They say that history is written by the winners. And for Eurovision that is mostly the case. The victor gets the trophy and reprises their entry, while the whole shebang arrives in the winning country approximately twelve months later.
But that doesn’t mean that we forget about everyone else. Often, some would even suggest that the best songs always come second. We couldn’t possibly confirm or deny such a theory.
However, we were more than happy to put it to the test when we asked y’all to vote for your favourite second-place act of the 2010s. Now, after counting 12,565 valid votes, the results are in.
Your favourite Eurovision runner-up of the 2010s is Australia’s Dami Im with “Sound Of Silence”.
Australia’s Dami Im is your favourite Eurovision runner-up of the 2010s
In only its second year competing, Australia sashayed straight into the top two at Eurovision 2016. Dami Im’s “Sound of Silence” won the jury vote and was seemingly on the way to a landslide victory, but eventually finished second, a tiny margin behind Ukraine’s “1944”.
The Aussies picked up 2,883 votes or 22.94% of all votes cast.
Cyprus’ Eleni Foureira with “Fuego” comes second once again.
In the days leading up to Eurovision 2018, fans became more and more convinced that Cyprus would win it. But in the end, as Eurovision 2019 host Assi Azar would say, they didn’t. Despite that, the song still became a staple choice for fan favourite all-time tops and achieved widespread success across Europe. We even saw it performed by Måns Zelmerlöw on the Tel Aviv stage.
This time “Fuego” took home 2,323 votes or 18.49% of all votes cast.
The top three is completed by Bulgaria’s Kristian Kostov with “Beautiful Mess”.
The top of the 2017 scoreboard was a beautiful mess of different genres. The winner from Portugal won the jury vote and the public, with Bulgaria’s Kristian Kostov finishing second in both. Kostov not only got the highest score ever for a non-winner, he also got the second-highest score of all time. Furthermore, just one year after Poli Genova secured Bulgaria’s top score in the contest, Kristian smashed it and then some.
“Beautiful Mess” picked up 2,095 valid votes. That’s 16.67% of all votes cast.
Poll results: Who is the best runner-up of the past decade?
- 2016 (Australia): “Sound of Silence” 22.94% (2,883 votes)
- 2018 (Cyprus): “Fuego” 18.49% (2,323 votes)
- 2017 (Bulgaria): “Beautiful Mess” 16.67% (2,095 votes)
- 2019 (Italy): “Soldi” 14.93% (1,876 votes)
- 2015 (Russia): “A Million Voices” 7.56% (950 votes)
- 2014 (The Netherlands): “Calm After the Storm” 7.54% (948 votes)
- 2010 (Turkey): “We Could Be the Same” 5.34% (671 votes)
- 2012 (Russia): “Party for Everybody” 2.68% (337 votes)
- 2011 (Italy): “Madness of Love” 1.93% (242 votes)
- 2013 (Azerbaijan): “Hold Me” 1.91% (240 votes)
Total Votes: 12,565
Please note that due to discrepancies with voting numbers coming from a select few users, the results have been audited and revised by the Wiwi poll committee.
Is “Sound Of Silence” your favourite runner-up? Or do you prefer “Fuego”? Which entry did you vote for? Let us know in the comments below.
My TOP 5
1.2019
2.2016
3.2014
4.2012
5.2018
As an Aussie I felt Sound of Silence was just an OK song. The thing is you could give a funeral dirge to Dami to sing and she’ll sing the crap out of any song she’s given. If you ever hear her live – which we do all the time , she elevates anything she is given . I’m not a fan of her music but you have got to respect someone with the talent to do this to even the most mediocre of songs.
Surprising results, how could the Foureirian army of truth and justice let this happen?
Though I’m not as enthused over Fuego as most Eurofans are, IMO It’s way better than Sound of Silence which had nothing going for it except for Dami’s incredible vocals.
My votes on this poll went to Soldi and We Could Be the Same.
So? Fuego had nothing going for it except the staging and hair flip. Without it its nothing..
It still has itself.
I think Fuego is far from the masterpiece some zealous fans praise it to be, but IMO it’s still a fun and enjoyable song which the performance only enhanced.
Sound of Silence is IMO quite presumptuous and bland, it feels like a song about nothing. Dami is an amazing vocalist though.
For me, Turkey 2010 and The Netherlands 2014 are the winners
Absolutely love all second places of the decade. ? And Dami Im is definitely the best. Still mad that she did not win with that mindblowing voice and song. ??
soldi not being top 2 shows lack of general eurovision fans taste
They just don’t know how to ‘be best’.
Fuego
Netherlands 2014, Cyprus 2018 and Turkey 2010 are my absolute favourites, particularly the Netherlands. Honestly, I think Dami Im looked incredible, her staging was awesome and her vocals were, I think, one of the best in 2016, but I’ve always thought Sound of Silence, as a song, is a bit overrated, it never really stood out to me, I thought it could do well, but it never crossed my mind that it would finish 2nd.
“Beautiful Mess” is my clear favourite here. It was my winner in 2017.
“Sound Of Silence” is the only other song that managed to get into my top five for that year and even then, it’s not a great song but rather a fantastic performance.
People are delusional. Not only should Australia not be in it, robbing the place of a European country, but that song is dreadful. ALL the other songs are better, but Bulgaria and The Netherlands in particular were by far the best. Eurovision fans really have to open their ears.
