gooddelta

I'd surely see some karma in the results if so.

I'll make some guesses... awardinary - Lisa Roxanne Chez Wombat - The Radio Dept Cody - Farrah Abraham CowTzy - Orianthi dandy* - PJ Harvey Herbs - Siobhan Donaghy jimwatts - M83 Julian_ - Saint Etienne lewistgreen - Scissor Sisters Mango - Mis-Teeq Roba - Dido Scene - Same DIfference Tafty - Ashley Tisdale uhsting - f(x) I have absolutely no idea about some, particularly Alexander Rybak and Joe McElderry. Anyone could be Madonna really, I did think Dandy but I can't place who else would send a PJ Harvey b-side.

This was the radio mix in the UK for Brandy and Ray-J, by Stargate, which made it really quite decent and a different prospect to the original. It's not on streaming but was the only version played here. Anyway, voting for this by far, Steve's mauling of Against All Odds was not the one.

Hearing that Emmy has defected to represent Sweden instead, now that those precious 200 jury points that Sweden get handed just for turning up are up for grabs. Rumours are that Johnny Logan has been drafted in to write an emergency replacement for Hozier to sing in Basel.

I picked up Now Yearbook '92 on vinyl last week as it was down to around £20 in Amazon's spring deals. Generally I don't get the vinyls, only the special edition CDs, but I might get the 90s vinyls. I'm sure they'll get round to one of the mid-90s years before long, after a 70s edition probably. I listened to half of Now Presents Clubland yesterday and it was really good, as expected, as I always was obsessed with the Clubland series and there are some interesting remix choices on there. It doesn't seem to be on iTunes curiously, not sure if that's a licensing thing with some of the tracks digitally or if they're trying to push the sales of the CD.

Lovegame, catchy but pretty inessential Gaga for me.

Sean Paul once again. The Feist song is magical! Shame to see it out so early.

Both good but that Stop Me cover was so good with the addition of the part from You Keep Me Hangin’ On.

Soldier. Not a DC favourite of mine.

Dobbet bankrupt. Did wonder where the Love It sudden last minute hype came from, but it was a curious month of mostly correct/close odds but a few songs really getting over and underpredicted by a big margin. Was thinking being predicted to potentially come top two to finishing 19th was quite a crazy trajectory, but then I remember I had a win prediction last year for my 13 minute Dutch track that finished 24th in the end, so definitely am not immune to the optimistic odds 😂 For what it's worth, nothing about CHUNG HA didn't sound like a top ten finisher to me, just a few more dark horses in the voting than usual this time I guess!

Ed's made some questionable career moves (the previous disowned album and the LadBaby thing being the biggest for me - but both were No.1s anyway ha) but when he's at the top of his game, there are few artists better for me. The only album of his I didn't like as much was Autumn Variations, all of the others (including Subtract) have finished in my top five albums of their release years, however unfashionable that makes me. Clearly Azizam isn't reinventing the wheel but it sounds like a fun pop song with a very catchy hook, as is his forte. We've not even heard more than the chorus and it's been all I've had in my head for weeks. I still think his singles chart career has a limited shelf life at the business end of things, not from anything he has done wrong but just because of a lot of his early audience moving on / probably more limited young Gen Z and Gen Alpha appeal / and the way the industry has gone in terms of hits now mostly being fuelled by TikTok. But he can still get new hits if they do go viral, I'm sure. I have noticed him trying to push Azizam hard to go viral with videos and the hearts in different cities thing, and virality is not generally something you can engineer but it's such a catchy track that I wouldn't be surprised to see it go viral anyway with or without his active push.

Bodies for me, despite peaking at No.2 it's quite overlooked in Robbie's catalogue, it's a great track.

Big congrats Josh, it was written in the stars for Rebecca to win one of these eventually, I was amazed she didn't win with TRUST! So close for FARC, what an amazing entry and discovery that was, ahh, nice to see my 18 do so well even if it wasn't quite a win. Most of my odds went ok in the end, not too far off on any apart from Mothertopia lower than expected and some (pleasant) surprises in the top 10, omg at Macromia making it. So deserved, such a unique song! Very nice to see Dandy's subtle song make the top ten too, a lovely track. It was a very strong final so I'll take 19th with that last gasp 15 from our amazing host, thank you! I definitely did hope this one would go top 15 but I guess it wasn't too far away on balance although did get some big overhype oops. Very surprised Kathaldazia and Aeroche missed the top 20! An extremely strong bottom five there, gosh, shows how good the contest was, I voted for three of those and liked the other two. Huge huge thanks and congratulations to Klumzee and Leww for providing such a beautifully formatted and presented contest, I'll happily come back here again any time soon!

