Basel 2025: My Top 37 – All Songs Reviewed

25 April 2025

Thirty seven entries will grace the stage for the 2025 Eurovivison Song Contest in Basel, Switzerland. That’s the same number as 2024, with Montengro returning after a break of two years and Moldova withdrawing for the first time since its debut in 2005. Moldova cited economic reasons and the poor quality of the entries in their national final for their withdrawal. The national final was cancelled after the live audition show was held.

Basel 2025: My Top 37 – All Songs Reviewed - Eurovision Song Contest Preview

No surprise, due to juries removed from the semi finals since 2022, the amount of fun and frivolous entries is up again. While we could quibble over a few of them, I personally classify 20 in that group. With so many in that vein, most of them become a blur. On the positive side, there’s 22 songs (excluding English speaking countries) using their native language, and among those are the rarely heard Latvian, Lithuanian and Swedish. Curiously, a group from Finland brings us Swedish for Sweden. A few countries also include a language other than their own or English.

The playlist of my Top 37 here

As I say every year, this ranking is a simple preference of songs. It doesn’t mean the first ranked song is 20 times better than the 20th ranked song. Indeed, the differences are typically marginal, which is why I show them all in broader categories using the 5-star system with a description. Here we go!

One Star (Poor)

Of the legitimate entries, there are no poor ones this year! Only the second time this has occurred, with the first time in 2022 for Turin.

My boycott of the Ineligible Associate Member (Australia) will continue for the second year due to the sordid process to make them permanently part of Eurovision and the unfair privilege they receive above all others. Like last year, no official news release or explanation for a situation where the rules still clearly state that “associate membership does not grant access to the Eurovision system.” The first information was an article on 30 October 2024 about SBS (Australia’s broadcaster of ESC) referring to its broadcast plans and them saying, “Who will represent Australia in Basil?”. Official confirmation from Eurovision itself came via an Instagram image with Australia shown as one of the participants.

SBS’s first direct comment was on 4 December 2024 to solely announce their Eurovision commentators quit and will be replaced. In an article in early 2025 that stated submissions were closed for 2025, SBS were already asking for submissions for 2026! So much for approval by the ESC Reference Group each year. Australia are permanently in Eurovision and it was done in flagrant violation of the European Broadcasting Union’s own rules. Meanwhile, the EBU denies requests from Kazakhstan for an invitation (hypocritically citing that associate members are ineligible) and harshly enforces financial rules – rules that don’t apply for associate members – on full members.

To add further insult to this debauch situation, the contempt by SBS towards Eurovision remains. Noted band, Sheppard, were strongly rumoured to be the candidates for Basel 2025. Since Eurovision has become a joke-fest, SBS had to send a joke entry, so found some joke called Go-Jo on TikTok and got Sheppard to co-write a joke song called Milkshake Man for him to gyrate around and deliver stupid sexual innuendos. A complete joke. The boycott means that Australia won’t be mentioned anywhere for ESC 2025 except for results by necessity, which will only show as “Ineligible Associate Member”.

Two Stars (Average)

36 Portugal – Napa – Deslocado
35 Croatia – Marko Bosnjak – Poison Cake
34 Latvia – Tautumeitas – Bur man laimi
33 Ukraine – Ziferblat – Bird of Pray
32 Georgia – Mariam Shengelia – Freedom
31 Belgium – Red Sebastian – Strobe Lights

Portugal is sort of nice; not enough simply happens. There was a bit of a controversy in Croatia when the jury elevated Poison Cake over the public’s favourite. While initially it seemed a good call, in reality, it’s a fairly empty song despite trying so hard to be much more. As much as I’ve always supported six girls expressing feminine power by singing and dancing in the forest, all I keep hearing with Latvia is “Never never never never gonna be 6 foot 3“. It simply lacks substance despite its blend of traditional and contemporary sounds.

A nice retro 60s vibe from Ukraine. The song is a bit warbling otherwise. Georgia, again, it doesn’t quite hit. Some parts are good, the rest is meh. Belgium is just too repetitive despite the entrancing techno vibe.

