Eurovision 2020 - Top 41

2020 was set to be the 65th anniversary of the biggest music celebration in the world, joining together 41 nations from across Europe and beyond to share their culture and lifestyles through music. In December 2019, a novel strain of the coronavirus was discovered in a market in the province of Wuhan, China. Early attempts were made to hide the infection in China, however it was spread to neighbouring country South Korea, as well as Iran and Italy. As the infection rate grew rapidly across the world, many major events, including Glastonbury, The Olympics, The Men's Football World Cup and Wimbledon have been either postponed or cancelled. 

On 6th march, NPO stated that a decision regarding the event would be announced in the coming weeks, with both the EBU and fans knowing that with numerous travel bans and states of emergency, the contest would not be in its traditional form. 

Essentially, there was 4 options:

Delay: This would mean that the contest would not take place in may as planned, but would instead be delayed to a later date, possibly even by a year. In my opinion, this just wasn't feasible due to the fact that firstly, The Ahoy arena, which was to host the event plus the staff, lighting and camera equipment ect... can be booked out more then a year ahead of time, therefore there was no guarantee, had a solid date been set for October, for example that everything would have been available. 

As well as this, delaying the contest would have most likely resulted in a breach of  a key Eurovision rule, as all of the songs will have been known way before the 1st September, which not only means that all national finals would not have gone ahead, which is not only a huge part of the Eurovision calendar, but also a big money maker for a lot of the nations; but also, it is possible for songs to expire within a year, and artists may have changed their musical style within a year (cough cough Leonore Andrade AKA ELLA) and making a performer sing a year old song just wouldn't feel right.

Remote Contest: Each country would perform in their own country and telecast in their performance with hosts in The Netherlands. This was rejected by Yulia Samoylova in 2017 and rejected this year too, due to the fact that it simply would not be a fair contest. One of the most humbling aspects of Eurovision is that it gives countries, such as Moldova, Georgia, and San Marino an equal chance to show off their act to a global audience, that they would never get otherwise. Allowing Sweden to perform at the Globen Arena, whilst San Marino gets an empty dance studio simply isn't the spirit of Eurovision, and would probably result in a lot of moments like these:

Remote Contest Version 2: Instead of the acts performing the songs live from their countries their official videos are broadcast and the audience votes based on this. This presents the same issues as above, where we have Armenia's high budget revamp and video against a arena recording of Denmark without an audience.

Canellation: This was the option none of us wanted, however to me it was the most reasonable. Although the EBU will not allow this years songs to be used in the following edition, many countries have allowed the act from 2020 to represent them in 2021. 

I see many positives to this, not only do the acts get a whole year to write, record and perfect a song for 2021, they are able to use the feedback they got from 2020 in order to produce the best version of a song they possibly can. As well as this, they will already have built up a fanbase within the community, which will support them. Of course, it sucks for those who don't automatically get sent in 2021 however without Melodifestivalen, or Eesti Laul, Eurofans don't get a build up to the contest. 

ANYWAY, now it's time to get to my top 41, which is based on the latest official release on the Eurovision Youtube, which I felt I had to clarify thanks to Czech Republic. As always these are my personal opinions, and I invite you to share your opinions in the comments. Now, without further ado...

41) Georgia: Tornike Kipiani - Take Me As I Am (1/10)

This song is a true marmite song, some people love it, some people hate it. Unfortunately I am on the latter side, for me it just doesn't go anywhere beyond its poor lyrics, most of which don't make grammatical sense in English. I get the story of the song, a desire for acceptance, however diminishing the English, Spanish and Italian culture to just guys that speak, dress and dance well is just presumptuous and tasteless. Sorry Georgia, it's a firm no from me this year.

40) Australia: Montaigne - Don't Break Me (2/10)

Whilst the song itself isn't terrible, I find myself struggling to get past the first verse due to the mumbled, barely decipherable lyrics which just put me off the song, which is surprising for a native English speaking nation. Not only this, I wasn't a big fan of the live performance in Australia decides both visually and vocally, and I do believe other performances were better on the night.

39) The Netherlands: Jeangu Macrooy - Grow (2/10)

I can appreciate the artistry of the production, beyond the first chorus this just doesn't seem to well...grow. Jeangu's voice is very rich and deep, but sadly, the lack of dynamics in this song means he just doesn't get the opportunity to show off his range, plus songs like this do not allow for much staging, meaning that the staging probably would lack creativity.

38) Portugal: Elisa - Medo De Sentir ( Fear of Feeling) (2/10)

I just think it is forgettable, in the way that O Jardim was, with no real staging potential other than a few lights from the ceiling and maybe a piano on stage. Maybe it's just her style, but vocally I don't think she gives it 100% either, almost as if she doesn't quite believe in the song either. Qualifying would be out of the question for this I believe even in the second semi final.

