#42

The Top 100 Songs You've (Probably) Never Heard - 2008

#49
A Little More
Anne Hvidsten
Norway

Heavenly

#43

The Top 100 Songs You've (Probably) Never Heard - 2008

#43
My - Parallelniye Miry
Prime Minister
Russia

Prime Minister has evolved into a cheap Russian knockoff of Maroon 5, but it was not always this way.
Fun Fact: The title of this song translates as "We are the parallel universes".

#44

The Top 100 Songs You've (Probably) Never Heard - 2008

#44
Don't Wake Me Up
Ragnheiður Grondal
Iceland

It’s the musical equivalent of a contented sigh.

#45

The Top 100 Songs You've (Probably) Never Heard - 2008

#45
Day After Day
Elnur & Samir
Azerbaijan

Sit back and enjoy the rock-opera goodness that is “Day After Day”.

#46

The Top 100 Songs You've (Probably) Never Heard - 2008

#46
Qele, Qele
Sirusho
Armenia

This radio-friendly single could easily become a huge hit.

#47

The Top 100 Songs You've (Probably) Never Heard - 2008

#47
Milloin
Mikael Konttinen
Finland

Finnish is a cool sounding language, isn’t it?

#48

The Top 100 Songs You've (Probably) Never Heard - 2008

#48
The Fire in Your Eyes (Keilu Kan)
Boaz Mauda
Israel

Something about 2:28 reminds me of the entire last 60 seconds of this. Sprightly little fellows, aren’t they?

#49

The Top 100 Songs You've (Probably) Never Heard - 2008

#49
Femme Fatale
Evdokia Kadi
Cyprus

A nice old-fashioned song with a modern twist, “Femme Fatale” offers a much needed brake from the over produced cacophony of most current pop songs. My head thanks you, Evdokia.

#50

The Top 100 Songs You've (Probably) Never Heard - 2008

#50
Battlefield of Love
Ninja
Finland

I wonder what would happen if the army used this as a recruiting tool…

Missed It By That Much

Now that we’ve reached the halfway point of this year’s list, I thought I’d share some of the songs that narrowly missed the cut:

Lovely Dexter
Ketta
Latvia

2008 Latvia - Ketta

Colliding
Nicholas Carlie
Norway


The Beautiful Girl
Alenko Berdzenishvili
Georgia

(Pay close attention to the dancers)


Stefani
Supernova
Estonia

(This one's for a friend)


Lako Zaljubljiva
Maja Šuput
Croatia

#51

The Top 100 Songs You've (Probably) Never Heard - 2008

#51
Would You Spend the Night with Me?
Cube
Norway

Although the performance is sloppy, I actually like this song; particularly the growing desperation of the lyrics.

#52

The Top 100 Songs You've (Probably) Never Heard - 2008

#52
One Love
Johnson & Häggkvist
Sweden

It’s kind of a tradition for Andreas to make the list each year (usually much higher). Perhaps the gag inducing nature of the lyrics is to blame for the drop to number 52, but it’s probably wise to blame Carola. Why? Everyone else does.

#53

The Top 100 Songs You've (Probably) Never Heard - 2008

#53
365 Days
Birgit Õigemeel
Estonia

Here’s a dramatic ballad for you to enjoy. Sorry about the video; it’s the best that I could find.

#54

The Top 100 Songs You've (Probably) Never Heard - 2008

#54
Hallelujah New World
Eskobar
Sweden

He looks cold.

#55

The Top 100 Songs You've (Probably) Never Heard - 2008

#55
Rumour Has It
Tabitha Cycon
Belgium

Nothing captures the pure elation of finding out that someone loves you quite like a harmonica. By the way, does anyone else think that Tabitha asked random university professors to be in her backing group?

#56

The Top 100 Songs You've (Probably) Never Heard - 2008

#56
Ingen Mår Så Bra Som Jag
Fronda
Sweden

A fun party song for all you fun party people.

#57

The Top 100 Songs You've (Probably) Never Heard - 2008

#57
Den Jeg Er
Charlie
Denmark

...

#58

The Top 100 Songs You've (Probably) Never Heard - 2008

#58
Décadence
Femme Fatale
Belgium

In a world where little girls idolize people like Paris Hilton, it’s easy to imagine a song that sells the image of their sexually charged, over-the-top lifestyle being successful (if not controversial).

#59

The Top 100 Songs You've (Probably) Never Heard - 2008

#59
Smiling in Love
Caracola
Sweden

This has the potential to be a huge summer hit. It’s peppy and instantly catchy; the kind of song that you won’t be able to escape in August but come September, you’ll have completely forgotten. What was I talking about? Oh yeah, the Fantanas do High School Musical.

