It has been another glorious week of Open Mic entries, in fact this week again I was simply blown away by the number of new faces and the sheer talent of some of our entrants.

You guys just keep stepping it up, as a judge I want to be as fair as I can with my selection - but how do you judge when so many entries are faultless?

Truth is this is a much harder job than I had first anticipated, sure I knew the hours required to listen to all the entries but that isn't where the difficulty lies for me - it's in having to choose which one will place each week, I swear it's a form of torture.

In saying all of that, I want to assure you all that every week is an absolute joy - to hear such beautiful music and to be a part of something so humbling, is truly and honour and a privilege.

This is one of the most supportive and creative communities I have ever encountered, in looking through this week's entrants searching for the ones to choose - I couldn't help but notice how many of you resteem each others entries, the love and support you all show one another is phenomenal.

In what world do people who are meant to be competing against each other, share and promote others works above their own?

I tell you what it is a unique, awesome and cherished community I am glad to say I am lucky enough to be a part of - you guys blow me away and it's not just your amazing talents, it's your compassion and generosity and kindness.

The world could use a bit more of it, so thanks to all our amazing entrants - you make life a little brighter for everyone involved.

I'd also like to take a minute to remind everyone that this is the first week of the new Open Mic Songwriters Challenge, head on over to @luzcyphers post to check out all the rules for entering.

This week's theme is "Broken Mirror" and so far we have seen a few entries popping up all over the place, I am really looking forward to sitting down and listening to them all!

Remember what you're working for with this challenge, a chance to win a brand new guitar and hard case valued at $599 USD! - I mean seriously people, get writing now there's still time to enter the first round.

On a slightly different note I'd like to invite you all along to hear, the third live radio Steemit Musicians show on MSP-Waves where I co host with the very talented @isaria - we play the previous weeks judges top five selections and reward one lucky Open Mic entrant an additional 20 SBD - best part it the live audience that gets to decide who wins each week!

Last week I am happy to announce that @chaifm was the lucky winner with her entry titled "Moon River", the audience made their views very clear and insisted on you as their winner!

A massive congratulations @chaifm your entry was amazing and the audience went mad for it, I'm stoked to be able to send you the 20 SBD for your outstanding entry.

The show starts in a few hours and this week we will be featuring the judges top five selections from week 59, I can't wait to see who the audience chooses as their new winner!

I have to say it's a little guilty pleasure of mine, watching the audience suffer and scrutinize over the decision of who to select each week - they get a small taste of what the Open Mic judges suffer through each week, who to choose?

Now lets get things moving with this week's top five selection.

Without further delay here is my selection for week 60:

This week's top 5:

1st Place - @kodieamos - American Pie

So from the very first line of this song, my ears pricked up and @kodieamos you had my attention - best of all you kept it until the very end!

I am just amazed by your voice you have some serious skills mate, what a lot of people may not realise is the extreme breathing control required to endure through a song as complex as this.

The words just keep coming and then in the next moment, you have to build and hold the note and then before you know it the next part has started up - this song would keep an accomplished singer and performer on their toes, you absolutely slayed this song.

With only a few very brief moments where I feared you may pass out from lack of oxygen, you performed every moment of this song - I love how into the song you were, it was infectious and you had me belting it out with you before the first chorus had begun.

You have a stage style voice (range, endurance and durability) quality in this entry and I really love the fact you performed the shit out it, it was like your audience was staring back at you - you appeared to feed of the energy and double down and gave even more.

This truly was a pleasure and that was before I found out, you were a fellow Aussie!

It is awesome to have you with us, here at open mic and I look forward to seeing what you have in store for us next week - if you haven't already head on over and check him out!

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2nd Place - @granaddiction - No Bebo Más

Holy hell what a vocal range you have there @granaddiction! Your voice is phenomenal, I love the control you have and your falsetto is absolutely divine.

This song gets you moving as you listen, the arrangement is fully developed I can picture hearing it on the radio.

I love your style and I especially appreciated you having the English translation in the closed captions, I never would have guessed that was the meaning of your song - it's a funny and unique storytelling adventure you take us on.

I can't wait to see what else you have for us here at open mic, keep it up your doing amazing - if you haven't already head on over and check his work out.

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3rd Place - @joseacabrerav - Teoremas

The effortless style and grace you present each and every entry is amazing, your confidence and love of music shine through every performance I have seen from you.

You have amazing vocal control, your voice is so smooth this appears to just come so naturally to you - you look so comfortable performing, your at ease, calm and confident throughout your entries and you transfer that energy to the listener.

In your short time on steemit and since entering the open mic contest, you have made some seriously big waves and a massive lasting impact - I can't wait to hear more!

