A record 96 entertainers have put forward their names for a chance to take the Pic O De Crop title, the most ever.
Noticeably missing from the list released by the National Cultural Foundation this evening are former monarch Aziza and two-time winner iWeb and Smokey Burke who was hospitalised last year weeks before the finals.
By comparison, in 2017 the total number of entrants was 85 and last year, 73.
Cave Shepherd All Stars leads with 23. New tent, Shining Stars has 11. 
Rounding out the list are House of Soca with 22, Super Gladiators with 15, De Big Show with 12, and Stray Cats with ten.
In a new style competition, instead of a semi-finals, there will be preliminary judging of artistes, each doing one song instead of two. The final number will be slashed to 18 to go to the finals instead of nine, plus the reigning king.
The competition prize has moved from $10 500 and a vehicle to $100 000 cash or a BT Mazda truck. (NS)
