1 hour ago, dandy* said:

Intriguing! I don’t think I won one for quite a while so looking forward to seeing what it is…

Oh it'll be an 18-pointer rather than a winner!

NB I probably won't post any more over the weekend so check back on Monday for 80.

This thread seems ambitious but looking forward to following along x

You certainly chose a controversial time to debut! That controversy of course being that I wasn't winning contests any more after my glorious heyday of 67-74 and still never have again to this day I am pretty sure I have received your top marks at least once but I won't spoil it for myself which song(s) that would have been as my memory isn't that good x

(Dan's comment in this thread also inspiring the new thread I just dropped, I started typing it out as a reply in this thread then realised it'd be a bit off topic and also massive)

I do have all past votes archived (well not all of them, but all since you joined x) so let me know if there's anything you can't find. I know a lot of old BJSC threads have been a bit ruined by the new site automatically converting YouTube links to embeds and breaking some formatting, plus probably a lot of stuff that's lost outside of my archive due to being posted as images which have since gone offline rather than text.

Pretty sure I've given you top marks on quite a few occasions actually! But couldn't confidently say how many so will leave that till they come around.

I think from scanning back through the forum the threads all appear to be viewable but will reach out if I get stuck, cheers.

BJSC 80

Host Country: Aeroche

Summary

The final contest of 2015 was our first of many visits to Aeroche and we were keen to keep up our qualifying streak (with an asterisk) to see out the year. We were very much still in the "pick something that's currently doing well in your personal chart and stands out a little bit" phase here and it just about seemed to be working so far. #00274E took the honours in this contest which was also notable for Kluminican Republic finishing runners-up for the second time in a row. #spoileralertbutnotreally it would be a LONG time before they finally shook off their bridesmaid tag. The host's 11th place finished ensured they prevailed in the EOY scoreboard. And yay for no controversy in this one (that I recall at least).

Dobago's Entry

Result: 31st

I'm always partial to a bit of what could be VERY loosely defined as 'happy hardcore'. I used to buy a lot of the Clubland X-Treme Hardcore/Hardcore Til I Die compilations as a teenager and German group ItaloBrothers tended to feature prominently on these tracklists. So I was already somewhat keeping tabs on them and stumbled across this recent release which was far, far more pop-leaning but still retained that out and out, balls to the wall instrumental breakdown for which they're familiar. Understandably likened to the likes of Basshunter and Scooter (one of my fave bands) we finally picked up some qualification predictions and the entry did not disappoint on that front, advancing a lot more comfortably than its predecessors. It would ultimately finish just outside of the top 30 but continued our run of gradually improving in terms of final position with each contest. So our first calendar year was complete with reasonable success, 3 out of 3 entries qualifying and picking up a small but solid fanbase. Plenty to build upon going into 2016!

Winning Entry

Country: #00274E

After giving top marks to a drum and bass song in the previous contest, it was a song from that same genre which took victory this time around. However, although much like the previous winner where I did throw a few (slightly fewer this time) points its way, this one definitely wasn't a huge standout for me. The production is on point as you'd expect from a heavyweight of the genre but I was never massively keen on the vocals. They're a bit too high-pitched all the way through. And the middle part of song where things slow down break up the energy a bit too much. I felt at the time that the extremely memorable music video may have possibly helped out its performance (back when videos played a stronger role in selling entries) although now having looked again at its winning margin that's probably a little unfair. It's a solid track but nothing that makes me desperate to here it again.

18-Pointer

Country: Fljótavík

Given the oversaturation of dance entries in this final it was perhaps quite an eyebrow raising choice of 18 from me (and indeed 15-pointer Du Swipa Höger). But every now and then a song just captures my attention for no specific reason and a combinations of factors just make me really enjoy it. The reggae-leaning sound with a choppy drumbeat sticks out right off the bat but it's really all about the soaring chorus for me. The gritty synths complement the vocal melody perfectly. Add in a funky post-chorus bass breakdown with a tinge of steel drums and there are plenty of elements to get on board with. The rather on the nose song title certainly didn't escape me either! That said, it's not a track I've revisited too often and I much prefer another entry of hers Body Bounce which appeared a couple of years later. In terms of this contest's songs, it would ultimately be Mirror Talk's 1/M/T that left the best lasting impression, a fantastic 80s-inspired number.

