Every day until December 24, we’re stuffing your stockings with a new Eurovision poll and asking you to name the national selection you are most excited for and who deserved the ultimate last place (among other things). Consider this our advent calendar for 2015. Whether you celebrate Christmas or not, you can let us know your thoughts each and every day by casting your votes. So grab your candy canes and let’s do this!
Day 8: Melodifestivalen runners-up
In recent years Sweden’s Melodifestivalen has become the most followed national selection across Europe and had a massive impact on the Swedish music industry. Participating artists enjoy endless media attention and their songs routinely become big hits — regardless of whether they advance to the final or not. In Sweden it really is possible to turn silver into gold.
With all that in mind, we want to know: Who is your favourite Melodifestivalen runner-up from the past decade? Review all of the songs below and then vote in our poll. You can vote for as many songs as you’d like, but you can only vote ONE time, so make it count.
2006: BWO – “Temple of Love”
BWO — that’s short for Bodies Without Organs — was the first wildcard act for Melodifestivalen 2006. Their entry “Temple of Love” placed second behind the bookies’ favourite, 1991 Eurovision winner Carola. Later BWO and their song achieved international success and also topped the Swedish charts.
2007: Andreas Johnson – “A Little Bit of Love”
After reaching third place in 2006, Andreas Johnson returned for a second try. Swedes showed him lots of love by sending him to the final with over 200,000 televotes. In the final he came up short, losing out to glam rock band The Ark, who were the favourites of both the national juries and the Swedish public. Andreas has taken part in Melodifestivalen four times since then.
2008: Sanna Nielsen – “Empty Room”
Sanna Nielsen took part in Melodifestivalen for the fifth time in 2008. She won the televote with 18.7% of the vote, but it wasn’t enough. Former Eurovision winner Charlotte Perrelli pipped Sanna to victory with a decisive win with the jury. In the end, 18 points was all that stood between these two divas. Sanna had to wait six years for her turn.
2009: Caroline af Ugglas – “Snälla snälla”
Caroline af Ugglas qualified to the final via the second chance round — and that only seemed to endear her to the Swedish public even more. Måns Zelmerlöw won with the jury, but Caroline fought until the end, along with Malena Ernman. Malena won with the public — and finished a mere 11 points ahead of Caroline overall.
2010: Salem al Fakir – “Keep on Walking”
Salem al Fakir was invited to Melodifestivalen 2010 by SVT and he took part with his self-penned song “Keep on Walking”. His song was the jury’s favourite, but the Swedish public decided to send Anna Bergendahl to Oslo instead. Big mistake. She went on to become the only Swedish artist not to quality for the Eurovision final.
2011: Danny Saucedo – “In The Club”
Former Idol finalist Danny Saucedo experienced the Mello final for the first time in 2009 as part of the boyband E.M.D. Competing as a solo artist in 2011, he placed second behind Eric Saade in both the televote and with the international juries.
2012: Danny Saucedo – “Amazing”
Danny Saucedo returned to #melfest the following year and brought some very expensive LED suits with him. Once again he had to settle for the silver medal when Loreen stormed to victory with “Euphoria“. Danny just couldn’t stay away and came back again the following year, but this time to host the contest.
2013: Yohio – “Heartbreak Hotel”
In 2013, Yohio caused fan hysteria in Sweden and received more televotes in the semifinals than any other song. He was the public’s favourite in the final too, but the international jury placed him second-to-last. Robin Stjernberg — who qualified to the final from the second chance round — snatched the victory.
2014: Ace Wilder – “Busy Doin’ Nothin'”
Ace Wilder was a relative unknown in the Swedish music scene prior to Melodifestivalen 2014. She qualified direct to the final, but was only a thousand votes away from being relegated to Second Chance. No matter. In the final the international juries put her on top. But after the televotes were added to the result, Sanna Nielsen won by two points. Two years later, Ace is returning to Melodifestivalen 2016.
2015: Jon Henrik Fjällgren – “Jag är fri (Manne Leam Frijje)”
https://youtu.be/JZhQ_L9iXNY
Jon Henrik Fjällgren, a jojkare from the Sami part of Sweden, took part in Melodifestivalen after winning Sweden’s Got Talent in 2014. His song received over 660,000 televotes in the third deltävling. In the final, the international juries placed him third and the public ranked him second. Måns Zelmerlöw got almost twice as many televotes and Jon Henrik finished a distant second.
