The best songs of 2018 by Eurovision artists (20-11)

It’s almost time to bid adieu to 2018. But not just yet. First we must pay a penultimate visit to our Top Tracks countdown.

Like every other year, the team from wiwibloggs voted for their favourite 2018 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 have yet to compete on the Eurovision stage.

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’ll publish ten tracks daily between now and New Year’s Day.

What song will join Loreen’s “We Got The Power”, Emmelie De Forest’s “Drunk Tonight”, Lena’s “Traffic Lights”, and Loïc Nottet’s “Million Eyes” and “Mud Blood” in our Hall of Fame?

The countdown continues.

20. Tim Schou “Altar”

What we said: Danish delight Tim Schou is treating his fans to another slice of mid-tempo pop. Yes peeps, bow down to his latest track, ’cause its about to take over your body. “Altar” sees him tackling serious, yet controversial subject matter like sex and religion. Recorded in a Russian sauna, draped in chiffon, mannequins and lit with candles, the object of Schou’s affection here is visualized with a body-painted freckled goddess with turquoise hair. A unique model in so many ways, Elizy departs from the conventional and gives this project an interesting texture. “Altar” is a pulsating club marvel that bows down to lust, and the desire to dance. The song’s midriff contains an infectious hook which would leave you humming its tune for days (Deban).

19. Benjamin Ingrosso “Behave”

What he said:“When I wrote this song, my energy was on top. We talked about the fact that in a relationship you sometimes started thinking about someone else or looked elsewhere for a new spark. That’s when one of the writers said the word ‘behave’, and I was like *sings behave*. I’ve been blasting this one out of my speakers ever since. I can’t wait for you guys to blast it out of your speakers, even louder!”

Previous top tracks: “Paradise” (#24 in 2018)

18. Michael Schulte “The Love You Left Behind”

What we said: The track is a slower take, similar to “You Let Me Walk Alone”. It’s another piano-driven cut which definitely plays on your emotions! Lyrically, the song deals with the same topic of his Eurovision entry. During the chorus, Schulte sings “I lost you / But all the love you left behind / Will always remind me / Remind me of you”. A moving song! (Florian)

17. Saara Aalto “Dance!!!”

What we said: The enthusiastically entitled “DANCE!!!” (exclamation points included) will be the fourth single from Saara’s album Wild Wild Wonderland. Saara wrote the poppy song herself, alongside a crack team including Swedish songwriter Linnea Deb (who wrote Måns Zelmerlöw’s 2015 Eurovision winner “Heroes”), and Finnish ace Matias Keskiruokanen. The tune is undeniably catchy and upbeat. Featuring synth drums and keytars, a simple hook and bright cover art, it’s as 80s as you can get without actually stepping into a time machine. It’s also got the potential to be a real crowd pleaser – a performance of the song way back in April shows the audience joyfully singing, dancing and clapping along (Alice).

16. Philipp Kirkorov “Mood Color Blue”

What we said: Philipp Kirkorov is proving his longevity and staying power once more by topping the iTunes charts in five countries with “Mood Color Black” — a re-working of his song “Цвет настроения синий” (“Mood Color Blue”) in collaboration with fellow Russian star Egor Kreed. The undeniably danceable track has been making waves all over. The video is hilariously over-the-top and lavish. It centres around a music video director re-working Philipp’s “Mood Color Blue” (which came out in May) as “Mood Color Black” — a more R&B/hip-hop version of his pop-tastic original (William).

15. MÉLOVIN “That’s Your Role”

What we said: With a theatrical piano opening, Melovin creates drama and suspense with his new pop number. Mixing cabaret and radio pop, Melovin pulls off another catchy tune whilst adding to his growing pile of musical gems. His enunciation has improved since “Under the Ladder”. However, the main strength of this track is its infectious melody. (Deban)

14. Yianna Terzi “Karma”

What we said: Musically speaking, the song bears a lot of similarities to her ethnic and traditional Eurovision number. The song begins with haunting cries, which are juxtaposed with soft and gentle verses akin to the format of “Oniro Mou”. The song gradually builds towards the pre-chorus as more and more elements are added into the mix. It feels as though one is being taken through the plethora of emotions and feelings encountered when our world gets turned upside down. The tension continues to rise and culminates with Yianna proclaiming: “When your time is up, there is no escape from karma”. Not only is Yianna preaching a message of empowerment and strength but she does it through the medium of song, harmony and the mystery of traditional instrumentation (Oliver).

13. Timebelle feat. Sunstroke Project “Tocame”

What we said: The song starts off with the gentle plucking of the guitar, instantly reminiscent of a cool sea breeze in the evening and the hallmark of many current, Latin numbers. Quickly though, the verse and beat kick in as Timebelle’s lead vocalist, Miruna, leads the way through the song with her flawless vocals. The lyrics are a playful exchange between a couple who “know they are perfect” for one another. The infectious beat continues until the brakes are slammed on for the pre-chorus, which builds up to an iconic and fresh chorus. The melody is instantly memorable and is helped along with Sergey “Epic Sax Guy” Stepanov belting out another funky saxophone solo. Up next is the second verse piloted by Sergei Yalovitsky – the lead singer of the Moldovan trio – where the song takes a new direction: rap. The good vibes and flirtatious dialogue continue throughout the rest of the song and the seamless transitions between genre and tempo keeps the listener enrapt and enthralled by the music (Oliver).

Previous top tracks — Sunstroke Project: “Sun Gets Down” (#17 in 2017)

https://youtu.be/tNFqoeRhTwc

12. Benjamin Ingrosso “I Wouldn’t Know”

What we said: “I Wouldn’t Know” takes a similarly defiant tone to “Dance You Off”: “I won’t waste no more time waiting for a sign, it’s already clear that you’ve got issues,” he tells his lover in the chorus. He adds, “I would hold you while you’re crying, you wouldn’t dry a tear for me.” We can feel the pain and anguish. The defiant tone may also be influenced by Eurofans who were quick to jump on Sweden’s poor televote result during the Grand Final. In that context, the lyric “Ain’t no fire I won’t walk through” could be read as a clapback against the haters. The song is synth heavy, but also features some 70s guitars, giving a finished result close to the sound of bands like 5 Seconds Of Summer (Angus).

Previous top tracks: “Behave” (#19 in 2018), “Paradise” (#24 in 2018)

11. Marco Mengoni feat. Tom Walker “Hola (I Say)”

What we said: Both Marco and Tom are known for their emotive power when singing, so combining their vocal abilities together results in a truly magical track that touches you across both the Italian and English language. (We’re not crying, you are!) Lyrically, the song refers to the usual story of a person who has fallen in love with someone else. Except there’s the slight twist that their lover’s first language is Spanish, but they don’t speak the language themselves. Unfortunately it’s revealed that, despite this person’s attempts to learn the language, the individual they’ve fallen for doesn’t reciprocate this love: “And you preferred TV better than spending time with me / And how do you live with yourself when / around your heart you have the Berlin wall?” (Jonathan).

Previous top tracks: “Onde” (#7 in 2017), “Ti ho voluto bene veramente” (#24 in 2015), “Io ti aspetto” (#30 in 2015), “Guerriero” (#41 in 2014), “Pronto a correre” (#10 in 2013), “Non Passerai” (#25 in 2013)

Our Top Tracks of 2018 ranking is determined by votes from a panel of wiwibloggers. They are William, Robyn, Deban, Jonathan, Antranig, Sebastian, Pablo, Oliver, Barnabas, Cinan, Florian, Jack, Bernardo and Padraig.