurStage community:

"Northern Lights" by The Thoughts
"Why Do We Stop" by Aviette

Other well-known examples: Pavement, Dinosaur Jr., R.E.M., Neutral Milk Hotel

Jazz

Due to the broad nature of the jazz genre, we accept many styles in this channel: swing, dixieland, fusion, latin, bebop, big band, contemporary, smooth jazz, modal jazz, free jazz, etc. Regardless of the subgenre, we are looking for improvisational features over jazz-oriented chord progressions (chords expanding beyond the traditional 1-3-5 triad). If you're in a 40s era big band with or without a vocalist (regardless of improvisation) you are also welcome in this channel. Jazz standards are also suitable for this channel, however, appropriate credit MUST be given to the composer in the Item Description Field. If your material sounds similar to jam bands like Phish or The Grateful Dead, your music is better suited for the Funk Channel or one of the other Rock Channels. If your music is predominantly instrumental with no vocals and no improvisation, your music is best suited for the All Instrumental Channel.

Some examples from the OurStage community:

"Softly As The Morning Sunrise" by Rafal Rokicki
"Penguin Scramble" by Dean Taba
"Snizzle" by Justin Hellman
"Is It A Crime" by Ki the Artist
"Bogota Bebop" by Yuma Jazz Company
"In The Pocket" by Ken James
"Perguent Sem Fim" by Carmen Souza

Other well-known examples: John Coltrane, Miles Davis, Chick Corea, Dave Holland, Ella Fitzgerald, Freddie Hubbard

Latin

Latin refers to many varieties of Latin music: Latin pop, Reggaeton, Latin jazz, Rock en Espaol, and all types of more traditional Latin music such as Samba, Bachata, Merengue, etc. Vocals in this channel are typically in English, Spanish, or Portuguese. Other languages are acceptable provided that the musical component fits accurately into the Latin genre.

Some examples from the OurStage community:

"Storm in your Heart" by Barneo
"Mas Cerca" by D'Votion
"Majadito" by Bergman Pazs

Other well-known examples: Shakira, Alejandro Sanz, Ricky Martin

Metal

The Metal Channel is home to the more extreme hard rock music. Key features that distinguish a metal song form a hard rock song are faster tempos, more aggressive vocals and more intense drum parts. There are many subgenres of metal and hardcore music, all of which belong here. This includes metalcore, power metal, death metal, black metal, hardcore, doom metal, thrash metal, grindcore, heavy metal, etc.

Some examples from the OurStage community:

"The Cleansing" by Hope Dies Last
"Desperae Measures" by Shatter This World
"Underwater Bells" by Revoltons
"Possesed (We Are One)" by Dark Empire

Other well-known examples: Metallica, Carcass, Stratovarius, Converge, Death, Necrophagist

Modern Rock

Modern rock is a subgenre of rock music that appears on commercial radio and expands on the traditional definition of rock music with the addition of elements such as modernized instrumentation (synthesizers, etc.), ethereal, effect-laden vocals, higher production value, less common time signatures, and more. Some subgenres found within modern rock include emo, pop-punk, and math rock.

If your song features standard rock instrumentation, production and time signatures or has a classic rock sound, it may be a better fit for the Rock Channel.

Some examples from the OurStage community:

"My Friend" by Independence Drive
"Exeter" by The Help

Other well-known examples: The Killers, Muse, Fallout Boy

Pop

Pop music encompasses a wide variety of styles. The unifying factors should be an inclusion of both vocal and instrumental elements with an emphasis on the vocals and adherence to the standard verse-chorus-verse song structure. Songs in the Pop Channel sound akin to the music played on Top 40 radio stations. Pop rock as well as dance pop in the vein of Britney Spears is accepted in the Pop Channel. If your song features rapping with sung choruses, it will have the most success in the Hip Hop Channel. Club/dance music and techno will find their best fit in the Electronica Channel.

