#2025 Queensland Music Awards – Terms and Conditions
By participating in the Queensland Music Awards in Australia, you agree to be bound by these terms and conditions.
If you do not accept these terms and conditions, you cannot participate in the Queensland Music Awards or be eligible for any awards offered in association with them. The Queensland Music Awards are offered by the Queensland Music Network Incorporated IA 13637 (‘QMusic’, ‘us’, ‘we’ or ‘our’).
We may amend these terms at our absolute discretion.
1. The Queensland Music Awards are open to all artists who are residents of Queensland. In the case of songwriting teams/bands, at least 50% of the team must be based in Queensland AND/OR the releasing artist must publicly identify and promote themselves as a Queensland artist and have started the development of their career in Queensland.
You are eligible as a resident of Queensland if you spent a minimum of 75% of the year (9 months) living in Queensland at a residential address between 1 December 2023 and 30 November 2024.
If an artist has moved away recently, they are eligible to enter the QMAs as long as they were living in Queensland for six (6) months immediately prior to and during the making of their submitted music activity.
If an artist has relocated to Queensland and now lives in Queensland during the eligibility period (previous 12 months) of the song and/or album they will qualify.
The judges’ decision is final and binding and no correspondence will be entered into.
2. You warrant and represent that any songs you submit for the Queensland Music Awards are your original work and do not infringe on any third-party intellectual property rights. You indemnify QMusic for any loss incurred by QMusic related to your breach of this warranty and representation.
3. Entries must not compromise QMusic's obligations to its principal sponsors for the event. You acknowledge and agree that if QMusic determines any entry compromises QMusic’s obligations to its principal sponsors, QMusic reserves the right to remove the entry from the award competition.
4. Genre Categories that can be entered are:
Blues / Roots
Children's Music
Contemporary Classical and Music For Stage
Country
Electronic
Folk
Heavy
Hip Hop
Indigenous
Jazz
Music For Screens
Pop
Rock
Youth (Ages 10-17)
Soul / Funk / R’n’B
World
Video (for filmmakers only)
5. Each song will be judged by a panel of industry experts based on the following criteria:
Lyricism and musicality
Innovation and creativity
Commercial potential
6. Songs must have been released between 1 December 2023 - 30 November 2024.
7. Artists can submit a maximum of 8 individual tracks, across a maximum of 8 different categories.
8. The same song may be entered into different genre categories. However:
Only one song from each entrant may become a finalist in any one category.
The same song may not appear as a finalist in multiple categories (with the exception of the Regional/Remote and Emerging categories, which are drawn from other categories, and the Indigenous category).
9. Video Category
This category is only open to Queensland-based filmmakers. At least 50% of the filmmaking team must be based in Queensland OR have publicly identified and promoted as a Queensland artist and have started the development of their career in Queensland. You are eligible as a resident of Queensland if you spent a minimum of 75% of the year (9 months) living in Queensland at a residential address between 1 December 2023 and 30 November 2024.
The song/s and artist/bands performing the song/s do not have to be residents of Queensland.
You will need to provide a public link to your video/s via platforms such as YouTube or Vimeo.
By entering a video hosted on a public platform such as YouTube or Vimeo into the Queensland Music Awards you represent and warrant that all rights holder permissions have been granted and that the entering of the video onto such platform will not infringe the intellectual property rights of any third parties, or infringe the moral rights of any third party without appropriate consent. To the extent you breach this warranty, you indemnify QMusic for any loss QMusic incurs as a result.
10. Each video entry will be judged by a panel of industry experts on the following criteria:
Originality of concept
Technical execution
Visual appeal
11. Additional Categories:
If applicable, your song/s will be automatically entered into these categories as a BONUS entry:
Song Of The Year
Emerging Artist Of The Year
Regional/Remote
The Regional/Remote Category is open to all songwriters residing in regional and remote Queensland, as determined by the locations within the Arts Queensland Regional Arts network. A list of local government areas can be found HERE. All finalist regional and remote songwriters will automatically be entered into this category.
12. Instrumental music may be entered into all categories but must be clearly indicated by typing “Instrumental” in the lyrics text box.
