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You Can Now Enter The 2017 Tiny Desk Contest

Enter by Jan. 29, and you could come play a Tiny Desk concert at NPR.
NPR
Enter by Jan. 29, and you could come play a Tiny Desk concert at NPR.

The 2017 Tiny Desk Contest is now open! Starting today, I'll be watching your videos in search of the next great undiscovered artist to play at the Tiny Desk. And I won't be doing it alone. Our team of judges includes these fantastic musicians:

  • Anthony Hamilton
  • Miguel
  • BANKS
  • Trey Anastasio of Phish
  • Ben Hopkins of PWR BTTM
  • I'll also be joined by Rita Houston of , Stas THEE Boss of , Talia Schlanger of 's World Cafe and Robin Hilton, my co-host on All Songs Considered. We're accepting entries until Jan. 29, and we can't wait to hear what you're making.

    To enter, you'll need to:

  • Film a video of you (or your band) performing an original song at a desk (any desk!).
  • Put that video on YouTube.
  • Submit it through our entry form by 11:59 p.m. ET on Jan. 29.
  • To make sure you're eligible, you can take this quiz (or check out our Official Rules for all the details). If you win, you'll get to play a Tiny Desk concert at NPR's headquarters in Washington, D.C. Plus, you'll get to come on a nationwide tour with NPR Music and Lagunitas Brewing Company.

    Above all, this contest is about two things: music and community. Whether you build an elaborate, creative setup for your entry or shoot something simple on a smartphone ( like last year's winner), we're listening for your music above all else.

    The past two Contests have not only brought into our lives undiscovered musicians we cherish — they've also shown us what local music scenes across the country are made of. Already, we've been digging through the great behind-the-scenes pictures and videos you're posting of your entries. (Feel free to email us your behind-the-scenes shots and stories or put them on social media with the #TinyDeskContest hashtag.)

    You can follow along as we fall in love with new artists and songs: We'll be sharing it all with the Tiny Desk Contest community in our weekly newsletter and on our frequently updated . And even if you don't plan to send in a video, we hope the Tiny Desk Contest helps you discover new music and makes you proud of the musical community right in your backyard, wherever that is.

    Copyright 2020 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.

    In 1988, a determined Bob Boilen started showing up on NPR's doorstep every day, looking for a way to contribute his skills in music and broadcasting to the network. His persistence paid off, and within a few weeks he was hired, on a temporary basis, to work for All Things Considered. Less than a year later, Boilen was directing the show and continued to do so for the next 18 years.