Some examples from the OurStage community:

"Lonely Heart" by Margot Blanche
"If I Could" by Mojada
"Gone" by Sarah Solovay
"Can't Find the Words" by Karina

Other well-known examples: Britney Spears, Michael Jackson, Maroon 5, Rhianna, Kelly Clarkson

Pop Video

Submit a music video presentation that fits within the definitions of a pop genre. All styles of pop are acceptable. A music video is defined as a cinematic visual, often scripted, that acts as an interpretation of an artist's song. PLEASE NOTE: Cover songs are not allowed in any of the Video Channels. Also, promotional videos designed to market a product such as a CD, movie, etc., are not appropriate for the Video Channels and violate our terms and conditions.

Some examples from the OurStage community:

"Secret" by Mieka Pauley
"Let it Go" by Arden Kaywin


Punk

Punk music was born from a frustration with the extravagance of 70s arena rock. Punk is meant to be the antithesis of this extravagance. Songs are short and feature loud, overdriven guitar. Vocal styles are less refined than traditional rock, with yelling or shouting encouraged. Punk songs sometimes have political or socially-conscious lyrics. The Punk Channel also includes punk offshoots like hardcore punk and emo as well as punk hybrids like ska-punk, folk punk, pop-punk and psychobilly. Songs in the Punk Channel are usually faster and more aggressive than those in the Rock or Hard Rock Channels but less technical musically with not as much growling and screaming as songs in the Metal Channel.

Some examples from the OurStage community:

"What You Want" by Sick Thrills
"Funday Steve" by Mystic Knights of the Cobra
"Treachery" by Bombs Blast
"Boston Burns" by The Murder
"My Pint" by The Bastard Suns

Other well-known examples: The Ramones, NOFX, Mighty Mighty Bosstones, Blink-182, X, Sex Pistols, Black Flag, The Pogues

R&B

While R&B historically stands for rhythm and blues, the definition applied to our R&B Channel is more contemporary. Modern R&B is much more similar to pop music than to traditional rhythm and blues. The focus is on the vocals, which usually feature a strong melody. R&B vocals encompass many aspects of classic soul music, like ornate vocal embellishments and spontaneous improvisation. The instrumental accompaniment features a strong backbeat, often similar to hip-hop beats regardless of the tempo.

Some examples from the OurStage community:

"Pillow Talk" by Che Blaq
"ANother Boyfriend" by JL
"Let Me" by A.V.I.D.

Other well-known examples: Alicia Keys, Usher, R. Kelly

Rap

The Rap Channel homes the most lyrical-centric music of the urban genres, and does not primarily feature danceable rhythms or melodic choruses. The subject matter is typically darker with more street-oriented and violent themes than entries in the Hip-Hop Channel.

Some examples from the OurStage community:

"We Go In" by Fierce
"Not A Gangsta" by Tripsleezy
"Nightmarez" by Black Sage, Reality, & Rebel Ramzi
"See Thru U" by Wolfgang, Inc.

Other well-known examples: Eminem, Nas, Snoop Dogg, Dr. Dre, NWA, Mos Def

Rock

Rock music is a genre that has been at the forefront of popular music for more than half a century. There are many definitions of what is considered rock, but the common factors are the instrumentation and basic feel. Rock music is most commonly played in 4/4 time with a strong backbeat. Rock instrumentation often includes guitar, bass, drums, and vocals.

This is a broad channel, so please keep in mind that your track may fit best in one of its subgenres such as soft rock, modern rock, funk, etc. Rock music that is particularly aggressive or loud should be entered in the Hard Rock or Metal Channel.

Some examples from the OurStage Community:

"Bright Red Chords" by Loomis and the Lust
"The Hard Way" by Melinda
"New Day" by Close Call

Other well-known examples: Led Zeppelin, Aerosmith, The Rolling Stones

Rock Video

Submit a music video presentation that fits within the definitions of a rock genre. All styles of rock are acceptable. A music video is defined as a cinematic visual, often scripted, that acts as an interpretation of an artist's song. PLEASE NOTE: Cover songs are not allowed in any of the Video Channels. Also, promotional videos designed to market a product such as a CD, movie, etc., are not appropriate for the Video Channels and violate our terms and conditions.

