Ok well based on first impressions here's what I think...

 

Denmark A good song here from the Danes, and slightly better than their 2008 entry I feel. Will be surprised f this fails to qualify tbh as it's a catchy number, and should score highly from the other Nordic countries.

 

United Kingdom Definately a step in the right direction for us this year, and despite some people slating it, I think 'My Time' is a really good song. We're going to score very highly with the juries this year for sure, and although I don't think we will win it I don't think finishing top five is completely out of the question by any means. If we are lucky enough to perform last on the other hand... well we could well wipe the floor with the rest of them in all honesty.

 

Montenegro First year I have liked the Montenegro entry, and although it bears more than a passing resemblence to Ashlee Simpson's 'Outta My Head', this is actually a good song! Whether or not it can qualify I don't know. I can't see it doing too well with the juries, but then they don't vote in the semis so that shouldn't matter. Could well do a Czech Republic 2008 though.

 

France Like the UK, this is another song that will do well with the juries, and it's a good song too. How well this will go down with the public I'm not sure, in particular the eastern European voters, but this song should ensure at least a top 15 finish for the French.

 

Slovenia An interesting song from Slovenia this year, and it's not the first time that they've gone with the operatic sort of theme, with their 2007 entry reaching the final. I expect this to make the final but then probably bomb once it gets there to be honest, but it's certainly something new and fresh.

 

Belarus Is there really any point in the Belarussians turning up this year? This song is complete drivel and will maybe get five or six points from neighbouring countries, but really won't get anything much more. Dire song.

 

Netherlands I'd never heard of these De Toppers guys beforehand, but I thought that the Dutch were going to be sending a really decent entry to this year's contest. Although it's not as bad as Belarus' entry, it's still pretty awful. Maybe it'll grow on me, but I can't see this winning many votes from the public in the semis, and this could well be the sixth year in a row in which the Netherlands fail to qualify for the final...

 

Finland This song is bloody fantastic, it really is! I really hope it doesn't bomb in the semi-finals, but then I can't see it doing with it being such a catchy song - I've even got some of my university mates hooked on this, and they know it's a Eurovision song! Whilst I don't think it'll win, I wouldn't be at all surprised if this finished in the top five, and putting Finland in their fourth final in a row.

 

Romania I hated this to begin with, but it has grown on me quite rapidly. Quite a cheesy sort of song (and is Romania even classed as part of the Balkans?) but I can see it getting quite a few votes from eastern Europe. Not sure how it will fare with the western voters and the juries, but this should reach the final.

 

Turkey Top five written all over it, but it won't win. I fully expect a Sirusho-esque result for the Turks this year, as this is also a very good song. Will score excellently from the east and the countries which are heavily populated by Turks, but I don't think the juries will be overly crazy about this.

 

Albania Not a bad song I guess, but I can see this completely bombing when it goes live on stage. I fear this will just get lost amongst many of the better songs, and better performed ones. Albania did well to qualify last year; they probably won't be as lucky this year though.

 

Hungary Very average song, but it is an improvement on the song they originally chose. Can't see this doing much better than Csezy did in Belgrade...

Why does everybody have in their heads that the juries will go for the ballads and steer well clear of anything contemporary?

 

The juries aren't going to be the polar opposite of televoters...okay we haven't had juries since the last 90s so it's hard to tell, but we aren't getting juries from the 90s, we are getting juries in 2009 :lol:

My review of what i have heard:

 

UK Not bad - really not bad. Top 10 contender. I can't say this is incredible but i adored 2008 entry so i MIGHT be wrong LOL

 

Montenegro Definately better than in 2008. LMAO. Full of cliche's but the background music is something incredible! Hopefully it does well.

 

France Much love for that. Very different entry for France this time. Finally the BIG 4 starts to take the contest more serious. Good start. TBH i think France is the most stable country for me as i like every song they send.

 

Netherlands A Very risky entry imo. On the edge of non-qualification it stands. As Montenegro's one - lyrics are not catching up with music considering the quality. I don't know WHY but every time i hear/see them I imagine Love Shine A Light & Drama Queen MASH-UP. LMAO.

 

Finland Incredible song it is!! My fave by far. Finland is becoming one of my favourite countries in the ESC. Much potential they have! I see new Sweden lol (well, by the quality of the songs)

 

Romania Was ok-ish after the first listen. But now i find it really good and also - like David said - cheesy. That's not bad at all. But i am pretty disappointed that Romania(!) can send a song about parties, hips starting to blow and tonic with lime. Remember 2006's INCREDIBLE song. GET BACK IN SHAPE PLEASE!

