he/him
For the record, he's from England, and he normally is one of the magazine's film critics, although he writes about the arts at large.
Eurovision Song Contest 2011
- Thread starter Jamie
- Start date
CopenhagenPop said:
In the United Kingdom we don't have a chart full of Scooch, Andy Abraham and Daz Sampson. Our Eurovision selection (when we actually get to select a song) seems to have more to do with our perception of what Eurovision is than what the United Kingdom music scene is about. And that perception of Eurovision is essentially about camp, pop and ripping off skirts.
I would go as far as to say that Blue's entry this year sound more like what's in our charts than other entries have in the last 10 or so years.
My only perception of the Swedish music scene is the artists that participate or are connected to Melodifestivalen!!
My only perception of the Swedish music scene is the artists that participate or are connected to Melodifestivalen!!
In the last 30 years I can only really think of a few United Kingdom Eurovision entries that even partly reflected UK chart music at the time.
Bucks Fizz and Bardo in 1981/82 reflected that early 80s pop sound along with Dollar, Tight Fit etc. Of course they both made #1 or #2 which is a fairly good indicator of contemporary tastes.
Gina G in 1996 was at the poppier end of the scale for mid 90s dance but was not out of place with Culture Beat, Snap, Livin Joy, Corona and the like. Another UK #1.
Imaani also sat quite comfortably in the UK charts in 1998. Interestingly it didn't peak as highly as Katrina & the Waves but the latter song would not have been a chart hit at all but for it winning the contest. It was quite far removed from any chart music in 1997 I think.
Since 1998 I don't feel any entry has even remotely reflected UK chart music, even years where we performed relatively strongly with "Come Back", "It's My Time" and "I Can".
Bucks Fizz and Bardo in 1981/82 reflected that early 80s pop sound along with Dollar, Tight Fit etc. Of course they both made #1 or #2 which is a fairly good indicator of contemporary tastes.
Gina G in 1996 was at the poppier end of the scale for mid 90s dance but was not out of place with Culture Beat, Snap, Livin Joy, Corona and the like. Another UK #1.
Imaani also sat quite comfortably in the UK charts in 1998. Interestingly it didn't peak as highly as Katrina & the Waves but the latter song would not have been a chart hit at all but for it winning the contest. It was quite far removed from any chart music in 1997 I think.
Since 1998 I don't feel any entry has even remotely reflected UK chart music, even years where we performed relatively strongly with "Come Back", "It's My Time" and "I Can".
I don't know wether to cry. Thanks for the response. Keep'em coming, even though slightly of topic!!
Let me elaborate on the crying thing: I love Eurovision. I cant help but love the music. Not just the show, the dresses the dancers etc. But the actual music. And I'd love for Eurovision to be more than just a kitsch fest. Something that could generate hits and stars across Europe. I guess I hope it would give the show some legitimacy with I guess all the people that hate it, and constantly (in Denmark) put it down and really would like us to either pull put or put and end to what they feel is a painfully embarassing ordeal.
Maybe it's just me. I don't know....
Let me elaborate on the crying thing: I love Eurovision. I cant help but love the music. Not just the show, the dresses the dancers etc. But the actual music. And I'd love for Eurovision to be more than just a kitsch fest. Something that could generate hits and stars across Europe. I guess I hope it would give the show some legitimacy with I guess all the people that hate it, and constantly (in Denmark) put it down and really would like us to either pull put or put and end to what they feel is a painfully embarassing ordeal.
Maybe it's just me. I don't know....
citoig said:
Yeah I think it was a little more chart-worthy but still very 'Eurovision' - I thought it was one of best entries in the past decade actually.
phoenix123 said:
After this year I'm kind of thinking sending something which is real contemporary pop isn't necessarily the way to a win. I'm looking forward to seeing the televote/jury vote breakdown but I'm guessing juries didn't take to Blue.
I get completely the opposite impression from the results this year. Discounting the failure of the Russian song (which was contemporary but shit), I would say that half of the top 10 were much more contemporary than Blue (Azerbaijan, Sweden, Denmark, Ireland, Germany) whereas not a single one of the non-qualifiers was contemporary pop (except maybe Slovakia). Not from a UK-centric perspective anyway.
jruk2007 said:
I think you're right. But why doesn't that translate into the "established" market for music in the participating countries? Just because it's Eurovision?
I know get the greek entry... It took me a while, but now I'm there!
he/him
D
duckface
WOW at the differences for Russia, Italy, Switzerland and even Sweden...
It's pretty much what I expected, although I was half-wondering if Azerbaijan didn't win either vote and that's why they were dragging their heels about announcing the split.
Still some surprises though...
That Italy won the jury vote by a landslide isn't a surprise based on their second place finish as I never thought that the public would have voted enough to get it there. France did pretty much the same with both sets of voters and I expected the juries to rally behind that more.
The UK doing well with the televote based on the band's lingering popularity and a competent performance in the final is no surprise, nor that the juries didn't go for it based on what was apparently a woeful jury performance on the Friday night.
Some of the more interesting trends are the change in support from the semi-final performances to the final. Finland had jury support throughout, but the televote in the semi-final was also strong, dipping to poor in the final. Which is about as good an argument as there is for a late draw still being the ideal. You also wonder whether - at only 2 points behind Azerbaijan - Sweden might have won the televote with a slightly later performance draw.
Surprised Denmark fared better with juries than with the televoters. I thought based on their post-contest sales that the public were behind that one.
Still some surprises though...
That Italy won the jury vote by a landslide isn't a surprise based on their second place finish as I never thought that the public would have voted enough to get it there. France did pretty much the same with both sets of voters and I expected the juries to rally behind that more.
The UK doing well with the televote based on the band's lingering popularity and a competent performance in the final is no surprise, nor that the juries didn't go for it based on what was apparently a woeful jury performance on the Friday night.
Some of the more interesting trends are the change in support from the semi-final performances to the final. Finland had jury support throughout, but the televote in the semi-final was also strong, dipping to poor in the final. Which is about as good an argument as there is for a late draw still being the ideal. You also wonder whether - at only 2 points behind Azerbaijan - Sweden might have won the televote with a slightly later performance draw.
Surprised Denmark fared better with juries than with the televoters. I thought based on their post-contest sales that the public were behind that one.
