One of the most highly anticipated announcements of every Eurovision Song Contest season is the annoucement of the artists performing in Melodifestivalen. Swedish broadcaster, SVT, will make the official announcement in November, but speculation is rife every year prior to the official list being made public. Today Aftonbladet, the leading Swedish tabloid, has published what it believes to be the full list.

According to Aftonbladet, the performers of the 28 selected songs for Melodifestivalen 2008 is as follows:

Face 84 – Alla gamla x (all my ex's)
Velvet – Deja vû
Alexander Schöld – Den första svalan (The first swallow)
Lasse Lindh – Du behöver aldrig mer vara rädd (You need never be afraid again)
Sanna Nielsen – Empty room
Charlotte Perrelli – Hero
Linda Bengtzing – Hur svårt kan det va? (How difficult can it be?)
Christer Sjögren – I love Europe
Anette Ingemansson & Ida Segersten – I lågornas sken (In the flames of the fire)
Calaisa – If I could
Fronda – Ingen mår så bra som jag (no-one feels as good as I do)
Mickey Huskic – Izdajice (Never fall in love)
Ainbusk Singers – Jag saknar dig ibland (I miss you sometimes)
Bröderna Rongedal – Just a minute
Andra Generationen – Kebabpizza, Slivovitza
BWO – Lay your love on me
Frida Muranius – Leva livet(Live life)
The Poodles – Line of fire
Ola – Live in stereo
Lullaby (still undecided)
Debutant – Pame
Nicole Fuentes – Razborka
Caracola – Smiling in love
Sibel Redzep – That is where I'll go
Michael Michailoff – That's love
Patrik Isaksson – Under mitt tunna skinn (under my thin skin)
Suzzie Tapper – Visst finns mirakel (sure there are miracles)
Evan – When you need me

Whilst many names appear to be almost certain, esctoday.com believes that this list is not entirely settled. There has been much speculation about the return of Charlotte Pirrelli, better known to fans of the Eurovision Song Contest as Charlotte Neilson who took Eurovision fans to her heaven by winning the competition in Jerusalem, Israel in 1999.

It is widely rumoured that she has been in a battle with Måns Zelmerlöw for the right to sing Hero. Mans told esctoday.com earlier this year that he did not want to participate in Melodifestivalen 2008 after his third place at the 2007 competition. This would leave the door open for Charlotte to make a much anticipate return. Rival newspaper, Expressen has also gone on record saying that Charlotte will sing Hero.

Linda Bengtzing, highly popular with Eurovision Song Contest fans after her participation in the 2005 and 2006 national final, is also widely expected to participate with Hur svårt kan det va? She is keen to complete and release a second album, and participation in Melodifestivalen 2008 would be the ideal springboard for her record label to release a follow up album.

I love europe is expected to be performed by Christer Sjögren, the lead singer of Sweden's leading 'Danceband', Vikingarna. Despite 30 years fronting the band, they never participated in Sweden's national selection for the Eurovision Song Contest ticket.

Bröderna Rongedal are expected to perform Just a minute. They have Melodifestivalen experience after taking part as backing singers for 2006 semi finalists, Electric Banana Band.

It has been widely reported that Bodies Without Organs have made a complete u-turn on their previous comments to esctoday.com that they would not consider returning to Melodifestivalen in the near future.The 2006 runners-upspoke about the possibility of representing Poland at the Eurovision Song Contest, but have had a change of heart since April, and are likely to perform Lay your love on me, written by Anders Hansson, Bobby Ljunggren, Henrik Wikström and band member, Alexander Bard.

Leva livet is expected to be performed by Frida Muranius, an up and coming Swedish singer who had an unexpected summer hit with the song Dunka mig gul och blå after it became popular through the website Myspace.

One of the most interesting collaborations of the year is expected to see rock metal band The Poodles featuring E-type with the song Line of fire. The song is co-written by Jakob Samuelsson and Martin Erickson (E-type). The Poodles finished 4th in Melodifestivalen 2006 with Night of passion. Highly popular Sonja Alden wrote the lyrics for their debut song.

Sanna Nielsen, the 2007 Schalger representative in the Melodifestivalen final looks set to perform the Bobby Ljunggren / Aleena Gibson song, Empty Room. Evan is also expected to return with when you need me. He was last seen at the competition in 2006 with Under your spell.

Velvet, who sang Mi Amore in 2006 looks set to return with Deja vû. The former Melodifestivalen choir girl's first attempt failed to pass the second chance round, but became a surprise hit in Israel, where the song is still popular in nightclubs and features on radio.

Melodifestivalen debuts are also on the cards for fame factory graduate, Alexander Schöld; pop idol finalist, Ola who has had a massive summer hit with the song Natalie in Sweden.Lasse Lindh, who has a number of radio hits in Sweden; country , Calaisa; Mikey Huskic (who is likely to sing in his native Bosnian language); Ainbusk Singers, who are fronted by Josefin Nilsson – a former Melodifestivalen participant), Andra Generationen (band of second generation immirgrants to Sweden).Debuting with their own songs are likely to beNicole Fuenetes and Michale Michailoff, girl group trio Caracola are already very popular in Sweden, particularly with the kids audience and Suzzie Tapper formerly of the popular 80s band Suzzie's orchestra.

Special thanks to Sara Fredriksson for her help with this article.