It the end of another year which means the annual New Year’s tradition of the Eurovision Top 250 (aka ESC250) is back again!
Organised by Belgian fan site, Songfestival.be, this running tradition has fans from around the world, vote on their all-time favourite Eurovision songs from 1956 to present and compiles the votes to see which song reigns supreme. After all the votes are counted, a countdown of the top songs is then played on digital radio station ESCRadio on New Year’s Eve.
The list is always a highlight, with fans backing their favourite Eurovision tunes in hope that they will place high on the countdown. The past nine years has seen Loreen's Euphoria take the number 1 spot year after year. Australia may not have made it to the number one spot just yet, but almost all of Australia's Eurovision entries have previously made it in the top 250 countdown.
The ESC250 list has featured a number of Australian artists who have competed at the Eurovision Song Contest. Although Australia hasn't been in pole position yet, it's reassuring to see the support Australia's songs and artists receive from Europe long after they compete.
Below are the Australian artists who have competed in Eurovision and their songs' best rankings in the Top 250:
Dami Im - 'Sound of Silence' (2016)
Top ESC250 ranking - #15 in 2016
Dami Im has not only given Australia its best placing in Eurovision but she has also been the nation's highest scorer on the top 250 taking the 15th spot in 2016. Every edition since, 'Sound of Silence' has been the highest Aussie entry consistently at the top and finished number 29 in the 2020 edition.
Gina G - 'Ooh Aah… Just a Little Bit' (1996)
Top ESC250 ranking - #38 in 2020
Brisbane born Gina G achieved her highest score in the Top 250 at the most recent edition of the ranking in 2020. 24 years after competing with her song 'Ooh Aah… Just a Little Bit' in Oslo, the Grammy nominated song reached number 38 on the list last year. This top place beat out her previous best placing during the 2019 edition. This climb up the countdown means that Gina G is now the Aussie with the second highest placing in ESC250 history!
Guy Sebastian - 'Tonight Again' (2015)
Top ESC250 ranking - #42 in 2015
'Tonight Again' made the Top 50 in the 2015 edition of ESC250, entering the list at number 42. In 2020, five years on after Guy's performance, 'Tonight Again' fell out of the top 250 for the very first time at the 361st spot.
Kate Miller-Heidke - 'Zero Gravity' (2019)
Top ESC250 ranking - #52 in 2019
Our queen Kate Miller-Heidke wowed Europe in Tel Aviv. There must be something about an operatic-pop song being performed while swaying seven meters in the air on poles by an Aussie at a European song Contest that has left a long lasting mark on fans as Kate debuted at number 52 on the list. 'Zero Gravity' has sustained a great spot in the 2020 countdown, landing at #89.
Anja Nissen - 'Where I Am' (2017)
Top ESC250 ranking - #113 in 2017
The Voice Australia winner, Anja Nissen represented Denmark in 2017 with the song 'Where I Am.' The song debuted on the Top 250 at the 113th spot. This may be because of the common recency bias seen in the countdown as Anja's position on the list dropped significantly, leaving the Top 250 the year after and is currently sitting at number 383.
Jessica Mauboy - 'We Got Love' (2018)
Top ESC250 ranking - #127 in 2018
Australia's golden girl, Jessica Mauboy returned to the Contest to compete in 2018 after representing the land down under during the 2014 interval act. Jessica entered at the respectable 127th spot on the list in 2018. Like Guy Sebastian, Jessica has dropped under the 250 in the 2020 edition as she currently is sitting at #309
Olivia Newton-John - 'Long Live Love' (1974)
Top ESC250 ranking - #229 in 2008
Olivia Newton John hasn't gone well in the Top 250 countdown. The 1974 entry, 'Long Live Love' had its best placement back in the inaugural list back in 2008 at number 229. the 2019 edition she was sitting at the 668th spot on the list but it's not looking good for Olivia in the countdown. In 2020, 'Long Live Love' unfortunately didn't receive any points meaning Olivia hadn't placed at all. Hopefully we will be seeing Olivia return to the list this year.
Montaigne - 'Don't Break Me' (2020)
Top ESC250 ranking - #242 in 2020
Montaigne made her debut on the countdown at the #242. Seeing as 'Don't Break Me' never got to be performed on the Eurovision stage due to the cancellation of the 2020 Contest, It is an impressive feat for the song to make it into the top 250 Eurovision songs of all time.
Isaiah Firebrace - 'Don't Come Easy' (2017)
ESC250 ranking - #289 in 2017
Australia's 2017 effort is the only entry that hasn't reached the top 250. Isaiah's best placing was the 2017 editions where 'Don't Come Easy' bubbled just under at the 289th spot and has declined ever since. Just like Olivia, Isaiah didn't place in the top 500 at the 2020 edition and didn't make it on list.
An Aussie entry to look out for is Montaigne's second entry, 'Technicolour' form this years Contest. It's unclear how the song will fare in the countdown as it was the only Eurovision performance in history that was pre-recorded. Whatever the outcome, Australia will be backing Montaigne all the way!
The end of 2021 right around the corner, you only have till December 5 to cast your vote in the ESC Top 250. Vote here: https://songfestival.be/top-250-2021/