The quality of the music and lyrics and especially the relationship between the two will be the main criteria in the judging, so go solo or team up with your favorite songwriting companion for this one. The winners will be announced in April and be asked to perform at the RWC Poetry Cafe.

So, if you’re in the area and meet this criteria, why not give this contest a whirl? Who knows, you could just be the next American songwriting phenom and tell Dylan it’s time to move over.

In past Eurovision contests, politics, international relations, neighborliness and dispersed populations all have played a role in slanting the votes in toward or against songs from differing nations. For instance, Finland has tended to give less votes to other Scandinavian nations while Iceland has tended to give more.

In order to even the playing field among nations, the Eurovision 2008 committee has decided upon a draw, which was announced today. This draw is more inclusive than in the past as half of the semi-finalists will move on as opposed to 2007, where only 36-percent were allowed forward.

Even though there has been biased in voting in the past, the Eurovision Song Contest winner has always needed votes from all countries to succeed. The Eurovision 2008 Song Contest will be no different and there are 43 countries participating this year.

The Eurovision Song Contest is one of the longest running television shows in history. Beginning in 1956 in Switzerland by the European Broadcasting Union, the Eurovision Song Contest was started as a way to unify war-torn Europe with international cooperation.

Eurovision 2008 Song Contest will be American Idol on steroids. While American Idol may pull in 30 million viewers on a good week, Eurovision 2008 is estimated to pull in somewhere between 100 million and 600 million viewers worldwide.

If you happen to be on the East coast and up the Vermont way, then why not stop into Burlington at 7 pm tonight on Church Street for the Starbucks Music Makers Competition. If you happen to be on the West coast up NoCal way, then you may wish to stop in San Jose this Sunday for the 4th Annual Songwriters Festival at the Montalvo Arts Center’s Garden Theatre as the event is happening all day.

And, if you’re an old rocker who isn’t yet confined to a rocker and would like to send your songs off to the Aging Well Rocks! Song Competition in Evanston, Illinois then follow the link on this post to do just that.

Traveling west from Middletown to the Midwest is a more lucrative contest, where the winner is gifted with $1500. The 2007 Great Lakes Songwriting Contest is open to those who live in the Great Lakes states (all eight) and the Province of Ontario. This contest closes in April 14. So, get those songwriting entries in and then mail off your taxes! Gotta have priorities, ya know.

The 28-year-old, Jacob Borshard shot the video for the contest using a webcam from his laptop computer. Congrats to Jacob. Have fun flying to Hollywood, recording your song and seeing the movie premier of “Music and Lyrics”.

Songs are currently being judged online by users until February 2 and then on February 3, Grant, Barrymore and a panel of expert judges from VH1 will pick the lucky winner who will be flown to Los Angeles for the premiere of the movie, Music and Lyrics as well as have their song professionally recorded.

The world premiere of the movie will also benefit the National Resources Defense Council, an environmental organization dedicated to preserving wildlife and wild places, with 1.2 million members worldwide.