List: Top 20 Albums Released By Eurovision Artists

Over the years we’ve come to realise that a singer with a good Eurovision song isn’t necessarily a singer with a good album. Too many artists blast out an amazing Eurovision entry only to panic-write ten other songs, which they then shove together on a weak album. Thankfully there are diamonds in the rough, as some artists compete at Eurovision after releasing amazing albums, while others manage to keep their ESC momentum going. To save you money on Amazon and iTunes, we’ve compiled our top 20 albums from Eurovision artists who know how to work a cover, keep ALL the songs exciting and keep us awake beyond track 4…

1) Marco Mengoni – #PRONTOACORRERE

#Prontoacorrere” mixes Italian enchantment with the playfulness and artistry of modern pop rock. Versatility defines the album, which includes the highly nostalgic song “La Valle de Rei”, the pure romance of “L’Essenziale”, and the jazziness of “I Got the Fear”. Marco has already made it big, and no longer needs to prove himself. Perhaps that freedom explains why his work continues to hypnotize. — Francheska

2) Mandinga – Club de Mandinga

“Club de Mandinga”—the group’s fifth album—fits with their motto of “playing happiness”. Its summery dance music with Latin and jazz influences will go down easy on the beach or in a club on a hot, sweaty night. Like the band’s previous four albums, “Club de Mandinga” is trilingual: It features Spanish, English and Romanian, which works well for the band’s ever-growing (and ever-more international) fan base. — Bogdan

3) Loreen – Heal

In many respects, “Heal” is a work of art. Loreen showcases a variety styles whilst at the same time remaining faithful to the current craze: Euro-dance tracks with a commercial sound. Each of the 12 songs on this album are gems in their own right. Loreen does dance music to perfection and, despite the heavily produced instrumentation, her vocals remain stark and she remains in total control. — Deban

4) Lena – Stardust

“Stardust” is Lena’s third album and we think it’s the best of them all. The album kicks off with the title track, which is a powerful pop song that the UK’s ITV used in an advert. Lena packed it with sweet pop tracks that cover homesickness (“Goosebumps”), loneliness (“Neon”) and of course, love (“To The Moon”). Swedish singer-songwriter Miss Li joins her on “ASAP”. The album shows the real Lena and her great vocal ability—without Stefan Raab to be anywhere seen. – Sami

5) Anouk – Sad Singalong Songs

“Sad Singalong Songs” is a collection of ten tracks that goes beyond the “love ballad” stamp that you would expect from such a title. The album, recorded entirely with an orchestra, is, like “Birds”, very atmospheric, moody and deep (some mistakenly call this depressing) and marks a departure from Anouk’s usual rock sound, delving further into the direction of soul that started with “Lost”. — Bogdan

6) Emmelie de Forest – Only Teardrops

“Only Teardrops” as an album reaches its greatest heights when using music to emphasise meaning. “Soldier of Love” and “Let It Fall” both demonstrate the virtue of this. They bridge commanding vocals and substance. The union of strong messages and slick production enables Emmelie to seem like more of a rival to rather than an imitator of Florence and the Machine or Lana Del Rey. — Angus

http://youtu.be/ueOzoi-r8QI

7) Cascada – The Best of Cascada

“The Best of Cascada” has everything you need in a Eurodance album. All of their hits, their Eurovision song and even a Corona cover. As it is their greatest hits album, all 17 of the tracks are bouncy and fun rather than screechy and annoying. Even the acoustic versions of “Glorious” and “Enemy” are impressive. With “Glorious” opening the collection of dance classics, it’s the perfect warm-up album for any Eurovision party! — Katie

8) ABBA – Gold: Greatest Hits

Who needs a Mamma Mia soundtrack when you have “Gold”. ABBA’s most successful album to date traces everything from their Melodifestivalen days right up to their worldwide fame. The pop, rock and karaoke classic demonstrates to us all the potential the Eurovision trophy brings to artists who lift the trophy. — Katie

9) Robin Stjernberg – Pieces

I was a fan of Robin Stjernberg going into the review and I’ve come out the other end as a super-fan. He ain’t just a pretty face, y’all – boy can make sweet music! R-Stjern (his new handle, I’ve decided), gets to his rockiest with the opening number ‘One Down Two To Go’ and ‘Crime’. It is poptacular rock, but the rock edge is there nonetheless. ‘Pieces’ is confident and well executed. The quality of his first post-Contest album is super high. — Angus

10) Emma Marrone – Schiena

“Schiena” is 40 minutes of pure class that displays Emma at her best. The opening track “Amami” is a beautiful ballad demonstrating Emma’s powerful vocals while “Dimentico Tutto”, one of the best tracks on the album, is a chilled out rock-pop wonder. “L’amore non mi basta” slows everything down and oozes pain and emotion, the electric guitars complimenting Emma’s vocals. The album is purely in Italian, adding authenticity and working in Emma’s favour.” — Katie

