Chez VampireBat

Wonderful to see David Bowie and Haim through, I wasn't sure that would go their way, alt not totally admonished <3 Sad for ROSALIA, FKA Twigs and especially Blondie but those were incredibly tough draws.

Viva la Vida was unsurprisingly my big favourite and would've been my number 1 here so naturally it's first to fall for you! It was so good to see them get a number 1 (not the least when they were denied by Crazy Frog the last time!) with what was a really refreshing change of sound, I still think it holds up really well and I'd put it in the top tier of their material. I can't say I'm a big fan of the next three, but they certainly take me back to that time, I did like some of Duffy's material but Mercy always annoyed me a bit, if only it were Distant Dreamer or Warwick Avenue x I Kissed a Girl is certainly a fun time capsule, but it's not aged so well and Greatest Day, as others have said, just doesn't quite reach the anthemic heights it's trying to. Like Jade, my other favourite is at least still standing! (We may be referring to the same one but I'm not sure, I have a hot take about one of those in the top 5)

Full list of winners here: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c33jkvmzl4ko Seriously amazing for Amy Madigan, that was an outside pick to begin with, incredible that Weapons is now an Oscar winning film *. My predictions were a bit off as I thought a Sinners takeover would happen, but actually it secondary to One Battle After Another. I did really like both but I did ever so slightly prefer the latter so I'm pleased to see this, but an amazing achievement for Sinners nonetheless and always amazing to see a horror film get so much recognition. The cynic in me did think the awful BAFTAs drama might have drummed up a sympathy vote amongst the academy, I hope we can now all forget that x I am pleased for Jessie Buckley as she's a phenomental actress even if the film was really subpar for me, but I definitely would've given that to Rose Byrne, that was a breathtakingly great performance. Glad that Timothee didn't win Main Actor being honest, as much as I liked the film, the desperation wasn't a great look.

50; Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark – Enola Gay 49; Visage - Fade To Grey 48; Linkin Park – In the End 47; Green Day – Wake Me Up When September Ends 46; Oasis - Live Forever 45; Meat Loaf - Bat Out Of Hell 44; Grandmaster Flash and The Furious Five - The Message 43; The Stone Roses - Fools Gold / What The World Is Waiting For 42; Robyn – Dancing On My Own 41; XTM & DJ Chucky presents Annia - Fly On The Wings Of Love 40; The Beatles – Yesterday 39; Blink 182 - I Miss You 38; Michael Jackson – Smooth Criminal 37; Nero – Guilt 36; Amy Winehouse – Back To Black 35; Eagles – Hotel California 34; Katrina and the Waves - Walking On Sunshine 33; The Veronicas – Untouched 32; Muse – Time Is Running Out 31; Evanescence – Going Under 30; The Prodigy – Smack My Bitch Up 29; The Supremes - You Keep Me Hangin' On 28; Eurythmics – Here Comes The Rain Again 27; Michael Jackson – Wanna Be Startin' Somethin' 26; Black – Wonderful Life 25; Pet Shop Boys – Rent 24; Avril Lavigne – Sk8er Boi 23; Radiohead – Karma Police 22; The Smiths – This Charming Man 21; Bananarama – Venus 20; Mary J Blige - Family Affair 19; Pet Shop Boys – Suburbia 18; Bananarama – Cruel Summer 17; Thin Lizzy – The Boys Are Back In Town 16; Stealers Wheel - Stuck In The Middle With You 15; Sister Sledge – We Are Family 14; Arctic Monkeys – Why'd You Only Call Me When You're High? 13; Plastic Bertrand – Ça Plane Pour Moi 12; Shocking Blue – Venus 11; The Beloved – Sweet Harmony 10; Kygo featuring Conrad Sewell - Firestone 09; Kylie Minogue - Padam Padam 08; Rufus and Chaka Khan - Ain't Nobody 07; Pink - Try 06; Depeche Mode – Just Can't Get Enough 05; Kelly Clarkson – Stronger (What Doesn't Kill You) 04; McAlmont & Butler - Yes 03; Dire Straits - Sultans Of Swing 02; Lady Gaga – Judas 01; Len - Steal My Sunshine

1987 is definitely one of the better late 80s years for number 1s, there are some real classics and turning points in the development of certain genres. Correct last placer (yes, better than a certain other song still to come x), a bland, formulaic charity cover with a lot of pointless oversinging, the one part I like is Kate Bush's, a rare moment of subtlety in it that works.

C'mon people, did I need to be more explicit when I posted in the thread x (the fact I'm even posting about a new song when I'm usually months late says enough x)

The sheer amount of whiplash in those last six songs is quite amazing! Votes in, some excellent picks here.

Some pretty brutal decisions to make, although Maneater vs One Way or Another is gonna quite literally be a coin toss!

