The Tiny Desk Contest has returned. Entries are being accepted through February 10. Find the 2025 contest details here.
The Tiny Desk Contest is NPR’s annual search to find the next great undiscovered artist for the Tiny Desk concert. Since its inception in 2014, the Contest has brought together thousands of artists and groups across music genres and hometowns. The concept is simple: unsigned bands and musicians are invited to film themselves performing an original song at a desk of their choice. We assemble a panel of judges made up of NPR Music staff, music journalists, industry leaders, and Tiny Desk alums to choose one grand prize winner. In addition to playing an NPR Tiny Desk concert, the winner headlines a U.S. tour featuring other standout musicians from the Contest community.
Contest winners have gone on to sign with major labels, open for legendary performers, and even receive Grammy awards.
Ultimately, the Contest is about so much more than our winner. It’s a celebration of the independent music community. We feature some of our favorite entrants on the radio, on NPR Music’s website, on social media, and in special programming like our Tiny Desk Contest Top Shelf series on YouTube. Over time, we’ve received more than 40,000 entries from talented and creative musicians across all 50 states in the U.S., DC, the Virgin Islands, and Puerto Rico.
2025 Contest Details
NPR Music has announced the return of the Tiny Desk Contest and encourage artists to begin recording their entries. The Contest will be open from January 14 to February 10.
The 2025 NPR Tiny Desk Contest is open to any legal residents of the fifty (50) United States, the US Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico and the District of Columbia who are 18 and older.