11) Elaiza – Gallery

After giving it a listen, my most most immediate realisation is that ‘Is It Right’ isn’t the best song on the album – something unusual for Eurovision alums. The ‘Is It Right’ formula is repeated not once but twice, with ‘I Don’t Love You’ and USFD alternative entry ‘Fight Against Myself’. There are flashes of brilliance. ‘Lemonade’ bounces along enjoyably and ‘Green’ colours them confidant and assertive.” — Angus

12) Soluna Samay

Soluna’s debut album is the perfect blend of acoustic guitars, raspy vocals and songs with actual depth. The 10-track album discusses the importance of humility, the reality of fame and her frustration about the fact young people are growing up with only DJs and strippers as role models. In tracks such as “History 101” and “Come Again”, Soluna embraces her Latin roots with surprise trumpet solos and fast rhythms, providing the album with variety and colour. It’s brilliant! — Katie

13) Krista Siegfrids – Ding Dong!

Owing to her unique look and playful irreverence, Krista frequently draws comparisons with Katy Perry, P!nk and Gaga. Visually she matches the audacity and quirkiness of those three artists. But the sound of Ding Dong is far more Ke$ha. Krista takes her inspiration from The USA, laces the resulting pop with a Eurobeat, and blasts it out to clubland. It’s fresh. It’s upbeat. It’s BANGING! — Deban

http://youtu.be/YxDwlOpYvPU

14) Gaitana – Samiy Luchshiy

Each song on the 19-track album offers something different. Whether it be violins in “khto ty”, acoustic guitars mixed with Bollywood vibes in “kaply dozhdya” or C.K.A.N duetting with Gaitana in “ne ydy”, every song is unique. There’s even a karaoke version of “Samiy Luchshiy”! The title track is the first song on the album and is definitely an example of Gaitana at her best. It makes you feel like you’re on a Caribbean island, sipping coconut water without a care in the world! — Katie

15) Pastora Soler – Conoceme

Pastora Soler’s 10th album begins with the timeless piano pop ballad “Te Despertaré” which sets the bar high. However, by the final track “Madre”, Pastora has covered a wide range of genres and demonstrated how versatile her voice can be while still remaining true to her trusty piano and impressive vocal range. “Conoceme” oozes class and quality, which Pastora has been developing throughout her career.” — Katie

16) Celine Dion – Loved me Back to Life

“Loved Me Back to Life” is Celine Dion’s first-English language album in six years and everyone agrees that it was worth the wait. Come on, anything that features Ne-Yo, Daniel Merriweather AND Sia has to be good, right? Celine has drifted from her Eurovision days as her latest offering even contains echos of dubstep. But she still exerts her renowned power vocals on every track. — Katie

17) Sanna Nielsen – 7

This album is spectacular and cleverly showcases Sanna in a variety of styles. She is a lot more than a schlager queen. “Breathe” includes a dub-step backing, and a catchy build-up to the chorus. “All About Love” has a slight Latin flare. “Trouble” is a tad eclectic, and not in a bad way. And “Ready” is a feel good, up-tempo track that makes you want to sway and clap along. Sanna, you’ve really outdone yourself this time! – Zach

18) Koza Mostra – Keep Up the Rhythm

“Keep up the Rhythm” shows what Koza Mostra does best: ska rock with lots of Greek influences. The bilingual album has 9 tracks, including a six-minute long version of their Eurovision song “Alcohol Is Free” — that’s lots of free drinks, y’all! The band gives rock a fresh sound by utilizing horns and an accordion. Greek people have noticed their talent too, as the album has reached triple Platinum certification in their homeland. – Sami

19) Ovi – A Bit of Pop Won’t Hurt Anyone

“A Bit Of Pop Won’t Hurt Anyone” features four duets with Paula Seling, including “Miracle”, Romania’s entry at this year’s Eurovision. “Miracle” opens the album and is the unquestionable star of the tracklist from the get-go. Although Ovi’s solo efforts are worthy of praise – all his songs are catchy, radio-friendly tunes – he is at best when joining forces with the amazing Paula Seling. Ovi has found his muse in Paula and we think they were meant for each other musically. — Bogdan

http://youtu.be/RNHZ4fnmOQc

20) Alexander Rybak – Fairytales

Alexander Rybak’s debut album, released shortly after his Eurovision victory, is everything you would expect from the Norwegian violinist. The opening tracks “Roll with the wind” and “Fairytale” start strong with uplifting violin solos and catchy choruses while “Funny little world” is toe-tappingly chilled out with just the right amount of cheesiness. Nine tracks of violin can get a little tedious if you’re not a fan of Rybak, but it’s an impressive collection of songs for a first offering. — Katie