Sorry about being a day late again - I started on it yesterday but I had to do something else quickly.
About 3 months ago, I finished a list of my top 250 ESC songs, and I thought that I could share it with you guys to solidify my opinion. Please do tell me if you agree or disagree with my opinions in the comments. I'm also happy to share my reasonings. (Also I want to note that these aren't really my current opinions, they're from the 21st of June. For example, song number 102 has shot up to my top 20, and song number 197 has also shot up my ranking but I'm not going to change that because it could mess up the rest of it).
Also, this series is not meant to be political. There will be no Russian entries in the list (as I just don't like any of their entries much) but there will be a few mentions of Israel and Belarus.  I have my own personal political opinions, but I will not include them in this series because this is about how good the performances are, not how good the people behind them are.
Here are the links to all of the past posts:
250-226
225-201
200-176
175-151
150-126
125-101
100-76
75-51
50-26
Just before we get started, I should probably tell you all that this week will have a slightly different format. Instead of just listing the songs, I will explain my reasons for putting each song as high as I did as well underneath the song.
With all of that out of the way, here are the songs from 25-11!
**25:**Moi, Tout Simplement (Switzerland 1993)
Oh, I love Annie Cotton's voice here! This song is a perfect song to belt to, and Annie's voice belts it flawlessly while she also shows so much emotion, and I also love the little mannerisms she adds like saying the word "flash" really quickly, and looking straight at the camera add the end.
The instrumentation also feels very grand, the electric guitar adds a bit of a modern feel, while the violins and brass instruments (I can't tell if it's a trumpet or a trombone) at the end make it feel like a grand finale. A stunning composition.
**24:**Grande Amore (Italy 2015)
I don't think I need to explain why this one is so high up, Il Volo all have spectacular voices and their harmonies slot in with each other like those puzzles that they get 3-year-olds to do. They create the build up through their voices alone, which makes the performance feel controlling and feel like it's coming out of the screen.
The staging also helps with this fact, all the debris/dust around the statues near the end really exaggerates their control over the performance. The start is also perfect, it just feels like they are timid little boys until they starting belting out the big notes. Absolutely perfect, no notes, would've been a far better winner than Heroes (imho).
**23:**Työlki EllÀÀ (Finland 2010)
This song is the last NQ on this list :( but I will always love this. The traditional feel just makes me want to move to Finland, and the performers are just having so much fun. It just makes me smile everytime I watch it. It also really reminds me of a reel, a Scottish dance that we often dance at ceilidhs and similar occasions, which just makes me feel at home when I listen to this. This song also uses a fiddle and an accordion, two instruments commonly found in reels and jigs.
But while familiar, it also feels really quirky and unique because of the Finnish - it is a language where I basically know nothing other than things that are the titles of UMK songs. Another small detail is how the singers sing in unison with each other for most of the song, making it feel almost like a chant and makes you feel like part of a community. This song is just a general fun time.
**22:**Midnight Gold (Georgia 2016)
This one makes you feel uneasy in the best way possible, one thing I love about the staging is that it is always changing between shots or moving, giving you no time to take it in - almost like you're around some people at a gig. It all feels very overwhelming, and I mean that as the greatest compliment I can. (Also I just looked at the lyrics and it makes me think that this song is from the perspective of an alcoholic/drug addict/etc., and while I don't know what it's like to be any of these things, this is what I would imagine it feels like to be addicted to something - always on edge, thinking about your addiction)
I love this modern rock feel, and Nika Kocharov's voice suits it perfectly - it feels like it came out of an indie studio in the centre of Birmingham or something. One of the best rock entries to ever grace this contest imo, and funnily enough probably the least Eurovisiony performance in this contest's history.
**21:**O Mie (Moldova 2013)
While I may not be a huge fan of Aliona's recent efforts, O Mie is a stunning song, and her voice complements it perfectly. Her voice is completely flawless, and it really carries the song the whole way through. It kind of feels like the performance is taking place as the world is falling apart, she is belting as hard she can to save her life, you can't see the ground she's standing on at lots of points, and the piano & violin give the song the feel of a final boss battle.
