I remember being quite fond of Y Así back in 2005, it didn’t deserve to DNQ.

10 Simone - Keine Mauern Mehr (1990, 10th)

There’s a very warm sound to this, especially from the harmonies in the chorus. It’s a joyous and memorable pop rock number that really stands out among some of the stern ballads they sent in surrounding years.

9 The Milestones - Falter Im Wind (1972, 5th)

An absolutely gorgeous folky number here with flutes and guitars and lovely, earnest and passionate singing. It reminds me of “Rainbow” by Marmalade which is one of my favourite early ‘70s songs.

8 Trackshittaz - Woki Mit Deim Popo (2012, DNQ)

Apparently this was written to keep people’s spirits up during the European debt crisis. And a huge pleasure it is too that I keep guiltily coming back to - how can it not get into your head. A hugely undeserved semifinal last place to add to there (mostly more deserved) 7 final last places.

7 JJ - Wasted Love (2025, 1st)

Their 3rd victory which won the jury vote and came 4th in the televote. The concept of the operatic twist wasn’t novel by this point, but I do think it’s a very well written song with the way it switches up, and a brilliant vocal performance.

6 Cesár Sampson - Nobody But You (2018, 3rd)

It was the jury winner but only 13th in the televote, finishing 3rd overall. It’s a very classy and well delivered self written soul ballad. The genre can be hard to make engaging, but this has a memorable chorus that helps it to deliver a punch.

Two amazing songs. The choruses of both are knock out!

5 Conchita Wurst - Rise Like A Phoenix (2014, 1st)

This feels like a huge winner when it comes to cultural significance. It’s a fantastic performance of an excellently written Bond style song. I don’t absolutely love the song - even as a Bond theme it wouldn’t be one of my favourites, but it certainly has all the drama and passion that a great winner should have.

4 Zoë - Loin D’Ici (2016, 13th)

Every bit of this is lovely to listen to, and it has a fresh and timeless quality to it. This didn’t really pop on the stage but I think it has deservedly become something of a classic of the contest, and I’ve heard it in the wild quite a bit more recently.

3 Udo Jürgens - Merci, Chérie (1966, 1st)

After a 6th place and a 4th place he gave Austria their 1st winner with this. His other entries are good too but a bit too similar to this so I left them out of the ranking. I love the rawness of this, as he sits at the piano almost in tears and gives such a sincere and straightforward performance, while the beautiful orchestration does its thing.

Try as I have, I find it difficult to listen to most entries from the 00s. I gave up watching in 2003 because I just wasn't enjoying any of the songs. In the 90s there were at least 3 or 4 each year that I could support.

Wasted Love is my favourite entry this decade. I still remember the first time I heard it. It brought similar chills that Gjon's Tears did. I did feel that the switch the dance part was a bit contrived and an obvious attempt to make it more than just an opera song, hoping it would bring in votes from non-opera fans. I did worry about how they were going to transition to it on stage.

I think Sergio Jaen did an excellent job with the staging. The "lost at sea" camera work was so well done. And it transitioned just fine.

I will say that JJs vocals were a bit shaky in places. Somehow that didn't stop the jury from giving it so many top marks.

Nobody But You is a bit too earnest in the verse but the rest is magical. I wasn't a fan at the time because I didn't hear it until the semi-final. I quickly grew to love it afterwards.

My thoughts on Rise Like a Phoenix are well known.

Loin D’Ici is a wonderful classic Eurovision song in the mould of Poupée de cire, poupée de son.

I found Wasted Love too contrived to enjoy unfortunately, it's like it was a meticulously crafted tick box exercise for jury points. I can't deny JJ's talent though. And the last 30 seconds of the track I enjoy for the switch up.

Conchita was a great winner for the contest, a grand sounding production and an amazing performance. But the studio version isn't exactly a track I rush to play, and I feel this is why it was so low in the odds until the semis. Conchita is the real star in the package and sold it so beautifully.

I didn't get much out of Nobody But You, but I do see why the juries liked it, it's a well sung strong composition.

I really enjoy Loin D’Ici, the juries undermarked this a little I feel.

Just checking some of the stuff I don't know, Keine Mauern Mehr sounds good, I need to go through the 90s contests properly. Falter Im Wind sounds nice too.

I hardly ever listen to Rise like a Phoenix. It's to be watched.

2 Teya & Selena - Who The Hell Is Edgar? (2023, 15th)

Incredible songwriting here, about an incredibly fun and random subject matter. Of course it deserved much better in the competition. I could tell it was going to be lost a little from 1st in the final running order but its televote result was shocking - I suppose the sheer wit and cleverness of it didn’t quite translate on stage. I think it’s still a big fan favourite at least.

1 George Nussbaumer - Weil’s Da Guat Got (1996, 10th)

I think I did watch the show in 1996 but I don’t remember this at all, so I’m classing it as my favourite discovery of the whole project so far. This is exactly what Eurovision is all about - a blind singer and jazz pianist performing his heart out with a gospel choir just because. And then there’s a brilliant switch up in the last minute. It’s joyous and a complete one off.

Interesting top ten and a surprise #1! Loin d'ici could probably even win had it been in the contest now, such a fantastic song.