Eurovision scores are made up of a 50/50 split between the public televote and juries of music experts. Most of the time they both agree on the best, but every year there are a few songs that the public like a lot more than the jury. We’re ranking the songs that didn’t make it out of the semi-finals but still were placed in the top ten with the televote.

Note: we’re looking at songs from 2010 onwards, when the televote-jury split was first made public. To determine the ranking, we’re looking at the televote top ten placings, using the percentage of available points for tie-breaks. In the case of songs from 2013, when the split scores were not made public, we’re just using the rank and our general wiwi instinct for any tie-breaks.

21. Sinplus – “Unbreakable” (Switzerland 2012)

Televote: 10th place, 49 points
Jury: 13th place, 45 points
Overall: 11th place, 45 points

The “Unbreakable” lyrics were a bit cringe at times, but the Broggini brothers delivered an uplifting pop-rock moment in Baku. Sinplus impressed viewers enough to sneak in to tenth place in the televote. It remains Switzerland’s third best result in the past decade.

20. Joan Franka – “You and Me” (Netherlands 2012)

Televote: 10th place, 51 points
Jury: 16th place, 31 points
Overall: 15th place, 35 points

That Native American headdress was somewhat problematic, but Joan Franka’s cute and folky “You and Me” won the hearts of viewers. It didn’t make the final, but that was a signal for the Netherlands to try something new, with its successful internal selection period starting the following year.

19. Yüksek Sadakat – “Live It Up” (Turkey 2011)

Televote: 10th place, 54 points
Jury: 12th place, 58 points
Overall: 13th place, 47 points

Dad-rockers Yüksek Sadakat’s overall 13th place marks Turkey’s only non-qualification for the grand final, but they came close, placing 10th with the public and a close 12th with the jury.

18. Klapa s Mora – “Mizerja” (Croatia 2013)

Televote: 10th place, 8.00 average rank
Jury: 13th place, 9.95 average rank
Overall: 13th place, 38 points

The traditional klapa ensemble Klapa s Mora performed the harmonious and emotional “Mizerja”. While the powerful male choral voices were popular enough with viewers to come tenth in the televote, it was the fourth time Croatia had failed to qualify for the final, prompting broadcaster HRT to take a two-year break from Eurovision.

17. Marta Jandová & Václav Noid Bárta – “Hope Never Dies” (Czech Republic 2015)

Televote: 10th place, 51 points
Jury: 12th place, 34 points
Overall: 13th place, 33 points

When the Czech Republic returned to Eurovision in 2015, there was hope that they would at last qualify for the grand final. Marta and Vaclav’s rock ballad “Hope Never Dies” came close, managing a decent tenth place with the televote, kept from the final only by the jury’s 12th place.

16. Can-linn feat. Kasey Smith – “Heartbeat” (Ireland 2014)

Televote: 10th place, 47 points
Jury: 13th place, 33 points
Overall: 12th place, 35 points

2014 saw Ireland combine fake tan and hair extensions with traditional Irish sounds. “Heartbeat” was a fan favourite, and that showed with it placing tenth in the televote. Sadly, this was the beginning of Ireland’s three-year streak of non-qualification.

15. Pertti Kurikan Nimipäivät – “Aina mun pitää” (Finland 2015)

Televote: 10th place, 55 points
Jury: 16th place, 1 point
Overall: 16th place, 13 points

The Finnish punks delivered a fast and furious performance, with their 85-second track evidently connecting with all the punks watching at home. The jury didn’t share the love, ranking Finland dead last, with only the Serbian jury awarding PKN a single point. But the rough and ready punk attitude was enough to get Pertti and his pals into the televote top 10.

14. Anastasia Vinnikova – “I Love Belarus” (Belarus 2011)

Televote: 9th place, 54 points
Jury: 15th place, 38 points
Overall: 14th place, 45 points

Anastasia and her seductive husky voice delivered a saucy song that sound like a readymade anthem for the Belarus tourism board. It had a positive effect on some viewers, coming in ninth place in the televote.

