The International Acoustic Music Awards (IAMA) is a competition that is geared towards performing musicians who wants their materials to be discovered. Entrants will be judged based on their performance, songwriting, music productions and their originality.

You have to be 18 to join but there is no cap to how old you have to be.

The winners will be featured on their compilation CD distributed throughout the music industry, including radio stations, record labels, Film & TV music supervisors.

Visit the IAMA website for more info.

A small study shows that listening to happy music, especially country, may help with your bloodflow, which results in a healthy heart.

In the study, 10 subjects were ask to choose their happy music and songs that can induce anxiety. Majority of the subjects chose country artists such as Hal Ketchum and Dwight Yoakam, to make themselves feel happy, as well as music from the “Footloose” soundtrack.

Participants chose hard rock bands such as System of a Down and Disturbed to induce feelings of anxiety.

On average, listening to the happy songs caused an increase in bloodflow due to the opening of the blood vessels caused by the release of endorphins or “happy chemicals” that are in the brain.

The study also shows that laughing can cause a 19 percent increase in the dilation of the blood vessel.

On the sad side, listening to somber music causes a 6 percent narrowing of the vessels.

So next time you’re in the record store, don’t forget to pick up a new Garth Brooks CD. It’s good for the heart!