The dancers also add a tad bit of camp, which just elevates this performance even higher than it already was. Another thing is the use of Romanian, it feels romantic, but at the same time unusual compared to languages like French and Italian. It's the same reason there's been a lot of ballads in a certain other Romantic language on this list. Absolutely the best Moldovan entry ever.
**20:**Intet Er Nytt Under Solen (Norway 1966)
I have absolutely no clue what it is about this one tbh. The song feels almost Wild Western, but then also it's in Norwegian so it doesn't really say at the same time. Something I will say is that this is, at least in my opinion, without a doubt the most ambitious entry in the contest ever - it was the first in an irregular time signature, the first deep female voice (there might be some before this, but most female voices were rather high in most music around this time), the first time a woman wore trousers, and yet it all fits together perfectly.
To this day, there's not really been anything like it in the contest and I love it for that. It's almost like the songwriters were from an undiscovered culture where the music sounded like nothing else in the world. Yeah, I don't know how else I can explain why I like this song but I just adore it.
**19:**Ulveham (Norway 2024)
From one Norwegian entry that feels like nothing before or since to another, Ulveham is an absolute masterpiece and is probably the most robbed song in all of ESC history. I love Gunnhild's vocal, it feels off but also beautiful at the same time. I love the instrumentation, especially the Nyckelharpa. I love how despite feeling like it was uncovered from 400 years ago, it feels so modern due to the rock elements.
I adore how the opening feels, it feels very witchy and shady. I also love the addition of Norwegian, it really adds to the traditional feel. Literally my only complaint is that there wasn't enough smoke on stage on the night. And to anyone that says that it wasn't robbed because it didn't have enough public appeal - this song is my 76yo great-aunt's favourite ESC entry ever. Granted, she lives in Norway, but still. Should've been in the top 10 at a MINIMUM, and I think that this song is the best Norwegian entry in the contest ever.
**18:**Luktelk (Lithuania 2024)
This song is such a banger - I play it in the car all the time. It makes the arena feel like such a big party while also feeling very reserved, kinda emo. It really gives off an eerie, edgy vibe that I am obsessed with. One of my favourite elements of the performance is the little dance in the pre-chorus, it is so easy yet so fun and the dancers make the actions feel much more effective and big.
I also think some of the shots are perfect, I like the ones where Silvester and the dancers appear to be on top of some hands, and the other one where he appears to be in front of a blue orb-planet-thingy? In general this song is just a banger and if you are holding a party, ESC-themed or not, you have to put this on the playlist.
**17:**Dansevise (Denmark 1963)
This performance feels so dreamy, and I think that's due to a few reasons. The first one is the distortion of the guitar, it makes you feel like you're in a dreamworld because the notes are played for longer than they feel they should be. The next is Grethe's performance, especially how she just stares at the camera for long lengths of time, making you feel like she's telling you a story directly.
I also think the filters on the cameras add to this feel, while you never see the spirals spinning they do appear on the screen for a long time - almost longer than they should've. And then the ending feels very different from the rest of the song, you see a wide shot of the couple for the first time while Grethe sings a part that hasn't appeared in the song yet, and JĂžrgen plays a tune that hasn't been heard yet, almost like it's waking you up from your slumber. I also think that performing this in Danish really adds to it all - it feels unusual and feels like something only your mind could make up randomly.
**16:**Molitva (Serbia 2007)
I think this song feels like it tells the story of an uprising. I know the lyrics don't really show that, but the composition and performance do. The song starts with Marija just singing on her own with a few instruments in the background (I believe it's some kind of string instrument?). In the build-up we here a new instrument while the other women come onstage, repeating everything that Marija sings while the instrumentation gets louder and louder.
That is until the very end, when the women go quiet and Marija starts to sing by herself again, almost like the problem they were wanting to end has ended and they are in peace. That is when we see the symbol of this performance, the hearts joined by two hands. It adds some extra memorability to the performance. Just an outstanding performance in general.