13. Ivan “Help You Fly” (Belarus 2016)

Televote: 9th place, 52 points
Jury: 12th place, 32 points
Overall: 12th place, 84 points

Ivan wowed the audience in Stockholm with his holograms, including a naked Ivan singing to a wolf. The combination of titillating technology and quality pop-rock had a good effect on viewers, putting Belarus at ninth place in the televote.

12. Stella Mwangi – “Haba Haba” (Norway 2011)

Televote: 9th, 56 points
Jury: 17th place, 29 points
Overall: 17th place, 30 points

Stella brought an upbeat Afro-pop sound to Düsseldorf with “Haba Haba”. Despite being a fan favourite and one of the songs tipped to win, “Haba Haba” did not impress juries, but did place ninth in the televote.

11. Sofi Marinova – “Love Unlimited” (Bulgaria 2012)

Televote: 9th place, 59 points
Jury: 17th place, 27 points
Overall: 11th place, 45 points

“Love Unlimited” was a clever combination of modern dance music with a traditional Eastern European style. This fusion didn’t impress the jury at all, who ranked Bulgaria second to last, but it was enough for Bulgaria to place ninth with the televote.

What do you think? Should any of these songs have made the final? Should the televote have more power? Share your thoughts below!

CHECK OUT MORE OF OUR EUROVISION LISTS

41 Comments
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Anthony
Anthony
7 years ago

Paula: Uzari & Maimuna fared better with the juries (8/16) than they did on televoting (13/16). Both Greta Salome and Agnete finished 13th on both categories.

Paula
Paula
7 years ago

Where are Uzari & Maimuna? They and Ivan are my favourites! And where are Greta Salome and Agnete? ;c

Anthony
Anthony
7 years ago

Polegend Godgarina: You’ve forgotten about the blind singer representing Georgia in 2008. Diana Gurtskaya qualified comfortably and she did pretty well in the final, finishing 11th overall.

Polegend Godgarina
7 years ago

@ Anthony – the bookies simply thought they’d get sympathy votes… but this contest has a history of paying DUST to disabled singers, look at Spain 2000 and Germany 2002 for example.

Polegend Godgarina
7 years ago

@ Adam – so was Rona Nishliu’s top 5 anthem Suus in 2012: screaming for 3 minutes. That don’t mean it’s bad. The double standards in here are too much!

an esc fan
an esc fan
7 years ago

I feel sorry for Gabriela Guncikova from Czech Republic, but still, it is not so upsetting when jury lose. It is so much more frustrating when televoters lose.

Anthony Ko
Editor
7 years ago

Polegend Godgarina: When the British press picked up on PKN winning UMK 2015 the day after the final, I ended up getting slagged off when I said Eurovision juries will bury ’em and televoters will vote for reasons other than the song iself.

And so after several national finals, three Eurovision pre-parties and a week of rehearsals, it’s them lot who were eating humble pie after the First Semi-Final.

When the full results were eventually released after the Grand Final, it turned out that I was correct all along.

Adam
Adam
7 years ago

@Polegend Godgarina: PKK in 2015 was nothing but screaming for a minute and a half. There was nothing good about that song at all. Finland does rock well (2006, 2007, 2014), but 2015 was not one of those years.

Jonas
Jonas
7 years ago

Well it wouldn’t make much sense to have a split jury/televote if they are just supposed to always agree with each other. What would be the point?

I’m happy with the current system.

Polegend Godgarina
7 years ago

The hate for Finland 2015 in here is disgusting. I get it that y’all would rather have a contest full of catchy, but badly-written, uninspired and generic Scandinavian pop songs, but the televoters from home beg to differ. Some people like rock, some other people (somehow) like pop opera… and there should be enough diversity in the final.

Polegend Godgarina
7 years ago

@ Pollaski – it isn’t right for 200 people who take voting directions from EBU to decide the qualifiers, let alone the winners. The opinion of millions of (usually) unbiased televoters is far more valuable. I hated Russia’s entry this year, but if they won the televote by a 38 points’ margin, and if Italy won by around 80 points last year, there clearly is something wrong.

