N-S

Adele will surprise everyone by releasing "29"/"30".

This means that 40 years later, Canada will be in their second World Cup (qualifying in 2022 is a rather long shot) and Mexico will be the first country to host three World Cups.

That week in 2000 where the top 6 were all new entries (Craig David, Sweet Female Attitude, Richard Ashcroft, Bloodhound Gang, Steps, Lock N Load) plus another new entry at #10 (Airwave) The great chart massacre of December 1999 when Vengaboys, Len, Progress and William Orbit entered the top 10, but B*Witched got stuck #13 and TLC's Dear Lie at #32 and follow-up singles by Thunderbugs, Enrique Iglesias, Lou Bega and Bryan Adams all missed the top 40.

Albania 2018: Eugent Bushpepa - Mall Armenia 2018: Sevak Khanagyan - Qami Australia 2018: Jessica Mauboy - We Got Love Austria 2017: Nathan Trent - Running On Air Azerbaijan 2017: Dihaj - Skeletons Belarus 2017: NAVIBAND - Story Of My Life Belgium 2017: Blanche - City Lights Bulgaria 2017: Kristian Kostov - Beautiful Mess Croatia 2018: Franka - Crazy Cyprus 2018: Eleni Foureira - Fuego Czech Republic 2018: Mikolas Josef - Lie To Me Denmark 2018: Rasmussen - Higher Ground Estonia 2018: Elina Nechayeva - La Forza Finland 2018: Saara Aalto - Monsters* France 2017: Alma - Requiem * Georgia 2017: Tamara Gachechiladze - Keep The Faith Germany 2018: Michael Schulte - You Let Me Walk Alone Greece 2018: Yianna Terzi - Oneiro Mou Hungary 2018: AWS - Viszlát Nyár* Iceland 2017: Svala - Paper Ireland 2017: Brendan Murray - Dying To Try Israel 2018: Netta - TOY* Italy 2017: Francesco Gabbani - Occidentali's Karma Latvia 2018: Laura Rizzotto - Funny Girl Lithuania 2018: Ieva Zasimauskaitė - When We're Old Macedonia 2017: Jana Burčeska - Dance Alone * Malta 2018: Christabelle - Taboo Moldova 2017: Sunstroke Project - Hey Mamma Montenegro 2017: Slavko Kalezić - Space Netherlands 2017: O'G3NE - Lights & Shadows Norway 2017: JOWST - Grab The Moment Poland 2018: Gromee ft. Lukas Meijer - Light Me Up Portugal 2017: Salvador Sobral - Amar Pelos Dois Romania 2017: Ilinca ft. Alex Florea - Yodel It! Russia 2018: Julia Samoylova - I Won't Break San Marino 2018: Jessika ft. Jenifer Brening - Who We Are* Serbia 2018: Sanja Ilić & Balkanika - Nova Deca Slovenia 2018: Lea Sirk - Hvala, Ne! Spain 2018: Amaia y Alfred - Tu Canción Sweden 2017: Robin Bengtsson - I Can't Go On Switzerland 2018: ZiBBZ - Stones Ukraine 2018: MELOVIN - Under The Ladder United Kingdom 2017: Lucie Jones - Never Give Up On You Total 2017: 19 2018: 24 * like/dislike both virtually equally, though

ESC 2018 Postcard shoots so far Albania - Crossing Aveiro by the river canals Austria - Biking in Monsanto (Central East Portugal) Azerbaijan - Air baloon ride in Reguengos de Monsarraz Belgium - Tagus sailboat ride in Lisbon Belarus - Climbing the Augusta Street arch in dowtown Lisbon Croatia - Visiting the Talasnal village in the Lousã hill (Central West Portugal) Cyprus - Visiting a fresh produce market in Lisbon and cooking with a chef Czech Republic - Interacting with the "caretos" in Podence (North East Portugal) Denmark - Visiting the Mafra palace Estonia - Rappel descent in Sintra Finland - Algarve (unknown activity) FYR Macedonia - Visiting the Marquis of Fronteira palace and a tile painting workshop in Lisbon France - Traditional folk party in Viana do Castelo Georgia - Celebrating the Chinese New Year with Chinese community in Lisbon Germany - Paragliding in Madeira Greece - Visiting the ceramic factory in Ílhavo Hungary - Visiting the fortress town of Óbidos Ireland - Diving in the Porto Santo Island Israel - Visiting downtown Lisbon Malta - Horseback riding in Alter Do Chão (South East Portugal) Moldova - Visiting the Vidago palace and the termal waters (North East Portugal) Montenegro - Flea market in Lisbon Netherlands - Baking custard tarts in the São Jorge Castle in Lisbon Portugal - Sailing in the Sagres navy ship San Marino - Riding the downhill carts in Funchal (Madeira Island) Serbia - Visiting the Port wine cellars in Vila Nova de Gaia Spain - Visiting the smoking "furnas" in San Miguel Island, Azores Slovenia - Faial Island, Azores (unknown activity) United Kingdom - Visiting a tea plantation and factory in São Miguel Island, Azores

Countries that medaled in 2018 but not in 2014: Spain (last medal 1992), Belgium (1998), Hungary (1980), New Zealand (1992), Liechtenstein (1988) Countries that medaled in 2014 but not in 2018: Croatia

Chris Brown post-Rihanna beating.