13. QMusic Lifetime Achievement Award
Nominations will be taken from a panel of music industry professionals. Nominees will come from across the full spectrum of the Queensland music industry. The QMusic CEO and management committee will make the final decision on the winner.
The QMusic CEO and management committee will select the QMusic Lifetime Achievement Award in accordance with the below criteria:
Proven history of service to and within the Queensland music industry
Proven history of assisting and supporting Queensland musicians and/or music workers and/or overall Queensland music industry.
Displaying values that align with the values of QMusic
14. The Emerging Artist Of The Year Award
Artists who fulfil the below criteria will be automatically eligible for the Major Award upon submission to a self-nominating genre category:
Artist within the first 5 years of their career
Not signed to a label
Not signed to a publisher
Has to have a release history of at least 3 songs
Evidence of an existing fanbase
High quality of music
Potential for growth within the Queensland, national and international music industry
The artist may not have previously been a winner in any QMA Awards categories.
The definition of an emerging artist will be decided at the discretion of the judging panel. Their decision is final.
A panel of industry experts will select The Emerging Artist of the Year Award in accordance with the below criteria:
Artistic merit and quality of songwriting
Artistic and commercial appeal of artist
Future potential for success
15. The Song of the Year Award
The judging panel will select The Song of the Year Award from the winners of each genre category in accordance with the same judging criteria, per below: The Song of the Year is selected from the winners of each genre category by the judging panel.
Lyricism and musicality
Innovation and creativity
Commercial potential
16. Album of The Year Award
This category will be nominated by a combination of music industry professionals followed by a public vote. Full-length albums released between 1 December 2023 and 30 November 2024 are eligible for this category. QMusic obtains lists from both major and independent labels of releases by Queensland artists during that period for consideration.
The judging panel will select six finalists for The Album of the Year Award in accordance with the below judging criteria:
- Lyricism and musicality
- Innovation and creativity
- Commercial potential
The final six albums will then be submitted for voting by the general public, which will open in early 2024. A combination of public votes and expert judge scoring (weighted 60/40, respectively) determines the winner of this category.
17. Highest Selling Album and Highest Selling Single
The Highest Selling categories recognise the commercial success of Queensland artists, including those now based overseas. The album and song with the highest number of combined physical and digital sales will be judged the winner of these categories. The Album and Single must have been released between 1 December 2023 and 30 November 2024.
For songs and albums to be eligible in these categories at least 50% of the team must be based in Queensland AND/OR the releasing artist must publicly identify and promote themselves as a Queensland artist and have started the development of their career in Queensland. You are eligible as a resident of Queensland if you spent a minimum of 75% of the year (9 months) living in Queensland at a residential address between 1 December 2023 and 30 November 2024.
18. HOW TO ENTER
All entries must be via the online entry form on the QMusic website.
Each song must be submitted with its lyrics (unless instrumental).
Songs sung in languages other than English must have an English translation.
Ensure all songwriters of each song entered are correctly listed in full.
An individual song may be entered into multiple categories but it will incur an award entry fee for each category.
Award fees must be paid at the time of entering and are non-refundable.
COST OF ENTRY:
QMusic Members: $20
QMusic Non-Members: $30
Youth (Ages 10-17): $20
Indigenous: $20
The above prices include GST.
19. The closing date for self-nominations is 11:59 pm (AEST), Thursday 7th November 2024. QMusic reserves the right to extend this closing date.
20. Finalists will be notified via email in February 2025.
21. Only one song per artist will be selected to be a finalist in any one category.
22. Judges and QMusic reserve the right to reallocate an entry to a different category.
23. The same song may not appear as a finalist in multiple categories (with the exception of Regional/Remote and Emerging categories, which are drawn from other categories, and the Indigenous category).
24. Judges have the right to determine the standard of an Award and to withhold an Award in any category if, in their view, entries are not of sufficient merit.
25. The judges' decisions are final, and no judge will enter into conversation or correspondence about decisions that have been made.
26. The winner of each category will be announced at the awards ceremony.
27. All category winners agree to have their winning entry included on various websites. The Queensland Music Awards creates huge promotional opportunities for finalists and winners. QMusic will notify you of these opportunities as they arise.
