It’s the week beginning May 17th. To some of you, this will barely register with you as anything other than the standard passing of time, to be expected. But to the rest of of us, it means one thing and one thing only – it’s Eurovision week. And not only is it Eurovision week, it’s also 24 months since the last time we had a Eurovision to enjoy. And there’s something very wrong about that stat.
The Eurovision Song Contest is back now, however, in all its considerable glory and splendour. 39 countries will compete over three nights this week culminating in the grand final on Saturday May 22nd. That means there’s 39 songs for you to have investigated – and hopefully gotten invested in -before now.
If you’ve yet to brave the deep-dive into this year’s 39 songs, we have something that might be right up your street. The training wheels to take you slowly into the celebratory noise of Eurovision 2021. We’ve taken the 17 songs that are most worth checking out from this year’s 39, and ranked them from the ‘really quite good’ all the way up to the ‘bloody brilliant’.
If you’re here in the first place, then chances are that you trust our questionable taste to be in line with your own to such an extent that would deem this list to be worth your perusal. It’s the best pop on offer in Rotterdam. And there’s enough here to ensure that it’ll be a fab ol’ time across the three nights.
If our list inspires you enough to check out the songs themselves, check out our Best of Eurovision playlist, which is currently frontloaded with the 17 best songs from the 2021 contest in the order that they appear below, plus a couple of other entries that didn’t quite make our list but are still worth checking out anyway. And if you really do fancy taking on the full 39 before this week’s live shows, there’s always the official Eurovision Spotify playlist.
Now. Let’s get ranking.
17. SWITZERLAND
Gjon’s Tears – Tout L’Univers
The better of this year’s French-language weepy ballads, albeit only by the crumb of a Croque Madame. The first, and indeed, the last ballad you’ll be seeing on this list. It’s undeniably beautiful, this song. And we can’t wait to unleash all emotions when we finally see the live performance on the Eurovision stage. But as anyone who sat through Europe Shine A Light last May will tell you, we’re not really here for the vocal hand-wringing just now. Instead, we’re gasping for the big bops. But before you join us at the Discoteque that is the rest of this countdown, do check out this stunner as you check in your coat.
16. UNITED KINGDOM
James Newman – Embers
Last year, the UK were all set to send what was one of the most contemporary songs they would have contributed to Eurovision in quite some time, with ‘My Last Breath’. And so we’re pleased to see that they’ve continued in the right direction in 2021, after 2020 never came to be in the end. Not only that, but they haven’t rested on the glories that ‘My Last Breath’ could well have brought them. Instead, they’ve switched up the tempo and the sound and delivered what is certain to be one of the big roof-raisers of the final night in Rotterdam. ‘Embers’ has done what everyone has been saying that the UK should be doing at Eurovision for well over a decade now – it’s brought the kind of music that’s playing on heavy rotation on UK radio to the competition. Over to you now, Europe.
15. POLAND
Rafal Brzozowski – The Ride
Yes, it’s basic af. But you’re reading a ranking of Eurovision songs on Scandipop dot co dot uk, so really, so are you. Don’t worry though – ‘The Ride’ is clearly all for the guilt-free enjoyment of the more fun side of mass-produced pop music. And again, you’re here on Scandipop – so you are, too. And doesn’t it feel great?!
14. ISRAEL
Eden Alene – Set Me Free
A rousing, string-laden number that’s impossible to ignore. What it appears to lack in musical direction, it certainly makes up for in sheer impact and bags of charm. We have a strong inkling that Eden’s performance on the night is going to be the final piece in what’s currently a bit of an incomplete jigsaw. So as yet, it’s not to be counted out.
13. SERBIA
Hurricane – Loco Loco
Every six months or so, a K-Pop song will find its way onto our on-repeat playlist. Serbia’s Eurovision entry, to our ears at least, seems to have filled this quota for the first two quarters of 2021. A song so sonically bizarre and all over the place, they had to name it Loco twice.
12. ICELAND
Daði Freyr & Gagnamagnið – 10 Years
Is he still the man of the moment, or has he already had his moment? It’s difficult to tell. But one thing for certain is that Daði Freyr has come back to the contest fighting for that win which so many believe he would have achieved last year. He’s undoubtedly the most memorable part of a Eurovision Song Contest that didn’t happen. And he’s back with a song in much the same vein as ‘Think About Things’. The adorable factor is all present and correct. All it needs is for last year’s supporters to be present and come correct too. If that’s not asking too much.
11. LITHUANIA
The Roop – Discoteque
We’re not quite sure how this lot have pulled off composing what’s probably the coolest song of this year’s line-up, while simultaneously handing us all a track that it would be impossible to dance to without looking like a monumental tit. But they’ve done it. And we love them for it. Every Eurovision has at least one song that has the potential to change the image of the contest to millions of the more casual fans, and thus edge the competition that little bit further into a new age. In Eurovision 2021, it’s definitely this song.
10. SWEDEN
Tusse – Voices
Sweden have been criticised in the past for sending what appear to be lab-made, win-driven songs to the contest. But if ‘Voices’ is anything to go by, they obviously don’t care about such criticisms. And really, why should they? ‘Voices’ does sound like it could have won Eurovision in any of the last ten years, and while some might view that as a negative, there are just as many who would herald it as an achievement. One element that the song has in its favour, however, and which can’t be taken away from it: it does appear to have captured the zeitgeist of a movement that has been taking place around the world over the last 12 months, and which was long overdue – that of the under-represented voices uniting and making themselves heard finally. And in the middle of it all is yet another positive element that should not be underestimated – the most charismatic of young performers that is Tusse.