Rontvian update after 173 finals: République d'Áskorza 625 Altyr Muunilinst 594 (+10) Aeroche 499 (+7) Hendinia 458 Danæviia 410 FARC 381 (+18) Cor Lupus 379 (+6) Summericia 374 (+4) New Lexico 350 Kluminican Republic 323 (+13) Quintessa 317 Bøtanikkä 304 Fljótavík 296 (+8) Ramrynia 286 Ojnoj 251 Séyetana 250 Tartford 234 Numayania 231 Kathaldazia 228 Qärenfanghoney 227 Jadakissnia 226 Lookylion 211 Terra Avium 205 Greenfroze 198 Espen 198 Unovia 197 Hushkanukia 196 Dobago 193 Cumulonimbia 182 (+11) Land of DW 178 Trifoski 178 St. Burbia 176 (The Actual Republic of) Bellamia 173 #00274E 168 Yehesi 163 Vülkyria 158 Bhangra 156 Helgon 156 Kylienips 156 Persephonia 155 Elëdan 152 Singerpurear 147 Thelonia 147 D'yermak'er 145 Zanmatony 144 (+3) Cadelicia 143 Skall 142 Daehun 139 Oslol 137 (+12) Jupiterdonia 138 (+2) Caerfyrddia 128 Lotunia 125 Mdiče 120 Tinnmark 119 Utopia 114 Mulgracia 114 N DNTN 107 Suedeonia 105 Ultraviolenceland 104 Wholune 104 Harmonica 100 Aelandor 100 East Rukahavian 99 Rolloland 98 United States of Jack 97 Herzebania 90 Aquafina 88 Beaverdonia 85 Pupok 83 Holland-Oats 80 Xanaga 76 Sovarasma 72 Torchwood 71 Bignia-Zaragovina 70 Batidas 69 Niceland 68 Sangria 67 Angelicland 65 PRoJ 64 POPHub 63 Republic of Adonia 63 Isconia 59 Aesthetica 56 B.a.N.G 56 The Spodic Empire 53 (+9) Kyriatine 53 N-Lazone 52 Ben's Sanctuary 50 (+5) Kingdom of Shadow 49 Sandebörg 48 Yuxhaaq 48 Eastovka 45 Avalonia 45 Medhelnia 45 Kingdom of Horanius 43 Florina 43 Nonsuch 43 Quotosibb 42 Zechonia 42 Neliönoir 41 Ingermanlandia 41 Pestolia 40 Triangledonia 40 Desbuanda 39 Scherzland 38 Flynnonda 38 Scotland 2 37 Bronzil 36 FNT Nickodonia 36 Land of Jack 36 Ajanaeda 35 Deandria 35 Sandénia 34 Lorikeet 31 Taahino 30 Dalisska 29 Simondly 29 Buzzjack Mountain 28 Sergeistan 27 Lotopialand 26 M.K.L. 25 Abeltesfayeton 24 Yobnedorica 21 Cowtermont 21 Triodopolis 21 Rivandia 20 UnoShake 20 Varakë 19 Ethanola 19 Tapatilandia 19 Macromia 17 (+15) Brechtoria 17 Greenland 17 Azure 16 Järkangel 16 Liechenstaan 15 Cascadia 14 Alteria 13 Joedonia 13 Euphoriffith 12 Farahtyn 12 Umiiruka 12 Hinterlandia 13 Bokia 11 Frandoot 11 Phlumptopia 11 Zaminton 11 Britmasu 10 Juranabaijan 10 Conoria 9 Arcodesia 9 Fervorosia 9 New Caprica 9 Faztickle 8 Frahliso 8 Jayrusalem 8 Lievant 8 Palmyra 8 Tyronosaurusland 8 Astoria 7 PoisonVine Bay 7 Pagasa 6 Aprogonia 6 Jamora 6 New Alba 6 Priceville 6 Budtar 5 Jukianië 5 Cheiron 3 Enty 3 Spila 3 Camdonia 2 Inner Massivia 2 Llewandia 2 Herbilore 1 (+1) ChrIseland 1 With their best entry and deservedly highest score in a very long time, second placers FARC take our gold medal and jump up to 6th place on our overall leaderboard, a contrast to our silver medallist Macromia who had before now only scored 2 Rontvian points in finals but now add a further 15 to their tally! We’ve been pointing them consistently for years now, especially recently, and our esteemed hosts Kluminican Republic finally break into the top 10 overall after bagging another Rontvian podium finish and 13 points this month! It was a good month overall for nations in our all-time top 10, with Altyr Muunilinst’s 10 points taking them closer to the 600 points mark, while 7 points for Aeroche means they are just a single point away from the magical 500 mark! Cor Lupus and Summericia also continued to impress us once more, meanwhile. Finally, after voting for several of their DNQ entries when we shared a semi, Herbilore finally make it onto our final scorecard as they bag a point for sending Zaho De Sagazan, who came 4th for FSR Rontvia back in 2023. A more veteran former Rontvian artist, Elsiane who finished 7th in 2010 for us, impressed us enough again to award 9 points for The Spodic Republic.

