The Minnesota Blues Society is accepting CDs produced without a label by Minnesota acts for consideration of entry into the Blues Foundation’s “Best Self-Produced CD Competition”.
The CD being submitted must be released between October 31, 2026 and September 30, 2027 to be eligible for this year’s IBC competition.
The MnBS deadline for entry is earlier than the Blues Foundation to allow time to determine our MnBS affiliate winner.
CD’s are judged in each of the following criteria (based on the IBC standards):
Blues Content,
Musical Performance
Audio Quality
Cover Art and Design
Credits and Liner Information
The panel of judges is comprised of local blues artists, recording professionals, and blues experts.
The CD selected by the judges scoring will be the MnBS representative CD at the 2026 competition.
Performers who have previously been nominated for a Blues Music Award (formerly the W.C. Handy Music Award) are not eligible to enter this contest
To Enter the competition
Before filling out your form, it is recommended that you visit the IBC Best Self-Produced CD page and read all of the contest rules. We do follow their rules so please become familiar with them.
Return to this page (mnbs.org/selfproduced CD Information) and enter the MnBS competition by submitting either an online or a printable registration form
To use the MnBS printable form use the link below to go to the printable form.
Fill out the form and mail your registration form (including an unopened CD with the liner) to the address on the form. MnBS must receive it by October 22 to be eligible for the contest.
Your registration can also be hand delivered to one of the MnBS Board members.
To Submit an Online Form
Use the link below to go to the online form. Fill it out and attach audio files and images of the liner.
Submit form and CD information by October 22 to be eligible for the contest.
If selected for competition please be prepared to submit
five unopened CD’s to send to the IBC before October 28.
Criteria Used in Judging for the Best Self Produced CD Competition
The MnBS follows the judging format of The Blues Foundation for our contest. Our judges are from the MnBS community and include blues musicians and blues experts.
Judging criteria and scoring used by MnBS judges:
(1) Blues Content criteria: Is this a Blues Music Recording?
Score Range: 8-10 points Straight blues and nuthin’ but the blues.
Score Range: 5-7 points Clearly blues based with a preponderance of the recordings falling within a traditional definition. Some songs leaning more to other recognizable genres such as gospel, rock, country, etc.
Score Range: 1-4 Only marginally related to traditional blues stylistically, instrumentally, lyrically and in overall feeling
(2) Musical Performance criteria: Quality of Musicianship
Score Range 8-10 points. National breakout stuff, ranging from some select tracks within a consistent overall presentation to beginning to end
Score Range: 5-7 Professional caliber band/performance. There are songs on the album which catch the ear of a discriminating fan and cause the album to get passed along and recommended to friends.
Score Range 1-4 Quality is good enough to play local gigs on a regular basis. Performance is not strong enough to garner attention beyond a fixed fan base
(3) Audio Quality of the Presentation
Score range 8 – 10 Very well conceived and executed. Mix is full/three dimensional and feels live.
Score Range 5-7 Overall impression is positive. Nothing in recording distracts from the listening experience
Score Range 1-4 Ranging from poorly mixed and two dimensional but quality is inconsistent
(4) Cover Art and Design
Score range: 8-10 Professional packaging, Ready for the rack at a music outlet. Artistic, original, informative. A package you like to sit with while listening to album
Score 5-7 Production quality is high and colors/themes hang together cohesively
Score 1-4 Ranging from uninformative and disjointed to adequate
(5) Credits and Liner Information (Informative, professional)
Score Range 8-10 Liner gives adequate credit to participants on the recording and includes a range of information both anecdotal and factual regarding the recording
Score Range 5- 7 Liner gives credit to recording participants only and contains limited information
Score Range 1-4 Ver limited information, no credits given.