'1/M/T' is a huge favourite for me from that contest so I'm glad it has left a good lasting impression on you.

'Ghost' was the first winner I ever passed up on oops! I bookmarked it because the music video really stood out to me but I didn't quite love the song enough to send it. Typically, it then clicked while it was in the contest and I DNQed instead, never mind

Oh, didn't know that Delta Heavy is a BJSC winner!

12 minutes ago, Jade said:

'1/M/T' is a huge favourite for me from that contest so I'm glad it has left a good lasting impression on you.

'Ghost' was the first winner I ever passed up on oops! I bookmarked it because the music video really stood out to me but I didn't quite love the song enough to send it. Typically, it then clicked while it was in the contest and I DNQed instead, never mind

It certainly did. One thing I've noticed from the early contests is that I clearly hadn't formulated a good voting habit/strategy as there were many songs low/not in my votes that I ended up far preferring shortly afterwards.

And those are always d'oh moments! I don't think it's ever happened to me, the closest I can recall is Brianna - Lost In Istanbul which I very nearly sent a few months before it eventually finished 4th in its actual appearance.

BJSC 81

Host Country: Kluminican Republic

Summary

Into a new decade then and now with Dobago a fully established and integrated nation. After the traditional one month winter break I was very keen to get going with BJSC again, not least because I had found an entry that I was extremely curious about how it would perform. I don't recall off my head anything particularly noteworthy about this contest in general so on with the songs...

Dobago's Entry

Result: 5th

The contest where Dobago truly arrived. This deep house remix of an otherwise fairly ordinary French pop soul record (although I can't even seem to find that original anywhere, just a live version) qualified with ease and smashed the glass ceiling of the top 10 to land in an eventual 5th place. It was a song I had discovered sometime in late 2015 and noted it was gaining traction in a lot of European charts which I had been following more closely at the time. Perhaps another month or 2 and it would have been arousing the veto fairies. It certainly now stands as the most commercial song I've ever entered given its subsequent global performance, even being certified silver in the UK despite not charting (it did place at #57 on the sales only chart however) and has more combined Spotify streams than any of my 98 other entries to date. Its wide appeal certainly stretched into BJSC and I still love hearing it to this today. Deep house is simply luscious when done like this.

Winning Entry

Country: Deandria

This was an absolute landslide winner and one of the few to surpass the 400-point barrier. I get it, very VERY BJSC-friendly, slightly alt-leaning pop, towering chorus, quirky sounding vocals. But not my cup of tea. I do really like the chorus but the verses and bridges are extremely beige and drag on for far too long so you're left with most of the song not being very good. And the production is a bit too ploddy as well. About the most memorable thing for me was the spinning woman in the video. Now what was Spinning Adam's infamous Buzzjack tagline?

18-Pointer

Country: What

THIS is what I absolutely love BJSC for. Songs I would ordinarily never ever come across dragged out of the most random corners of the web. An Austrian lederhosen-wearing nu metal band who sing in both English and German. I can't say from memory that I've seeked out anything else from them truth be told (maybe I should change that one day) but they go down in Dobagan folklore for serving this chaotic banger. Those riffs, that towering vocal, the yodelling, all in one 4 minute sensory experience. Probably the closest thing I can compare it to is System of a Down's Chop Suey. And that's before we even mention that video *_* A top tier discovery that was deservedly rewarded with a top 10 finish. What happened to What?

I adore the happy hardcore/hands up/Italo/Euro dance sound, probably my favourite type of dance just for being a good load of fun and ItaloBrothers are very much great examples of that, including that song, very fun entry.

'Jesus Made Me Bad' I think I gave huge points to as well, it's one of those alt pop songs that BJSC occasionally throws up where the vocals and vibe (plus in this case, as you say, the instrumentation) are exactly what I want out of pop and then the track feels really addictive, that said, had near completely forgotten its existence so thanks for the reminder.

'Don't Be So Shy' and 'Sock N Doll' (intense entry envy at that one) are both incredible too, that was an amazing contest.

3 minutes ago, Iz 🌟 said:

'Don't Be So Shy' and 'Sock N Doll' (intense entry envy at that one) are both incredible too, that was an amazing contest.