(J)ESC Fanatic
(J)ESC Fanatic
7 years ago

… and this proves we definitely need the juries! Thinking Finland placed 10th with the televote in 2015 drives me mad…

(J)ESC Fanatic
(J)ESC Fanatic
7 years ago

Most entries here didn’t deserve to make it.

Zebb
Zebb
7 years ago

Bulgaria ’11 (much) ’12 (quite so) non-streak was forgotten as I got new hope wreckage when last year Belarus failed to qualify.

an esc fan
an esc fan
7 years ago

Yes, jury always love Malta.

ct_greece
ct_greece
7 years ago

@ Pollaski

Jury favourites screwed by the voters? That’s easy, it’s Malta every year. For some very fishy reason they always seem to like them don’t they? And now they have their new baby in the form of Australia.

Jonas
Jonas
7 years ago

Joan Franka deserved to get through. Same with Stella Mwangi. The rest are no great loss, in my view.

I too am a big supporters of juries, even if I sometimes disagree with them. More effort should be made to make sure that jurors are not total idiots, though – actual musical professionals with actual musical experience if possible. They should actually invest some time in listening to the songs in the weeks before the contest, and not rely solely on the dress rehearsal.

Alenn
Alenn
7 years ago

@Avstriya:

No surprise there… Czech Republic, like Malta, have always been loyal to their Caucasian ‘neighbours’!!! 😉

Avstriya
Avstriya
7 years ago

I think we should not cry over 9th or 10th televote favourites, who did not advance to the Grand Finals. I certainly approve of juries in the semifinals, so that not only lovely neighbours have a chance, I just want them to be completely gone in the Finals.

Czechs totally killed themselves in 2015, when their jury awarded their 12 points to Azerbaijan.

Pollaski
Pollaski
7 years ago

Funny how you never see articles about jury favorites who were screwed by the televoters. Somehow only the juries are capable of truly screwing someone over. Juries are necessary, and they make the contest better. It needs to be done better, though- clearly sticking all the jurors in one country together in a room and ahve them watch the last dress rehearsal is a bad idea. Its 2016, we can do way better than tat. I proposed this before, but its simple: 5 rooms- each room has one juror from each country. They sit at desks, and watch the live… Read more »

Denis
Denis
7 years ago

The only one who deserved a final was Stella, still don’t understand that!
The rest I can live with. I don’t think they were worthy of any final. Decent but not good enough! And some were just kitsch and tacky , let’s face it! Like Sofi Marinova and that Heartbeat song!
At least with juries there is some taste left in the contest!!

johanleekens
johanleekens
7 years ago

I was actually wondering:
Is it completely up to the EBU whether Australia will join once again or does the Ukrainian broadcaster have a say in it as well?

an esc fan
an esc fan
7 years ago

From semifinal to final, always pass controversial songs, but the question is :
If we have 100 % televote, will Russia always win ?
My answer is : No.
So the jury exists only to help scandinavian countries, because they rule (mostly) since we have jury. And now Australia, because the jury is restless until Australia will win.

D
D
7 years ago

I strongly support the juries as they’ve saved us from many atrocities throughout the years, and I think many people don’t understand what they’re judging. For example, Elhaida’s performance was kinda shouty and she wasn’t on key for a lot of the song, thus her bad standing with the juries. Televoters vote for musical appeal, while juries vote for technicality (or at least that’s how they should vote). My one complaint is that only musicians and music professors should be able to serve on the jury, none of these television presenters and whatnot.

KennyESC
KennyESC
7 years ago

Juries are SO strange. Like, in 2015 I thank them a lot for making that stupid NOISE by Finland last, but also I hate them for putting Elhaida last. Plus why they had SO power in 2011 by not making Stella and Anastasiya(two beautiful songs!)not pass?! Same with Sofi in 2012.
I think EBU should make ESC a 100% televote contest, WE have to decide. And then we would had es. Milan/Rome 2016, Moscow 2017…not these stupid Stockholm(again Sweden?!)2016 or Kiev 2017. Because WE have to decide the winner.

