gooddelta

Wow, what a great selection. We really missed out by not having an alternative to the Now albums, no Hits or Smash Hits to mop up the best of the rest. Bubbly <3 I like the little Clubland sequence on Disc 2 as well.

Keep them all coming, enjoyed looking at all of today's additions! @Harrison FB Chart dance was in a good place in 2013/14, much better than now. Your albums are superb.

Some really good songs coming up now. The Fear, Bulletproof, Bonkers, Boom Boom Pow - I was addicted to all four of these in 2009. Less so Meet Me Halfway but it's certainly better than the very average Happy by Leona, she basically released the weakest song on her brilliant second album as the lead single. I will go against the grain slightly with the Lily consensus in that I still prefer Smile and LDN to The Fear, but probably nostalgia talking as that album was one of several soundtracks to my amazing summer 2006. Boom Boom Pow was such a bolt from the blue at the time, it sounded like nothing else then or since really. A brave lead from them! Bonkers is completely infectious! Good to see Armand back on top, and Dizzee in the middle of his imperial phase was powerful.

Even in the era where Now had much better licensing it's funny to see how many hits they couldn't include still, your alternative Now 70 is strong @nowmusic1993 . Strange that they left off The Saturdays, McFly, Adele and Mika in particular. The 2008 charts were so slow but positively rapid compared to the turnover these days.

SWV's Right Here used the Human Nature sample so well too. In any version or usage of it (see also Jason Nevins' I'm In Heaven), it is a really lovely song. Would be nice to see it chart.

Would say this was an alt ballad with crossover to that set of voters. Can’t remember many pop ballads doing too well recently but my memory is patchy.

Finally got round to checking this album out now the Deluxe is out. It is really enjoyable, of the songs not showcased in Pop Factor I enjoyed Sunset Tower and Class Clown the most. The Best and Door are decent too.

I do not understand this not qualifying, it was the absolute clearest standout for me in not a very strong semi! I think part of it unfortunately though is that slower songs and ballads struggle in BJSC these days unfortunately, which for me is a shame as they make up a large part of my music listening, hence me sending one too, ill-advisedly. But thank you for sending and for the discovery, a stunning track.

RAYE – THIS MUSIC MAY CONTAIN HOPE. Robyn – Sexistential Loreen – WILDFIRE Courtney Barnett – Creature Of Habit Jessie Ware - Superbloom Veronica Maggio – Sciura Michael Aldag – The Carousel Valtos – The Last Light Amma – Middle Child SAGES (Ólafur Arnalds, Loreen) – SAGES (Echoes Edition) Sophie Ellis-Bextor – Read My Lips (25th Anniversary Edition) Ella Langley - Dandelion Joanna Newsom – Ys Ditonellapiaga – Miss Italia Avery Cochrane – Male Validation and Other Drugs BTS – ARIRANG Laufey – A Matter Of Time: The Final Hour TOMORA – COME CLOSER Slayyyter – WOR$T GIRL IN AMERICA Holly Humberstone – Cruel World

Voting completely honestly, The Feeling, which I didn't like as much as the singles from their debut. Boys has some nostalgia as reminds me of the Austin Powers film soundtrack is was on, while Friday's Child is pure class, a gorgeous song. I actually really like 9 to 5 too.

I don't mind Because Of You but I do prefer the other eight songs left. Very low in the end of year chart for Because Of You considering it went top three, must have been such a dead week.

