Top 10 Eurovision Songs That Should Have Won

Given that the 2019 winner, “Arcade” topped international charts after its win in Tel Aviv, it’s pretty bold to say another song should’ve taken the contest that year. But we’re here to say Norway’s entry, “Spirit in the Sky”, was the true crowd pleaser. Performed by Keiino, a band fronted by an indigenous Sámi rapper, the song married traditional Norwegian folk music with upbeat dance pop. Its bridge features traditional joik singing and a drumline and, honestly, what other country could say that? The song handily won the public vote, but only placed sixth when factoring in the jury vote.

Finland came to rock the continent. Lithuania came to ruffle some feathers. In 2006, a six-man band called LT United arrived in Athens, looking to break the country’s losing streak. While their boastful song didn’t end up netting them the win, the hubris, memorable lyrics, and straight-up hilarity of the song ranks it among one of the best to never win. The Greek audience wasn’t amused. They openly booed the song. But, the song still finished the contest in sixth place. It’s been a fan favorite ever since, and those who aren’t partial to Finland’s “Hard Rock Hallelujah” prefer it to this day.

Boney M. had Rasputin. Dschinghis Khan had, well, Genghis Khan. Clad in extravagant period costumes, the 1979 West German entry gave us a brutal history lesson wrapped in an infectious disco beat. What also set it apart was the staging. It may look tame compared to the thrills and horrors that would come later, but it was still early days for outrageous performances. The song itself was covered and translated into several different languages after the contest ended, despite it only placing fourth in the finals. If the length of the applause at the end is any indication, this stunt is just unforgettable.

It wasn’t necessarily unheard of for a “Eurovision” song to jump across the pond and make a splash on the US charts, but Spain’s 1973 entry was one of the most successful examples. The fact that it’s entirely in Spanish only makes the feat more impressive. “Eres tú,” or “It’s You” in English, was performed by the Spanish band Mocedades. Between the soaring choruses and the crystal clear vocals of Amaya Uranga, it’s no wonder the song broke into several non-competing countries’ music charts. “Eres tú” has been covered and translated plenty of times since its performance at the contest. Though Spain lost to a worthy winner, the beautiful “Tu te reconnaîtras” from Luxembourg, we think this one could have at least been a tie.

This one launched a few thousand villain origin stories. Talk to anyone who watched Italy’s Il Volo pour their souls into the passionate pop-opera single, “Grande Amore,” and you might actually be hit with the heat of a thousand suns. An explosion of vocal technique and passion, the song was an unprecedented success. They came third in the finals despite winning the public’s heart. The next year, Eurovision broke from decades of tradition, and overhauled the voting system to give the public vote more weight. We’re not saying “Grande Amore” actually broke Eurovision, but you could make a case.

Cyprus did not come to play in 2018. Eleni Foureira dazzled the stadium with a fiery, pop chart-friendly song of female empowerment. The hairography alone was worth the price of admission. On Grand Final night, this song had the crowd in Lisbon beside itself. “Fuego” is a catchy, well-produced dance hit, bursting with energy and sensuality. Even if you didn’t know it was a Eurovision entry, “Fuego” sounds like a hit single that would be at home in any country’s top 40. It finished in a strong second place, but some still think it deserved to be in the top spot.

Considering the amount of play this one got, it’s hard to believe that the United Kingdom only earned eighth place out of 23. From its opening synthesizer to its breathy chorus, Gina G’s “Ooh Aah… Just a Little Bit” is peak ‘90s techno Europop. Its electronic sound led to a charmingly awkward bit of staging. Old contest rules required every instrument used in the song to be physically present on stage, which is why there are two computers just chilling behind Gina G and her backup dancers. Despite its lackluster result in the 1996 Eurovision, the track found more success after the contest. It even made it to the 1998 Grammys as a nominee for Best Dance Recording.

For the first time in Eurovision’s long and complicated history, the contest was officially canceled as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Every participating country had already chosen and released their songs, and fans could only speculate who would’ve won. Iceland’s quirky, memeworthy, and genuinely brilliant “Think About Things” by Daði Freyr became the odds-on favorite. The song and its endearing, charmingly nerdy music video achieved viral success, helped along by the isolation of lockdowns and quarantines. To add insult to injury, if it had won, it would have been the country’s first-ever. Daði would get a second chance at the next year’s contest, where he and his band finished fourth.

Serbia’s winning song is a heartrending and powerful ballad, but Ukraine’s outlandish, semi-incoherent 2nd-place entry has more than earned its legendary status. In 2007, drag queen Verka Serduchka brought the house down with “Dancing Lasha Tumbai.” Despite allegations that the song’s gibberish title bore resemblance to the phrase, “Russia Goodbye,” the song managed to avoid an international incident, winning over millions of fans. When people talk about how unhinged Eurovision is, this is what they mean. It’s an overstimulating mix of campiness, joy, and sheer nonsense.

Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions.

“Ein Lied kann eine Brücke sein” (1975), Joy Fleming
Eurovision Just Wasn’t Ready for the Absolute Slayage of Germany’s Joy Fleming

“Hold Me Closer” (2022), Cornelia Jakobs
A Heartfelt & Powerful Pop Ballad from Sweden

“Is It True?” (2009), Yohanna
In Any Other Year, Iceland’s Runner-Up Finisher Would Have Killed the Competition

“Sound of Silence” (2016), Dami Im
Australia Nearly Swept Away the Competition in Their Second Year Competing

“Space Man” (2022), Sam Ryder
Sam Ryder Gave the UK Its Best Placement in the Contest Since 1998

Our twelve points go to Italy, for the classic song, “Volare.” Dome nico Modugno’s entry, known by its original name “Nel Blu Dipinto Di Blu,” already sounded timeless when he performed it at the 1958 contest. Despite placing 3rd overall, it is widely regarded as the contest’s first veritable hit record. Modugno won two awards at the very first Grammys ceremony in 1959, beating songs by English-language stars Frank Sinatra, Peggy Lee, and Perry Como. It has since been recorded by some of the most famous and beloved singers of all time, including Dean Martin and David Bowie. “Volare” became a point of national pride for Italy, and would inspire many more singers to try their hand at the contest.

Which of these losing entries gets your 12 points? Tell us in the comments.