37) Croatia: Damir Kedzo - Divlji Vjetre (Wild Wind) (2.5/10)

Whilst I am usually a sucker for a balkan ballad, this one just doesn't have the freshness that other modern ballads such as Kruna or even Adio had. I think the instrumental just doesn't have enough of a baltic sound, instead following the vocals, rather then having a main melody of its own, as with other balkan ballads. with a bit more oomph added to it, this would have been higher on my list, but as it is, its got to be low, sorry.

36) Poland: Alicja Szemplińska - Empires (2.5/10)

I am in disbelief that this is the final mix that the Polish delegation has sent to the EBU, it's as if they've taken the recording and filtered out all of the dynamics, so that the song has as little a punch as possible, which I didn't think was possible on an orchestral piece. Alicia does the best she can on the track, but with no real peaks or gains, this is lacklustre in my opinion.

35) Finland: Aksel - Looking Back (2.5/10)

I don't know why, but I am about 80% sure I have heard this EXACT song before elsewhere, however that cannot be, so i'll just go with saying that it sounds like every other ballad that is on the radio right now. As well as this the chorus is a bit weak, and doesn't really have a hook or anything memorable about it.

34) France: Tom Leeb - Mon Alliée (The Best in Me) (3/10)

C'mon guys, it's not that bad - but then again, it isn't great. For a song written by John Lundvik, Amir and Tom himself, it's definitely not the greatest effort, but I do think the stripped down official Eurovision has its charm, and I do enjoy Tom's rugged, breathy voice. Whilst it does fit lyrically, I think that the song would have been better had it have been all in French, but that's just personal preference.

33) Romania: ROXEN - Alcohol You (3/10)

Production values are high on this track, and the instrumental is enjoyable but I can't get my head around the lyrics, especially the "Alcohol you when I'm drunk" and "fake news" lines which I think is just cheap writing trying to sound hip and modern. Nevertheless, I think ROXEN is a capable performer (when she isn't using autotune whoops) and good stage would really elevate the song.

31) Spain: Blas Cantó - Universo (Universe) (3.5/10)

Now it's getting tough. Spain has got the big guns out this year, internally selecting star Blas as their entry. I think this year they've gone for the UK route, a safe, contemporary pop song, which would probably get radio play in Spain as Blas is such a star there, but Its definitely not a winner, left hand side of the board with the juries perhaps, but not a winner.

30) Moldova: Natalia Gordienko - Prison (3.5/10)

Another product of the Kirkorov machine, Moldova needn't even have a national final this year, as it was obvious that he, I mean, Natalia would win. Whilst I wasn't a fan of her performance with the glowing chairs in the national final the revamp, with good backing vocalists did wonders for the track, and really elevated it for me. My only critique would be that the track is slightly dated, but hey, old is the new new right?

29) Ireland: Lesley Roy - Story Of My Life (4/10)

Whilst I'm loving Lesley's energy in this song, the synth things right at the beginning and in the chorus didn't compress so well, and much like Sisters from last year, just sound like white noise through TV or phone speakers. Ignoring this, I like that Ireland have gone with something different this year, and the song itself has a good message.

28) North Macedonia: Vasil - You (4/10)

Welcome back Vasil, there's nothing wrong with this song, but it just doesn't stand out amongst the others. I think it would struggle to get jury points also, as there is no big vocal moments in the track, but I do like the vibe of it, and I reckon with a great routine on stage, the crowd would get on board with it.

27) Germany: Ben Dolic - Violent Thing (4.5/10)

When Germany first teased that a "big star" had been internally selected by broadcaster NDR, many people thought it would either be a returnee, perhaps Lena, or Roman Lob, or maybe even an international act such as Rammenstein (can you imagine?) I think we felt a little let down with the end result. Thats not to say that the song isn't good, but for me, it's just another song that i'd have on in the background.

26) Serbia: Hurricane - Hasta La Vista (See You Later) (5/10)

A powerhouse group formed of Eurovision 2016 entrant Sanja Vučić, Ivana Nikolić and daughter of 2015 entrant Ksenija Knežević, these girls definitely know how to ignite a stage and put on a show. This song is hot, and vocally, the girls are in perfect harmony, however the lyrics for me in verses don't sound as though they fit too well with the accompaniment, hence my lower score.

25) Greece: Stefania - Superg!rl (5.5/10)

I was a big fan of this one when it first came out, and I still love the ethnic pop vibe its got going on, and Stefania does well to sell it, however as more songs came out I found myself forgetting about this song bar the chorus, which is repetitive. Nevertheless, I would have like to have seen whether they would have carried the themes from the music video onto the stage, which would have been cool.