Some examples from the OurStage community:

"Hey" by Eatliz
"Wicked Things" by Nichole Hatton
"Dark Lotus" by a'tris


Singer-Songwriter

Singer-songwriters are musicians who perform and write their own music. Instrumentation is typically stripped down to one or two simple instruments (e.g. guitar or piano) meant to only accompany the singer's voice, and not be the focus of the song. The lyrical content is original and authored by the singer who is solely responsible for the vocals in the piece. Full bands, or complex arrangements are best suited for other channels like rock or soft rock. If the singer-songwriter is male, the song belongs in the Singer-Songwriter (Male) Channel. If the singer-songwriter female, the song belongs in the Singer-Songwriter (Female) Channel.

Some examples from the OurStage community:

"Weight of the World" by Steve Robinson
"Please Forgive Me" by Amanda Kaletsky

Other well-known examples: Jack Johnson, Colbie Caillet, Joni Mitchell

Soft Rock

Soft rock is a subgenre of rock music typically found on contemporary adult radio stations. It is less aggressive than typical rock music and generally includes melodic vocals. Soft rock often prominently features piano or acoustic guitar, and may sound like full-band versions of singer-songwriter material.

Some examples from the OurStage community:

"So Alive" by Joelle
"Walking on Broadway" by Mark Kano
"In My Way" by Viv Peyrat

Other well-known examples: Sarah MacLachlan, Elton John, Fleetwood Mac

Soul

For our purposes, we make a distinction between soul and R&B to allow for these two styles (classic and modern) to remain separate. The Soul Channel features music that closely adheres to the historical definition of rhythm and blues. Soul is often a fusion of funk and gospel music, though in order to be considered soul (and not funk) the vocals not the backing tracks must be the focus of the song. The instrumental accompaniment is based around a chord progression. Vocals in the Soul Channel often include ornate vocal embellishments and spontaneous improvisation. The instrumental accompaniment should sound more similar to funk or gospel than hip hop.

Some examples from the OurStage community:

"Choose U" by ED, m.a.e.s.t.r.o.
"Me Too" by Gail Lou
"Still Alone" by Richard Saunders

Other well-known examples: Aretha Franklin, James Brown, Al Green

Southern Rock

Southern Rock is a subgenre of rock music. It was developed in the Southern United States and combines rock and roll, country music and blues. Southern Rock songs usually focus on electric guitar and vocals.

Some examples from the OurStage Community:

"Zero Too Gone" by Local Traffic"
"Slow Down" by stateliner
"In the South" by Ryan Hanlin

Other well-known examples: Kid Rock, The Black Crowes, Lynyrd Skynyrd

Traditional Country

Traditional country prominently features classic country instruments like steel guitar, banjo, fiddle and mandolin. Instrumentation is usually sparse, with the focus on the vocals. Traditional country has the same rich lyrical content of country and alternative country. Traditional country has clear bluegrass or honky-tonk influences and little-to-no rock and roll influence.

Some examples from the OurStage community:

"'Til My Thirst For You Is Gone" by Eddie Cunningham
"You Didn't Hear It From Me" by Greg Caldwell

Other well-known examples: George Strait, Willie Nelson, Dolly Parton, Patsy Cline, Hank Williams

World

The World Channel is a crossroads of all different types of genres. Most importantly, submissions should be culturally specific and outside the realm of Western music. Language is not a criterion: artists entered in the World Channel may sing songs in English and reside within the US. Artists whose music fits easily into traditionally Western genres of music like rock, pop, country or hip hop should enter their songs in the appropriate genre channel, regardless of whether or not their vocals are in English. Reggae music is allowed in the World Channel, however Reggaeton is best suited for one of OurStage's Hip Hop Channels due to its focus on rapping. New Age music is also allowed in the World Channel.

Some examples from the OurStage community:

"Sutra" by EMAR
"Freedom" by Dail Martin
"Where Are We Going" by WordMan/Sugar of Lead
"Russian Dance" by Michael Ghiggeri
"Sunrise Cameroon" by Dragatis Inside the Mind

Other well-known examples: Enya, Amadou & Miriam, Balkan Beat Box, Ravi Shankar

Holiday/Seasonal Channel

The Holiday/Seasonal Channel is open to both original and traditional works with a holiday or an appropriate seasonal theme. This includes a variety of musical genres and is not limited to a specific set of instrumentation. Religious lyrics are appropriate for this channel only if they encompass the holiday spirit. PLEASE NOTE: If an artist enters a traditional or cover song into this channel, appropriate credit MUST be given in the Item Description field or it may be considered a Copyright violation. Copyrighted images/album art may NOT accompany any entries and will cause entries to be withdrawn.

