Steve, it's an odd thing isn't it? I've noticed the same thing...some songs that seem much better than others, do worse. Some might say we're simply misguided concerning our own songs and that this is exactly what would happen to these songs in the marketplace...but I don't think that's quite true either. I have watched great songs by other artists that flounder on one month, then inexplicably do very well the next month---or vice versa. Is that the way the general marketplace works? Maybe so, but I think it has more to do with the make-up of OurStage voters at any given time than it has to do with the merit of your song.

I often wonder what percentage of OurStage voters are either contestants or devoted fans of particular contestants. Not knowing this makes speculation a shot in the dark, but the voting behaviors I see seem to be influenced by a lot of "home team" voting...in other words, I think a great deal of the votes are cast in the hopes of helping certain contestants rather than simply being honest. I may be wrong, but it sure seems possible, and it would explain the fickle nature of some of the voting trends from month to month.

I still think this is the coolest contest around, and the more popular it gets, and the more fans who join simply because they like to discover new music, the better the judging will become.

http://www.soundclick.com/MarkKaufman