24) Belgium: Hooverphonic - Release Me (5.5/10)

Hooverphonic were one of the first acts to new announced for the contest this year, therefore fans were expecting a quality track, with all of the preparation time they had. I would say they delivered, the instrumental simplistic yet impactful, especially the broken guitar chords in each chorus. Vocally it doesn't really shine, but I think the juries would appreciate the composition of the track, perhaps just qualifying it.

23) Malta: Destiny - All Of My Love (6/10)

Whilst this song is a good bop, this is obviously a song that has been passed through delegations as potential songs throughout the years, and I just don't think it sounds authentic to Destiny nor does it showcase her vocal capabilities. I don't know, perhaps I'm expecting too much from her, but I prefer "Not My Soul", and I would prefer a her to sing a song like that, even though it was a Junior Eurovision song.

22) Denmark: Ben and Tan - Yes (6/10)

I'm saying yes to this track, its contemporary, fun and easy to listen to. I particularly like Ben's voice, as its unique and really gels well with Tan's. Whilst it was a shame that they didn't get to actually perform this song to a crowd, they both did well to keep up the energy of the song and sell it to the viewing audience at home.

21) San Marino: Senhit - Freaky! (6/10)

In my opinion "Obsessed" would have been the better song of the 2 to send, but regardless this song is still great, and Sent sure can dance! I'm not the biggest fan of the lyrics however I am loving that San Marino is sticking with the disco vibe that Serhat started, as it brings something different to the contest that no other country would dare to do.

20) Estonia: Uku Suviste - What Love Is (6.5/10)

I've been a fan of Uku's since he entered Eesti Laul in 2017 with "Supernatural", and I'm so glad that this year he finally got the win. I think that this does take a few listens before you warm to it, however it does sound quite dated, and almost Soviet in a way? Anyway, I think that Uku is very passionate in his delivery of the song, and the song could do more to show off his talents.

19) Switzerland: Gjon's Tears - Répondez-moi (Answer Me) (6.5/10)

This may be one of the runaway favourites this year, which I am only recently seeing the reason why. On first impressions, this song was just bland with too much screaming but wether it be me succumbing to the fan pressure or a sudden epiphany, I have begun to see the emotion behind the song, and Gjon's delivery is magical. I applaud SRG SSR for being bold, and choosing something different in your national tongue.

18) Austria: Vincent Bueno - Alive (6.5/10)

I think this is a really slick production, and wouldn't be out of place on radio stations around the world, as a Justin Timberlake meets Bruno mars RnB hit. I could see this really coming alive on stage with dancers, lighting and pyrotechnics, however I'm not too sure if this stands out amongst the rest of the tracks. Remember in 2016 when people used Justin Timberlake's interval act as a toilet break? I fear that would happen to Vincent.

17) Italy: Diodato - Fai Rumore (You Make Noise) (6.5/10)

Again, another track that took some time to get used to, but I find that the verses lead really well into the chorus, which is really captivating and uplifting. Overall, I just this that this song has a nice little package, nothing too in your face but then again nothing that we haven't seen before, which may have worked against him in the contest.

16) United Kingdom: James Newman - My last Breath (7/10)

Although I was again underwhelmed after being told by the BBC that a big star would be representing the UK, this isn't a bad effort at all. As per usual it's a safe entry, but I do like that they actually spent a bit of money on the production, especially the music video especially getting the legend Wim Hof to narrate and star in the video. I had hoped for more from the UK, but it is an entry that I can get behind and be proud of.

15) Cyprus: Sandro - Running (7/10)

I think everyone is really sleeping on this one, not only is it a really driven song, with a good beat suitable for partying to relaxing to, well, running, Sandro's vocals really shine on this track. Not many people could make the ooh and umm in the chorus sound good, but in this they compliment the instrumental and allow for the verses to take lead on the track.

14) Bulgaria: VICTORIA - Tears Getting Sober (7/10)

Don't get me wrong, this is something special. The composition is very crafted and sophisticated, but I don't think we see a lot of personality or individuality in the song, especially after the promo video we got of VICTORIA before the song was released. Nevertheless, vocally this is very strong and would have no troubles getting to the left hand side of the leaderboard.

13) Albania: Arlena Ara - Fall From the Sky (7.5/10)

Oh Albania, when will you learn? The last two songs that were kept in Albanian QUALIFED, the last 2 that were changed to English DIDN'T. What was a top 10 ranking in my list has been pushed down to 13 as this version just packs no punch. Vocally its a good performance, but the theatrics in the track, especially the instrumental before the final chorus are completely thrown away in the revamp, making it just another plain ballad.

