The best songs of 2015 by Eurovision artists (10-6)

Incredibly, 2015 is almost up. And that means one thing — the return of our annual Top Tracks countdown! As usual, the team from wiwibloggs voted for their favourite 2015 releases and recordings by and featuring Eurovision stars. Songs which competed at Eurovision or national finals were excluded (they’ve been analysed to death in our jury reviews), as were artists who’ve yet to compete on the Eurovision stage (sorry Iveta, Sergey and friends). After considering well over 100 songs, we finally settled on our top 50. And now we’re ready to share it with y’all. We’re publishing five tracks daily over the course of ten days. Then on Christmas Eve we’ll announce our number one, giving you just enough time to send any last requests to Santa.

What song will join Loreen’s “We Got The Power” and Emmelie De Forest’s “Drunk Tonight” in our Hall of Fame? The countdown continues!

Our top tracks of 2015 (10-6)

10. Monika Linkyte “Po dangum”

What we said: It’s a real stunner. “Po Dangum” (Alone Under the Sky) is a big departure from her Eurovision entry “This Time”. It moves away from happy clappy pop, and instead brings an atmospheric, somewhat new age sound. Her voice sounds heavenly laced over the thumping synthesizer and she gives us shades of Annie Lennox, 1980s realness. It’s perfectly produced and sounds very expensive. She needs to return to Eurovision as a solo act in this genre: It works so well. (William)

9. Ruth Lorenzo “99”

What we said: The pulsating build up to the first chorus almost feels hormonal. The deep beats and pumping sounds capture that overwhelming sensation of young love and sexual awakening. Everything in the song smacks of autobiography — from the raw emotion in Ruth’s voice to the vivid personal details scattered throughout the song “…and we kiss like we’re sixteen” (the same age Ruth was in 1999). All in all “99” showcases Ruth’s power to tell stories and elevate pop beyond the disposable. Ruth has dreamed up a number that’s catchy and meaningful all at once. She conjures up nostalgia, but also the glint of pain that comes with it. (William)

8. Eric Saade “Girl From Sweden”

What we said: Fresh from his Melfest stint, Eric Saade is back doing what he does best – brash, throw-away, pop-bangers. And we say halleloo! Carrying on in the tradition of “Boomerang” and “Take A Ride”, “Girl From Sweden” is a wonderful dollop of breezy fun. And it’s unmistakably Saade. For who else could pull off the feat of boasting that “a lot of girls wanna get down with me” on his globetrotting adventures, yet everything is alright since he’s got a special girl from Sweden? Her identity remains a mystery, as the music video is populated with numerous Swedish women, including three comely maidens in a field. You gotta admire his bravado. (Padraig)

7. Måns Zelmerlöw “Should’ve Gone Home”

What we said: “Should’ve Gone Home” is a heartfelt tale of a man who regrets cheating on his partner. It’s said to be based on Måns’ own past struggles with infidelity. The video is shot in reverse, tracking Måns as he leaves a random woman’s apartment (or arrives at, if you were watching the right way around), to the bar where he drinks the night away, and finally ending with him leaving (or arriving at) his home and the women who loves him. It might be a little hard to follow at first, but the video holds up to repeat viewings, offering more layers with each look. (Robyn)

6. Loreen “I’m In It With You”

What we said: This single screams Sia all over — from the lyrics (“Why did you let go? I was still haunting you”) to the heavy high-pitched synthesizers. But this is most def Loreen, as it’s drenched in mystery and soul. Her signature vocals cut through all the production to reveal raw emotion. The video sees Loreen and a group of girls gather at a petrol station. Over the next four and a bit minutes, the multicultural gang does nothing but break the rules. They trespass onto a series of properties, vandalise cars, spraypaint houses and drink plenty of wine. “Nice” girls aren’t supposed to spit or steal cars or piss in public, but they do all of that in the #IIIWY video. It all ends with a nasty death, suggesting that blind allegiance to a group has some serious repercussions. (Sopon, Billy)