ESC Etc.

Eleven countries left with 2024 leading 16 to 7. Is the 2023 lineup toast? Shouldn’t we want every year to be better than the previous one anyway?! Let’s continue!

Netherlands: Burning Daylight vs Europapa
Even if you’re a die-hard fan of ballads, you might agree that Burning Daylight remains a very underwhelming track that is almost incomprehensible as an ESC selection. 2024 easily takes this one – and I’m still not over the coda to Joost’s video for Europapa.
2023: 7 – 2024: 17

Norway: Queen of Kings vs Ulveham
Much like I did with Denmark, I can readily admit that Queen of Kings is more palatable as a studio cut just in terms of genre and my own personal taste. That said, I can also recognize that Ulveham is a better song and overall package and an important moment of course correction at MGP.
2023: 7 – 2024: 18

Poland: Solo vs The Tower
Solo was such a fiasco in 2023 that not even the “bejba it’s kinda krejza” memes have soothed that burn. The Tower is a much more accomplished entry in every regard, and (spoiler) Poland is actually in my Top 10 this year. Another easy call.
2023: 7 – 2024: 19

Portugal: Ai coração vs Grito
As fond as I was of Mimicat – she single-handedly carried the whole country into the final last year – her song was not for me and it was often a skip especially towards the end of the season. Grito is definitely more interesting and compelling, even if these two songs couldn’t be more different.
2023: 7 – 2024: 20

San Marino: Like an Animal vs 11:11
While this is also an easy call in favor of 2024, I still find the vitriol and hatred for the 2023 entry rather bizarre and unwarranted. So many people in particular took issue with the lyric “c’mom baby come and find me, I can smell you like an animal” and acted so scandalized when let’s be honest, you’d be into it if it was Andrew Lambrou or Jorge González singing it to you. You know it’s true.
2023: 7 – 2024: 21

Serbia: Samo mi se spava vs Ramonda
Another huge pivot here from the electronic soundscapes of 2023 to the emotional, soothing tones of this 2024 ballad. Both songs are strong, but I think I would have to give this to 2023 just because it feels a bit more out-of-the-box and more special for what it is. That said, I do expect Ramonda to fare better in the final (if it makes it).
2023: 8 – 2024: 21

Slovenia: Carpe Diem vs Veronika
Listeners of the ESC Etc pod know I was never a fan of Carpe Diem and that it languished in penultimate place in my 2023 ranking. By contrast (another spoiler!) Veronika is still in my Top 3 for 2024, and I am expecting a phenomenal stage show from Raiven.
2023: 8 – 2024: 22

Spain: Eaea vs Zorra
As much as I respect Blanca Paloma’s artistry, I never fully came around to liking Eaea and still think Spain left a couple of songs on the shelf in 2023 that could have been real contenders for a Top 5 finish. By contrast, I am absolutely obsessed with Zorra, and the viral success it is enjoying to me shows it was always the correct choice.
2023: 8 – 2024: 23

Sweden: Tattoo vs Unforgettable
Sweden 2024 was officially doomed to lose this smackdown no matter what. Tattoo is untouchable.
2023: 9 – 2024: 23

Switzerland: Watergun vs The Code
Really happy to see Switzerland finally look in a different, brighter and less conventional direction after years of very uneven sad boy ballads, the 2023 entry being a particularly tacky and unwelcome one.
2023: 9 – 2024: 24

Ukraine: Heart of Steel vs Teresa & Maria
Two very different but quite competitive tracks, even though I’m personally not overly fond of either. I think Teresa & Maria is overall a bit more agreeable to me, and I also expect it to make it a bigger splash at ESC.
2023: 9 – 2024: 25

United Kingdom: I Wrote A Song vs Dizzy
Both songs are fun and somewhat underwhelming, but I think I’m generally more drawn to Dizzy and I think it will come together much more competently on stage. A bit of a litmus test if you will, because the goodwill from 2022 will start wearing thin sooner than later.
2023: 9 – 2024: 26

And there you have it – 2024 beats 2023 26 to 9. That’s…decisive. What’s even more startling is the fact that, just even looking at my bottom 10 for 2024, there are a handful of songs that would have been an absolute godsend last year. Speaking of which…all the songs ranked, coming soon.