It's that time of year, 30 days to go :cheer: Here are my semi final predictions as they stand at the moment;

 

Semi 1

 

1. Greece

2. Iceland

3. Belgium

4. Belarus

5. Slovakia

6. Albania

7. Finland

8. Serbia

9. Moldova

10. Bosnia-Herzegovina

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11. Latvia

12. Malta

13. Russia

14. Portugal

15. FYR Macedonia

16. Estonia

17. Poland

 

Semi 2

 

1. Azerbaijan

2. Croatia

3. Denmark

4. Turkey

5. Romania

6. Armenia

7. Israel

8. Ireland

9. Sweden

10. Cyprus

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11. Georgia

12. Switzerland

13. The Netherlands

14. Ukraine

15. Bulgaria

16. Lithuania

17. Slovenia

 

Final (using these qualifiers)

 

1. Azerbaijan

2. Germany

3. Croatia

4. Denmark

5. Romania

6. Turkey

7. Israel

8. Norway

9. Armenia

10. Greece

11. Ireland

12. Slovakia

13. Iceland

14. Belgium

15. Albania

16. Serbia

17. Spain

18. Belarus

19. Sweden

20. France

21. Finland

22. United Kingdom

23. Moldova

24. Bosnia-Herzegovina

25. Cyprus

I can agree with most of that, although I'm really not sure about Bosnia and Cyprus qualifying, plus Spain is a little high (I'd place that monstrosity last personally). An Azerbaijan win would be a huge anti-climax for me, but then looking at the competition, there isn't much that could challenge it. I still think France could be a surprise package.

Semi-2 looks spot on there (though I hope The Netherlands sneak through), and the final looks pretty believable too, but for Semi-1, I'd probably have put Moldova a bit higher, with Iceland lower. Hope Latvia can make it through over someone like Finland or Bosnia-Herzegovina. I'd say "hope Latvia can make it through over Greece", but there's no chance of that happening :kink: I really hope Greece doesn't do that well :puke2:

I can agree with most of that, although I'm really not sure about Bosnia and Cyprus qualifying, plus Spain is a little high (I'd place that monstrosity last personally). An Azerbaijan win would be a huge anti-climax for me, but then looking at the competition, there isn't much that could challenge it. I still think France could be a surprise package.

 

Same, but they are literally on the cusp. Spain is dire but it's doing very well in all of the pre contest fan polls which makes me think that last is not an option sadly :drama: I'm pretty sure it's going to be either Azerbaijan/Germany/Croatia/Denmark to win, depends which way people are voting and whether quirky pop, ethno-urban ballads or cheesy 80's throwbacks are the in thing on the night :lol:

Semi-2 looks spot on there (though I hope The Netherlands sneak through), and the final looks pretty believable too, but for Semi-1, I'd probably have put Moldova a bit higher, with Iceland lower. Hope Latvia can make it through over someone like Finland or Bosnia-Herzegovina. I'd say "hope Latvia can make it through over Greece", but there's no chance of that happening :kink: I really hope Greece doesn't do that well :puke2:

 

Greece's song is absolute crap but I can still see it winning semi 1 :drama: but that semi's so weak anyway that it doesn't matter as it doesn't stand a hope in hell of winning the final...

I don't think Greece will win semi 1........I'd say It'll probably come 3rd-5th

 

I also have a horrid feeling that Russia will qualify.....

Edited April 30, 201015 yr by Sabrewulf

I'd agree with most of semi-final one although to be fair positions 6-17 could be in any order and nobody would really give a rat's arse! I'd predict almost the same for semi 2 except I can see Cyprus losing out to Georgia in the battle of the ballads at the end and Sweden losing out in their block of three female ballads and being replaced with Ukraine. While I think Croatia's finish in their semi is pretty accurate I can't see it winning. Lower top ten me thinks, and as for Germany, it reeks of a fan favourite and I'd predict 11-15 for it. I agree that Spain will do better than people are thinking too, and although I think Azerbaijan is very much in the running, I see Denmark or Romania as much more likely outright winners (although that only applies to the latter should they keep the piano).

I'd agree with most of semi-final one although to be fair positions 6-17 could be in any order and nobody would really give a rat's arse! I'd predict almost the same for semi 2 except I can see Cyprus losing out to Georgia in the battle of the ballads at the end and Sweden losing out in their block of three female ballads and being replaced with Ukraine. While I think Croatia's finish in their semi is pretty accurate I can't see it winning. Lower top ten me thinks, and as for Germany, it reeks of a fan favourite and I'd predict 11-15 for it. I agree that Spain will do better than people are thinking too, and although I think Azerbaijan is very much in the running, I see Denmark or Romania as much more likely outright winners (although that only applies to the latter should they keep the piano).

