Two hundred and seventeen songs were submitted to the Icelandic broadcaster in their open call for songs for the 2009 Eurovision Song Contest preselection. Sixteen of those were selected to proceed to the next phase which will include four televised heats in January, leading to the Söngvakeppni Sjónvarpsins 2009 final in February.

Sixteen songs by thirteen authors will compete in sets of four on 10, 17, 24 and 31 January, for the honour to represent Iceland in the 2009 Eurovision Song Contest. Eight of them, two from each round, will qualify to the Söngvakeppni Sjónvarpsins final which will take place on 14 February.

The authors whose songs have made it to the semi finals are:
1. Albert G. Jónsson, 1 song
2. Einar Oddsson, 1 song
3. Einar Scheving, 1 song
4. Erla Gígja Þorvaldsdóttir, 1 song
5. Grétar Sigurbergsson, 1 song
6. Halldór Guðjónsson, 1 song
7. Hallgrímur Óskarsson, 2 songs
8. Heimir Sindrason, 2 songs
9. Óskar Páll Sveinsson, 2 songs
10. Torfi Ólafsson, 1 song
11. Trausti Bjarnason, 1 song
12. Valgeir Skagfjörð, 1 song
13. Örlygur Smári, 1 song

Trausti Bjarnason returns once more to the Icelandic preselection. He has written among others Blómaböm for Briet Sunna Valdemarsdóttir and Segðu mér for Jónsi in 2007. Furthermore, he wrote Þer við hlið in 2006 for Regina (Ósk) of Euroband (Iceland 2008) who was beaten by the then hugely popular act of Silvia Night.

Örlygur Smári is the composer of the 2000 Icelandic participation (Tell me, 12th place) as well as the 2008 entry (This is my life, 14th place). Hallgrímur Óskarsson composed the 2003 entry (Open your heart, 8th place).

Very special thanks to Eurofan Iceland for the contribution to the article.