Come Oscar time, Canadian entertainers Justin Bieber, Avril Lavigne, Alanis Morissette and Metric could potentially be taking the stage to perform, after landing on a long list of contenders for the Academy Award for best original song.

Altogether, 41 songs are being considered, with many tracks featuring notable pop artists.

Teen sensation Bieber lent his voice to the remake of The Karate Kid, performing the song Never Say Never alongside the movie's young star, Jaden Smith, while pop singer Lavigne wrote and performs the mid-tempo rock ballad Alice for Tim Burton's Alice in Wonderland adaptation.

Morissette both performed and co-wrote the eastern-influenced I Remain for the action blockbuster Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time.

All Yours, Canadian band Metric's contribution to another box office behemoth, The Twilight Saga: Eclipse, is also in the running.Other notable contenders on the Oscar list include:

* Welcome to Burlesque, You Haven't Seen the Last of Me and Bound to You from the song-and-dance extravaganza Burlesque (Veteran Cher performs the first two Diane Warren-penned tracks, while star Christina Aguilera co-wrote and sings the third).
* There's a Place for Us, co-written and sung by chart-topping pop-country artist Carrie Underwood for The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader.
* Me and Tennessee (Country Strong), which Coldplay's Chris Martin wrote for his wife and the film's lead, Gwyneth Paltrow, to sing with co-star Tim McGraw. Coming Home, another track from the film (performed by Paltrow and written by Diane Warren), is also nominated.
* Better Days, from Eat Pray Love, written and performed by Pearl Jam's Eddie Vedder.
* Sticks & Stones from How to Train Your Dragon, written and performed by Jonsi Birgisson, frontman of the Icelandic rock band Sigur Ros.
* Despicable Me and Prettiest Girls from the animated film Despicable Me, both by hip hop producer and performer Pharrell.
* Nothing, performed and co-written by Janet Jackson for the film Why Did I Get Married Too (in which she also appears).
* Shine, written and performed by John Legend for the documentary Waiting for Superman.
* Chanson Illusionist, the jaunty main tune from animated film The Illusionist, composed by the filmmaker, Sylvain Chomet.
* We Belong Together, from Toy Story 3, by acclaimed songwriter Randy Newman.
* If I Rise, from survival film 127 Hours, performed by Dido and A.R. Rahman, who also wrote the music (lyrics by Dido and Rollo Armstrong).
* I See the Light, from Tangled, the recent animated retelling of Rapunzel, performed by the film's stars, Mandy Moore and Zach Levi, co-written by eight-time Oscar-winning composer Alan Menken.

A complete list is available on the website of the U.S. Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, which organizes the Oscars each year.

An expected five best song finalists will be unveiled on Jan. 25, when the nominees in all Oscar categories will be announced.

The 83rd Academy Awards gala, hosted by actors James Franco and Anne Hathaway, will take place Feb. 27 at Hollywood's Kodak Theatre.