Looking back at my votes that contest there's not actually too many songs I instantly recognise. Pegboard Nerds - Emoji I enjoyed a lot but otherwise would have to listen back to most of them to remind myself!

Okay what a post for BJSC 81 because 'Sock 'N' Doll' was my 15 that contest and I gave 'Don't Be So Shy' 13!!! *.*

(Doctor B's entry 'Two Hearts' by NZCA Lines was 18 if curious)

I think I gave top marks in the semi to What's debut entry from Diablo Swing Orchestra and was gutted when that DNQed. So, it was amazing to see KONTRUST faring a lot better for them. Maybe not my thing on paper but I was totally swept up by the madness both sonically and visually - what a fun entry.

Similarly I'm glad that 'Don't Be So Shy' was a breakthrough for your nation, still a gorgeous remix!

11 minutes ago, Dobbo said:

Looking back at my votes that contest there's not actually too many songs I instantly recognise. Pegboard Nerds - Emoji I enjoyed a lot but otherwise would have to listen back to most of them to remind myself!

I instinctively remember it because of finding excuses to hammer my entry between classes (was that obsessed with 'Requiem') but I've found my votes from there, it was back when I was still writing long essays for votes and it's full of classics beyond those already mentioned, 'Monody' especially as a song that's stuck as potentially a highlight of the entire 2010s for me, but also 'The Wandering Songstress' (an essential example of a retro Asian song), 'Merry Christmas Mr Lawrence' (a bit well known given its film attachment and how its samples have been used but a great archive pull nonetheless), great indie-pop from Trifoski's 'Take It Or Leave It', and even delights I'd completely forgotten the existence of like Beaverdonia sending a song called 'Ganjaman' that was a far more egregious Albatroaz ripoff than your debut.

I guess just a lot of songs that hit my niches and a contest where I definitely had the time to get them mostly permanently in my memory.

Ah yes the essay votes *_* Take It Or Leave It I gave 12 points so must have the hit mark back then. I recall Ganjaman vaguely, definitely the novelty-esque type of entry that usually goes down well with me. Monody was a tricky one as I really liked the instrumentation but wasn't a fan of the overly sickly vocals.

On 26/09/2025 at 20:34, Brer said:

plus probably a lot of stuff that's lost outside of my archive due to being posted as images which have since gone offline rather than text.

Well there's going to be even more of that now (at least for UK members who don't use a VPN... should probably look into that x)

My country thread tracks all the songs needed for this countdown up to a few years ago so we can cross that bridge if needed when the time comes.

Oh I’d completely forgotten all about Jesus Made Me Bad. Not a track I’ve really listened to at all since I entered it, but it’s okay enough listening just now - think I prefer the production to the lyrics

BJSC 82

Host Country: Danaelanda

Summary

After scoring our breakthrough hit we would have to sit out the next contest (the delegate was travelling in China at the time), which was a shame as it would have been a first visit to our close ally, then known as Danaelanda! Had we participated our entry would most likely have been Norde - Every Single Night, a breezy deep house track with an eccentric vocal delivery which was flying high in our Personal Chart at the time. I imagine this would have been a close call in terms of qualifying. As the contest was drawing to a close I gave the final a quick listen and at the time, was fully behind Lushington's You Got Me Baby for the win (which almost certainly would have been my 18-pointer) however it was another contender that took the spoils. That contender being Hilight Tribe's Free Tibet, which has gone down as one of the most unique winning songs of all time. It was when psytrance properly arrived and spawned a myriad of soundalike entries in the years to follow. These days Free Tibet stands in much higher stead for me than You Got Me Baby and goes down as one of my all time favourite discoveries.

'Free Tibet' is an iconic winner and one of the best examples of psytrance! I remember my vote being presented last, as deciding the winner that contest, so was very excited knowing what was about to take the crown *.* I thiiiiink Lushington was merely a commiseration for me but it grew a lot post-contest.

I think 82 was when I sent Harpe by Kenton Slash Demon as I remember being a bit gutted that something like Free Tibet was in the same contest as I felt it probably had a similar audience and was clearly going to do well (deservedly to be fair!) - but Harpe is one of my all time favourite entries and one I still listen to a lot now