7th ISAC International Popular & Media Music Composition Competition

Deadline: 31 January 2027, 23:59 GMT
Results announced: 28 February 2027 (planned)
Frequency: once per year
Entry fee: JPY 5,000 per work; JPY 7,000 during the final 14 days
Consolidated jury feedback: +JPY 5,000 per work
Payment methods: credit card or PayPal only

We welcome pop songs, vocal music, instrumental music, jazz, computer-produced music, Vocaloid, film and game music, and other popular and media genres. Entries are assessed on the composition itself, including compositional craft, originality, and sound design. See the Competition Rules PDF for full details.

Open the application and payment form
Complete the application form and online payment for each work.

About the ISAC International Popular & Media Music Composition Competition

Fair judging focused on the music

If a jury member has a teacher–student relationship, a family relationship or another direct personal connection with an entrant, that jury member takes no part in scoring the entrant’s work, preparing feedback or jury deliberations concerning it. We assess the submitted music itself, focusing on compositional craft, originality and sound design.

More than ten years of musical activity

Ise-Shima Art Company’s activities span more than ten years, including the composition workshops that preceded the company. Our support for musical creation and presentation extends to a wide range of expression, including popular and media music.

Sharing your work and creative achievements

We introduce prize winners and their works on our official website and social media channels. The website has recorded more than 2,000 visits in a single day. An award offers an opportunity for new listeners to discover your music, and can be included in your biography or portfolio as a record of your creative achievements. The traffic figure is a past record for the website as a whole, not the number of views of any individual feature.

The competition is for creators of pop, jazz, vocal and instrumental music, computer-produced music, Vocaloid works, and music for film and games who would like to present their compositions for assessment in an international setting.

Eligibility, Submissions, Judging and Prizes

Eligibility: There are no restrictions on nationality or age. Each work must have a single composer; jointly composed works are not eligible. Other people may contribute lyrics, arrangements, performance, vocals, recording or production, provided there is only one composer.
Submissions: An external URL to an audio or video recording is required. A score, lyrics and a work-description PDF are optional. The URL must be accessible to the jury without logging in or entering a password.
Judging: Entries are assessed for compositional craft, originality and sound design.
Prizes: In principle, one Grand Prize may be awarded (up to two at most), with total prize money of JPY 100,000 and a certificate. Approximately 35 Special Prizes will also be awarded, each with a certificate.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q. Can I enter without a score?

A. Yes. You may enter with an external URL to an audio or video recording; a score, lyrics and a work-description PDF are optional.

Q. May the lyricist, arranger, singer or performers be different people?

A. Yes. The work is eligible as long as there is only one composer. Works jointly composed by two or more people are not eligible.

Q. May I submit a work that has already been released, streamed or recorded, or that has won another competition?

A. Yes, unless the same work has already received a Grand Prize or Special Prize in this competition.

Q. Are there any restrictions on genre, instrumentation, sound sources or duration?

A. No. Vocal and instrumental works, acoustic and electronic sound sources, and both live and computer-produced music are accepted.