So you’re one of those… I respect your opinion but tell me… How about Israel? Israel doesn’t also belong to Europe, last time I checked… So?
Geographically speaking neither do Armenia and Cyprus, and still Australia isn’t the same as them. The EBU rules states that only associate members of the EBU who reside within the borders of the European Broadcasting Area are eligible to participate in the ESC. Israel, Cyprus and Armenia are associate members and dwell within the EBA, so they are just as eligible to take part as Norway or Poland are. Australia is not an associate member and is way outside the EBA, which makes them the only country ever who was allowed to participate despite not meeting the threshold requirements. I… Read more »
You’re right, what I meant was that Israel Cyprus and Armenia are *full* members just like Norway, Poland, Germany etc, and Australia is on an associate member, got those mixed up.
Associate members can be invited, but Australia is the only associate member to ever be invited. Kazakhstan requested to participate but so far they were declined. They did participate in the Junior Eurovision if I’m not mistaken.
why are we still having this conversation. as soon as u say Australia doesn’t belong, you expose yourself as either a boomer or someone who possesses boomer mentality. sort out ur priorities babe, worrying about a country shouldn’t be one of them
general tendency with many Italian songs to cram too many words in which makes for a rushed, scattergun effect. Especially 2018 and 2019. They need to ease off a bit and let the music breathe.
But at least Italians have something to say. Many others are just breathing incredibly thin air.
I feel like Azerbaijan is underrated in the top. ‘Hold me’ should have placed higher, same with ‘WCBTS’. Yet, there are only 10 songs, and I’d say that 8 of the 10 are equally great songs that deserved coming 2nd and it would be impossible (for me at least) to rank some of these songs in a top 8.
Very happy with the winner tho. Go Dami!!! Thx from Australia 🙂
My ranking:
2010 Turkey
2016 Australia
2015 Russia
2019 Italy
2018 Cyprus
2013 Azerbaidjan
2012 Russia
2017 Bulgaria
2014 The Netherlands
2011 Italy
My favourites are The Netherlands 2014 and Italy 2019.
Cyprus 2018 and Bulgaria 2017 are overrated…
Sorry
hold me dead last as it deserves
Personally I will never understand how Italy managed to be the runner up of 2011 I think it was because people was happy for their come back so they have voted blindly for them, but it was so overrated as their entries in 2017 and in 2018, it’s my opinion.
Sometimes some good results are well deserved and justified, sometimes not at all…..it’s often the case for Italy, Il volo, Mahmood deserved, but for their others top 10 entries no, not a big fan at all of the italians entries of the last decade, I love Francesca Michielin, I like Mahmood, I can admit the appeal for Il Volo or M.Mengoni but they’re not my cup of tea, and that’s all, but I repeat it’s only my opinion.
I can’t listen to Italy 2011. I know it was a horrible year songwise, but for real now, was must be something more sufferable.
Im not that big of a fan of that song but I can see why it ended that high. It had a nice retro vibe to it, singer very charismatic and the song took you somewhere else during those three minutes. Simple but captivating And it was also very creative, not as shallow as the other entries that year . It was the same feeling with Netherlands 2014 I think. I get why Raphael won the jury vote .
While Raphael Gualazzi might have finished too high due to the juries, his song was really classy. Farid Mammadov’s second place puzzled me more as ‘Hold me’ sounded really outdated even back then. But when millions of people in Europe apparently loved it, who am I to judge that?
I guess its Elenis destiny to be 2nd ? I agree for Dami though. Would prefer The Netherlands higher.
Funny: Dami is my personal winner of 2016 and Kris my personal winner of 2017, so I am happy with that Top 2 😀
I’m not gonna lie, I preferred to see The Commom Linnits on the first position, but I can live with Dami Im Putting Eleni and Kristian Kostov before Mahmood and The Commom Linnits… I’m sorry, but no, that’s just ridiculous, even Polina and the guys from Turkey had better songs. I’m pretty sure I gonna have a lot of haters now, so be it. Each it’s own opinion..
I’m sorry but the Common Linnets were just that. Common and basic
so we still downvoting for opinions on songs? noted
For me, it’s Fuego, CATS and Soldi. I wanted all three of them to win. I didn’t even pay attention to Fuego before the rehearsals and now I have no clue how I didn’t hear what a great song it was from the beginning. I immediately fell for CATS, though. Soldi wasn’t even my favorite from Sanremo 2019 and still the best at Eurovision.
In early 2018 Fuego was tipped to win – at 100/1. That was madness. I backed it for first four, of course if she had won I would have been quids in! The same tipster recommended Superg!rl this year but I don’t think so.
I think Greece 2020 is as bad of a song as 2017. With the difference that Stefania has another chance and can probably sing. I haven’t heard her live but if she can hit one single note, she’s already better.
Wow. Another top 10 for Azerbaijan! Congratulations! They’re on fire.
I’ve never liked Kristian Kostov’s “Beautiful Mess”, I just see it as a song that lacks emotion
the babushkas and ralph gualoser have no right to be higher than daddy farid mammadov. yall just hate azerbaijan too much
Beautiful mess is so overrated entry. I think Calm after the storm should’ve been higher.
So pleased for Dami. The song and the performance exuded such sophistication and class, I think it is a worthy winner.
Expected CATS or Fuego to be no 1 🙂 most are great though, good winner