I've sort of accepted I've sent the absolute best I can and there are some draws I'm never winning in a million years no matter what I send and some I may have a decent chance, so it's in the hands of fate, though I do have a Platinum Paije plan in my mind too x

Congrats Mattias, fantastic to see my 20 winning and another of my top votes second. Ooft at that last minute snatch of my top 3 placing, but I am nonetheless extremely pleased with 4th, this is so much higher when I initially thought it would get a bit lost, and especially for just an album track. If you did like this one, then I'd highly recommend ther album, Enough, filled with a lot of dark, moody electronic music and some of the singles have had some 6Music airplay. Great top 10, most of them were in my votes or just outside, Horse Vision, Mansfield.tya and They Are Gutting a Body of Water deserved better though, simon a didn't deserve last either, sounded a bit James Blake-ish Thanks very much, Addy, another excellent edition of this!

Well I spoke too soon about it getting lost! Thanks so much for all these votes, amazed to be even close to the top 3.

Ooh that's a nice run of points that I needed thanks all x I did worry this one might get a bit lost (the death slot didn't help!), but it's such a dreamy, beautifully evolving song, not the most pleasant album cover to look at as well, but as it wasn't a single, there wasn't a link without it Obviously very happy to see my 20 winning x

I knew Eric Whitacre would be uhsting, always appreciate a classical entry, that and the Spice Girls themed one was certainly a choice pairing back to back x Great entries from Rich, Dobbo and Mattias <3

So we could in theory lose a whole category next round? wow x

Don't think any of those are surprises, I have enjoyed the diversity LiSA brought though and liked at least one song from the Chicks and Eric that I didn't know before x

I am constantly flabbergasted by our Media. I mean I'm not a fan of Starmer as much as the next person, but do people seriously think the best thing for us is to get involved with this and risk economic and social meltdown?! I personally don't want another Iraq situation which is what this could be heading towards, especially as it is ultimately a destructive, pointless exercise in distracting from the Epstein files

Still Blue is a great choice, I considered that for the main contest last year <3 Best of Both Worlds is similarly iconic for different reasons *__ Shame not everyone submitted something, but glad we got a great turnout anyway.

This is very addictive and catchy, and some wonderful production, the lyrics are dreadful, but honestly probably no worse than some other finalists I've heard. Quite impressed with it, I knew he had it in him, remains to be seen how well it will do (with the discourse this year, it's hard to know where the votes will go), but a step in the right direction.

01; David Bowie – Lazarus 02; Romy & Fred again.. - Strong 03; George Michael - Jesus to a Child 04; The Weeknd feat. Daft Punk - Starboy (Hopefully the far better I Feel It Coming is on the list to send as well!) 05; Les Rythmes Digitales feat. Nik Kershaw – Sometimes 06; Tone Damli feat. Eric Saade – Imagine 07; Conan Gray - Caramel 08; Troye Sivan - Angel Baby 09; Ruel - I Can Die Now Think this is the strongest of the three this time, there was nothing I particularly disliked, the Eric choice is egregious as anything, but it is darn catchy.

01; ROSALÍA – Reliquia 02; FKA twigs - Stereo Boy 03; Nelly Furtado – Try 04; Lily Allen – 22 05; LiSA - Akeboshi (明け星) 06; Kesha - RED FLAG. 07; Kelly Clarkson – Haunted 08; Delta Goodrem - Eclipse 09; Chappell Roan - After Midnight Hope Twigs isn't in trouble, I really liked this again!

01; ABBA - Take a Chance on Me 02; Blondie - Sunday Girl 03; Florence + the Machine - My Love 04; HAIM - Want You Back 05; The Corrs - Summer Sunshine 06; Erasure – Chorus 07; Scissor Sisters - Let’s Have a Kiki 08; The Chicks - Julianna Calm Down 09; Atomic Kitten - Eternal Flame Classic top 2 and though they aren't my favourites from Florence and Haim, they sounded much better than I remember after not hearing them for a while. No hard feelings to Atomic Kitten's sender, but I've always detested that cover.

Had to redownload iTunes as I've only had Apple Music on my computer for a while now! But nonetheless bought it, God knows what the algorithm will recommend me after this x

Congrats John! It did sound a likely victor and was a decent song if not quite vote worthy, I suppose it's for the best Pagasa got deducted as my 18 being just eight points off winning hurts </3 Pleased to see Harmonica, Klum Rep and Rontvia get top 10 positions, think I do prefer that 11-20 section overall though, although woah at Aeroche being that low, I thought that was a surefire contender x Definitely quite a few of that bottom half I'd have liked a bit higher, I was gonna say that Scotland 2 finishing that low is really surprising, but it only just qualified so I guess that's a good result! I admittedly checked out a little bit following the DNQ and losing several of my votes, but nonetheless thank you for the great and very efficient hosting Sabrewulf!

That is an unexpected yet wonderful top 2, would be here for it x

Voted, great edition as always x Eric Whitacre into the Spice Girls song was an iconic whiplash