12) Israel: Eden Alene - Feker Libi (My Beloved) (7.5/10)

Despite the fact that this song seems to bounce around a lot, not really settling on a standard structure, its memorable and catchy, with Eden seamlessly selling the song with her compelling vocals, and dancing. It seems that they already have a complete package ready, which would really ignite the stage in Rotterdam.

11) Latvia: Samanta Tina - Still Breathing (8/10)

I love this woman, I think she could send a recorded fart and i'd still love it. Seriously though this song is reviving the never forgotten dubstep musical genre in a way that Igranka never could, her vocals are on point, especially just before the drop, and Samanta just has such a great personality that you just feel like she's your best friend.

10) Belarus: VAL - Da Vidna (Until Dawn) (8.5/10)

In my opinion this is totally underrated, it's clean, well sung and the performance is creative and fun. Yeah, maybe their dance doesn't have the same amount of appeal as those from Lithuania or Iceland, it still deserves credit but going back to the song, it wouldn't be out of place on Spotify, which in these times is what gets the points.

9) Slovenia: Ana Soklič - Voda (Water) (8.5/10)

Wow. Definitely the biggest grower for me, after placing near the bottom after the national final performance, seeing her perform the revamped version in her back garden for the PrePartyES really made me appreciate the vocal capabilities of Ana, as well as the instrumental, especially the delicate little drip drops and big balkan band swells.

8) Armenia: Athena Manoukian - Chains On You (8.5/10)

The studio cut of this is verrrrryyyy good, even before the revamp in my position, feeding off of Nicki Minaj's "Chun Li" I think this is really authentic to Athena's style and attitude, and you can tell that she is loving all of the attention and lights on her. This isn't a typical Eurovision song, but neither was "Fuego", but I think this had the capability to do very well in the contest.

7) Czech Republic: Benny Cristo - Kemama (8.5/10)

Another curveball thrown out by the Czech Republic, although this song is a lot more devisive then their last few respectively. Despite the "hate" that the revamp got I kind of like the guitar, although I do agree that the mix isn't the best. Overall I'm liking the African inspired instrumental and mumble vocals, as its something unique, yet artistic but I can understand how its not a favourite for many others.

6) Lithuania: The Roop - On Fire (9/10)

After years of mediocre entries, Lithuania have finally found their golden ticket to a great, memorable finalist, perhaps even a winner. It's just so Eurovision, yet it can appeal to a wide audience through its simple, easy to remember lyrics and indie pop instrumental, a genre very popular now. As well as this, the dance has so much potential to become a viral hit, and really puts the icing on the cake.

5) Norway: Ulrikke - Attention (9/10)

For a long time this was top of my list, however I think the novelty wore off over time, making room for louder and bolder acts. Despite this, It's all very well having a beautiful ballad with a pyrotechnic curtain but it's Ulrikke that really makes this package, she's just in control of the tempo of the song from start to finish and really projects her vocals when the song calls for it.

4) Russia: Little Big - Uno (9.5/10)

Little Big are probably one of the biggest names ever to do Eurovision, and I think that they have really got it right. I love how silly this is, almost parodying Eurovision with the crazy costumes, combination of languages and outrageous dances, yet it's still just a good, authentic slav banger, which sticks in your head, and just makes you want to dance!

3) Azerbaijan: Efendi - Cleopatra (9.5/10)

What a surprise to hear such a LGBTQ+ friendly song from Azerbaijan of all places! This song is just so creative, borrowing Egyptian chord progressions and patterns, whilst also having a worldwide appeal due to its dance based drop before the last chorus which I believe would have ignited not only the pyrotechnics, but the land of fire's score on the leaderboard.

2) Iceland: Daði Freyr og Gagnamagnið - Think About Things (10/10)

It was hard deciding not to give this the number one spot, as it's just hilariously cheesy, but really popular worldwide due to marketing or sheer likeability is up for you to decide. Leading up to this, it was always going to be difficult to top Hatari from last year, however I think that Daði has gone above and beyond topping them, giving Iceland a really good chance at their first victory in the contest.

1) Ukraine: Go_A - Solovey (Nightingale) (10/10)

Where to even start with this song? it's just gorgeous, I'm in love with the white voice vocal style even from Tulia last year, but I think that this just has a lot more impact than "Fire Of Love", and really shows that Ukraine's females have more to offer then just poppy dance tunes or crazy stage props. The studio track has such a strong, modern beat to it, combined with traditional Ukranian whistles and bird song creates a perfect electro folk mixture which I feel really empowered to listen to.

So, that's my top 42! It is such a shame that we won't get to see these amazing songs on the big Eurovision stage, however we can all still support these artists by listening to their music, talking about the songs, and watching the replacement programming that the EBU and AVOTROS have produced. Let me know what you agree or disagree with in the comments.