#60

The Top 100 Songs You've (Probably) Never Heard - 2008

#60
Secret Combination
Kalomira
Greece

Originally, I was going to write about the syntactically tangled lyrics, but then, I watched the official music video. Clearly, this song was built for bizarre choreography. Never before have I seen ‘the lawnmower’, Russian Army-esque marching, and something I’m christening ‘the telescope’ so seamlessly integrated into a three minute pop routine. I probably shouldn’t be too hard on the dancers; I bet it’s very difficult to dance while simultaneously trying to avoid a slowly advancing purple line.

Kalomira - Secret Combination

#61

The Top 100 Songs You've (Probably) Never Heard - 2008

#61
Baby Don't Stop the Music
Michelle
Norway

I don’t know which is more wooden: her performance or her hair. (Just kidding, her hair's stiffness is acceptable.) Seriously though, this girl’s enunciation is so clear and precise, even Stephen Hawking is jealous.

Happy Turkey Day

In honor of Thanksgiving, I present a turkey that needs to be stuffed.

Irelande Douze Pointe
Dustin the Turkey
Ireland

#62

The Top 100 Songs You've (Probably) Never Heard - 2008

#62
Far Away
King of Trolls
Norway

Finally, a fun, up-tempo novelty song that appeals to one’s inner child. Who doesn’t secretly want to journey off to a magical word with a troll and a few Romans with drums? That being said, never let your child wander off with anyone who promises play-time with talking animals.

#63

The Top 100 Songs You've (Probably) Never Heard - 2008

#63
Grøn Mand Gå
Louise Victoria
Denmark

Hmmm…maybe not.

Louise Victoria

#64

The Top 100 Songs You've (Probably) Never Heard - 2008

#64
If I Fall In Love Again
Edgar Smári Atlason
Iceland

This is the musical equivalent of a bubble bath.

#65

The Top 100 Songs You've (Probably) Never Heard - 2008

#65
Can't Save Me
Cristal Snow
Finland

This one’s all about the video, which plays like a trailer for a really bad sci-fi thriller. (Notice the use of black vs. white imagery and vague pronouns.) In case you were wondering, ‘The Prophecy’ is the album that contains this song.

#66

The Top 100 Songs You've (Probably) Never Heard - 2008

#66
Hooked On You
Lasse Lindroff
Denmark

Not to be confused with last year’s #88, this year’s #66 is more like last year’s #23, except not as good.

#67

The Top 100 Songs You've (Probably) Never Heard - 2008

#67
Don't Deceive My Heart
Liusia Znamensky
Moldova

A tad overdramatic, isn’t it?

#68

The Top 100 Songs You've (Probably) Never Heard - 2008

#68
When You Need Me
Thérèse Andersson
Sweden

Part opera, part pop, and part thunder sound effects; “When You Need Me” is an interesting mash up genres and natural phenomenon. You may recognize Therese as one third of Pay TV, the group that gave the world the best manufactured pop song ever (“Refrain, Refrain”).

Speaking of Iceland...

Iceland did very well this year (in terms of this chart) and managed to place 10 songs on the list. However, they were also responsible for their fair share of stinkers. Three of their eurotrashiest songs come to mind:

The Wiggle Wiggle Song
Haffi Haff
Iceland



I Wanna Manicure
Hara
Iceland

This one had potential: hair spray + pyrotechnics = fun for everyone.



Ho, Ho, Ho, We Say Hey, Hey, Hey
Mercedes Club
Iceland

The most insulting of all.

#69

The Top 100 Songs You've (Probably) Never Heard - 2008

#69
Í Rússíbana
Hrund Ósk Árnadóttir
Iceland

Did you know…Rússíbana is Icelandic for rollercoaster? Now you do.

#70

The Top 100 Songs You've (Probably) Never Heard - 2008

#70
Shout It Out
The Paranoiacs
Belgium

The failed stage dive is the only thing memorable about this.

#71

The Top 100 Songs You've (Probably) Never Heard - 2008

#71
Senhora do Mar
Vânia Fernandes
Portugal

Like a pop funeral march, “Senhora do mar” is a powerful display of melancholic longing. How wonderful it is to splash around in the “dark waters” of one’s soul.

#72

The Top 100 Songs You've (Probably) Never Heard - 2008

#72
Bigger Shoes
Margret Kristín Sigurdardóttir
Iceland

Finally, a song that poses philosophical riddles:
“Do bigger shoes bring you further?” Probably not, but they do give you blisters.
“Do taller men love you more?” As someone who is tall, I can answer this question with an emphatic “Yes”.