RontBet odds for the final: 4/1 \ Aeroche \ Tsu Nami - Perfume 5/1 \ Pagasa \ Model/Actriz - Glassman 7/1 \ Danæviia \ Lux Terminus - Electrocommunion 7/1 \ Elëdan \ Jerobeam Fenderson & Hansi3D - Function 8/1 \ Yehesi \ Emei - Night At The Opera 10/1 \ Hendinia \ Babe America - Kiss Rn -------- 12/1 \ Bronzil \ LUNA - Heavenly 12/1 \ Neliönoir \ Tiffany Day - SAME LA 14/1 \ Deandria \ KHOIBA - HOW THE EYE 14/1 \ Bøtanikkä \ 2charm - boyfriend 15/1 \ Ojnoj \ Naomi Scott - Cherry 15/1 \ Kathaldazia \ Ignez - Lunfardo 18/1 \ Cor Lupus \ Sarah Nimmo - I Still Miss You 18/1 \ Terra Avium \ Gelli Haha - Klouds Will Carry Me To Sleep 18/1 \ A-Konohagakure \ ZUTOMAYO - lowmotion algae 20/1 \ Fljótavík \ Wasia Project - 2515 20/1 \ Altyr Muunilinst \ Parade Of Planets - C'est Toi 22/1 \ Jadakissnia \ Le Belladone - NYMPHE 22/1 \ Persephonia \ BRÄLLE - Callous Response 22/1 \ Scotland 2 \ Bladee - Eyelash 24/1 \ Ennea \ KOMPROMAT - I LET MYSELF GO BLIND (feat. Vimala Pons & Sonia DeVille) 24/1 \ Dobago \ VASCHA - maddie ziegler 24/1 \ Baleghde \ Polo & Pan - Nanã 25/1 \ The Spodic Empire \ Leprous - The Flood 25/1 \ Sovarasma \ Shkodra Elektronike - Stuhi (feat. Redi Hasa) 25/1 \ République d'Áskorza \ Hanna Ferm & Junie - Välkommen Åter 30/1 \ Kluminican Republic \ Michael Medrano - DANSE 30/1 \ Pestolia \ Goochems - barrel of soil 32/1 \ Séyetana \ miki - ça pik un peu quand même 32/1 \ Freidland \ Pegassi - MOAA 32/1 \ Land of DW \ TEMMIS - Arterien 35/1 \ East Rukahavian \ Bluhm - Low Light 35/1 \ Trifoski \ Richard Dawson - Jogging 35/1 \ Zephyra Continuum \ Charlotte MacInnes - Struck 35/1 \ Aelandor \ Lights - SURFACE TENSION 38/1 \ Flynnonda \ loveshy - Spineless 38/1 \ Utopia \ Brigitte Calls Me Baby - Slumber Party 38/1 \ Juranabaijan \ My First Time - The Kids Are 38/1 \ Skall \ Fort Romeau - U R My Love 38/1 \ Dalisska \ Internet Islands - Kelpie 40/1 \ Lentyll \ Morfonica - Resonant Strings Feels quite wide open this time, nothing I'm completely sold on being the winner like Mum Does The Washing. Aeroche is the one I feel most confident about seeing in the top five, so I've put that at the top. Could certainly see Pagasa challenging again like a couple of months ago though, and Elëdan will probably hoover up lots of high votes but not quite enough to win. Danæviia could go either way but it's a quality piece that should connect, and there are plenty of songs just below these fighting it out for the pop votes, I'm just not sure which will be 'the chosen one' there this time.

Rontvian votes are in early, as the backup jury came to a quick verdict. Not a vintage final for my taste but a lot of the surviving pop and some of the electronic stuff was good. Good luck all!

</3 but appreciated the fast results, at least the plaster was pulled off quickly! Thanks as ever for efficient hosting, we can get an early night before the working week

I think all my Semi 2 votes did actually get through. Projected semi 1 was a different story, suddenly a vaccum has opened at the top of my final votes... 12 \ Herbilore \ Loren Kramar - Gay Angels 10 \ New Lexico \ Cate - Leave Your Man At Home 2 \ Cumulonimbia \ Arooj Aftab - Raat Ki Rani 1 \ N DNTN \ bassvictim - Sometimes I believe in God (Sometimes I believe in Me)

Not half as confused as I was. I expected a scrape Q maybe (and it wasn't far off that). The odds looked like a very randomised list to me.

Gosh at the New Lex predictions being correct, thought that was pop bloc catnip.

Traditional ballads have maybe had their day in BJSC with Herbs out too and nowhere near. Sad, but glad a few people liked it. Thwarted by topping the first set of odds!

Gay Angels would have been my 18 in the final… massive loss, amazing track. Sorry Herbs 😭

Big congrats Phil, great track and a relief to see the host Q. Pleased for Ennea!

Also voted. There wasn't any individual song I absolutely loved here tbh, but at the same time there were some really nice discoveries and I enjoyed 12 songs more than the rest of the pack (several of which I already knew). Intriguing mix of genres and sounds, I've no doubt the 80s and 90s will be most competitive but I did enjoy a lot of the submissions from earlier than this and my votes are well spread over all the years.

