The deadline for submissions in Sweden for Melodifestivalen 2007 has now passed and we can reveal that a total of 3,234 songs have been entered for selection. Over the upcoming weeks, these will be reduced to a final list of 28 songs that will enter the semifinals alongside 4 wildcard entries.

Melodifestivalen 2007 sees the second highest number of entries received in Sweden, falling slightly short of last year’s total of 3,326. A list of the number of entries since 1995 can be found below.

Amonst the entries, we can reveal that Lionheart records, who worked with Universal Records on last year’s winning entry ‘Evighet / Invincible’ by Carola, have submitted a total of 101 songs! In recent years, the company has been highly successful, with 4 entries in the final 28 in each of the last two years.

Stars signed to the record label include former Sweden representative Jill Johnson (1998, Kärleken Är), Roger Pontare (2000, When spirits are calling my name), former Melodifestivalen finalists Shirley Clamp, Sonya Alden, The Poodles, Anna Sahlene (Eurovision 2002, Runaway for Estonia), Sanna Nielsen, Nanne Gronvall (who finished 3rd at the Eurovision song Contest in 1995 as a composer and singer with the group One More Time), Rednex and After Dark.

Warner Chappell-Mariann Records entered the highest number of songs with a total of 164 in the running. Bonnier Music entered 135 songs, Sven-Inge Sjöberg, Lennart Wastesson and Larry Forsberg are reported by Oikotimes to have entered 51 songs, Universal Records have entered 46, Thomas G:son who co-wrote last year’s Melodifestivalen winner, has entered 37 songs.

The process of elimination now begins. The first stage will be through publishers under the music publishing body SMSS.

Once SMSS decides which songs progress, a jury will reduce the number to the magic 28! The jury is made up from music producers at Swedish Radio, 16 members of the public that applied to be on the jury (8 men, 8 women) selected singers, and musical experts covering all main areas of music, including rock, r&b, schlager etc. The age range of the jury is 16-50, and the average age is 30.

The final 28 songs will be announced in the middle of October. The singers will then be sought and at the end of November, we will know which 28 acts will accompany the songs. The 4 wildcard entrants are expected to be announced at the end of December. Unlike last year, all four should be announced at the same time.

1995 600 entries
1996 1475 entries
1997 1223 entries
1998 1126 entries
1999 1315 entries
2000 1394 entries
2001 1567 entries
2002 1830 entries
2003 2630 entries
2004 3228 entries
2005 3131 entries
2006 3326 entries
2007 3234 entries