Well. This I most certainly was not expecting. I mean I had an inkling Diane would be quick out the blocks (as is seemingly customary for Country songs) and knew I'd have a chance to potentially enjoy leading the scoreboard for a short while but was sure the points would soon dry up. However it racked up plenty of support outside the assumed target audience as well! What a fantastic way to round out the year, don't think it'll be quite enough to beat my YE position of 14th from 2016 but it's my first top 5 since April 2016 and in fact a new peak position. Didn't think we'd ever get back up there after so many stalls at the lower end of the top 10.

 

Huge thanks to all the voters, certainly received some big hauls from nations I don't often appeal to which is fab. Think I got four +18s which matches my record, probably my most voted entry ever as well despite the smaller field. Coincidentally the only other time I've finished second in any BJSC-affiliated contest it was also to Ultraviolenceland (that being Rejects 2017). And much like then, they ultimately finished streets ahead (even managing to win with a deduction iirc on that occasion). Thumbs is a brilliant song (second best winner this year imo after Emerald Princess) so absolutely fine to come second to that. Many congrats Ultra on both your third victory and winning on an anniversary entry!

 

As I mentioned previously, the pop in this contest was amazing. 4 of my top 6 votes falling under that umbrella and of course loved my own entry. For the record, Country is possibly one of my least favourite genres in general but when I discovered Diane I was very much on board from listen #1. Just can't beat an infectious chorus sometimes. Having said all that, Gam Gam was utterly sensational so a real shame to see that in the bottom 10. Another 18 to Summericia though AND an +18 swap which I believe is only the second occurrence of that (with the other being with Danaelanda (as they were known then) back in BJSC 90).

 

Quite frustrating positions for 2 other faves in Hushkanukia & Oslol (the latter in particular for losing out to a rare Danæviia entry I didn't particularly like) but Fljótavík & Wholune finishing top 10 is extremely pleasing. Be interesting to see if the latter were close to be eliminated in the Semis due to the deduction! Budtar & Thelonia also both deserved higher placings.

 

Thanks for hosting Liam, smoothly run as ever. Definitely glad I saved Diane for a Unovia contest (if anything just to have the best chance at qualifying but I'd imagine it was pretty nailed on haha). And yes just caught your message Dan, appreciate the committed campaigning on Dobago's behalf. One day there'll be a Dobago-Thelonia top 2 I'm telling ya.

 

So yes, another year of BJSC done! Thanks to everyone who continue to make this my favourite aspect of the site and long may it continue. #Essayover #Ishoulddothesemoreoften

 

And finally, a first ever possibility of an auto-qualifier! :o Chance to get next year off to a strong start too ^_^

Thanks Liam for doing this *.* not entirely sure of my position right now with those scoreboard differences butttt looks like I'm definitely top 20, hooray! :cheer:

 

A year of two halves as 5/10 of my results were top 20s (four of those top 10s!!) and the other 5 ranged from 24th to DNQ. What a rollercoaster!

Oh I stayed top 10 hooray! Not a unique position but it's one higher than Precious Little got to! I'm not even sad I fell down as it's so lovely being in the top 10 again after so many flops this year. I love that piano/classical instrumentals seem to appeal across the board here as they can just speak so many words and hit the right spots emotionally :wub: Thank you all very much for voting! Hopefully I can scrape a decent YE position out of this.

 

On the actual results, I'm...not as positive. I don't really get Thumbs that much and I'm not a big fan of songs that are very well known anyway landsliding so much even if it is an anniversary entry, a lot of this final wasn't to my tastes and that's reflected in only two of my votes being in the top 10 so I suppose there was always the risk I was going to be disappointed, anyway moaning aside, congrats Sam on a third win! I hope this brings you back to us (Movies needs you!).

 

Espen really shouldn't have been last too, what happened there? </3

 

Thank you for hosting Liam and thanks all for another great year (and indeed decade) of BJSC. Now for another battle to begin ;o

4th?! :o didn’t think any of my entries would have got anywhere close to top 10 so top 5 is incredible, thanks so much if you loved it!

 

some really surprising voting after reading through properly, as i’ve been out this evening - some points from countries i didn’t think would have voted + zero from countries it definitely should have appealed to! interesting!

 

thanks so much liam for hosting + well done to everyone that’s happy! :wub:

Right, it looks like Liam's spreadsheet is missing Oslol's 1 to 7 pointers (Harmonica, Hushkanukia, New Lexico, Budtar, Ultraviolenceland, Arcodesia and Holland-Oats missing 7/6/5/4/3/2/1 points respectively) and has given Skall's 18 to Sandénia instead of Rolloland, all points match with my scoreboard otherwise so I think my list should be correct!