Tinchy. Had forgotten that existed, what an unwelcome reminder!!

I love Evacuate The Dancefloor but can certainly see how tacky it is, with the rent-a-rapper and Gaga copycat production, but I respect the hustle, it kept them relevant for another album and it's still a very catchy song. However, MJ certainly should have had a posthumous No.1 and it's unlucky for Cascada that blocking him is this song's legacy. Beat Again is very mid but somehow became a radio classic, I still hear it all the time. Mama Do is pretty good but I prefer every other Pixie single from that debut album. I really still like Fight For This Love a lot, sure Cheryl could have released anything and got to No.1 at this point but the song is such an earworm and the X Factor performance was a moment. It did very well internationally too in territories she's not known in (top five in Spain, Sweden, Germany, Italy etc - and who can forget that Covid meme) which proves the strength of the song above the artist. I quite love the bridge (and love the idea that Gaga could have been influenced by it for Shallow, I can actually see the melodic similarity now you mention it!). 3 Words and Parachute were very well chosen singles too, but the wider album was a bit more forgettable. Not got much of an opinion on Run This Town, I never really listen to it but it's a well produced record, I just get nothing from it but it being a bit of a plod unfortunately. I still love Empire State of Mind though. I love When Love Takes Over, strong production and Kelly sounds great on it. Maybe this was THE song that really got the club banger era fully underway? Guetta was one of the figureheads of the movement and this was his first hit in that 2009-2012 era. I feel like a lot of music sounded like this for the next three years. I liked My Life... a lot more at the time than I do now, having read about how much Kelly didn't want to record the song/work with Dr Luke as detailed in the write-up. It's also a touch on the throwaway side for me compared to the awesome and underrated My December album. At the time it did peak at No.4 in my personal chart though, but Love Story was No.1 for two weeks, the first song by Taylor Swift I really loved although she'd gone to No.8 for me over a year earlier with Teardrops On My Guitar. So at the time I wanted Taylor at No.1 but she's not exactly short of success now and it's good that Kelly got a chart topper to her name in the end. Maybe in a decade Underneath The Tree will be her second!

Well done Julian/ABBA! On paper they probably have the strongest catalogue of all the artists sent, but as we know, it's all about song choice in this competition and I really admire the way you weaved some underrated gems like Eagle and The Day Before You Came In, not to mention those tracks right at the start which put ABBA immediately in jeopardy, yet left their huge hits open for the latter rounds - so well played strategically and this final song was of course the obvious and best choice. ABBA still have about 15 big hits or classic songs in the tank unused too! I was 100% sure you were ABBA from the first round (for some reason it always sticks in my head that you ranked Agnetha as your all-time third favourite female artist in a Gezza rank, so stands to reason the group must be a big favourite), but Scene and Joseph being Kelly and Lily I hadn't called until recently. Kelly is the only other artist that could have beaten ABBA but it would have definitely taken Since U Been Gone to do it, so as that was used in the battle rounds this top three outcome felt like a very clear result to me (and tbh even then I'm not certain that could even get past The Winner Takes It All, but it would have been a closer battle). Nevertheless I love that Sober finally got its moment and Scene you played some cool choices, especially from the brilliant My December, plus Piece by Piece, the string of smashes from Breakaway and so many more <3 I ranked them 1) ABBA, 2) Kelly, 3) Lily, but the first two are all-time favourites <3 Never really been that much into Hard Out Here but Joseph has played Lily so brilliantly (I was so sure you were Atomic Kitten for almost the whole thing!). Showcasing a lot of the best album of last year, plus some great cuts from across all of her other eras. Very well played all of you, and of course, biggest thanks and congrats to Calum for the herculean effort involved in this and amazing hosting. I loved being part of it this time! I knew Delta never stood a chance but I couldn't not play her, with the opportunity to share so many of my all-time faves. Going to have a think for next year on who could potentially be competitive but who I also love (and also from a different category).

Rontvian votes are in, very diverse semi, the second listen last night helped to cement my favourites, but 12 songs stood above the rest of the pack for me so hope they can all get through (unlikely going by the predictions currently).