Hope and glory

Today is a very important day. Do you know why?

THE 2009 MELODIFESTIVALEN TRACKS WERE ANNOUNCED!

Now, we don't know the artists who will be performing them, but we do know the songs' names and writers, and from those some guesses can also be made. Also, keep in mind we'll get jokers later (and I read somewhere that SVT, the Swedish TV channel that runs Melodifestivalen, is going after big writers for that, and that those writers will get to choose who sings their songs, but I'm not sure if that's true). However, here's the list, taken from Aftonbladet, with random comments:

(This post will be updated throughout the day over the next few weeks as I think of things or read things, so if you're interested, check back a few times. Update: I just added in all of Aftonbladet's predictions for who the performers will be. Keep in mind that the man in charge of these songs, Christer Björkman, said only about half of the artists were set, so this includes some speculation and things could change. Latest update: updated to include all the info from the always-in-the-know Ronny of QX. Latest update: new information from Gylleneskor. Latest update: Expressen claims to know the artists--still take this with a pinch of salt, but their artist predictions have been added where they differ from Aftonbladet's...which isn't very much at all.)

1.) "I got you" (Rodrigo Pencheff/Tobias Karlsson)
Well, I know Tobias Karlsson co-wrote that Jacques track I loved, "I Won't Forget"--very pop, that was. Rodrigo "Rigo" Pencheff has done some songs on his own (as in for a solo career) in the past...kind of Latin-y urban pop, I guess. However, both have apparently written for the singer Pauline in the past, who launched a less-than-successful comeback attempt this year...could this be the continuation of it? QX is betting it'll be Rigo who performs, though.
Aftonbladet artist prediction: Rigo
Expressen artist prediction: Topaz Soundsystem (which Rigo is part of)

2.) "Stay the night" (Anders Hansson/Mårten Sandén/Andreas Lundstedt/Tess Merkel/Lina Hedlund)
Do you see three critical names in that list? That's right, it's the new Alcazar! Along with Anders Hansson, who many see as being on a roll right now with his modern disco productions. Please let the song be at least as good as "We Keep On Rockin'" and not like "Inhibitions." QX reports that Alcazar will be performing the song and that it's a modern pop track in the style of the music they're doing now.
Aftonbladet artist prediction: Alcazar

3.) "Love, love, love" (Anders Hansson)
More Anders Hansson! A good thing. I wonder if Agnes will be in Melodifestivalen? She is just releasing an album this fall (i.e., not to tie in with Melodifestivalen), but she has recently worked with Anders. According to QX, Agnes will sing this song and it's up-tempo.
Aftonbladet artist prediction: Agnes

4.) "Show me heaven" (Susie Päivärinta, Calle Kindbom, Thomas G: son)
Real life responsibilities kept me from watching the announcement live, so I've got no idea why there are no authors here nor any song listed for 6. Edit: more G:son! Wow, that really fits with my (chronologically earlier, though here in text later) observation about the lack of schlager backlash. Plus, that first author is Susie of Lili & Susie, an old Swedish pop duo which QX writes will perform the song, an up-tempo dance track with a killer chorus.
Aftonbladet artist prediction: Lili & Susie

5.) "Med hjärtat fyllt av ljus" (Ingela "Pling" Forsman/Bobby Ljunggren)
Some big names there--Ingela "Pling" Forsman has been the lyricist for many schlager songs and Bobby Ljunggren's made a lot of contributions over the years too. Last year we did get "Empty Room" from him, but he's not all ballads...but QX says "Med hjärtat fyllt av ljus" is a big ballad that's intended for a big voice and has a good chance of being sung by Shirley Clamp.
Aftonbladet artist prediction: Shirley Clamp.

6.) "Alla" (Dimitri Stassos/Henrik Wikström/Irini Michas/Nina Karolidou
I've written about Irini in the past due to the music on her MySpace--she's at times done these uptempo dance-tracks (of the songs she sings, I like "Play," but I'm still in love with Verah's danceable "Fall Again" which, if I'm remembering correctly, she co-wrote; I've been waiting for a release of that forever), often with Greek influence, and with Dimitri Stassos, who co-wrote "Play" and who did things like "Hypnotized" by Sofia in the past, I wonder if we'll get another kind of pop Paparizou-type song here. QX reports that the songwriters want a singer with a Greek background to sing this rocky pop song with Greek lyrics (I think), tossing out names like Sofia and Daniel Mitsogiannis, while Gylleneskor predicts Sofia will sing the song.
Random: Verah's MySpace (which still has 'Fall Again," which you all should listen to anyway; it's enjoyable) has the demo of Sanna Nielsen's "Nobody Without You" on it.
Aftonbladet artist prediction: Sofia