+10 Steps - Scared Of The Dark +09 Adele – Water Under The Bridge +08 Kesha - Praying +07 Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds – Holy Mountain +06 Liam Gallagher - Wall Of Glass +05 Niall Horan - Too Much To Ask +04 Ariana Grande - Santa Tell Me +03 David Guetta & Afrojack (feat. Charli XCX & French Montana) – Dirty Sexy Money +02 Hailee Steinfeld - Most Girls +01 Axwell Λ Ingrosso – More Than You Know

http://www.youngmusicians.tv/img/upload/flags/big/portugal.jpg Portugal Cláudia Pascoal - O jardim kaVp4El9p3s

+10 Charli XCX - Boys +09 Calvin Harris (feat. Young Thug, Pharrell Williams & Ariana Grande) – Heatstroke +08 Zedd & Liam Payne – Get Low +07 Snakehips & MØ – Don’t Leave +06 Lana Del Rey (feat. The Weeknd) – Lust For Life +05 Kelly Clarkson - Piece By Piece +04 Future - Mask Off +03 Kylie Minogue - Santa Baby +02 Martin Garrix (feat. Troye Sivan) – There For You +01 P!nk – Beautiful Trauma

+20 Jax Jones (ft. Demi Lovato & Stefflon Don) - Instruction +19 Avicii (ft. Rita Ora) - Lonely Together +18 Clean Bandit (ft. Zara Larsson) - Symphony +17 Dua Lipa - New Rules +16 Lady GaGa - The Cure +15 Rita Ora - Anywhere +14 Lorde - Green Light +13 Disciples - On My Mind +12 Dua Lipa - Be The One +11 Martin Garrix (ft. Dua Lipa) - Scared To Be Lonely +10 Camila Cabello - Crying In The Club +09 Katy Perry (ft. Skip Marley) - Chained To The Rhythm +08 Kesha - Praying +07 Calvin Harris (ft. Pharell Williams, Katy Perry & Big Sean) - Feels +06 Taylor Swift - ...Ready For It? +05 Camila Cabello (ft. Young Thug) - Havana +04 DJ Khaled (ft. Rihanna & Bryson Tiller) - Wild Thoughts +03 J Balvin & Willy William - Mi Gente +02 Jax Jones (ft. RAYE) - You Don't Know Me +01 Anne-Marie - Ciao Adios +00 Kygo & Selena Gomez - It Ain't Me +00 Major Lazer (ft. Nicki Minaj & PARTYNEXTDOOR) - Run Up

1996 to 2002

+10 Jax Jones (ft. Demi Lovato & Stefflon Don) - Instruction +09 Calvin Harris (ft. Frank Ocean & Migos) - Slide +08 Rita Ora - Your Song +07 Kendrick Lamar - HUMBLE. +06 Calvin Harris (ft. Pharell Williams, Big Sean & Katy Perry) - Feels +05 CNCO & Little Mix - Reggaeton Lento +04 Katy Perry (ft. Nicki Minaj) - Swish Swish +03 Paramore - Hard Times +02 Little Mix (ft. Machine Gun Kelly) - No More Sad Songs +01 Jason Derulo (ft. Nicki Minaj & Ty Dolla $ign) - Swalla

In just three words: 2016 was worse.

+10 NF - Let You Down +09 Harry Styles - Sign Of The Times +08 J Balvin & Willy William - Mi Gente +07 Kygo & Selena Gomez - It Ain't Me +06 Future - Mask Off +05 Stormzy - Big For Your Boots +04 Fifth Harmony (ft. Gucci Mane) - Down +03 Lil Uzi Vert - XO Tour Llif3 +02 Louis Tomlinson (ft. Bebe Rexha & Digital Farm Animals) - Back To You +01 Jason Derulo (ft. Nicki Minaj & Ty Dolla $ign) - Swalla

+10 Camila Cabello - Crying In The Club +09 Pink - Beautiful Trauma +08 MK - 17 +07 Stormzy (ft. MNEK) - Blinded By Your Grace, pt. II +06 Kendrick Lamar - HUMBLE. +05 Major Lazer (ft. Nicki Minaj & PARTYNEXTDOOR) - Run Up +04 Katy Perry (ft. Migos) - Bon Appetit +03 Liam Payne (ft. Quavo) - Strip That Down +02 DJ Khaled (ft. Justin Bieber, Quavo, Chance The Rapper & Lil Wayne) - I'm The One +01 Enrique Iglesias (ft. Sean Paul & Matt Terry) - Subeme La Radio