Just catching up, thank you so much for all the votes and mentions ♥️ The odds were really over generous though for me ha, I thought I was being more realistic with my 13th place prediction but it’s so much lower 😂 Top of the leaderboard is looking great though (and quite similar to my odds!) and the presentation is flawless as ever!

Thank you for the votes so far <3 I can’t follow live sadly as driving for a couple of hours but look forward to checking later.0

I didn't have too many favourites in Week 14. 4 My People was probably my favourite, quite cool production on that from Basement Jaxx and was always nice to see Missy get a big hit. Shake UR Body was solid and catchy drum and base though, and I also liked One Day In Your Life and Flowers In The Window. Ha at LiL' Mo, I expect that made me chuckle at the time as Little Mo was in EastEnders back then...shame it's a crap song. Silent Sigh is decent, Badly Drawn Boy had some solid singles but I preferred his other 2001/2 material i think. Week 15...I must have had the pocket money out as I bought a few of these. My favourite being Temple Of Dreams by Future Breeze. They remixed Encore Une Fois into the version that was a hit in the UK so it was nice to see them get a hit of their own five years later, I absolutely loved the warm vocal and stabbing trance riff on this personally (as The Snake says, it was later clearly some inspiration for the club banger era in 2010-12). Sorry to say that the other one I really loved was I Can't Wait, with the disclaimer that I didn't know the Nu Shooz original at the time so it was basically a new song to me and I loved the garage production. Dreaming by Aurora I also bought, really nice track and very different to their earlier trance hits Hear You Calling and Ordinary World, this was more Corrs/Natalie Imbruglia-esque. They followed it up with an even better song which I'll comment on when it appears later in the thread. Soak Up The Sun is one of my go-to feelgood tunes (love Sheryl's long bridge/lead into the chorus) although I agree with The Snake that perhaps a summer release would have been better, I remember we went to a holiday park for a week in the UK around this time (I want to say in Weymouth) and it was actually pretty chilly still so maybe the wrong season. And Everywhere by Michelle Branch is one I've come to appreciate a lot more over time, bit of a pre-Avril template when I think about it and among the early signs that female guitar pop was on its way. I didn't get anything out of Lethal Industry unfortunately but In The Beginning is a really nice find indeed, not sure I remember that one from the time, kind of reminiscent of iio vocally. I don't mind I'm Not A Girl, Not Yet A Woman, I've always found it interesting that it was co-written by Dido as I couldn't imagine her writing for Britney at all. It was used well in the Max Martin jukebox musical & Juliet too. It's Goin' Down is the best rocky track here, I remember thinking that was quite a cool Linkin Park spin-off at the time. I've got very little memory of Vegas Two Times, no surprise as I didn't have that album and it had a very short chart run by Stereophonics' standards at this point. Listening back and that riff is sounding familiar to me, the vocal is a bit of a drone though. I also couldn't remember that Cliff song, it's very Disney, sounds like it belongs in Beauty and the Beast. Interesting to choose a song title that's the same as The Shadows' 1975 Eurovision entry, before listening I wondered if it might be a cover of that. Didn't recall that Aaron Carter was still having hits at this point, I can't say I remember this or that it does anything for me upon listening.