#73

The Top 100 Songs You've (Probably) Never Heard - 2008

#73
Silver Sky
Dali
Belarus

“Silver Sky” is a funky modern rock song, which is somewhat unexpected from Belarus. I’ve also provided a link to the (mostly) English version, which I enjoy more than the one below. Unfortunately, it’s also the live version and the microphone malfunctions during part of the song, so I didn’t feel comfortable making it the main video.

#74

The Top 100 Songs You've (Probably) Never Heard - 2008

#74
Spanish Soul
Sandee May
Denmark

It’s sleek, yet sleazy. “Spanish Soul” finds the perfect combination of strain and whine that could make it a huge summer hit...or incredibly annoying. Hopefully, it's the former.

#75

The Top 100 Songs You've (Probably) Never Heard - 2008

#75
Two Sides
Toxique
Czech Republic

This song is modern and indie enough to be on a soundtrack to some over-styled, desperately trying to be hip television show that fancies itself as God’s gift to viewers because it juxtaposes songs you’ve supposedly never heard over shots of cities in the Pacific Northwest. That being said, they are enjoyable songs.

#76

The Top 100 Songs You've (Probably) Never Heard - 2008

#76
Vi Er Der Om Lidt
Sidse Holte
Denmark

I’m in a happy place this weekend.

Sidse Holte

#77

The Top 100 Songs You've (Probably) Never Heard - 2008

#77
Lonely Heart on Wheels
A Butterfly Mind
Belgium

Soothing and pleasant, “Lonely Heart on Wheels” reminds us that sometimes, a simple song is all we need.

Happy Halloween

In honor of the last day of October, I present to you a special Halloween themed song from the Worst of 2008 list.

Dr. Frankenstein
LaGaylia Frazier
Romania

#78

The Top 100 Songs You've (Probably) Never Heard - 2008

#78
The Picture
Þóra Gísladóttir
Iceland

Ok, so the premise is kind of silly and the verses are somewhat repetitive (intentionally), but the chorus is catchy. Besides, it’s one of the more original choices of metaphors for love (or prostitution?-“Pay a good price for me.”) I’ve ever heard.

#79

The Top 100 Songs You've (Probably) Never Heard - 2008

#79
I Owe It All To You
Rob McVeigh
United Kingdom

Who knew they still made music like this? I thought this genre was on its last legs in 2002 but apparently, it’s not. As is the case with most syrupy, quasi-R&B songs by male British soloists thanking someone for showing them a better way to live, the live performance leaves a lot to be desired. The way he pinches off the words at the end of each line in the chorus is, more or less, the musical form of constipation. It’s still a decent song.

#80

The Top 100 Songs You've (Probably) Never Heard - 2008

#80
Baby Blue
Victor Pshenichniy
Belarus

It’s nice to hear a song that offers comfort “while this world comes crashing down,” even if it is directed to a crayon. Fun fact: In hex, baby blue is represented by E0FFFF.

Baby Blue

#81

The Top 100 Songs You've (Probably) Never Heard - 2008

#81
Thing We've Got
Afromental
Poland

This is the first song on this year's countdown that sounds like it could be an American song, and one doesn’t have to strain too hard to picture it doing well on the charts. Hurray for Poland.

#82

The Top 100 Songs You've (Probably) Never Heard - 2008

#82
Eastern Wind
Torstein Södal
Norway

Poll:
Which of the following has more hair?
-The top of Torstein Södal’s head
-Torstein Södal’s face

#83

The Top 100 Songs You've (Probably) Never Heard - 2008

#83
You Can
PinCode
Belarus

To be completely honest, this one was too unintentionally funny to not include. While songs like this are popular, performances of songs like this usually don’t include folk dancing or coonskin caps. Lyrically, the best line of the song is at the end where, after 3 minutes of warning us that it is dangerous to touch, the singer utters “Oops, uh-oh.”

#84

The Top 100 Songs You've (Probably) Never Heard - 2008

#84
I'm Not Sorry
Di Bono
Belgium

It’s hard to take a rock band seriously when their lead singer is a Hufflepuff (see his tie).

