With the first semi final of Eurovision 2019, it's a good chance to look back at some of the best songs to fall at this stage.
10. Iceland 2016: Greta Salóme - Hear Them Calling
It wouldn't be a conversation about NQs without this shock. A big fan favourite going in she was unexpectedly went out in the semi finals. In fact she only finished 14th, a full 83 points off 10th place. The staging was iconic AND done by Australian Jonathan Duffy.
9. Albania 2006: Luiz Ejlli - Zjarr E Ftohtë
Back when there was only one semi final, this entry finished 14th out of the 23 entrants in what was a very tough year. It was the first song they sent in Albanian, and their first non-qualification. It was VERY of it's time, with traditional instruments and dancing, but it worked... well.... for us anyway.
8. Finland 2017: Norma John - Blackbird
This dark, brooding but delicate ballad was expected to be a song loved by the jury, but they could only finished 12th with the experts. They placed 10th with the televote and 12th overall - missing the final by 23 points.
7. Croatia 2013: Klapa s mora - Mižerja
Who doesn't love a bit of Croatian Klapa? Europe apparently...Well they don't have taste as we love this classic vocal. The song finished 13th in their semi final back in 2013.
6. Estonia 2014: Tanja - Amazing
This performance of a complicated dance number with a solid vocal was.... well... amazing! Unfortunately she finished 12th in her semi final just four points behind Valentina from San Marino who qualified in 10th.
5. Moldova 2016: Lidia Isac - Falling Stars
What more do you want? A slightly dated Eurobanger, an Astronaut dancer and an endearing performer - that equals a recipe for success in our books. We unashamedly love this entry from Moldova. Europe was found tasteless voting it last in the televote, 15th in the jury for 17th overall.
4. Azerbaijan 2018: Aisel - X My Heart
Luna moon me up, it's Azerbaijan's first ever non qualifier. But this is certainly not their worst song by any stretch of the imagination. This banger with lyrics no jury could ever go for, had unforgettable staging and finished in the dreaded 11th place... just 14 points off Saara Aalto.
3. Estonia 2017: Koit Toome & Laura - Verona
A microphone fail, a meme generated and a fandom devastated. What more could you ask from a non-qualifier? This absolute dated classic from 2017 flopped hard with juries but if it was up to the televoters of Europe they would have progressed. In the end they finished in 14th place.
2. Portugal 2014: Suzy - Quero Ser Tua
Maybe Suzy isn't the best vocalist in the world, but she brought an infectious banger that lives on to this very day. We sang this non-stop all through our Lisbon trip in 2018 and got to watch the woman, the myth, the legend herself perform it. She finished in the unenviable 11th position just 1 point behind Valentina in 10th place. Absolutely heartbreaking!
1. Czech Republic 2015: Marta Jandová & Václav Noid Bárta - Hope Never Dies
Two phenomenal vocalists smashing out a power ballad duet with no staging except for a thrown heel? That is our favourite non-qualifier ever! They were unlucky to go up against a number of male-female duets that year including Norway's 'A Monster Like Me' in their semi final. Televoters put it through in 10th, the jury 12th but it finished 13th overall. An absolute tragedy. But their legacy lives on....
A song not qualifying can feel devastated, but their legacy goes down in history. The music lives on. Enjoy the semi finals and we hope your favourites get through, but if they don't, just continue to enjoy and support their music.