Voted! Definitely such a strong final, I had loads of commiserations, but at the same time I had a very definitive top three, which I really love.

They really did a great job on 1998 Extra, I thought they would screw it up with not getting the single mixes but only a few are wrong (including Robbie's songs, but I haven't seen the radio edits of those on compilations for years). Very pleased to see e.g. the Tin Tin Out mix of What Can I Do, the Rude Boy edit of End Of The Line, the 7" version of High, the UK mix of La Primavera etc...Stranded is listed as 'Original Copy' which is a strange credit, but then I'm not aware of any UK compilation it's been on since the 90s, so maybe they had to really dig around the labels for that one. The Clubland CD is really good, very inspired and it's great to see the Clubland brand back, I really hope this sells well and we get a follow up. I'm so glad it's not mixed as I don't have a lot of these songs unmixed. A few wrong edits here and there (the 2001 version of True Love Never Dies is an interesting choice, and what is that inro on Martin Solveig's Hello?) but generally very well put together and a good recap of the past 25 years of Clubland style dance. Avicii probably deserved a song on here, there's a Faithless remix of his and a cover of Seek Bromance but nothing by Avicii himself). Many of these never made a Now though, so it's a great concept. Also very interested to see that they had the license for Energy 52's Café Del Mar, yet didn't include it on the 1998 Extra?

RontBet odds: Winner contenders 3/1 FARC ✦ Sumner - Stranded 4/1 Kluminican Republic ✦ anamē - Anywhere (Road Trippin') 5/1 Ajanaeda ✦ Rebecca Black - Twist The Knife 7/1 Neliönoir ✦ Ninajirachi - All I Am 8/1 Mothertopia ✦ SASAMI - I'll Be Gone Top 10 contenders 9/1 Jadakissnia ✦ Kraftwerk - Europe Endless (100th Anniversary) 9/1 Cor Lupus ✦ CHUNG HA - STRESS (100th Anniversary) 9/1 Altyr Muunilinst ✦ flowerovlove - I've seen ur ex 12/1 Kathaldazia ✦ Nuxx Vomica - No Money (TRIGGER WARNING GUNS) 12/1 Danæviia ✦ Simian Mobile Disco - Hustler 12/1 Bøtanikkä ✦ Sam Quealy - Watch Me Now (Queen Of The Night) 12/1 POPHub ✦ Lu.Re - Take Me Up 14/1 FSR Rontvia ✦ PUNCHBAG - f*** It 14/1 Summericia ✦ David Holmes - It's Over, If We Run Out Of Love (feat. Raven Violet) 14/1 Aeroche ✦ ABSOLUTE. - Stuck In Love 16/1 Elëdan ✦ Ohota - Everything Is As It Should Be 16/1 Oslol ✦ Deane - Keep Dancing To The Music 20/1 Cumulonimbia ✦ Regularfantasy - So Sweet (Spriitzz Radio Edit) 22/1 Land of DW ✦ Greg Willen & M¥SS KETA - GUTEN MORGEN 25/1 Hendinia ✦ Nova May - BIG FAT MONSTA TRUCK 25/1 Jupiterdonia ✦ John Summit - Focus (feat. CLOVES) I'll leave it there but can't rule out big things for loads of others, like The Spodic Empire, Trifoski, Kylienips, Singerpurear...

Easily Sergio, this version is really annoying. I quite liked the Echobeatz top 10 dance version in 1998.

Max Graham now I think. A decent version though.

Sean Paul again, it used to be quite fun in a clubbing setting but I'd never put it on out of choice.

Some of the previously vastly overpriced Corrs records have dropped in price on Amazon if anybody is still looking. White Light and Home a steal at little over £13, Borrowed Heaven and Jupiter Calling around £20, In Blue £32 and Talk On Corners still over £50 for some reason.

Going for Eva, I really like her version of that, it's very tender. That's not the first cover of Dreams I would choose to listen to on the other hand.