 

Hopefully not as for me it absolutely p*sses over everything else here this year from a great height, but I can see what you mean. I still think Denmark will be a massive step back in the wrong direction if it wins considering all of our last 6 or 7 winners have been different and contemporary/standout, and going back to the late 90's/early 00's type ESC sound probably isn't going to be a great thing.

 

Don't get me wrong, I really like the song but haters will say 'blah blah typical Eurovision song, I hate Eurovision the songs all sound the same' etc...whereas the likes of Fairytale, Hard Rock Hallelujah and Wild Dances really stood out and offered something completely different. I really couldn't imagine In A Moment Like This being a chart hit anywhere apart from Scandinavia either, whereas Satellite has the most 'chart friendly' crossover potential I think, along with Playing With Fire, but we'll see - it's definitely quite wide open which is always good!

I'd agree with most of semi-final one although to be fair positions 6-17 could be in any order and nobody would really give a rat's arse! I'd predict almost the same for semi 2 except I can see Cyprus losing out to Georgia in the battle of the ballads at the end and Sweden losing out in their block of three female ballads and being replaced with Ukraine. While I think Croatia's finish in their semi is pretty accurate I can't see it winning. Lower top ten me thinks, and as for Germany, it reeks of a fan favourite and I'd predict 11-15 for it. I agree that Spain will do better than people are thinking too, and although I think Azerbaijan is very much in the running, I see Denmark or Romania as much more likely outright winners (although that only applies to the latter should they keep the piano).

 

Considering that "The Balkan Girls" had about 4 costume changes in the national final, and they had been reduced to zero at Eurovision, I expect the piano will, unfortunately, be gotten rid of :drama:

 

But it made an appearance in the music video, so all hope is not lost ^_^

 

I'll put everything I own on a top 5 finish for Armenia.

Hopefully not as for me it absolutely p*sses over everything else here this year from a great height, but I can see what you mean. I still think Denmark will be a massive step back in the wrong direction if it wins considering all of our last 6 or 7 winners have been different and contemporary/standout, and going back to the late 90's/early 00's type ESC sound probably isn't going to be a great thing.

 

Don't get me wrong, I really like the song but haters will say 'blah blah typical Eurovision song, I hate Eurovision the songs all sound the same' etc...whereas the likes of Fairytale, Hard Rock Hallelujah and Wild Dances really stood out and offered something completely different. I really couldn't imagine In A Moment Like This being a chart hit anywhere apart from Scandinavia either, whereas Satellite has the most 'chart friendly' crossover potential I think, along with Playing With Fire, but we'll see - it's definitely quite wide open which is always good!

 

I think Denmark is the front runner to be honest, and the majority of people I've played it to really like it. I've not really heard any complaints about it being dated, even though it quite clearly is, but people just seem to enjoy it for what it is, and I'd say that'll be the reaction. I don't really care if it's seen as a "typical" Eurovision song, considering this is the Eurovision Song Contest :lol:

 

If it is, as you say, exactly the kind of thing your average viewer expects from Eurovision, then I can't see many people complaining about it if it's exactly what they expect. It wouldn't set the charts alight, but it's a good quality song with a wide appeal. And a little like the Buzzjack Song Contest, I like songs winning Eurovision that you wouldn't get outside of Eurovision. Fairytale, after all, was one such song. OK it had something special, but it was far too folky to be a pop success and too mainstream to be taken seriously in folk circles. Eurovision is the only place it could find success, and it did, on a much larger scale than just Eurovision.

 

So while I am totally for mainstream, contemporary music at Eurovision, and encourage it wholeheartedly, what the contest is not, is a competition to find the song that could chart most successfully etc. I think that would make it quite dull :(

I think Denmark is the front runner to be honest, and the majority of people I've played it to really like it. I've not really heard any complaints about it being dated, even though it quite clearly is, but people just seem to enjoy it for what it is, and I'd say that'll be the reaction. I don't really care if it's seen as a "typical" Eurovision song, considering this is the Eurovision Song Contest :lol:

 

If it is, as you say, exactly the kind of thing your average viewer expects from Eurovision, then I can't see many people complaining about it if it's exactly what they expect. It wouldn't set the charts alight, but it's a good quality song with a wide appeal. And a little like the Buzzjack Song Contest, I like songs winning Eurovision that you wouldn't get outside of Eurovision. Fairytale, after all, was one such song. OK it had something special, but it was far too folky to be a pop success and too mainstream to be taken seriously in folk circles. Eurovision is the only place it could find success, and it did, on a much larger scale than just Eurovision.