#85

The Top 100 Songs You've (Probably) Never Heard - 2008

#85
Vocalise
Andrea Gylfadóttir
Iceland

It’s very rare for an artist to have two entries on the list, let alone two that place next to each other, but Andrea Gylfadóttir has done just that. Her two entries couldn’t be farther apart musically either: one is a rock song and this one is a pleasant lullaby without words. Fortunately for all of us, “Vocalise” doesn’t slip into the realm of tacky new age music that is often found in your local incense and “save the rhino” tee-shirt shops. (Why do those places always sell hermit crabs?)

#86

The Top 100 Songs You've (Probably) Never Heard - 2008

#86
Flower of Fire
Andrea Gylfadóttir
Iceland

“Flower of Fire” is an ‘80s-ish rock song that reminds me of something Heart would sing (if Heart were fronted by an elementary school principal). And, after watching the performance, I find myself craving jalapenos for some reason.

#87

The Top 100 Songs You've (Probably) Never Heard - 2008

#87
Observations
Ivetta
Latvia

This song certainly has a lot going for it:
1) lots of fiddling
2) deep, thought-provoking lyrics (“If I fight back, I’m not dead.”)
3) an object-lesson for choreographers demonstrating how not to use dancers
4) at least it’s not this

It is fun to listen to, though.

Ivetta

#88

The Top 100 Songs You've (Probably) Never Heard - 2008

#88
Candlelight
Csézy
Hungary

Is it just me, or does it seem like the video had 4 different directors? Ignoring the jumbled confusion of the video, “Candlelight” is a professionally made pleasant song. Last spring, I managed to catch an interview with Csézy on Hungarian television. The interviewer asked her about the song and she responded by saying something I didn’t understand because my Hungarian is severely lacking. Whatever she said, I’m sure it was interesting and enlightening.

#89

The Top 100 Songs You've (Probably) Never Heard - 2008

#89
Get Up
Crash!
Norway

Crash! appears on the list for the second year with their song “Get Up”, which is another perfect specimen from the kiddie-punk genre (Avril Lavigne, Fall Out Boy, Blink-182, etc.). Teenagers eat this stuff up.

#90

The Top 100 Songs You've (Probably) Never Heard - 2008

#90
Exciting
Tanita
Moldova

“Exciting” is one of those songs that your hear everywhere but you’re not sure why it’s popular. By everywhere, I mean in the preview for an urban dance film that airs every five minutes during your favorite television programs. Although I could not find a video for this song, I’m sure that it won’t be difficult for you to imagine what it must look like.

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#91

The Top 100 Songs You've (Probably) Never Heard - 2008

#91
Pleasure
Crumbland
Finland

“Pleasure” is a modern rock song that is easy to imagine finding commercial success stateside. Even the video follows the basic rules of a 21st century rock video:

-It’s shot mostly in black and white (You can’t be taken seriously if your video is shot in Technicolor)
-The lead singer never makes eye contact with the camera and, by extension, the audience (Seriously though, what is he looking at?)
-Include semi-disturbing images such as smothering a woman with a pillow (But don’t show too much; you want it to be edgy, but not too edgy)
-Show the band playing in a location removed from society (Roofs of tall buildings, abandoned warehouses, and deserts work well. Note: tall buildings are especially good because they allow the lead singer to contemplate suicide and/or almost fall to his death)

#92

The Top 100 Songs You've (Probably) Never Heard - 2008

#92
Blow Over
Natasza Urbanska
Poland

Natasza Urbanska is certainly consistent. Last year, her song “I Like It Loud” found itself at number 93 on my list. (Interestingly enough, both songs sound very similar.) As for the video, all I can say is that it’s the only clip I could find so please don’t ask me to explain the wedding dresses. That being said, I've never been to a wedding reception where there was not a breakdancing idiot, so the Poles get points for accuracy.

Natasza Urbanska - Blow Over

#93

The Top 100 Songs You've (Probably) Never Heard - 2008

#93
Lullaby
Brandur
Sweden

Simple and sweet, “Lullaby” proves that a song doesn’t need to be flashy and over-produced to find success. A song like this would stand out on modern radio because of its quiet simplicity and force listeners to take notice of it. Of course, then they would notice that the rhyming in the chorus feels a tad forced, but at least they’re listening.

#94

The Top 100 Songs You've (Probably) Never Heard - 2008

#94
All Night Long
Simon Mathew
Denmark

Instantly catchy and mostly harmless, “All Night Long” has the misfortune, as a friend of mine has observed, of sounding remarkably like it could be a commercial jingle. If this is the case, it’s certainly not advertising antiperspirant. (See the live performance) Nonetheless, it’s still a fun, innocent pop song that could find moderate success on the charts.

Speaking of Romania...