I am becoming a big fan of not only your voice but your original music as well, your a truly talented musician and it's a privilege to have you with us - if you haven't already do yourself a favor and check him out now!

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4th Place - @lucybanks - My Life As A Duck

I just love the haunting tones in your voice with this song, not to mention the song choice this week was unusual but fricken impressive vocals weaved throughout.

The song is amusing but also kind of sad and tormented, I love a song that tells a story and this one is peculiar and yet tragic at the same time.

I don't know what to say but I love love love the timber and tone of your voice, it has a texture to it, it's deep and sultry yet at the same time sweet and light - it's hard to describe but you have amazing natural talent.

I know how much work goes into performing a song, especially one so vocally demanding - but you make it look so easy, just casually sitting at your desk strumming out a tune and having a sing along.

You just do it with such skill it blows me away each week I see an entry from you, I can't wait to hear more from you and I really can't wait to hear your entry for the songwriter's challenge :D - seriously people it's really worth checking her out now!

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5th Place - @ceparl - Patience

This was just beautiful, the two guitars sound amazing together - I can only imagine how awesome it would have been with all three.

But all in all I truly enjoyed your performance as a whole, the textures of the dual guitar creates a really unique and interesting sound and this is all perfectly highlighted by the understated but amazingly controlled vocals.

I really enjoy the melody chosen to accompany this song, the lower notes he hits work so well with the music - you have a really great group here and I love what you're showing us, I look forward to hearing more from you all soon.

A brilliant entry from some relatively new steemians, keep it up I can't waity to hear more - I hope you all drop by and check out their work!

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Honourable Mentions:

@steembirds - Steem Around The World

@lisamalletart - Nouveaux Visages

@disclaimerhffmn - Viajera del rio

@kjablonski - Down So Long

@pechichemena - Lejos

@claratymusic - Someone like you

@oliverwaterman - Sarabande

@zhusatriani - Farruca Flamenco

@yusaymon - Space Oddity

@passionate-star - Love Yourself

@jesuszoliz - Vuela Conmigo

@onetruebrother - Fair Lily

@mogatiexperiment - Nabundeare

@drewley - Soundtrack of dreams

@paulhallman - Exit Music

@senzenfrenz - Fireside Romance

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Again I would like to thank all the open mic entrants without you there'd be no open mic, you guys make all this happen each and every week - so thank you for putting your music out there for all to enjoy!

It's been a long week and I again struggled to choose who to select and who to special mention, some of you may have noticed that I am cheating a little bit by adding more special mentions as I need to - otherwise I would never get these posts up.

There are just too many great talents to showcase them all, but for me this week these are the entries I just couldn't go without - a massive congratulations to all entrants selected in the judges top fives, go easy on us this job is a tough one.

I'd also like to remind everyone again that all top five nominations from this week, will feature in next week's Steemit Musicians live radio show on MSP-Waves.

A massive congratulations to all of those to be featured in the new show, it is going to be great opportunity to get to further share the awesome entries we receive each week - I can't wait to hear the audience's feedback on our judges selections and your entries.

I hope you can all drop by and support those who made this week's lists, I'm sure they'd appreciate the support - not to mention if you join you get to help choose the weekly 20 SBD winning entry!

Please join us for Episode 4 of Steemit Musicians this Sunday 12-1 UTC!

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You can listen live at the mspwaves website- http://mspwaves.com/home/listen
You can listen on twitch-

You can join broadcast hosts in a special chat room on the MSP Discord Channel: https://discord.gg/kNxM7T6
You can check out http://mspwaves.com/ for more information

On the note of the community I thought I'd take a moment to mention that, over at the minnow support program on our discord chat room Peace Abundance and Liberty - the recently revitalised music room has been getting rather active lately.

As well as the recent burst of activity, we have also added a jukebox to the room - so now when you're chatting with people in the music room, you can choose and play music from youtube (this includes open mic entries, I may have already played a couple I really enjoyed).

So far I have seen a few open mic regulars hanging out and about on the PAL chat rooms, now we have a place where we can actively share music live with people were chatting with - this can help musicians in so many ways, not to mention it's just fun to hang out and chat over and about good tunes.

In addition to the new music room Peace Abundance and Liberty chat rooms have a lot to offer, you can access bots to vote on your posts, you can also meet and interact with over 5000 steemians in the channel - this can be a very useful resource to new steemians, but is also a fantastic place to meet and interact with like minded individuals on many different topics.

Again a big thanks to @soundlegion, @jessamynorchard, @verbal-d and @passion-ground for all they do as judges, please remember to go and check out their top five selections each week and to @luzcypher and @pfunk thank you so much for making all of this possible - until next week.

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