 

So while I am totally for mainstream, contemporary music at Eurovision, and encourage it wholeheartedly, what the contest is not, is a competition to find the song that could chart most successfully etc. I think that would make it quite dull :(

 

I can definitely see where you're coming from but after last year in particular, where all of the top 4 were pretty big across Europe chartwise, in my mind this contest, in the download era of instant gratification, is a great platform to find new worldwide hits, and let the appeal of the songs last beyond one Saturday night. Maybe I'm expecting too much and last year was just too perfect, but I'd rather some breakout European smash like Fairytale won the contest again rather than regressing to some generic schalger thing winning. If a song is appealing enough to win the Eurovision, then I believe it should also be appealing enough to be a chart hit, the two shouldn't have to be separated. Eurovision's just a great opportunity to promote sounds and songs you might not hear on mainstream radio, but that could well smash on their own merits.

 

I do actually love In A Moment Like This and it sounds like I'm being really critical of it :drama: I don't mean to be, it's just so generic, and would be such a step back for

me if it won. And as for the BJSC comparison - that contest long stopped being about the best original/inspired song and is now about who can pick the hottest new UK release before anyone else. No wonder you stopped participating :lol:

I think the same top 3 as you, Rich.

 

Possibly in this order though:

 

Azerbaijan

Croatia

Germany

 

Maybe I'm biased cos they're my three favourite songs :P?

I'll put everything I own on a top 5 finish for Armenia.

Looks like you'll be a poor man come May 30th :P

When are the semi finals?

 

Oh, and GD you're sig should rephrased to:

 

"Are we in 2010, or 1987? Can Russia really reach the final with an utter abomination? Will Josh Dubovie join Jemini and Andy Abraham to finish last? Europe decides - May 25th-29th, Oslo

 

Azerbaijan, Germany, Ireland or Romania FTW :D

When are the semi finals?

 

Oh, and GD you're sig should rephrased to:

 

"Are we in 2010, or 1987? Can Russia really reach the final with an utter abomination? Will Josh Dubovie join Jemini and Andy Abraham to finish last? Europe decides - May 25th-29th, Oslo

 

Azerbaijan, Germany, Ireland or Romania FTW :D

 

25th and 27th of May, so starting in less than 2 weeks now!

If the semi's were based on my preferences, the order of both semi finals would be:

 

Semi 1

 

01. Iceland

02. Moldova

03. Albania

04. Belarus

05. Belgium

06. Slovakia

07. Bosnia-Herzegovina

08. Malta

09. Portugal

10. Estonia

----------------

11. Latvia

12. FYR Macedonia

13. Finland

14. Poland

15. Greece

16. Serbia

17. Russia

 

Yeah, like that's gonna happen!!! :lol:

 

Semi 2

 

01. Azerbaijan

02. Ireland

03. Romania

04. Denmark

05. Cyprus

06. Croatia

07. Georgia

08. Armenia

09. Bulgaria

10. Sweden

----------------

11. Israel

12. Turkey

13. Ukraine

14. The Netherlands

15. Switzerland

16. Lithuania

17. Slovenia

 

Again, I suspect this won't happen but I'm hopeful my top 6 at least can qualify from Semi 2.

Time to update this as things have changed;

 

Semi 1

 

1. Belgium

2. Slovakia

3. Iceland

4. Serbia

5. Greece

6. Albania

7. Moldova

8. Bosnia-Herzegovina

9. Belarus

10. Malta

----------------

11. Finland

12. Russia

----------------

13. Latvia

14. Portugal

15. Estonia

16. FYR Macedonia

17. Poland

 

The bottom five have almost certainly no chance of qualifying in my opinion. Otherwise it's pretty hard to call - Finland and Russia could easily take out Belarus and Malta. I am calling that top 5 but I can't call the order at all. Any of them could win it but I wouldn't be at all surprised to see Belgium do it :o

 

Semi 2

 

1. Azerbaijan

2. Croatia

3. Armenia

4. Turkey

5. Sweden

6. Israel

7. Ireland

8. Romania

9. Denmark

10. Georgia

----------------

11. Cyprus

12. Ukraine

----------------

13. Bulgaria

14. Switzerland

-----------------

15. The Netherlands

16. Lithuania

17. Slovenia

 

Cyprus and Ukraine have a chance of going in over either Denmark or Georgia. Bulgaria and Switzerland have a much smaller chance of qualifying but not an impossibility. I really really think the bottom three are going nowhere.

 

Final (using these qualifiers)

 

1. Azerbaijan

2. Germany

3. Croatia

4. Belgium

5. Armenia

6. Slovakia

7. Turkey

8. Ireland

9. Israel

10. Greece

11. Norway

12. Sweden

13. Denmark

14. Romania

15. Albania

16. Iceland

17. Serbia

18. Spain

19. Moldova

20. Georgia

21. Bosnia-Herzegovina

22. Malta

23. Belarus

24. France

25. United Kingdom

Off the back of Latvia's second rehearsal I wouldn't rule What For? out completely!

Off the back of Latvia's second rehearsal I wouldn't rule What For? out completely!

 

I didn't see it, although I was tempted to draw the line underneath Latvia but changed my mind at the last moment :lol: I guess it's a possibility, but the other 4 are almost certain DNQ's in my opinion.