7.) "What if?" (Robin Abrahamsson/Amir Aly/Maciel Numhauser)
Amir Aly co-wrote Rongedal's "Just A Minute" from last year, though that was with big Melodifestivalen name Henrik Wikström and the Rongedal brothers themselves. All three helped write Suzzie Tapper's "Visst finns mirakel." QX says "What If?" is neither a ballad nor an up-tempo song and is said to be similar to the aforementioned Suzzie Tapper song.
Aftonbladet artist prediction: country trio Cookies and Beans (with Frida Öhrn, the singer of Oh Laura)

8.) "Så vill stjärnorna" (Ingela Pling Forsman/Bobby Ljunggren/Marcos Ubeda)
See 5 for comments on the first two writers. Aftonbladet points out that Marcos Ubeda wrote Afro-Dite's "Never Let It Go." QX says that it's a schlager ballad of the old sort with a good chance of being sung by Molly Sandén, who took third in Junior Eurovision with the excellent schlager ballad "Det finaste någon kan få." If this song is as good as that one, I'd be very pleased.
Aftonbladet artist prediction: Molly Sandén

9.) "Människobarn" (Ingela Pling Forsman/Bobby Ljunggren/Henrik Wikström)
More Pling and Ljunggren, as well as another big name, Henrik Wikström.
Aftonbladet artist prediction: Susanne Alfvengren

10.) "Never been here before" (Jennifer Brown/Peter Kvint)
Jennifer Brown! There had been rumors she might be in Melodifestivalen after she recently signed to a record company that frequently sends people to the contest. She's got sort of a soulful voice, but her last few albums were pop, though of a kind of...organic type. "Tuesday Afternoon" is her big hit, though I prefer the single "Alive" and (even more so) album track "Trouble In Mind." Peter Kvint often works on Andreas Johnson or Sebastian's songs. QX says Jennifer will in fact sing the song, a soul ballad.
Aftonbladet artist prediction: Jennifer Brown.

11.) "Tick Tock" (Johan Nylander/Matti Alfonsetti)
MSN reports that Nina Söderquist, a musical star, will be singing this song. It's written by people who have written songs for the Poodles and Nina describes it as a tough rock song with a lot of energy.
Aftonbladet artist prediction: Nina Söderquist

12.) "Killing Me Tenderly" (Amir Aly/Henrik Wikström/Tobbe Pettersen)
Apparently this song is in a style a bit similar to Duffy's and was originally intended for Brolle, who won't be able to sing it since he'll be doing a musical instead. Gylleneskor suggests that his girlfriend, Elin Lanto, might sing the song instead.
Expressen artist prediction: Elin Lanto

13.) "It's My Life" (Alexander Bard, Bobby Ljunggren, Oskar Holter)
Alexander Bard, currently a member of BWO? Are we seeing BWO again? And with Bobby Ljunggren, a good thing. QX writes that this pop song is NOT for BWO.
Aftonbladet artist prediction: Amy Diamond.

14.) "Moving On" (Sarah Dawn Finer/Fredrik Kempe)
The return of Sarah Dawn Finer to Melodifestivalen; she entered the adult contemporary but still lovely "I Remember Love" in 2006. But with Fredrik Kempe, the uptempo pop-schlager-disco master of the past few years (Charlotte Perrelli's "Hero," Måns Zelmerlöw's "Cara Mia," and others)? QX says the song is a powerful ballad, but one that's totally different from "I Remember Love."
Aftonbladet artist prediction: Sarah Dawn Finer

15.) "Hope and glory" (Fredrik Kempe/Måns Zelmerlöw/Henrik Wikström)
One of Måns's tracks made it! And it's with Kempe and Wikström, no less. Color me VERY excited to see this one, though some people will be wondering if Måns and this team can recapture former glories. QX reports that the song is said to be a strong and modern pop track.
Aftonbladet artist prediction: Måns Zelmerlöw

16.) "Higher" (Johan Fjellström/Johan Udd/Johan Becker)
Aftonbladet points out that Johan Becker was in Fame Factory. Edit: Oswalds Popcorn points out that those writers mean this is quite possibly a Starpilots track--you know, as in that great dance song "In The Heat Of The Night" from this summer. QX points out that two of those authors gave us Verona's "La Musica" in 2006.
Aftonbladet artist prediction: Johan Becker, possibly with Star Pilots (though apparently there's been some line-up switching going on or something, I think)

17.) "You're not alone" (Fredrik Kempe/Alexander Bard/Anders Hansson)
Oh. My. Gosh. Whoever gets this track is one lucky singer. Fredrik Kempe, who, as mentioned before, has given us several classics recently, Alexander Bard currently of BWO but formerly of Alcazar and Army of Lovers, and Anders Hansson, also formerly of Alcazar but currently of Alcazar, too, as well as songs like Agnes's "On And On." Sounds like it could be pop paradise. According to QX, though, it's a ballad. I'm already having visions of BWO winning with a song I like substantially less than "Temple Of Love" or "Lay Your Love On Me."
Aftonbladet artist prediction: BWO.