This channel will be open through the months of November and December 2009.

While OurStage has always provided artists with opportunities to further their career, we recognize the need to help artists take their musical careers to the next level. This means the opportunities that we offer need to be on an even larger scale.

Premium Channels give OurStage artists opportunities designed to have a significant impact on the winning act's career. For a modest fee payable only by Visa or MasterCardartists can purchase entry credits to compete for these opportunities*.


*See What are "credits"? for more details.

The goal of OurStage has always been to support independent artists by offering them career-enhancing opportunities. With Premium Channels, we hope to go beyond simply supporting artists in their efforts, by giving artists the chance to turn their talent into household names. In order to offer opportunities of this caliber on a month-to-month basis, we need the help of the OurStage Community. Entry fees for Premium Channels will be used to offset the administrative costs of providing these opportunities.

Promotional Channels do not require an entry fee and provide opportunities for artists beyond the regular OurStage genre channels cash prizing. Premium Channels require an entry fee and offer large-scale prize packages designed to significantly enhance the winning artists' careers.

"Credits" are what you purchase with your entry feeeach dollar being equal to one credit. Your credits guarantee you a place for one of your songs in the Premium Channel you have entered. If you accidentally entered the wrong song in the Premium Channel or you decide (before the Premium Channel submission deadline) that you wish to enter a different song, your credits allow you to remove your song from the channel and replace it with another song without having to pay the application fee twice. Credits purchased for a specific Premium Channel are not transferable to another Premium Channel. Credits are not refundable.

Here is how to enter a Premium Channel:

• Once the song you wish to enter has been uploaded to your OurStage Profile, log in to your OurStage artist account and click on the Upload button on the navigation bar at the top of the page.
• Click on the song you wish to enter into the Premium Channel in the My Uploads column. Once you click on the song you want, it should appear highlighted.
• Click the Compete tab and scroll down until you see the Premium Competitions heading. All available Premium Channels will be listed in boxes below this heading. The fee for purchasing entry credits will be listed under the Buy button next to each Premium Channel's name.
• If you see a Premium Channel that interests you, click on the channel's name. This will take you to that channel's landing page, which will list all of the rules and requirements specific to the channel. Be sure to read the rules and requirements carefully, as entry credits are not refundable if your song is removed from the channel because it doesn't meet the channel criteria.
• To purchase entry credits to a Premium Channel, click the Buy button next to the Premium Channel name in the Compete tab. A prompt will appear asking if you are sure you want to enter the channel, and are eligible to enter the channel. If your answer is yes purchase entry credits by clicking OK.
• Once you have clicked OK, you will be redirected to a payment screen. Enter the required information and click the Submit button at the bottom of the page.
• After your payment is completed, you will be redirected to the Manage My Stuff page on your OurStage profile. Make sure you have been successfully entered into your desired Premium Channel by clicking the Compete tab. If you have been entered successfully, you will see a Withdraw button next to the name of the Premium Channel you have entered.

Payment can only be submitted online via Visa and MasterCard. We do not accept cash, checks or any other form of payment.

Artists may enter a total of two (2) songs in any Premium Channel. These entries will NOT count toward the regular, monthly three (3) songs maximum limit per Artist. Premium Channels require payment for each entry so Artists who submit two songs must pay for each entry. Artists are welcomed to enter any and all Premium Channels each month.

No. There is no fee to vote in a Premium Channel.

Unless otherwise stated, Premium Channels are open to all OurStage account-holders with Internet access age 13 years or older. If you are under 18-years-old, please be aware that by entering a Premium Channel you acknowledge that you are an authorized user of the credit card number entered in the submission process.