To put it nicely, it wasn’t a banner year for Romania. They managed to place 4 songs in the worst of 2008 list (which is a new feature this year). Here are three of them:

Zamira
New Effect feat. Gentiana
Romania

Any song that includes the line “This is a song about this” deserves to be on the list of the worst songs of the year, even if it starts with “We got zombie”.



Yeke, Yeke
Imba
Romania

I don’t know which is worse, the song or the dance.



RailRoad, RailRoad
Rednex feat. Ro-Mania
Romania

To be fair, Sweden is partly to blame for this one. (More on this later.)

#95

The Top 100 Songs You've (Probably) Never Heard - 2008

#95
Pe-o Margine de Lume
Nico & Vlad
Romania

What starts as a pleasant ballad morphs into a schizophrenic mess when Nico enters one minute into the song, bringing the early 1990s with her. The disjointed nature of the piece ruins what would otherwise be a respectable entry. This is Romania’s only song on the list, which is disappointing for a nation that has done so well in the past. Oh well, maybe next year.

#96

The Top 100 Songs You've (Probably) Never Heard - 2008

#96
One on One
Rolf Junior
Estonia

For this one, I recommend listening to the song without watching the video and then watching the video. Make sure you do watch the video though. It's certainly an interesting experience.

Rolf Junior - One on One

#97

The Top 100 Songs You've (Probably) Never Heard - 2008

#97
Always, Always
Zuma
Norway

“Always, Always” is a catchy pop song that sounds like it comes straight from the 1980s. It may be hard to believe, but this is a good thing. The biggest hit of this summer was the new-wave influenced “I Kissed a Girl”, which shows that the younger generation is receptive to this trend. In addition, people who grew up in the late 70s/early 80s are in mid-life crisis territory which, among other things, will create a nostalgic drive to recapture their lost youth. Needless to say, we are in the midst of an 80s comeback and a song like this one has the potential to do well. Plus, any song that mentions badgers has to be cool.

#98

The Top 100 Songs You've (Probably) Never Heard - 2008

#98
Peace Will Come
Diana Gurtskaya
Georgia

Songs about peace have historically done well on the American charts and this one should be no different. The fact that it’s Georgian makes the song more poignant given recent events in that part of the world.

#99

The Top 100 Songs You've (Probably) Never Heard - 2008

#99
New Russian Kalinka
Alexey Vorobyov
Russia

“New Russian Kalinka” does exactly what it says on the tin; “updates” the classic Russian song “Kalinka”. I’ll let you decide if it needed to be modernized. As a bonus, the video includes a Bollywood-esque dance (actually, spastic arm movements) at the end.

#100

The Top 100 Songs You've (Probably) Never Heard - 2008

#100
Sillycone Valley
Lene Alexandra
Norway

As is tradition, the 100 spot goes to a novelty entry. Lene Alexandra is a model turned singer who is often described as being the Norwegian Anna Nicole Smith. Sillycone Valley is Lene singing about what she knows best (her first hit song was “My Boobs Are OK”). The song has a very laid back feel that suits the lyrics well and could easily become a top 40 hit (although it’s not catchy enough to do any better than the 30s).

Sillycone Valley

The Top 100 Songs You've (Probably) Never Heard - 2008

Finally, the time has come to countdown the 100 greatest songs of 2008 that you’ve never heard (technically, this is not entirely true; see below). The main objective of this list is to demonstrate that Eurovision related songs can find mass appeal in the North American market. To be eligible for this list, a song must have competed in the 2008 Eurovision Song Contest or a national competition to select an entry for the ESC. This year, nearly 1000 songs, half of which are Spanish, were eligible. Using my complex formula that rates quality, originality, and potential for mass appeal, these were narrowed down to the top 100. Now, without further ado, I present to you the Top 100 Songs You've (Probably) Never Heard – 2008!

