Incredibly (and perhaps thankfully), 2020 is almost over. And that means one thing — the return of our annual Top Tracks countdown!
As usual, the team from wiwibloggs have voted for their favourite new songs released in 2020 by Eurovision stars. Songs which were selected for Eurovision or competed in national finals were excluded (they’ve been analysed to death in our jury reviews). Artists must have competed at Eurovision as part of the main act to be eligible (but those who were selected for 2020 were also included in the voting).
After reviewing more than 1,000 songs over the course of the year, we finally settled on our top 50. And now we’re ready to share it with y’all. We’ll publish ten tracks daily between now and New Year’s Eve as we wrap up the year.
Which song will enter our Hall of Fame?
Let the countdown commence!
Team Wiwi’s top songs by Eurovision artists in 2020: 50 to 41
50. ZOË – “Tout Paris”
What we said: ZOË was the first Austrian Eurovision star to sing their entry entirely in French. Now she’s running full-force with the French theme for her new single “Tout Paris” (“All of Paris”). It’s a catchy pop song that fully embraces a French sound owing to the acoustic guitar and accordion instrumentation – reminiscent of the work by French star Indila. The song comes with a quirky music video shot in black and white. It features the Eurovision 2016 star, an accompanying bowler-hatted character and plenty of appearances from a certain iconic tower. (Jonathan)
49. Wig Wam – “Never Say Die”
What we said: In 2005, they served glam-rock extravaganza for Norway at Eurovision. Now Wig Wam have dusted off their rock threads and are ready to serve it again. With the group’s new single “Never Say Die”, the four-piece band are proving that they are still at the top of their game. When lead singer Glam (aka Åge Sten Nilsen) snarls “Here we go again / Into the lion’s den”, it’s delivered with the sense that the band is ready for anything. The question remains — will the much-hoped-for Melodi Grand Prix comeback be a reality for 2021? (Robyn)
48. Didrik Solli-Tangen – “Hjem”
What we said: Didrik Solli-Tangen has broken a seven year hiatus and released his new single “Hjem”, while also sharing more details about the fears that made him stop recording new material for so long. With “Hjem”, Norway’s Eurovision 2010 star has created a Norwegian-language version of “From the Cold” by Cody Fry. “Hjem” comes at the right moment as many people are longing for a safe haven and to be close to their loved ones in these difficult times, as Didrik sings “Dear, come here to me / In my warmth in the brightness”. (Renske)
47. Pastora Soler (feat. Blas Cantó) – “Mi Luz”
What we said: She placed tenth at Eurovision 2012. He would have represented Spain in Rotterdam this year. And now Pastora Soler and Blas Cantó have joined forces for a rework of “Mi Luz”, taken from Soler’s 2019 album Sentir. The track is a great showcase for their vocals. For Eurofans who think of Pastora as a balladeer, it should be a welcome surprise and shows off her versatility as an artist. (Angus)
Previous top tracks (Pastora Soler): “La Tormenta” (#29 in 2017), “Vive” (#15 in 2014), “Te Despertaré” (#5 in 2013)
46. Hurricane – “Lopove”
What we said: “Lopove”, which means “Thieves” in English, is another dance club hit with Asian influences. The music video is another creation by director Dejan Milicevic. It is monochromatic, psychedelic, and retro all at the same time. Hurricane have lost the colour and the dancers, instead going it alone whilst teasing a thief who has a chain around his neck. After one day, “Lopove” has racked up over half a million views. (Tom)
45. Donatas Montvydas – “Kai Nieko Kito Nelieka Man”
What we said: Retro is back, again. Synth-pop has become a dominant music genre over the last year or so, with numerous artists tapping into an 80s-inspired sound for their latest songs. And Lithuania’s Donny Montell is doing just that for his new single “Kai Nieko Kito Nelieka Man” (“When Nothing Else Remains For Me”). Once again going by his full name, Donatas Montvydas, the two-time Eurovision finalist serves a catchy slice of the genre that will instantly get people dancing along. Montvydas continues to serve retro 80s vibes in the music video, where he performs the song with a band while wearing an over-sized jacket and trousers. (Jonathan)
Previous top tracks: “Screw Me Up” (#37 in 2017), “Fly” (#13 in 2016)
44. Anja Nissen – “If We Only Had Tonight”
What we said: “If We Only Had Tonight”, Anja Nissen’s first independent release, touches a very unique and sincere topic. Despite its calm and soothing sound, the song discusses a situation where a person has to deal with the abrupt ending of a love story. The Eurovision 2017 star’s incredibly precise delivery of this song is what makes it as professional as it is. This topic certainly strikes a chord in these strange times. While the song’s lyrics are despondent, however romantic, Anja’s voice brings it to life. The song has a unique structure and ultimately builds to its maximal strength as it approaches the end. (Lauren)
43. Miki Núñez – “Me Vale”
What we said: Miki Núñez brought a fiesta to Eurovision 2019, representing Spain with “La Venda”. Now, the star has dropped the new single “Me Vale” (“I Don’t Care”). It’s another fun upbeat track that will help brighten up your day even if you’re stuck inside during lockdown. In fact, Miki filmed the entire music video for the song while in COVID-19 quarantine. After introducing us to his parents and brother, the Spanish star films himself enjoying life as best as he can in his house. (Jonathan)
Previous top tracks: “Celébrate” (#46 in 2019)
42. Madame Monsieur (feat. Jérémy Frérot) – “Comme un voleur”
What we said: After tracks like “Comme une reine” and “Comme un homme”, France’s Eurovision 2018 paring Madame Monsieur give us “Comme un voluer”. Translating as “Like A Thief”, the duo say that “It tells the story of life that traces its path and makes fun of how we manage with it. It tells how we draw inspiration from people who fight, people who love each other, from all of us”. (Padraig)
Previous top tracks: “Les lois de l’attraction” (#41 in 2019), “Comme Une Reine” (#6 in 2018)
41. Daði Freyr – “Every Moment Is Christmas With You”
What we said: “Every Moment Is Christmas With You” manages to combine a cool Michael Buble vibe with the classic retro Freyr sound that we know and love. Two minutes and 47 seconds of Daði gently whisking us away as we drink eggnog by the fire and giving us all that warm fuzzy feeling. While the song may be calm and full of heavenly peace, the music video is as fun and crazy as we’d expect from the Icelandic star. (Tom)
Our Top Tracks of 2020 ranking is determined by independent votes from a panel of wiwibloggers. They are Renske, Josh, Robyn, Lauren, William, Tom, Padraig, Mario and Jonathan.
Which songs do you think should feature on the list? Are you surprised by our choices so far? Let us know in the comments.
Review our previous top tracks countdowns here
Listen to our top tracks of 2020 playlist on Spotify
Legend Dino Merlin better be in the list with Mi
Now I’ve seen Donny Montell here, I have to say 80s synth pop is trending worldwide but in Lithuania must be hitting specially hard (and in Lithuanian). I’ve listened to Gabrielius Vagelis EP on Spotify (I presume one of those 5 songs would be his entry for the Eurovizijos atranka 2021) and, after “Tave Cai Randu”, it seems he has found himself through this “new” music genre he tried last year. If you liked his song last year you should listen to his new EP. Sounds good.
I hope to see some Blanche,Mahmood, Zalagasper and Loic here.