You are free to remove any material that you have entered into a Premium Channel before the submission deadline. However, you cannot transfer credits from one Premium Channel to another. Be sure to carefully read which Premium Channel you are about to enter as credits are nontransferable and non-refundable. It is the responsibility of the Artist to carefully read all guidelines and restrictions before entering any channel on OurStage.

Once a song is removed from any OurStage channel, including Premium Channels, it may not be re-entered into the channel it was removed from.

An Artist whose song is removed from a Premium Channel for which they have purchased entry credits may enter a different song into the Premium Channel, however no monetary refunds will be given for songs removed for not meeting the channel criteria. It is the responsibility of the Artist to carefully read all guidelines and restrictions before entering any channel on OurStage. If it is determined that material entered in any Premium Channel does not meet the criteria for that Channel, it will be removed at the discretion of OurStage.

Premium Channel entry credits are tied to the channel they were purchased for and must be used in that channel. Once the Premium Channel for which you have purchased entry credits is no longer accepting entries, any unused entry credits purchased for that Premium Channel become invalid.

OurStage will not offer refunds on Premium Channel entry credits purchased for any reason. We encourage artists to both read the rules and regulations thoroughly and carefully consider their chances of success before deciding to enter a Premium Channel.

If you have any additional questions about Premium Channels on OurStage, please send us an email at premiumchannels@ourstage.com.

If you signed up for OurStage through a promotion and you're missing something, please let us know! Send an email to the community team and they'll help make sure you get your deserved item, service, or whatever you were promised.

Go to our Duplication License page. When you've done that and agreed to the terms in the contract, you can click 'Submit' and come to a confirmation page.

Select the "Account" link at the top right corner of any page on OurStage to sign up to sell your tracks. Once you sign up, a "Buy" button will show up next to all of the tracks you've uploaded on OurStage.

You can opt in or opt out of selling your tracks at any time, and any balance owed to you will be sent to you at the end of a quarter (once the balance reaches twenty dollars). To opt out, look at the top right corner of any page on OurStage, and select the "Account" link.

We will cut a physical check for artists who reach a $20 balance at the end of a quarter. Please make sure that the address in your profile is kept up to date so we know where to reach you!

You will be paid on a quarterly basisat the end of March, June, September and Decemberonce your account has accumulated a balance of $20. If your account balance is below twenty dollars, the money remains in the account where it will continue to grow until the end of the following quarter, and so on, until the balance reaches $20.

We are currently selling tracks for 99 cents with 80 cents of each sale going to the artist. The remaining 19 cents is pays for payment processing. If this policy changes then we will certainly let everyone know well in advance!

Buying music is a simple process on OurStage. Here's how to do it:

1. Just click on the small shopping cart icon on the desired song's media item page. Look for notification indicating that the item is in your shopping cart.
2. To access your shopping cart, click the link at the top of the page. This will bring you to the shopping cart page where you can edit your items.
3. Click the "Check Out" button. You will then be directed to a PayPal window outside the OurStage site.
4. Here you can either pay directly with a credit card or pay with an existing PayPal account. Follow the on-screen instructions.
5. Once you've confirmed your payment through PayPal, your music should download to your computer (provided pop-up blockers are turned off). If you didn't receive your download(s), please contact our community team and they can assist you in getting the tracks you purchased.

Now you can just sit back and enjoy your purchases!

Songs purchased off OurStage.com can be played back in any player that supports the MP3 Format. This includes iTunes, Windows Media Player, Media Player Classic or just about any other current media plaer.

Of course! You can transfer songs you've purchased to any media player that supports MP3 files. This includes the iPod, Zune, Rio and virtually every other media player on the market.

The tracks are sold as MP3s and play/sound as you hear them on our site now. They are currently 128 kilobits per second bit rate files.

On OurStage, we provide two easy ways to help promote your entry.

First, we provide pre-made banners to show off your work on OurStage. With a single click, these banners bring your fans to a judging page where they can register for our site and participate in our community. This banner can be embedded virtually anywherea MySpace page, an email or a personal Web site. To create a banner, follow these instructions.