#1

The Top 100 Songs You've (Probably) Never Heard - 2007

#1
Unsubstantial Blues
Magdi Rúzsa
Hungary

#2

The Top 100 Songs You've (Probably) Never Heard - 2007

#2
Frauen regier'n die Welt
Roger Cicero
Germany

#3

The Top 100 Songs You've (Probably) Never Heard - 2007

#3
Tror På Dig
Caroline af Ugglas
Sweden

#4

The Top 100 Songs You've (Probably) Never Heard - 2007

#4
Segðu Mér
Jonsi
Iceland

#5

The Top 100 Songs You've (Probably) Never Heard - 2007

#5
Salvem el Món
Anonymous
Andorra

#6

The Top 100 Songs You've (Probably) Never Heard - 2007

#6
Valentine Lost
Eiríkur Hauksson
Iceland

#7

The Top 100 Songs You've (Probably) Never Heard - 2007

#7
Home
Re:public
Latvia

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#8

The Top 100 Songs You've (Probably) Never Heard - 2007

#8
Navika
Feminnem
Croatia

#9

The Top 100 Songs You've (Probably) Never Heard - 2007

#9
A Little Bit of Love
Andreas Johnson
Sweden

#10

The Top 100 Songs You've (Probably) Never Heard - 2007

#10
If I Ever Made You Cry
Rūta Ščiogolevaitė
Lithuania

#11

The Top 100 Songs You've (Probably) Never Heard - 2007

#11
Big Bro Thang
Big Brovaz
United Kingdom

#12

The Top 100 Songs You've (Probably) Never Heard - 2007

#12
Musta Sulhanen
Jani & The Jetsetters
Finland

Jani & The Jetsetters

#13

The Top 100 Songs You've (Probably) Never Heard - 2007

#13
Song #1
Serebro
Russia

A lot of walking, lyrics that make no sense, and a dance break...could it get any better?

#14

The Top 100 Songs You've (Probably) Never Heard - 2007

#14
I Remember Love
Sarah Dawn Finer
Sweden

#15

The Top 100 Songs You've (Probably) Never Heard - 2007

#15
Anyone, Anymore
Lovex
Finland

#16

The Top 100 Songs You've (Probably) Never Heard - 2007

#16
The Worrying Kind
The Ark
Sweden

#17

The Top 100 Songs You've (Probably) Never Heard - 2007

#17
Love on the Dancefloor
Thorild Sivertsen and The Funky Family
Norway

No, it's not Martha Stewart.

Love on the Dancefloor

#18

The Top 100 Songs You've (Probably) Never Heard - 2007

#18
Time
Ionut Ungureanu
Romania

#19

The Top 100 Songs You've (Probably) Never Heard - 2007

#19
Wannabe
Crash!
Norway

#20

The Top 100 Songs You've (Probably) Never Heard - 2007

#20
When the Night Comes Falling
Sebastian
Sweden

#21

The Top 100 Songs You've (Probably) Never Heard - 2007

#21
Ya Tvoya
Sofi Marinova feat. Ustata
Bulgaria

#22

The Top 100 Songs You've (Probably) Never Heard - 2007

#22
Malá Dáma
Kabát
Czech Republic

#23

The Top 100 Songs You've (Probably) Never Heard - 2007

#23
Say You Love Me
James Sampson
Denmark

James Sampson

#24

The Top 100 Songs You've (Probably) Never Heard - 2007

#24
Even Heaven Cries
Monrose
Germany

#25

The Top 100 Songs You've (Probably) Never Heard - 2007

#25
Maybe
Trine Rein feat. Andreas Ljones
Norway

Trine & Andreas

#26

The Top 100 Songs You've (Probably) Never Heard - 2007

#26
Blómabörn
Bríet Sunna Valdemarsdóttir
Iceland

#27

The Top 100 Songs You've (Probably) Never Heard - 2007

#27
Amanda
Jimmy Jansson
Sweden

#28

The Top 100 Songs You've (Probably) Never Heard - 2007

#28
Love or Leave
4Fun
Lithuania

#29

The Top 100 Songs You've (Probably) Never Heard - 2007

#29
Cvet z Juga
Alenka Gotar
Slovenia

#30

The Top 100 Songs You've (Probably) Never Heard - 2007

#30
What's Your Name?
Cosmo4
Sweden

Helicopters!

