Host city 2010 announced

This week NRK announced that the host city for Eurovision Song Contest 2010 will be as anticipated Oslo, Norway's capital city. It is not clear yet what will be the venue but it seems at this point that the decision is between the 1996 venue Oslo Spektrum in the city centre and the new Telenor Fornebu Arena that is situated just outside the city. A decision is expected shortly after negotiations have been made. The dates for next year were also announced, and the semi finals will be held Tuesday 25th and Thursday 27th of May, with the final kicking off on Saturday 29th of May.

It was reported earlier that the Telenor Fornebu Arena had already been booked prior to the win in one of NRK's news programmes, however they later announced this was not correct. I can't help but wonder that the mention of this was a slip-up and that perhaps it is indeed already booked. I will bring more news regarding this subject once there is an update.

Eurovision in the UK charts

In the official UK singles chart made official last Sunday, dated 30th of May (the date of the following Saturday) as many as 5 songs from this year's Eurovision Song Contest placed in the top 100, and 3 of them even in the top 50. The winner, Alexander Rybak, placed 10th with "Fairytale" making it the best charting winning entry since 1997's "Love Shine A Light" by Katrina & The Waves. Following the Norwegian entry are the British entry at no. 27, the Icelandic entry at no. 49, the German entry at no. 85 and finally the Finnish entry at no. 100. For reference, below is the full chart, positions 1-100:

1 DIZZEE RASCAL/VAN HELDEN / BONKERS
2 BLACK EYED PEAS / BOOM BOOM POW
3 TINCHY STRYDER FT N-DUBZ / NUMBER 1
4 EMINEM / WE MADE YOU
5 DANIEL MERRIWEATHER / RED
6 LA ROUX / IN FOR THE KILL
7 LILY ALLEN / NOT FAIR
8 SOULJA BOY TELLEM FT SAMMIE / KISS ME THRU THE PHONE
9 LADY GAGA / POKER FACE
10 ALEXANDER RYBAK / FAIRYTALE
11 IRONIK/CHIPMUNK/ELTON JOHN / TINY DANCER (HOLD ME CLOSER)
12 CALVIN HARRIS / I'M NOT ALONE
13 PRODIGY / WARRIOR'S DANCE
14 CIARA FT JUSTIN TIMBERLAKE / LOVE SEX MAGIC
15 AR RAHMAN FT PUSSYCAT DOLLS / JAI HO (YOU ARE MY DESTINY)
16 MILEY CYRUS / THE CLIMB
17 BEYONCE / HALO
18 ALESHA DIXON / LET'S GET EXCITED
19 PAOLO NUTINI / CANDY
20 DEADMAU5 & KASKADE / I REMEMBER
21 STAR PILOTS / IN THE HEAT OF THE NIGHT
22 METRO STATION / SHAKE IT
23 PINK / PLEASE DON'T LEAVE ME
24 KERI HILSON/KANYE WEST/NE-YO / KNOCK YOU DOWN
25 MARMADUKE DUKE / RUBBER LOVER
26 ENRIQUE IGLESIAS FT CIARA / TAKIN' BACK MY LOVE
27 JADE EWEN / IT'S MY TIME
28 FLO RIDA FT WYNTER / SUGAR
29 GREEN DAY / KNOW YOUR ENEMY
30 MILEY CYRUS / HOEDOWN THROWDOWN
31 SHONTELLE FT AKON / STUCK WITH EACH OTHER
32 LADY GAGA / JUST DANCE
33 AKON FT K OFFISHALL/C O'DONIS / BEAUTIFUL
34 NOISETTES / DON'T UPSET THE RHYTHM (GO BABY GO)
35 JASON MRAZ / I'M YOURS
36 KATY PERRY / WAKING UP IN VEGAS
37 EMPIRE OF THE SUN / WE ARE THE PEOPLE
38 TAYLOR SWIFT / LOVE STORY
39 EMINEM / BEAUTIFUL
40 BRITNEY SPEARS / IF U SEEK AMY
41 PRODIGY / OMEN
42 FLO RIDA FT KESHA / RIGHT ROUND
43 LILY ALLEN / THE FEAR
44 TOMMY SPARKS / SHE'S GOT ME DANCING
45 KELLY CLARKSON / I DO NOT HOOK UP
46 ASHER ROTH / I LOVE COLLEGE
47 KERI HILSON FT TIMBALAND / RETURN THE FAVOR
48 KELLY CLARKSON / MY LIFE WOULD SUCK WITHOUT YOU
49 YOHANNA / IS IT TRUE
50 GIRLS ALOUD / UNTOUCHABLE
51 KINGS OF LEON / USE SOMEBODY
52 JAMES MORRISON & NELLY FURTADO / BROKEN STRINGS
53 KINGS OF LEON / SEX ON FIRE
54 ALICIA KEYS / NO ONE
55 ALESHA DIXON / BREATHE SLOW
56 EMINEM FT DR DRE & 50 CENT / CRACK A BOTTLE
57 FRIENDLY FIRES / JUMP IN THE POOL
58 TAYLOR SWIFT / TEARDROPS ON MY GUITAR
59 BEYONCE / SINGLE LADIES (PUT A RING ON IT)
60 TI FT JUSTIN TIMBERLAKE / DEAD AND GONE
61 FLO RIDA FT T-PAIN / LOW
62 DIZZEE RASCAL/HARRIS/ CHROME / DANCE WIV ME
63 BILL WITHERS / AIN'T NO SUNSHINE
64 STEVE ANGELLO & LAIDBACK LUKE / SHOW ME LOVE
65 LADY GAGA / PAPARAZZI
66 DEMI LOVATO / LA LA LAND
67 EMINEM / LOSE YOURSELF
68 KID CUDI VS CROOKERS / DAY 'N' NITE
69 JAMES MORRISON / PLEASE DON'T STOP THE RAIN
70 N-DUBZ / WOULDN'T YOU
71 KILLERS / HUMAN
72 BEYONCE / DIVA
73 KATY PERRY / HOT N COLD
74 MGMT / KIDS
75 LADYHAWKE / MY DELIRIUM
76 ELBOW / ONE DAY LIKE THIS
77 MICHAEL JACKSON / THEY DON'T CARE ABOUT US
78 PINK / SO WHAT
79 SATURDAYS / UP
80 ALESHA DIXON / THE BOY DOES NOTHING
81 COLDPLAY / VIVA LA VIDA
82 MILEY CYRUS / BUTTERFLY FLY AWAY
83 EMPIRE OF THE SUN / WALKING ON A DREAM
84 PINK / SOBER
85 ALEX SWINGS OSCAR SINGS / MISS KISS KISS BANG
86 LENKA / THE SHOW
87 JOURNEY / DON'T STOP BELIEVIN'
88 LEONA LEWIS / RUN
89 BEYONCE / IF I WERE A BOY
90 TINCHY STRYDER FT TAIO CRUZ / TAKE ME BACK
91 BRITNEY SPEARS / WOMANIZER
92 SATURDAYS / JUST CAN'T GET ENOUGH
93 LADYHAWKE / BACK OF THE VAN
94 KIG / HEAD SHOULDERS KNEEZ & TOEZ
95 TI / WHATEVER YOU LIKE
96 GIRLS ALOUD / THE PROMISE
97 SHONTELLE / T-SHIRT
98 ISRAEL KAMAKAWIWO'OLE / SOMEWHERE OVER THE RAINBOW
99 N-DUBZ / STRONG AGAIN
100 WALDO'S PEOPLE / LOSE CONTROL