Second, we let you embed a streaming video or audio player onto any page that supports HTML codeFacebook, MySpace, or a personal blog or Web site. These players can contain any songs on OurStage, and can even be made by raters on OurStage, so that they can make a player of their favorite music from OurStage and put it directly into their MySpace page, just as you can! To do this, go to your "Players and Playlists" page, and right click on any playlist on the left side and "copy [the] embed code." You can then paste that code anywhere that accepts that HTML.

In short, you don't have to! OurStage does this work for you. By following the instructions from your My Stage page, you can use our custom-generated banners anywhere that accepts HTML code, such as MySpace, Facebook, personal blog or Web site!

Another great feature on OurStage is the Playlist Editor. As you stream channels or judge competitions, you hear songs you like and decide to purchase. Once you buy the music and save it in a playlist, you can access the playlist with the "Manage playlists" button on your profile page. You'll be brought to a nice playlist editor page that looks and behaves much like iTunes.

You will see a general description of the editor as well as some directions on how to use it. You will also see a list of your playlists on a side bar on the left Lists of OurStage music and video that you have marked as "favorite" (by clicking the "favorite" button or by adding "thumbs") are referred to as your "library". Below are a few options for viewing popular music on the site as well as categorizing your favorite music.

From here you can create your own playlists by clicking the "add" button. Name your playlists and then drag songs from your library to the playlist's icon in the side bar. You can play any of the songs on the playlist by double-clicking it or clicking the play button in the player located directly below.

Finally, you can share a playlist you've made by right-clicking or control-clicking on it's name in the side bar and clicking "copy embed code". This code can be placed anywhere on the web that supports HTML embed codes (myspace profiles, OurStage blogs on your profile, etc).

OurStage.com uses the latest in Internet web-browsing technology. As a result, we need our viewers to have at least Adobe Flash 8 installed; Version 9 is preferred. If you aren't sure whether or not you have Flash installed, or if your version is out-dated, you can check by going to Adobe's Flash site.

We also highly recommend using Internet Explorer or Mozilla Firefox for Windows operating systems, and Safari, Firefox, or Opera for Macs. AOL's built in browser will not display all of the images on our site correctly, so AOL users should consider using one of the previously recommended browsers. Additionally, we suggest using a broadband Internet connection to view OurStage.com due to the speed requirements necessary for streaming video and audio.

With the addition of the banner players, among other changes, OurStage no longer provides support for Internet Explorer 6. If you are using Internet Explorer 6 you will experience severe compatibility issues, ones that cannot be resolved without ugrading your browser to a newer version of Internet Explorer or switching to another browser we are compatible with.

The OurStage experience is optimized for Internet Explorer or Mozilla Firefox on Windows operating machines, and Safari, Firefox or Opera on Macs. Beware, however, as OurStage no longer provides support and has extremely limited compatibility with the Internet Explorer 6 browser.

OurStage uses your email address to confirm that you are a legitimate user and that your email address is valid. We also ask for your zip code so that we can target our site's contentthat is present items that may be of a higher interest to you using your zip code. If, for some reason, you are uncomfortable giving out your zip code, you can leave the field blank.

To complete the registration process and activate your OurStage account, you will need to click the activation link provided in your email confirmation.

If you entered the correct email address but did not receive the confimation email within a few minutes, it is likely that your mail client or Internet Service Provider (IPS) is filtering the message as spam. Check your spam or junk mail folder for the message. If you don't find the message in the junk mail folder, please email our support team and they will activate your account for you.

Users need Flash installed on their computers. Click here to find out more about the software requirements for OurStage. If you do have Flash and are still unable to play the media on our site, drop us a line!

If you are trying to access instructional files on how to add a banner or an OurStage media player to another site or looking for information about prizes, and cannot view the files, then you need to download a free PDF file reader. These files are available in the standard PDF format used by many applications, including Adobe Acrobat Reader. Mac OS X comes with a built in program called Preview. You can also use Adobe Acrobat Reader or another application if you prefer.

You can download Adobe Acrobat Reader for free from this location.

If you have encountered an error, or something doesn't work the way you expect, feel free to write the OurStage technical support staff using the help form. This will send an e-mail to the OurStage staff, and they will get back to you at the earilest convenience.