09. GREECE
Stefania – Last Dance
We couldn’t have had Eurovision 2021 without at least one song representing the resurgance of the ’80s synthwave sound that has so dominated the European radio airwaves over the past 12 months. And Stefania adapts the trend into her song splendidly. ‘Last Dance’ offers up the sort of camp drama we love to see interpreted on the Eurovision stage, as well as a cool and contemporary feel. It suffers somewhat from being an also-ran in a field containing some stronger female-led up-tempos, but it holds its own enough to land a firm spot in our Top 10.
08. DENMARK
Fyr & Flamme – Øve Os På Hinanden
Every time we see yet another person fail to rate this song highly (which is a lot of times and a lot of people!), we feel sympathy for yet another listener who has been unable to find the pure, wholesome joy contained within ‘Øve Os På Hinanden’ by the bucketload. How is it that they’ve managed to whizz by its bountiful charms and dismiss it as filler, relegating it to the lower end of their rankings? That could never be us. Instead, we revel in the many sonic spoils there are to be enjoyed in this song. In parts, it actually takes us back to ABBA. And even in 2021, there are few finer compliments to be bestowed upon a Eurovision song.
07. IRELAND
Lesley Roy – Maps
At number 7 we have our highest placed traditional song, in the sense that everything above it on this list features bells and whistles in abundance. Ireland’s ‘Maps’, however, doesn’t need any extra noise to make itself heard and appreciated. It’s a well-crafted pop song that is simple in its composition, managing to uplift, inspire and endear itself to us without ever appearing like it’s trying to at all. We’re hardly pop purists – as you can tell from the rest of this Top 10 – but oh would it be so lovely to see this song take the win for Ireland. Whatever happens though, Lesley Roy can be proud that she’s provided her country with its finest Eurovision song this century. Fact.
06. FINLAND
Blind Channel – Dark Side
Finland arrive to Eurovision 2021 with a turn-of-the-century throwback that’s epic enough to unite all of us – that’s us pop fans who love ourselves a spectacle, and those non-believers who enjoy seeing the contest being turned on its head a little. ‘Dark Side’ goes into the competition somewhat underrated, not appearing as one of the favourites in the betting odds. But if any song is gonna come out of nowhere and take a surprise (and deserved) win, it’s this loud and proud monstrosity.
05. AZERBAIJAN
Efendi – Mata Hari
From that opening call to arms, to that first-verse chant that acts more like a spell, to the ever-increasing tempo and ferocity of the drums – this is a song that grabs you and will not let you go until its enjoyed the climax of its frantic final 30 seconds, after which it regurgitates you, a shaken-up shell of your former self. Personally, we enjoyed every second of the all-too brief three minutes. How was it for you?
04. CYPRUS
Elena Tsagrinou – El Diablo
If it ain’t broke, then why fix it? And so we’re pleased to have Cyprus deliver yet another fire-fuelled, femme-fatale, fierce n’ fabulous bop to the contest. Eleni walked so Elena could run – and she’ll need to run if she’s to escape Gaga’s lawyers. There’s no judgement here, though. A banger’s a banger, regardless of how little you’ve bothered to disguise your influences. We’ve found ourselves chanting “I love el diablo, I love el diablo” far more times than we’d care to admit in recent months. Prepare yourself for the guilty thrill of doing the same.
03. SAN MARINO
Senhit feat. Flo Rida – Adrenalina
Fire, Gasoline and Adrenaline. This is a song that more than lives up to the promise of its combustible lyrics. The best song that San Marino have ever sent to Eurovision – by quite some distance. Even without the high-profile feature, this is a song to get all the locals excited on Eurovision night. It provides far more bang than you would think its buck could afford. And it has even managed to out-Cyprus Cyprus. Also, ni som vet, vet – “du har moves“.
02. MALTA
Destiny – Je Me Casse
The big favourite to win this year, it feels like everyone is rooting for Malta to do it. And it would be totally deserved. ‘Je Me Casse’ feels like an improved version of Eurovision winner ‘Toy’ by Netta – with the novelty factor removed, thus ensuring that we won’t get bored of it after two months. One of the most exciting things about ‘Je Me Casse’, however, isn’t the top-quality, ten-out-of-ten charms of the song itself, but rather the potential for how much further it’s going to be elevated on the night thanks to a performance by an artist with such vocals and star quality as the level that Destiny has got them on. If this does manage to take the win, it’ll be a beloved winner for the ages.
01. MOLDOVA
Natalia Gordienko – Sugar
There’s a fine line between excellence and trash. But this song has taken that line and snorted it without a care in the world, thus eliminating it entirely and allowing you to enjoy ‘Sugar’ for everything it is, blind to the great deal more that it’s not. Nobody is having as much fun at Eurovision 2021 as Natalia Gordienko is performing this song in that music video. ‘Sugar’ is essentially Russian interference in a Ukrainian pop sound, but Moldova is happy to take the glory all for itself. It probably won’t take it all the way to the win, but it’ll have a marvellous time having a bloody good go of it.