 

Turkey And here's the winner! If i had a chance to decide what place would this song have - I'd place them at number 5. But if it wins i would not be mind. Perfect pop song. Considering it has a foreign sound - it tends to do well.

 

Denmark Excellent song, my 2nd fave so far. Ronan Keating FTW LOL

 

Albania Almost the twin of the 2008 entry. But i like it very much as the last year's song. Had it been sung in English - they could have hoped for a Top 10.

UK Eh. I'm on the fence about this one. Jade is a good singer, but the song is kinda odd. It sounds like there's no structure. I can see how ALW wrote it in two hours. :cry:

 

Montenegro Gah. I preferred their 2007 and 2008 entries. It's bad bad bad. I no likey. It sounds a bit... off.

 

France Oooooooo. Paris 2010 :cheer: It's an awesome song and I love love love love it. It's very French and it's slightly dark which is super because I love dark songs. It could very well do a Portugal 2008 and flop completely, but I hope it doesn't. Juries will go ballistic for this, methinks.

 

Netherlands Tacky, bad, tacky, awful, bad, tacky. Did I mention that it's tacky? It will probably qualify.

 

Finland No doubt a very good entry for Finland. I dislike the genre, but it's a very good song and I can see them scoring well with it.

 

Romania I'm almost 100% positive this ripped off a very popular 90s song. It sounds so familiar! I don't know why it's called "Balkan Girls" as I'm pretty sure Romania aren't officially Balkan, but they could be fishing for votes from Balkan states. I think it could do well with televotes, but fail with juries.

 

Turkey I hate it. It's just so generic. This type of song has been entered for years. I wish Turkey would send something else like they did last year and in 2004. :(

 

Denmark Holy cow! What IS this? :( I really dislike it. I'd love some Danish tradition music, plz. Kthxbai.

 

Albania I adore this. I really do. It's so powerful. I think it will qualify for the final, but it'll fail to please televoters. I think juries will give it points, but not an awful lot.

 

Andorra I don't like it much, but it has good potential to do well. It could completely tank, though. Perhaps she shouldn't follow the footsteps of Andorra 2008 and wear a shell on her head.

 

Slovenia The song is good. I just think the long lyric-less piece at the start could let them down BIG TIME. If it progresses to the final, it may get one of my votes. :)

 

Belarus A serious chance of null points in the semi. It's absolutely tragic. I don't have any other words for it.

Edited February 5, 200916 yr by Cal★

One more that has appeared today...

 

Andorra Great song! Can't see it doing that well overall, but I reckon this could be their first final qualifier. Gisela deserved to do much better last year too!

Andorra - OK song

Albania - Very interesting and should be good live

Armenia - It wants to be so many things and it turns out to be nothing at all

Belarus - Not that great but listenable

Bulgaria - Good on record but not delivering it live

Cyprus - I like the song but the girl did not sing very well

Denmark - OK song but they had FAR better in the NF

France - Good song but not ESC material

Finland - Like it a lot but I don't know if it will work well live

Germany - Germany's best in quite a while

Greece - A little bit too formulaic but excellent tune

Hungary - I prefered Katya's song but this one is alright and it's original for this country

Iceland - Beautiful ballad

Ireland - Alright

Lithuania - Not bad at all considering the low average quality history of the country

Malta - It would work better as an uptempo.

Macedonia - Naff

Moldova - Great songs and they had to go for this lame etno-naffness.

Montenegro - Easily the country's best to date

Netherlands - Nice but too campy.

Norway - Gradually growing on me

Poland - Nice but too similar to last year's. Man Meadow should have won.

Romania - I prefered catalin but also seriously growing on me

Slovenia - The first song since Norway 1995 more instrumental driven rather than voice driven. But lacks something.

Switzerland - Loved it.

Turkey - You average Turkey song but pleasant

United Kingdom - Nice, and that's about it.

 

Portugal - My NF fave, very charming. Hope it does well.

Spain - Like it. Good song.

Azerbaijan - Sounds like a song from a Spanish NF but I find it quite fun.

Estonia - Very interesting. It deserves to qualify.

Latvia - Boring

FYR Macedonia - Naff

Croatia - Not bad but they had so much better.

Serbia - Horrid

Russia - Mediocre

Slovakia - OK-ish

Ukraine - Inane but somewhat enjoyable.