Anyone can enter the contest channel as long as they are legal residents of the US who are older than thirteen years of age.

You can live anywhere and enter the channel, but only legal residents of the US are eligible to be chosen for the grand prize.

The entry must be a cover of Beyonce's "Sweet Dreams". The entry can be performed in any musical style. Audio and video entries are accepted. For audio entries you must enter your track into the Beyonce Cover Competition- Sweet Dreams Audio Channel. For Video entries you must enter your video in the Beyonce Cover Competition- Sweet Dreams Video Channel. Entries must comply with all the normal OurStage rules, as stated in our Terms & Conditions. The contest does not accept:

• Illegal, Infringing or Abusive Message Content, described as: unlawful, harmful, tortuous, defamatory, libelous, obscene, invasive of the privacy of another person, threatening, harassing, abusive, hateful, racist, infringing, pornographic, violent or otherwise objectionable or inappropriate as determined by OurStage.



• Violations of Third Party Rights, described as: content that contains personal information about any individual, violates the privacy/publicity of any other individual or entity, or anything that you are under a contractual obligation to keep private or confidential; impersonations of any person or organization, including and without limitation, the personnel of OurStage; misrepresentation of an affiliation with another person or organization; slanderous or libelous comments; infringements on copyright, trademark, patent, trade secret, or other intellectual property right of a third party.

If your entry was removed from the Beyonce Sweet Dreams at The Wynn Cover Competition it was because your entry was deemed unsuitable for the competition according to the rules stated in the above FAQs.

If your music is ineligible for the contest, or you're not an artist, OurStage users can still have the opportunity to judge and become eligible for the Sweepstakes Contest for the Beyonce Sweet Dreams at The Wynn Cover Competition. To enter Judge in the "Beyonce Sweet Dreams at The Wynn Cover Competition" Channel from February 1st to 28th. Participant must be thirteen years or older and must reside in the US. Participants may judge as often as they like, but each participant is limited to one (1) Sweepstakes entry per registered member. Either Sort4 and/or Head-to-Head battles are acceptable forms of judging on OurStage.com. The winner will be randomly selected on or around March 15, 2010 and win the following:

• Sony Viao FW Series Notebook
• I Am...Yours An Intimate Performance at Wynn Las Vegas (2CD/1DVD) [LIVE]

Total ARV: $822

One grand prize artist winner will receive:

• A three (3) day, two (2) night stay in at the luxurious Wynn Hotel in Las Vegas.
• Roundtrip coach airfare to an airport in close proximity to, as determined at the sole discretion of the Sponsors. Sponsors reserve the right to substitute ground transportation if the Wynn takes place within a 100-mile radius of the winner's hometown.

Total ARV: $3,000

If a winner is under the age of 18, they must be accompanied by their parent or legal guardian when traveling the Wynn Hotel.

FYI: ground transportation, meals, gratuities, souvenirs, incidentals and all other expenses not specified herein are the responsibility of the winner and his or her guest.

On or about March 15, 2010, a panel of judges at Sony Music Executives, which may include Beyonce, will select one winner from all entries within the Top 20 of the Beyonce Sweet Dreams at The Wynn Cover Competition of the video and audio channels. The panels will basis their decision of the following criteria: musicality (25%), presentation (25%), creativity (25%) and vocal ability (25%). The winner shall be the entry which receives the highest overall score.

Applicants must be legal residents of the US who are older than thirteen (13) years of age. This channel is open to female solo artists and female- fronted bands only.

Entries must be original works performed by female solo artists or female- fronted bands. Male backing vocals are allowed, but the main focus of each piece must be on a female artist.

Entries must be submitted before April 1, 2010 at 11:59:59 PM US EST.

Entries must be clean radio-edit versions. Songs containing obscenities and/or language deemed inappropriate for commercial radio will be removed from the Channel.

Entries must comply with all the normal OurStage rules, as stated in our Terms & Conditions. The contest does not accept:

Illegal, Infringing or Abusive Message Content, described as: unlawful, harmful, tortuous, defamatory, libelous, obscene, invasive of the privacy of another person, threatening, harassing, abusive, hateful, racist, infringing, pornographic, violent or otherwise objectionable or inappropriate as determined by OurStage.