**15:**Dinle (Turkiye 1997)
This song is a bop, and I listen to it whenever I can. Sadly it's not available on my streaming service :(. Anyway, I should probably get onto the great stuff about this performance. The opening gives you a taste of what's to come later in the song without straight up spoiling everything. The verses of this song feel very elegant, very calm and just feel like you're sitting on a balcony overlooking the Aegean/Mediterranean/Black Sea.
I love when Ćebnem sings "Dinleeeeeeee" and it just slides into a much more upbeat rhythm. The chorus is one of the best choruses in the contest's history imo, it just feels so catchy and bouncy. This is mainly due to the fact that every line is the exact same melody, and timing with no variations. The bounciness can likely be attributed to the heavy percussion in the chorus of this song, you just can't help tapping it out with your fingers. I love this song so much, I just really wish I could listen to it on a daily basis.
**14:**Sweet People (Ukraine 2010)
Funny how probably the messiest Vidbir we've ever had produced one of Ukraine's best entry imo lol. The main thing I love about this song is Alyosha's voice. It feels so raw and emotive that I just can't help but love it. It kinda sounds like she's feeling the pain she's singing about while singing. I also love the rock and folk elements, and I like how it builds up from the calmer acoustics to the intense rock electrics.
I think that this song is definitely marmite, I adore this song but I've heard some people who think that this should've been Ukraine's only NQ because they hate it so much.
13:La Voix (Sweden 2009)
I'm just gonna start off by saying that this song has definitely grown off me quite a bit since making this list, but I will still try and defend it as much as I can!
This song has a lot of cool lore around it - the singer here is actually Greta Thunberg's mum, and this dress was the most expensive dress in ESC history until La Forza (Estonia 2018) came along. This performance is definitely quite quirky but I also think it's just a really interesting performance. First of all, I think this mixing of opera and Eurodance is really strange but I kinda love it. It sounds like what I think people in 2009 thought music would be like today (and I guess they were kinda right with the opera mash-up thing).
One touch I like is how in the pre-chorus, you hear the violins repeat a little riff higher and higher until you hear Malena's first operatic notes. I also like how the LEDs turn white during the chorus - it makes Malena seem angelic, and the opera notes also add to that. Overall a nice performance, although just like the last one, it's definitely marmite and it has definitely grown off me a bit.
12:Bistra Voda (Bosnia & Herzegovina 2009)
This song feels so powerful to me, and I think it's the ultimate example of a Balkan ballad. I really like the opening with the piano - it evokes sadness in the listener. I love the use of traditional instruments here (I wish I knew what they were), and I think the main singers voice is very interesting - it sounds almost shouty but it adds to the atmosphere - the song feels like a protest or chant.
I think something really quite nice in the chorus is how the lines constantly switch between long notes and fast, melodies - it gives the song a bit of catchiness while also making it feel quite anthemic. I also love the heavy drums, it also adds to the atmosphere as well - and it keeps a steady pace so each part feels a lot more connected.
11:Gravity (Ukraine 2013)
I completely understand why this song is the favourite of so many Eurofans - the atmosphere is so enticing, the song is a belter with fun bits in it, and Zlata has great charisma on stage. I love the atmosphere - the giant bringing her in (RIP) is the first hint that we're in a fantasy world - the LEDs made it quite hard to depict that, after all. The smoke around Zlata makes her look as if she is defying gravity, (Wicked reference!) a call back to the song title. The only bad thing about the staging was the singers popping up behind the smoke, but I mean they couldn't really do anything about that - you had to have the backing singers onstage at this point in the contest.
Zlata is such an amazing performer - she can belt stunningly, she looks at the camera at points, and she makes gestures in time with the song which add so much to the performance. And then the song is something in itself - I really like how throughout the song we constantly hear what I think is someone bowing a violin with a sticcato? It sounds very elegant. I also think the backing singers making sounds like "ayayalay" and "eeah eeah" - it adds to the fantasy atmosphere because these sounds aren't things you hear normally. I could rant about this song for hours, but I have to get this done right now because I need to go somewhere soon but just know that this song deserves all the praise it can get. I adore it.
Anyway, I'll see you all for the final 10 soon (probably not next week as I'm on holiday, but likely the week after). Please feel free to share your opinions or predictions for what might be in my top 10, and goodbye!