#31

The Top 100 Songs You've (Probably) Never Heard - 2007

#31
Leave Me Alone
Hanna Pakarinen
Finland

#32

The Top 100 Songs You've (Probably) Never Heard - 2007

#32
Molitva
Marija Šerifović
Serbia

#33

The Top 100 Songs You've (Probably) Never Heard - 2007

#33
Áfram
Sigurjón Brink
Iceland

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#34

The Top 100 Songs You've (Probably) Never Heard - 2007

#34
För Att Du Finns
Sonja Aldén
Sweden

#35

The Top 100 Songs You've (Probably) Never Heard - 2007

#35
L'amour à la française
Les Fatals Picards
France

#36

The Top 100 Songs You've (Probably) Never Heard - 2007

#36
Pa Ty, Pa Mua
Rosela Gjylbegu
Albania

#37

The Top 100 Songs You've (Probably) Never Heard - 2007

#37
1 Year From Now
Linda
Estonia

#38

The Top 100 Songs You've (Probably) Never Heard - 2007

#38
God Morgon
Uno & Irma
Sweden

Uno & Irma

#39

The Top 100 Songs You've (Probably) Never Heard - 2007

#39
On & On
Medi-T
France

#40

The Top 100 Songs You've (Probably) Never Heard - 2007

#40
Questa Notte
Bonaparti.lv
Latvia

#41

The Top 100 Songs You've (Probably) Never Heard - 2007

#41
Visionary Dream
Sopho
Georgia

#42

The Top 100 Songs You've (Probably) Never Heard - 2007

#42
Better Than This
Hazen
Norway

Hazen

#43

The Top 100 Songs You've (Probably) Never Heard - 2007

#43
Comme Ci, Comme Ça
Evridiki
Cyprus

#44

The Top 100 Songs You've (Probably) Never Heard - 2007

#44
Trying to Recall
Marie Lindberg
Sweden

#45

The Top 100 Songs You've (Probably) Never Heard - 2007

#45
För Kung och Fosterland
Magnus Uggla
Sweden

#46

The Top 100 Songs You've (Probably) Never Heard - 2007

#46
Grain'sel
MAP
France

Grain'sel

#47

The Top 100 Songs You've (Probably) Never Heard - 2007

#47
On Top of the World
Edsilia Rombley
Netherlands



As a bonus, here's the exact same thing...in Dutch!

#48

The Top 100 Songs You've (Probably) Never Heard - 2007

#48
Work Your Magic
Koldun
Belarus

#49

The Top 100 Songs You've (Probably) Never Heard - 2007

#49
Anytime You Need
Hayko
Armenia

This performance has everything it needs to make the song a hit:
Native Peoples...check
Bad Pun (Bleeding Heart)...check
Killer Toilet Papered Tree...check

#50

The Top 100 Songs You've (Probably) Never Heard - 2007

#50
My Place
Soul Militia
Estonia

This is the only video of this song that I could find. It's from a television appearance and it's awkward to watch. Apparently, the guy in the white shirt knows this too.

Soul Militia - My Place

#51

The Top 100 Songs You've (Probably) Never Heard - 2007

#51
Mojot Svet
Karolina Gočeva
FYR Macedonia

#52

The Top 100 Songs You've (Probably) Never Heard - 2007

#52
Water
Elitsa Todorova & Stoyan Yankoulov
Bulgaria

#53

The Top 100 Songs You've (Probably) Never Heard - 2007

#53
Rijeka Bez Imena
Marija Šestić
Bosnia & Herzegovina

#54

The Top 100 Songs You've (Probably) Never Heard - 2007

#54
I Can
Brian Harvey
United Kingdom

Live performances are the downfall of many.

#55

The Top 100 Songs You've (Probably) Never Heard - 2007

#55
Partners in Crime
Gerli Padar
Estonia

A special note from me

Due to unforeseen events during the past 2 months, I have not been able to update this blog as frequently as I would have liked. The 2007 countdown is unfinished and I would like to post the remaining songs. However, I also planned on beginning the new 2008 countdown in October. In order to achieve both, I have decided to post the remaining 2007 songs over the next few days without commentary. I will do my best to add my musings at a later date but until then, I invite all readers to leave comments of their own. This will allow me to focus on bringing you the Top 100 Songs You’ve (Probably) Never Heard-2008, with commentary, on time. Thank you for your understanding.

#56

The Top 100 Songs You've (Probably) Never Heard - 2007

#56
I Mina Drommar
Sheida
Sweden

Somehow, it works.

Sheida

#57

The Top 100 Songs You've (Probably) Never Heard - 2007

#57
Here
Christina Undhjem
Norway

Like a lyrical puzzle box, “Here” is a difficult song to decipher. Other than that, it’s a pleasant song that could do some damage on the charts. My favorite line is “If I could steal your heartaches from your lips.” For some reason it always makes me picture her sucking someone’s life/soul from their mouth like in a cheap horror film.

#58

The Top 100 Songs You've (Probably) Never Heard - 2007

#58
Allt Vi En Gång Trodde På
Lustans Lakejer
Sweden

Lustans Lakejer is a 1980s new wave band from Sweden that recently reunited and released this single. The band could find success with their slightly updated sound that still contains hints of the old which could appeal to a broad range of listeners. Furthermore, any song with clapping effects is a guaranteed winner.