Violations of Third Party Rights, described as: content that contains personal information about any individual, violates the privacy/publicity of any other individual or entity, or anything that you are under a contractual obligation to keep private or confidential; impersonations of any person or organization, including and without limitation, the personnel of OurStage; misrepresentation of an affiliation with another person or organization; slanderous or libelous comments; infringements on copyright, trademark, patent, trade secret, or other intellectual property right of a third party.

If your entry was removed from the Lilith Local Talent Search Competition' it was because your entry was deemed unsuitable for the competition according to the rules stated in the above FAQs.

The grand prize will be a performance opportunity at one of the Lilith Tour 2010 stops. More details will be available soon!

Anyone can enter the contest channel as long as they are legal residents of the US who are older than thirteen years of age.

You can live anywhere and enter the channel, but only legal residents of the US are eligible to be chosen for the grand prize.

Accepted genres must fall into the following genre-based categories on OurStage: Urban, Electronic or Pop.
Entries must comply with all the normal OurStage rules, as stated in our Terms & Conditions. The contest does not accept:

• Illegal, Infringing or Abusive Message Content, described as: unlawful, harmful, tortuous, defamatory, libelous, obscene, invasive of the privacy of another person, threatening, harassing, abusive, hateful, racist, infringing, pornographic, violent or otherwise objectionable or inappropriate as determined by OurStage


• Violations of Third Party Rights, described as: content that contains personal information about any individual, violates the privacy/publicity of any other individual or entity, or anything that you are under a contractual obligation to keep private or confidential; impersonations of any person or organization, including and without limitation, the personnel of OurStage; misrepresentation of an affiliation with another person or organization; slanderous or libelous comments; infringements on copyright, trademark, patent, trade secret, or other intellectual property right of a third party

If your entry was removed from the "Beat Kangz Independent Artist Challenge" it was because your entry was deemed unsuitable for the competition according to the rules stated in the above FAQs.

The Top 5 Artists in the "Beat Kangz Independent Artist Challenge" Channel will receive:

• Beat Thang Virtual Software preloaded with Beat Kangz library
• One year subscription to Rocbattle.com with 50 royalty free beats

(ARV: $1,110)

One grand prizewinner from the Top 20 in "Beat Kangz Independent Artist Challenge" Channel will be selected to receive:

• Beat Thang Hardware with Beat Thang Virtual
• Music critique by legendary producer Rockwilder

(ARV: $999)

On or about March 15, 2010, Beat Kangz Electronics will select the grand prizewinner from the Top 20.

Anyone can enter the contest channel as long as they are legal residents of the US who are older than thirteen years of age.

You can live anywhere and enter the channel, but only legal residents of the US are eligible to be chosen for the grand prize.

Accepted genres must fall into the following genre-based categories on OurStage: Urban or R&B.
Entries must comply with all the normal OurStage rules, as stated in our Terms & Conditions. The contest does not accept:

• Illegal, Infringing or Abusive Message Content, described as: unlawful, harmful, tortuous, defamatory, libelous, obscene, invasive of the privacy of another person, threatening, harassing, abusive, hateful, racist, infringing, pornographic, violent or otherwise objectionable or inappropriate as determined by OurStage
  
• Violations of Third Party Rights, described as: content that contains personal information about any individual, violates the privacy/publicity of any other individual or entity, or anything that you are under a contractual obligation to keep private or confidential; impersonations of any person or organization, including and without limitation, the personnel of OurStage; misrepresentation of an affiliation with another person or organization; slanderous or libelous comments; infringements on copyright, trademark, patent, trade secret, or other intellectual property right of a third party

If your entry was removed from the Your Music on VIBE.com Contest it was because your entry was deemed unsuitable for the competition according to the rules stated in the above FAQs.

One artist from the Top 10 will be selected by Vibe staff to receive:

• A featured article with the winner's music streamed on VIBE.com


• An A&R critique by a music industry profesional

On or about March 15, 2010, Vibe editorial staff will select a winner from the Top 10.