28. All category winners agree to grant QMusic the non-exclusive right, free of charge, to make entered songs available for streaming, together with winners' name and approved images, by members of the public on a non-commercial basis for the purpose of promoting QMusic and the Queensland Music Awards event.
29. If you agree to have your song/s available for streaming by ticking the Yes box at the time of entry, you acknowledge and agree that your song/s may be chosen randomly to be added to a music player on the Queensland Music Awards website. Your song/s will NOT be available for download.
30. If you agree to have your song/s available for streaming by ticking the Yes box at the time of entry, you must provide the rights holder details. If you are a songwriter, have created both the lyrics and music component of the song, and haven’t signed a deal with a music publishing company (publishing) or record label (master), or have not otherwise licensed or assigned the copyright in your work to a third party, you are generally the rights holder. Therefore, you should enter your own name. Where you enter your own name, you warrant that you own all intellectual property or commercialisation rights in the song and indemnify QMusic for any loss associated with QMusic’s violation of third-party intellectual property or moral rights where this warranty is breached.
31. Finalists and winners give QMusic an irrevocable, worldwide license to use their nominated or winning song/s free of charge to promote their status as a Queensland Music Award finalist/winner.
32. Finalists and winners give QMusic the irrevocable right, and irrevocable consent, to use their name/photograph/ image/audio recording/video recording and likeness in all forms and manner (“My Image”) for the purposes of advertising, media publicity, publication, general display or for any other purposes in whole or in part, including but not limited to publication on internet websites, broadcasts and any other publications as released to or by QMusic.
33. Finalists and winners waive any interest that they may have in the copyright to My Image, as well as consent to the breach of any moral right associated with My Image, now or at any future time and acknowledge that they are not entitled, nor shall in the future be entitled, to receive any payment or consideration in respect of My Image and agree to make no claim against QMusic for any payments for the publication of My Image in any form.
34. Finalists and winners acknowledge and agree that QMusic cannot control unauthorised use of My Image by persons not associated with QMusic upon the Publication of My Image. Finalists and winners forever waive any right to inspect or approve any publication of My Image by QMusic. Finalists and winners release and indemnify QMusic from any loss, damage, costs, expense, or claim (including consequential loss) connected with the publication of My Image, including action for defamation, libelous material, breach of privacy, or copyright.
35. QMusic will collect your personal information for the purpose of conducting and promoting the Queensland Music Awards (including but not limited to determining and notifying the award winners and publishing and promoting each award winner’s details).
36. You acknowledge and agree that QMusic will handle and use your personal information in accordance with Australian privacy legislation [and our Privacy Policy as set out on our website HERE. A request to access, update or correct any information should be directed to us.
37. Where you provide to us the personal information of another person, you warrant and represent that you have the informed consent of that person to disclose their personal information to QMusic. To the extent you breach this warranty, you indemnify QMusic for any loss associated with the wrongful collection, storage and disclosure of that person’s personal information.
38. If you do not wish to provide us with the personal information requested under these terms and conditions of entry, then you are not eligible to take part in the Queensland Music Awards.
39. Finalists will receive 2 x complimentary tickets per finalist song to the awards night in the artists seating section. Queensland Music Awards reserves the right to withdraw this offer, pending external circumstances.
40. The genre awards at the Queensland Music Awards are partly a songwriting competition. Therefore, the songwriters will be credited as the finalists/winners. In the case of all members of a band being the songwriters, the band name will be credited as the finalists/winners. Please list all songwriters accurately and in full.
41. Winners will be announced at the Queensland Music Awards.
42. The package of promotional activities that will be undertaken on behalf of the winning artists will include, but not be limited to:
Presentation of an Award trophy at the annual Queensland Music Awards
Profiling on the Queensland Music Awards website and playlists
National media release inclusion and interview opportunities.
43. QMusic staff and Management Committee are NOT eligible to enter the Queensland Music Awards.
44. Winning, finalist and highly commended songs from previous years are NOT eligible to be re-entered.
45. By accepting the Terms and Conditions during the entry process, the entrant agrees to accept the QMA rules and conditions.
Phone: (07) 3257 0013 or email info@qmusic.com.au