The December 1999 market had been particularily busy, as with the turn of the millenium, there were the fears of the Y2K bug crippling IT systems worldwide and many music names had been keen on leaving some output just in time for that occasion. For the week ending on December 18th 1999, there was an absolute jampack of big names releasing singles hoping to cash in on the Christmas market. But when the chart was revealed on Sunday December 19, several acts fell way short of their ambitions, some even missing the top 40. So unusual was the situation that Radio One Chart Show took some time to read out all the singles by big names that missed the top 40 as did James Masterton on his Dotmusic chart analysis. That chart week became a cautionary tale for record label about the perils of mistiming big releases. 13 I SHALL BE THERE - B*WITCHED: After a record four #1 hits from their debut album and a decent #4 for comeback single Jesse Hold On in October, it was expected that the new release could do even better, as it leaned on the celtic ballad feel of their chart-toppers To You I Belong and Blame It On The Weatherman with an African flavor, added by the guest starring of Ladysmith Black Mambazo. However it missed the top altogether and marked the beginning of the end for the Irish quartet. 32 DEAR LIE - TLC: No Scrubs and Unpretty had been top 10 hits, so the following single only hitting #32 (their lowest hit in seven years) was a disappointment. Eventually and unlike the others mentioned in here, Dear Lie had some life in it, staying around during the New Year chart shutodwn and bettering the peak at #31 in January 2000, which was rare at the time for a single charting that low. This also became sadly the last TLC single released during Left-Eye's lifetime. 43 IT'S ABOUT TIME YOU WERE MINE - THUNDERBUGS: Sony Music reportedly was more than willing to throw serious cash promoting Thunderbugs as a priority project. With debut single Friends Forever hitting the top 5 everything seemed to be going according to plan. But when follow-up missed the top 40, everything came to a crashing act and the whole project was simply binned. 45 RHYTHM DIVINE - ENRIQUE IGLESIAS: Already a big star in Latin America, Iberian Peninsula and Italy, Julio Iglesias's son finally crossed over to the big markets during the Latin fever of the summer of 1999, with Bailamos hitting #4. But when Rhythm Divine got lost among the plethora of new releases of the week, hitting only #45, all the promotion of Enrique Iglesias halted in the UK, with third single Be With You being denied a British release, despite being a US #1. It would take Enrique two years to finally become a UK chart force to be reckoned with it. 47 THE BEST OF ME - BRYAN ADAMS: Bryan Adams had a remarkable UK chart career through the 90's, compensating for his 80's heyday being rather overlooked on British shores (where classics like Summer Of 69, Heaven and Somebody missed the top 30), but since the glory obtained with Everything I Do (I Do It For You), Adams had only missed the top 40 by guest starring on a Bonnie Raitt duet. His previous two singles had even been solid top 10 hits, so one would expect that the new release tied with a new greatest hits album would do decently enough. Alas, it didn't. But at least it wouldn't be long until Adams enjoyed a surprising second UK #1. 55 I GOT A GIRL - LOU BEGA: Mambo N.º 5 was one of the biggest hits of the year, selling over a million copies. Novelty act he might have been, but one would expect that Lou Bega could at least have one followup single doing respectably enough, right? Not so much. Whereas I Got A Girl didn't do that shabby on Continental Europe (#2 in Finland, #5 in France, top 20 in Germany, Sweden, Switzerland and Austria. Heck it even made to #23 in Ireland and #31 in Australia!), it sank in the depths of the UK chart and Lou Bega joined the one hit wonder club, whereas Eiffel 65 were conceded a sizeable sophomore hit soon after. 83 BLACK VELVETEEN - LENNY KRAVITZ: Lenny never really had a consistent UK chart career, his big hits being few and far between. But after scoring a #1 with Fly Away, one would expect that his material would gather more public attention. But new single Black Velveteen was released ten months after Fly Away hit the topspot, thus all the mementum was lost and it even missed the top 75. Other new entries that week 3 KISS (WHEN THE SUN DON'T SHINE) - VENGABOYS 4 BARBER'S ADAGIO FOR STRINGS - WILLIAM ORBIT 7 EVERYBODY - PROGRESS FEAT. THE BOY WUNDA 8 STEAL MY SUNSHINE - LEN 14 UNDER PRESSURE 99 - QUEEN & DAVID BOWIE 17 BABY IT'S COLD OUTSIDE - TOM JONES & CERYS MATTHEWS 20 A CHRISTMAS KISS - DANIEL O'DONNELL 28 ALIVE - BEASTIE BOYS 31 MY BEAUTIFUL FRIEND - CHARLATANS 36 CRAZY - LEANN RIMES 39 WE'RE IN THIS TOGETHER - NINE INCH NAILS 49 ENOUGH IS ENOUGH - Y-TRIBE FEAT. ELISABETH TROY 63 1999 - PRINCE 65 AVE MARIA - ANDREA BOCELLI The full top 100 for the week ending on December 18, 1999: http://www.officialcharts.com/charts/singl.../19991212/7501/