 

Happy with 29th for Vegyn, very similar to how I did last month (actually slightly better) as I was expecting! (Sadly narrowly avoiding a unique position again though, 30th proving very evasive xx). These kind of vague background music esque instrumentals are hardly ever going to be huge hits so once again just happy I made the final and got a couple of medal positions. Tis my 100th entry anniversary at last in January eek! And... I'll be sending something that I am not at all confident will even qualify :magic: but feels appropriate x

 

Stunned at 'Diane' coming as high as 2nd but I'm very here for it, when even I am liking a country entry it has to be a good sign (even if Jade and Chez are still side-eyeing me for liking this song :kink:), well done Dobbo on ending the year with a new peak after so many great entries of yours in a row doing disappointingly badly! Also good to see FLJ top 3 (despite the winning predictions that's probably higher than I'd have predicted for it), Aeroche back where they belong in the top 10 (happy that it's done better than 'O'), and Unovia/Terra Avium/Danæviia providing a very solid trio at the lower end of the top 10. That's 6 of the top 10 that I actually voted for, four of which got at least 9 points, pretty solid result! Wholune as high as 7th is a bit of a surprise even after the good omen of them surviving a 33% deduction, didn't care for this song at all but congrats on a third good result in a row xx Nice for Harmonica and Jadakissnia making the top 20 and Singerpurear nearly doing so too (I hoped for slightly better for the latter but 21st is still alright, better than the previous Army Of Lovers entry at least). I think the only really disappointing result this time is République d'Áskorza only coming 28th as this was their best entry in a very very long time. Taahino, Thelonia and Espen didn't deserve to come so low either though I didn't quite vote for any of them so I didn't help oop ~

 

Thanks for hosting Liam! (and may we get the semi-final scoreboards when you have a moment pls? :3)

Well done Sam!! Was a strong pop song likewise with Dobago. Pleased with Fljóvatík in 3rd. Would have been happy for any of the top 3 winning tbh.

 

Pleased FSR Rontvia outperformed people's expectations, sounded straight away like a small hit to me.

 

Not too fussed on finishing 32nd, didn't want to end up nearer the bottom but am just glad to avoid bottom 5 territory tbh. Success is finally getting a song into the final of the last contest of the year for the first time since 2016!

Edited December 8, 20195 yr by Rob S~

Yeah you're right Bray, that was prep fatigue talking idk how I missed those :lol: I guess the 18 to someone else is enough if I clicked wrong on the spreadsheet.

 

I'll post the spreadsheets tomorrow when I;m back on my laptop, Fljotavik won semi 1 by quite some way and Scherzland won semi 2 like 10 points ahead of FARC

10th on tiebreak after finishing 11th last month!!! every point really does count, thanks all 21.

 

It's just occurred to me that I moved your song up one point in my votes at the last second, so that one change resulted in your song getting into the top 10 over Alyssa Reid, single-handedly makes the top 10 significantly better...!

Congratulations UV always loved "Thumbs"so can't complain at it!!

My best position in years, may not be Top 10 or anything but I'm chuffed with that! Amazing winner too, a really good contest even if people called it weak overall.

Wow, loved being top 5 early on, alas it was too good to be true but I'm elated to finally get a top 20 this year at the last opportunity!

 

Yes at 'Thumbs' finally getting the hit status it deserved all along. Congrats Sam!

 

'Diane' was a former potential of mine too so that makes 3 of us :lol: I never could've imagined it being anywhere near top 2, what kind of taste!

 

Really good results on the whole, just would've liked Perfume and Hardwell to finish higher and Espen really didn't deserve last. Thanks Liam for hosting :D

Spreadsheet (I haven't had time to put Bray's corrections in for the final in yet so it'll still be a tad off)

 

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1C75...dit?usp=sharing

I knew that I was right to be worried about that semi!! Phew. Top 20 in the final feels even better now! 5 points from Beaver *.*

Wait silas gave me 12 in the semi final :o I'm shook tbh

Thanks Liam! Relatively close to DNQing again eep but at least I wasn't literally scraping 18th this time ~

 

I see that Land of DW only just scraped through but then did quite a bit better in the final, could just be down to the usual distortion between semi and final results but I wonder if that was a song that just genuinely grew on a lot of people, it certainly did for me (going from 0 in the semi to 5 points in the final).

#BJSCSoStr8

 

I thought mine would be a surefire hit, not a nearly-NQ again only saved by 2 top scores in the semi!

This is how Vülkyria voted, albeit 1h14min after the deadline:

 

18. Ojnoj // SONNIKU - Sweat (feat. LIZ)

15. Scherzland // Kah-Lo - Exit Sign

13. République d'Áskorza // Incognet - Back For

12. Oslol // Alyssa Reid - Satisfaction Guaranteed

11. Espen // Claire Laffut & Yseult - Nudes

10. Singerpurear // Army Of Lovers - Crucified

09. Fljótavík // The Subs vs. Tsar B - Flesh & Bones

08. United States of Jack // M.O - Ex At The Party

07. Danæviia // CloudNone & Laura Brehm - Changed

06. FARC // shades. - dance when I'm 72.

05. The Actual Republic of Bellamia // Conan Gray - Maniac

04. Thelonia // Big Gigantic - Where I Wanna Be

03. Jadakissnia // OTHERLiiNE - Chimes

02. Jupiterdonia // SSION - At Least The Sky Is Blue (feat. Ariel Pink)

01. New Lexico // Lea Rue - Watching You (Gaillard Remix)

 

Sorry everyone, I hope my failure to vote by midnight didn't stop anyone from having a better result.

 

SWEAT is an absolute gem be should've won by a landslide though.

omg. scherzland would have come 3rd :cry:

Ooft. I woulda finished 5 places higher in 12th place!

Has Sam even seen that she won yet? xx