18.) "Snälla snälla" (Caroline af Ugglas/Heniz Liljedahl)
Oh no. Not 2006's Caroline af Ugglas again.
Aftonbladet artist prediction: Caroline af Ugglas

19.) "Här för mig själv" (Thomas G:son/Marcos Ubeda)
The Schlagerboys will be glad to see schlager writer Thomas G:son back in Melodifestivalen. This, though, is not a schlager song, according to QX.
Aftonbladet artist prediction: Maja Gullstrand

20.) "Jag ska slåss i dina kvarter" (Lasse Lindh)
Lasse Lindh's lack of success in this year's Melodifestivalen doesn't seem to have scared him off from entering another song, though whether or not he'll perform it remains to be seen--in 2006, he refused to perform a song of his that was selected, causing the song to be disqualified. Someone else could end up singing this, though QX and Aftonbladet's guess is it'll be Lasse himself.
Aftonbladet artist prediction: Lasse Lindh

21.) "Du vinner över mig" (Tomas G:son)
More excitement for the Schlagerboys. Hmm...there was talk about there being some sort of anti-schlager backlash after Charlotte's disco-pop "Hero" didn't go over so well, but some of the names so far don't seem to go with that. Then again, we've also seen some very modern pop names, too. At any rate, QX writes that this is a melodious rock song.
Aftonbladet artist prediction: Mikael Rickfors

22.) "Jag tror på oss" (Lars Dille Didriksson/Martin Hedström/Ingela Pling Forsman)
More names we're not surprised to see in Melodifestivalen. This, though, is the exact team that gave us Linda Bengtzing's "Jag ljuger så bra." Do you have any idea how happy I'd be if we got another schlager song that fantastic? And I'd love to see lovely Linda back in Melodifestivalen. QX says she sang on the demo, but it's questionable whether she'll perform it at Melodifestivalen. The song is fast Swedish guitar pop with a sharp chorus.
Aftonbladet artist prediction: Linda Bengtzing

23.) "Esta Noche" (Michael Xavier Barrazza/Jimmy Almgren/Adam Soleiman)
Expressen artist prediction: Jimmy Almgren and Adam Soliman

24.) "1000 miles" (Niklas Jarl/David Stenmark)
Now this is interesting! David is of course the brother of my much-beloved Martin Stenmarck (I don't think he deserved to win in 2005, but he's done so much I love). However, that doesn't necessarily mean this is a Martin track (though he's co-written most of Martin's tracks from his past two albums)--when Niklas Jarl and David Stenmarck have worked together in the past, it's been pop at times (Westlife, A*Teens, though not the big tracks you'd know). Then again, most of what I've heard from Jarl recently has been in that rockier direction, and David's success with Martin has certainly been with a rocky sound. Gylleneskor says the Poodles did the demo, but Christer Björkman will probably try to get Martin Stenmarck to perform it.
Aftonbladet artist prediction: Martin Stenmarck
Expressen artist prediction: the Poodles or Martin Stenmarck

25.) "You're my world" (Emilia Rydberg/Fredrik Figge Bodström)
Emilia of "Big Big World" fame (potentially) in Melodifestivalen--she went Swedish language for a while, but then switched back to English with a cover. If she's to perform this, it looks like that's sticking.
Aftonbladet artist prediction: Emilia

26.) "The Queen" (Tony Nilsson/Henrik Jansson)
Tony Nilsson! You all know how much I love him--his tracks are Ola's great ones ("Natalie," "S.O.S.," "Can't Get Enough," "Love In Stereo," "Feelgood), and as I wrote a few days ago, I think he wrote Elin Lanto's "Discotheque." I'm so thrilled to see we'll be getting a song from him. Will Ola perform it? He's been the main vehicle for Tony's songs recently, but who knows, especially if that Elin song is his; he may be branching out. QX backs that up, saying that they've heard the song is intended for a female singer.
Aftonbladet artist prediction: Ola

27.) "Welcome to my life" (Samuel Waermö/Didrik Thott)
Names I'm more familiar with outside Melodifestivalen. Didrik Thott has done songs like "If You Don't Mean It" (originally by Dean Geyer, now by Swedish Idol winner Markus Fagervall) and Westlife's uptempo and underrated "Hit You With The Real Thing." Samuel Waermö's a little all over the place--some work with Clay Aiken, some work with Helena Paparizou ("Mambo"), some work with Jimmy Jansson. QX reports that it's likely Jonathan Fagerlund (ooo! I've loved his singles--is he ready for a contest like this, though?) will sing this song (he's just worked with Waermö) and that this is melodic boy pop.
Aftonbladet artist prediction: Jonathan Fagerlund

28.) "Den första kyssen” (Lina Eriksson och Målgan B:son)
Last year we got the first swallow...and this year the first kiss. The second songwriter's name is, as QX points out, clearly a pseudonym.
Aftonbladet artist prediction: Lasse Stefanz