Nadav Salomon
Nadav Salomon
7 years ago

@Xeph , Israel 2014 was last in the jury ranking and second to last in the televote in her Semifinal. This means unfortunately that she was not a televote favorite at all.

MarioMario
7 years ago

My final lists have Norway 2011, Ireland 2014, and Czech Republic 2015 as qualifiers. Bulgaria and Netherlands 2012 are borderline qualifiers. Sometimes I feel like they should be in, and sometimes I do not.

Xeph
Xeph
7 years ago

Israel 2014. 🙁 1 of my favorites that year.

PP
PP
7 years ago

From 2009 to 2016 we have countries who are almost overrated in juries points every year Sweden, Australia (EBU baby), Malta,Ukraine,Azerbaijan, Israel,Italy and from 2013 in that group joins The Netherlands from 2013, Belgium from 2015
Juries don t like so much Poland,Belarus, San Marino and Bulgaria (except 2016) sometimes in that group joins Austria,Germany, and Russia when they are strong contender for win (2012,2016).

ChowChow
ChowChow
7 years ago

Still a crime that Czech Rep. Stayed in the semis….
Check out my top male voices!!!
https://youtu.be/0O-5tV0WWxo

PP
PP
7 years ago

For me Belarus 2016, Bulgaria 2012 , The Netherlands 2012 deserved to be in final.
For me from 2004 to 2016 these countries deserved to be in final. Estonia Israel 2004, The Netherlands , Iceland, Slovenia ,Andorra 2005, Belgium and Poland 2006, The Netherlands, Iceland and Cyprus 2007, Bulgaria,Andorra,Switzerland and Macedonia 2008, Belarus and Ireland 2009, Slovakia 2010, Bulgaria and San Marino 2011. Switzerland,Bulgaria,The Netherlands,Portugal 2012, San Marino, Montenegro,Israel 2013, Israel and Estonia 2014, Belarus 2015 , Belarus and Iceland 2016

Polegend Godgarina
7 years ago

I wish *at least* the semi-finals would be left 100% televote, the public deserves to be the only one to have a saying on who goes to the final. Just look at Montenegro 2013… 4th in the televote ranking and sabotaged by the juries, all wasted money for the televoters smh.

Polegend Godgarina
7 years ago

I’m still FUMING because Love Unlimited, one of the best Eurovision songs of all time, didn’t qualify because of those TASTELESS juries.

Nickc
Nickc
7 years ago

Only Czech republic was robbed from this batch. Juries were spot on for the rest.

oli
oli
7 years ago

Sofi Marinova <3

Alenn
Alenn
7 years ago

As for Ivan, he may be a good vocalist, but I it was too tacky, the whole drama of him appearing naked on stage just to attract publicity and I think the juries were right to punish him for that.

Alenn
Alenn
7 years ago

Sofi Marinova and Marta & Vaclav were robbed in my opinion, but the juries were right about the rest, leaving them in the semis.

an esc fan
an esc fan
7 years ago

Ivan from Belarus 2016. What if jury will be just one big group of people selected by EBU, and they all can be from the host country, but must be music teachers/professors, not active in the industry.

Neil
Neil
7 years ago

Sofi was a massive injustice – I think she’d have done a lot better in the final over Tooji. Problem with that semi final was, it was soooo competitive with many good songs somebody has to miss out. I don’t get the televoter love for Can-Linn and Kacey – she came across as very dead behind the eyes on stage and it was a messy performance. Ivan was robbed – granted the song sounds like it has come from 1988, but he gave perhaps the most professional performance on the night and is a strong vocalist.

Leaf
Leaf
7 years ago

Stella was horrid back in 2011 …. Sorry to say, but far better songs didn’t manage to qualify through the years.
I’ve seen more polished performances and better songs in JESC, “Haba Haba” is a campy amateurish cheerful song that can only sound good performed in a school play ……. in elementary school.

Briekimchi
Briekimchi
7 years ago

Pertti Kurikan Nimipäivät are why we have juries. Thank God!