I only know the runner ups from 2008 and 2011-2015. “Empty room” was better than “Hero” for sure. Danny Saucedo’s attempts were overshadowed by more energetic (Eric Saade’s Popular, even though I dislike it) and more creative performances. In fact, I can’t find a way in which Amazing is better than Euphoria. Heartbreak hotel is a good song, but the controversial appearance of Yohio got lost by an equally good Robin Stjenberg. Ace Wilder was fantastic, but I must say that in the voting, my heart was with Sanna. Lastly, Jon Henrik’s song isn’t my cup of tea.
Although the result showed them to be correct, Mans winning last year deprived Europe of a special song by Jon Henrik.
Definitely the best Melfest song during the past ten years.
2010 & 2015 all the way ????
I must be one of a few that thought YOHIO was awful.
In 2013 I couldn’t believe that it was the televotes favorite and I still believe if it went to Eurovision Sweden would have come around 20th.
As for my favorite 2nd place song I think Sanna has to be my number one (to quote Helena paparizou)
I don’t really like ‘Busy doing nothing’ and thought it was weird the juries ranked a song like that first.
2008, 2011 and 2012 😉
I *love* A Little Bit of Love (2007), even though it’s more than a little too similar to “The Glory of Love” 😛
I like Empty Room more than Undo, probably second of the bunch for me, with Busy Doin’ Nothin’ third.
And bottom…Danny Saucedo both times. I find him really discomforting. I’m not sure how he managed 2nd twice, maybe fangirls? Also Yohio… losing despite a huge vote from the viewers has to hurt and while I don’t love the song it would’ve been fun to see at Eurovision.
Team Snälla snälla!
Danny is just like Saade in terms that the performance is lots of FLASH! Let the song speak!
“In the club” by a mile.
Not to sound biased or something, but all of the songs are great. maybe not all are worth second place, but really good.
I always loved BWO’s entry and still think it should have won. Same with Sanna in 2008, especially knowing how bad the 2008 edition turned out to be. I don’t think Yohio was that exciting, a typical glam-rock song.
The winner has to be Ace Wilder, that’s an ace song. A worthy winner and could have done just as well as Sanna.
2006, 2008, 2010, 2013, 2014 and 2015. But when have you planned a Jesc poll coming, because I want that, like for example “Who is the best winner ever” “Best runner up” Bronze medalist and so on.
My vote went to 2010. 2015 and 2009 are execellent too. I also like 2014, but it’s a bit rushed.
YOHIO and Sanna Nielsen for me. Also Salem Al Fakir and Caroline af Ugglas. Ok, and all the rest too xD
1. 2013
2. 2014
3. 2008
4. 2015
Jon henrick!!! And ace wilder!!
Love me some YOHIO (even after what he said about KPop music) but he’s 3rd on my list.
3rd – YOHIO – Heartbreak Hotel
Danny Seudeco recieved 2nd place twice! How can he fail with that record?
2nd – Danny Seudeco – Amazing
Ace Wilder could’ve EASILY won. The story of her placing in the results is too interesting to ignore.
1st – Ace Wilder – Busy Doing Nothing
1.2014
2.2006
3.2013
4.2010
5.2008
6.2012
7.2015
8.2007
9.2011
10.2009
BWO deserved to won at Melodifestivalen final, 2006 because Carola don t sang very well in final. For the first time I think, SVT send to EBU as preview song from semi final performance from Melodifestivalne not from final. Wheh you see preview for Sweden that year song Evighet ( at Eurovison Invincible ) are from semi final in Geteborg not from final from Stockholm.
With Caroline at Eurovison 2009, Sweden would got the worst result in history at Eurovision. They would be from 15 to 17 place in their semifinal.
Ace lost in 2014 only because we had televote voting few minutes, then votign stopped, then we hear the interenational juries result, and after interenational juries result we had few minute to votes again.
Many thought that Ace would n get many points from international juries like Yohio in 2013. When many saw that Ace was first with internation juries, they thougt that she had enougfh vote from televoting to won, and many maybe dont vote so many time for Ace in second period of voting in final.
Salem Al Fakir – Keep on Walking !!!!!!!!
This song doesn’t get old, also would have done much better than Anna did back in 2010 !!!!!!!!! She was aiming for the sky, but she ended up flat on the ground lol
Sanna by a million miles – potential Eurovision winner that song was, after that 2006, 2009 and 2014.
Yohio – ewww, that she-boy can’t sing. (Before any accuses me of anything, I’m gay myself)