The results of the grand final

Alexander Rybak for Norway won the 2009 Eurovision Song Contest winner title by a landlisde. He was in the lead with over 150 points more than the runner-up Iceland. Never in history has a winner scored more than 300 points, and thus has now broken Lordi's old record from 2006, who achieved 292 points. It is yet to be confirmed where in Norway next year's contest will be held but at the moment everything is pointing in the direction of Oslo and the Fornebu arena just outside the city. Below is the full results list with the points in brackets:

1. Norway (387)

2. Iceland (218)

3. Azerbaijan (207)

4. Turkey (177)

5. United Kingdom (173)

6. Estonia (129)

7. Greece (120)

8. France (107)

9. Bosnia & Herzegovina (106)

10. Armenia (92)

11. Russia (91)

12. Ukraine (76)

13. Denmark (74)

14. Moldova (69)

15. Portugal (57)

16. Israel (53)

17. Albania (48)

18. Croatia (45)

19. Romania (40)

20. Germany (35)

21. Sweden (33)

22. Malta (31)

23. Lithuania (23)

23. Spain (23)

25. Finland (22)

It was also revealed shortly after the show had ended that Finland was the jury choice from the 1st semi final, and Croatia was their choice in the 2nd semi final pushing the 10th places of FYR Macedonia and Serbia out. The winner of the 1st semi final was Iceland, while Norway won the second one.

Predictions for the grand final!