+10 Ed Sheeran - Castle On The Hill +09 Maggie Lindemann - Pretty Girl +08 Disciples - On My Mind +07 Martin Jensen - Solo Dance +06 Charlie Puth - How Long +05 Katy Perry (ft. Nicki Minaj) - Swish Swish +04 Lorde - Perfect Places +03 Camila Cabello (ft. Young Thug) - Havana +02 Mabel (ft. Kojo Funds) - Finders Keepers +01 Clean Bandit (ft. Julia Michaels) - I Miss You

+10 ZAYN (ft. Sia) - Dusk Till Dawn +09 Avicii (ft. Sandro Cavazza) - Without You +08 Rita Ora - Anywhere +07 Selena Gomez & Marshmello - Wolves +06 Starley - Call On Me +05 Ed Sheeran - Galway Girl +04 Calvin Harris (ft. Frank Ocean & Migos) - Slide +03 Portugal The Man - Feel It Still +02 JP Cooper - September Song +01 DJ Khaled (ft. Rihanna & Bryson Tiller) - Wild Thoughts

10pts Ed Sheeran – Perfect 9pts Justin Bieber & BloodPop – Friends 8pts Martin Garrix (ft. Dua Lipa) – Scared To Be Lonely 7pts Demi Lovato – Sorry Not Sorry 6pts Marshmello (ft. Khalid) – Silence 5pts Miley Cyrus – Malibu 4pts Rita Ora – Your Song 3pts Zedd & Alessia Cara – Stay 2ptsAnne-Marie – Ciao Adios 1pt Post Malone (ft. Quavo) – Congratulations

10pts Jax Jones (ft. Demi Lovato & Stefflon Don) – Instruction 9pts Pink – What About Us 8pts The Chainsmokers & Coldplay – Something Just Like This 7pts David Guetta (ft. Justin Bieber) – 2U 6pts Lorde – Green Light 5pts Julia Michaels – Issues 4pts Katy Perry (ft. Skip Marley) – Chained To The Rhythm 3pts Drake – Passionfruit 2pts Niall Horan – Slow Hands 1pt Rudimental (ft. James Arthur) – Sun Comes Up

2004 - Finals 2006 - Semifinals 2008 - Quarterfinals 2010 - Round 2 2012 - Semifinals

The post were solely based in the FIFA Ranking, and everyone knows how flawed that ranking is.

It was #7

I've been reading quite a lot of Into The Popvoid later and I was rather amazed about the quantity of 80's songs that are still much remembered nowadays but didn't go far in the British charts. Some of them were US or Continental Europe charttoppers, some are heavily played in 80's themed radio stations and parties but none of them cracked the UK top 40. Here are some of my favorites: After The Fire - Der Komissaar (#47) Alphaville - Forever Young (#98) Bryan Adams - Summer Of 69 (#42) Bryan Adams - Straight From The Heart (#51) Carly Simon - Let The River Run (#79) Christopher Cross - Sailing (#48) Cyndi Lauper - Change Of Heart (#67) Falco - Jeany (#68) Frida - I Know There's Something Going On (#43) Go-Go's - Our Lips Are Sealed (#47) Hall & Oates - Out Of Touch (#48) Jermaine Jackson & Pia Zadora - When The Rain Begins To Fall (#68) Michael Sembello - Maniac (#43) Mike Oldfield - To France (#48) Modern Talking - You're My Heart, You're My Soul (#56) Modern Talking - You Can Win If You Want (#70) New Order - Bizarre Love Triangle (#56) Outfield - Your Love (#83) Paula Abdul - Cold Hearted (#46) Peter Cetera & Amy Grant - Next Time I Fall In Love (#78) Peter Schilling - Major Tom (#42) Ready For The World - Oh Sheila (#50) Rick Springfield - Jessie's Girl (#43) Righeira - Vamos A La Playa (#53) Sandra - (I'll Never Be) Maria Magadalena (#87) Sheila E. - The Glamorous Life (#96) Spagna - Easy Lady (#62) Stacey Q - Two Of Hearts (#87) Stéphanie - Irresistible (Ouragon) (#84) Wang Chung - Everybody Have Fun Tonight (#76) Wax - Right Between The Eyes (#60) Young MC - Bust-a-move (#73) What others could be added up to that list?