They were one of the favourites to win Eurovision 2020. Yet despite the song contest’s cancellation, Iceland’s Daði og Gagnamagnið have still enjoyed considerable chart success across the continent. In the week after Eurovision was due to take place, “Think About Things” has charted in several markets, including a top five spot in Ireland.
Daði og Gagnamagnið “Think About Things” in the charts
Ireland
In the week ending 22 May, “Think About Things” sits at #4 on the official Irish charts. Just ahead are Dababy feat. Roddy Ricch, Drake and Arianna Grande & Justin Bieber. This is the first time that a Eurovision song has entered the Irish top ten in five years — Sweden’s Måns Zelmerlöw got to #10 in 2015 with “Heroes”. It is the highest-charting Eurovision entry since 2014 when the Netherlands’ The Common Linnets also got to #4 with “Calm After The Storm”. The last Eurovision #1 was Loreen with “Euphoria” in 2012.
There are no other Eurovision 2020 entries in the top 100. However, Lesley Roy’s “Story Of My Life” reenters the homegrown chart at #18. She previously reached #12 on that chart earlier in the spring.
The Eurovision 2020 album is at #4 in the compilation album charts.
United Kingdom
The Icelandic collective are also making inroads across the Irish Sea, debuting at #43 on the official UK charts. That’s almost 20 places higher than the highest-charting act from 2019 — Norway’s KEiiNO. There are no other Eurovision 2020 entries in the main chart.
However, if streaming figures are excluded, Daði og Gagnamagnið do even better. “Think About Things” is at #8 in the downloads chart. The UK’s own James Newman appears at #23 with “My Last Breath”. Sweden’s The Mamas are at #55 and Russia’s Little Big are at #81. Past hits from Måns Zelmerlöw, Loreen and Alexander Rybak are also on the download chart, after featuring on the BBC’s Eurovision: Come Together special.
All of the above also make it onto the Scottish chart, which is based on downloads only. Katrina & The Waves also appear with “Love Shine A Light”.
The Eurovision album is at #2 on the compilation album chart.
Sweden
Daði og Gagnamagni are also the highest charting Eurovision act in the Swedish charts — reaching #33. Sweden’s own The Mamas are at #74 with “Move”. They previously topped the charts immediately after winning Melodifestivalen. Several other Melfest acts remain at the lower end of the rankings, including Paul Rey and Dotter.
Denmark’s Ben & Tan are at #18 on the Heatseekers countdown.
Eurovision 2020 songs in the charts
The cancellation of Eurovision 2020 has severely limited the chart impact of the 41 acts in general.
In 2019, we reported on charts from almost a dozen countries. Each one contained multiple entries from Tel Aviv. Now, most are devoid of any signs of the song contest.
Except for Daði, no other acts appear to have enjoyed much chart success outside their own markets.
In most cases, those that did taste chart glory did so earlier on in the season after they had won their respective selection processes — Sweden’s The Mamas, Lithuania’s The Roop, Italy’s Diodato, Norway’s Ulrikke.
While Russia’s Little Big have scored 100 million views on the “Uno” music video, this is more down to the band’s existing brand and fan base. They already have four other videos with over 100 million views.
Even Daði’s success is most likely down to factors other than Eurovision. “Think About Things” has been picking up momentum for months and is taking off as a meme on social media sites.
What do you think of Iceland’s chart success? And what do you make of the lack of chart success for everyone else? Let us know in the comments.
I’m not if I have gathered results from every boradcasters mini Eurovision events. But I’d say Iceland is this years clear winner when I rearranged the countries results to two 12-point scales (and eliminated those who could vote for themselves). Iceland was a really clear winner here. Lithuania won in Germany, but that did not change much in the overall score. Well done (and look at his hour long home concert on his YouTube to see his skills in action)
Iceland won in Sweden , Norway , finland , denmark , Austria and Australia . (5 of them are Nordic block )
Lithuania won in Germany
Italy won in Iceland , San marino and Israel
Switzerland won in Bulgaria
In the non Nordics Iceland has placed below bulgaria , Switzerland , Italy , Russia and Lithuania on average
Iceland was probably gonna get all Nordic 12 points probably but eastern Europe , southern Europe , central Europe , automatic qualifiers , I’m not that sure.
1) ‘Think About Things’ ought to be a hit in the US if there hype is to be believed
2) No outright UK chart placing for ‘My Last Breath’ is a poor result for BMG’s investment
You are right Fatima tho My Last Breath is an intelligent and respectable song. Wonder if to do with James lack of profile. Might be different if James Arthur or Tom Grennan had been unleashed on it.
We probably would be heading to Reykjavik in 2021 if ESC wasn’t cancelled this year. But it is what it is.
The Icelandic entry was good and quirky but I think there was better, looking at Ukraine, Bulgaria, Malta and Lithuania here but taste is personal I guess.
Wonder will Daði make his return in 2021?
I mostly agree Darren however I think the only other potential winner you have mentioned is Lithuania. Destiny/Malta may have a more suitable bite of the cherry next year. Sad for Iceland moreover since it’s 21 years for the should have been victory for Selma ??
Also agreeing with you. Lithuania is the only one of the songs that Darren mentioned that I think was a threat to Iceland. Italy and Switzerland were probably closer than those other three.
Lithuania, Bulgaria, Switzeland and Russia would be in top5 probably. Malta lacks friends, I mean televote power. So top10 for them. I can’t see scenario where Island isn’t winning it tbh
Agree again though Germany (despite “live performance” ) and Norway may have been in there shouting. Anything else a huge shock
Think About Things would have been the 1st Eurovision song to be Top 10 in the UK since Calm after the storm. If we had a contest. Shame. More songs would have done better in all Europe
Reykjavik 2021 to be honest. Iceland should be declared as winner despite the Corona circumstances. They placed #1 in many unofficial contests and now seeing european-wide chart success like when Netta officially won with Toy.
I love Think About Things and have been playing it constantly for weeks, but let’s not kid ourselves that #43 counts as being in the charts in the UK.
He would have won the whole thing. Pity the contest was cancelled 🙁
I’m so happy for Daði that he’s achieving success. Think about things is such a great song. I live in America and think about things is one of two songs I have heard from Eurovision in the USA. I’m part of the tiktok demographic and think about things has picked up some momentum on tiktok by American creators. Although some people may not think that’s big a lot of viral hits, chart topping songs, and artists have gained a lot of momentum commercially in the USA by their songs going viral on tiktok. Maybe Daði will see that too:)