Lustans Lakejer

#59

The Top 100 Songs You've (Probably) Never Heard - 2007

#59
Birds of Peace
Vanilla Ninja
Estonia

Vanilla Ninja is a very popular group in their native Estonia. Their music can best be classified as rock-pop and could easily have a successful album in the U.S. Here is a clip of their performance of Birds of Peace at Chile’s Festival Internacional de la Canción de Viña del Mar.

Vanilla Ninja - Birds of Peace

Song of the [Indeterminate Time Period]

As we approach the halfway point on the countdown, I thought I’d share one of the songs that just missed out with you. The song “Belo e se” by Macedonian singer Lambe Alabakoski came in third in the 2007 edition of Skopje Fest and narrowly missed this list because the song at number 100 was too hilariously awful to not share it with the world. Better luck this year Lambe.

Belo e se
Ламбе Алабакоски
FYR Macedonia

#60

The Top 100 Songs You've (Probably) Never Heard - 2007

#60
Peam
Elena Petreska
FYR Macedonia

Don’t worry, she wasn’t hurt.

#61

The Top 100 Songs You've (Probably) Never Heard - 2007

#61
Plane Away
Humane
Finland

Plane Away is a country influenced duet that could easily find success stateside. The country music market is one of the best to tap in to because it is one of the few genres to experience growth in album sales over the previous years. In addition to the country elements and subject matter (e.g. pained yearning to be with someone who’s far away), the song also contains an opera-singing butler.

#62

The Top 100 Songs You've (Probably) Never Heard - 2007

#62
(Åh) När Ni Tar Saken I Egna Händer
After Dark
Sweden

This is a classic example of a double entendre. On the surface, the song seems to be about home repairs, however, it can also be interpreted as being about masturbation. For example, the first three words of the song’s title are sung quickly to sound like “onani”, the Swedish word for masturbation. By the way, the whole title translates as “(Oh) When You Take It into Your Own Hands”. Songs about self-love have found success before on the U.S. charts. (E.g. Billy Idol’s “Dancing with Myself” and The Divinyls’ “I Touch Myself” which peaked at #4 in 1991)



Bonus: Click here for more songs about masturbation.

#63

The Top 100 Songs You've (Probably) Never Heard - 2007

#63
I Love You Mi Vida
D'NASH
Spain

There’s no denying that boy bands are very successful in North America. Their popularity appears to follow a ten year cycle which peaks at the end of each decade. Famous examples include the Monkeys (late 1960s), the Jackson Five (late ‘60s/early ‘70s), New Kids on the Block (late ‘80s), and I’m sure we can all remember the countless boy bands of the late ‘90s. As it turns out, we’re reaching the end of this decade and are primed for another explosion of all-male singing groups. (Some people point to the Jonas Brothers as the start of the next wave.) Needless to say, things are looking good for D’NASH.

#64

The Top 100 Songs You've (Probably) Never Heard - 2007

#64
Vaaratar
Katra
Finland

A fine example of Finnish rock, Vaaratar is certainly different from everything we’ve seen so far on the list. It could easily find a niche in the U.S. music scene and be successful on the rock charts.

#65

The Top 100 Songs You've (Probably) Never Heard - 2007

#65
Hypnotized
Sofia
Sweden

This has the potential to be a minor summer hit. I could imagine this finding its way onto a compilation album and playing in an Old Navy, but that’s about it.

#66

The Top 100 Songs You've (Probably) Never Heard - 2007

#66
Perfect Sin
Marika Lejon
Norway

If you listen to the lyrics of the chorus, you’ll notice that this song could be about anything that is tempting. Why is this important? The answer is simple: commercial opportunity. This song is begging to be whored out to advertisers to sell chocolate, ice cream, Dirt Devil vacuums etc. Eventually, if all goes according to plan, it will beat its way into listeners’ heads and go on to be a hit. It’s that simple.

2007 Norway - Marika Lejon

#67

The Top 100 Songs You've (Probably) Never Heard - 2007

#67
Kazi Koj Si Ti
Tamara Todevska
FYR Macedonia

Tamara Todevska has a song eligible for the 2008 list. Will it place better than Kazi Koj Si Ti?... You’ll have to wait and see. In the meantime, enjoy the clip.

#68

The Top 100 Songs You've (Probably) Never Heard - 2007

#68
Faut Voter Pour Nous
Les Wampas
France

According to the Oxford English dictionary, punk rock is a “loud, fast form of rock music characterized by aggressive and anarchic lyrics and behavior”. Given that punk is, by definition, anti-establishment, it strikes one as being slightly odd that the title of the French punk song at number 68 translates as “You need to vote for us”. It seems Les Wampas support a democratic form of anarchy.