Tonight is the night! The main event, what we have all been waiting for the last six months since the national finals started up... 10 songs have advanced from each of the semi finals to join the 5 directly qualified songs in the final. Below I have tried to predict the outcome after the 42 countries have cast their votes.

01 Lithuania (position 16-20)

02 Israel (position 21-25)

03 France (position 6-10)

04 Sweden (position 16-20)

05 Croatia (position 21-25)

06 Portugal (position 16-20)

07 Iceland (position 6-10)

08 Greece (position 4-5)

09 Armenia (position 6-10)

10 Russia (position 16-20)

11 Azerbaijan (position 1-3 / potential winner)

12 Bosnia & Herzegovina (position 1-3 / potential winner)

13 Moldova (position 16-20)

14 Malta (position 11-15)

15 Estonia (position 11-15)

16 Denmark (position 11-15)

17 Germany (position 21-25)

18 Turkey (position 6-10)

19 Albania (position 11-15)

20 Norway (position 1-3 / potential winner)

21 Ukraine (position 6-10)

22 Romania (position 21-25)

23 United Kingdom (position 4-5)

24 Finland (position 21-25)

25 Spain (position 11-15)

2nd semi final results

Yesterday evening the second semi final of the 2009 Eurovision Song Contest in Moscow went live. The reactions to the show that I have read/heard are much the same as for Tuesday's show in that the presenters again did a terrible job. Luckily they will be replaced for the grand final. However on the positive note amny people feel the camera work and the way the stage and artists came across on stage, including the sound, were improved. Below are the 10 qualifiers from last night's semi final:

Croatia (my guess would be that either this or the Lithuanian entry was the jury choice)
Norway
Denmark
Azerbaijan
Greece
Lithuania
Moldova
Albania
Ukraine
Estonia

Congratulations to myself once again as I got another 8 out of the 10 right in my prediction. Like on Tuesday, a press conference followed an hour after the show finished where two representatives from each country drew their start number in the final. After the draw the complete line-up for the final now looks like this:

01 Lithuania
02 Israel
03 France
04 Sweden
05 Croatia
06 Portugal
07 Iceland
08 Greece
09 Armenia
10 Russia
11 Azerbaijan
12 Bosnia & Herzegovina
13 Moldova
14 Malta
15 Estonia
16 Denmark
17 Germany
18 Turkey
19 Albania
20 Norway
21 Ukraine
22 Romania
23 United Kingdom
24 Finland
25 Spain

Predictions for 2nd semi final

Finally another evening of Eurovision again tonight! Approximately 21:00 CET the second semi final will begin live from Moscow. Like I did two days ago, I have again tried to put down which 10 songs I think will go through to the grand final on Saturday, based on the rehearsals for the last week or so and the way I think Europe will vote.

Almost certain qualifiers:
01. Norway (99%)
02. Azerbaijan (99%)
03. Greece (99%)
04. Ukraine (95%)

Very likely qualifiers:
05. Estonia (75%)
06. Albania (65%)
07. Moldova (60%)
08. Denmark (60%)

Just making it:
09. Serbia (55%)
10. Ireland (50%)

Just missing out:
11. Lithuania (45%)
12. Croatoa (45%)
13. Slovenia (40%)
14. Hungary (40%)

Little or no chance:
15. The Netherlands (30%)
16, Cyprus (25%)

17. Poland (25%)
18. Latvia (20%)
19. Slovakia (5%)

1st semi final results

Last night the first semi final of the 2009 Eurovision Song Contest in Moscow kicked off. The reactions I have read/heard are that most agree it was a fabulouus show, however the flashing lights on stage were somewhat distracting, the presenters were disappointing and did an amateurish impression, and lastly that the interval act lacked the big impact it should have or could have had. Hopefully many of these aspects will be improved by tomorrow's show. Below are the 10 qualifiers from yesterday's semi final:

Sweden

Armenia

Turkey

Israel (my guess is this was the jury choice)

Iceland

Romania

Finland

Portugal

Malta

Bosnia & Herzegovina

Congratulations to myself as I got 8 out of the 10 right in my prediction. Not bad. A press conference followed an hour after the show finished where two representatives from each country drew their start number in the final. After this draw the final now looks like this:

01 -

02 Israel

03 France

04 Sweden

05 -

06 Portugal

07 Iceland

08 -

09 Armenia

10 Russia

11 -

12 Bosnia & Herzegovina

13 -

14 Malta

15 -

16 -

17 Germany

18 Turkey

19 -

20 -

21 -

22 Romania

23 United Kingdom

24 Finland

25 Spain