Armenia would be better with more substance. A great message from Slovenia (about Klemen’s wife surviving a disease diagnosed as terminal) in a somewhat formulaic ballad. Malta got so much attention for the original lyrics of “serving kant” due to “kant” pronounced as the C-word in English and creating a vulgar expression. Such vulgarity would never be allowed in Eurovision, so Malta were forced to update their song and portrayed themselves as the harshly treated victim in the process. The publicity stunt worked and, subsequently, many people rate it higher than it deserves. A good melody for San Marino doesn’t elevate the rest of the song.

For one of the rare times, we hear German from Germany. Their song, Baller, has decent appeal and can get you grooving, otherwise it lacks anything special. Ditto Cyprus, albeit, Shh is more infectious. Even Iceland, we’re in this run (or rut) of basic, uptempo fun songs. Whatever! That it’s in Icelandic helps. The super vocals by Justyna Steczkowska of Poland makes their song better than those ranked below it. Note that Justyna represented Poland at Eurovision in 1995, finishing 18th with the song, Sama. I’m not as hostile to Norway as I was during the national final. The chorus sections are fine; the rest is derivative. Kaj were the surprise winners for Sweden at Melodifestivalen 2025 over Måns Zelmerlöw. To me, while there’s some solid appeal to it, it’s mostly a novelty act.

We’re into the higher quality songs, either by pure substance or the vocals help set them apart. A nice Balkan ballad from Serbia, and Princ looks and sounds the part. Azerbaijan oozes quality, especially in its production, even if it’s a bit formulaic. Denmark adds superb vocal prowess to a song that’s otherwise on the repetitive side. Please change your outfit for Basel, Sissal! Spain promises a lot before not quite delivering. Still powerful and addictive, and Melody is a quality performer. I love the verses from the United Kingdom, and some of the harmonies. At other times, the chorus sections can get annoying where it sounds like three girls simply trying to be heard rather than complimenting each other.

Montenegro brings a classic Balkan ballad with Nina’s delightful female voice. Greece, similarly, stunning vocals, especially during the chorus as Klavdia rises in range and flexes her vibrato. Fire! That’s the translation of Zjerm by Albania. Quite hypnotic and powerful, and only ranks a little lower because it’s not the full song. The three minute limit for Eurovision only allows for one full verse. Whatever you do when checking Italy, watch the national final performance, not the horrible music video with all the interruptions. Italian songs rarely fail to impress due to the Italian language being so naturally melodic and beautiful. Czechia finishes just outside the top 10 with an evocative ballad that transforms into a dance song. It works!

The Top 10

10 Lithuania – Katarsis – Tavo akys

Perhaps with Ukraine and Italy, the only rock song this year. This is a unique and interesting entry from Lithuania that takes a few listens to really appreciate. Moody, emotional and powerful. It was an early personal favourite and that appeal has held.

09 Estonia – Tommy Cash – Espresso Macchiato

The overwhelming winner of Eesti Laul 2025, Tommy’s infectious song about coffee really hits the spot, and provides a high for almost as long. Don’t listen to it before you go to bed.

08 Ireland – Emmy – Laika Party

About one of dogs that were sent into space by the Soviet space program and didn’t survive, Laika Party is so catchy and mixes well with Emmy’s airy vocals for almost an interstellar experience. If it were a bit more punchier and Emmy, who’s Norwegian, had a bit more range, it would get there.

Five Stars (Outstanding)

07 Switzerland – Zoë Më – Voyage

The host country brings a beautiful and dramatic ballad, in French, and it reminds me so much of Bulgaria’s excellent 2020 entry, Tears Getting Sober by Victoria. Very similar vocals and that haunting style. Really classy.

06 Netherlands – Claude – C’est la vie

The Fab Five

05 Luxembourg – Laura Thorn – La Poupee monte le son

A catchy song that’s designed to grab you by nuance and niceness instead of pounding a catchy melody and a fast tempo. Partially in French and a pleasant voice makes it all the more charming.

Translating to “the doll turns up the sound”, this has grown on me the most over the weeks. It’s just so cute, fun and infectious. That it’s in French likely also adds to the appeal. Structurally, the song is great, especially with the bridge section, and Laura rounds out the song with some long, sustained notes. I really hope she can perform vocally in Basel because that’s one worry against it reaching the grand final. The song was inspired by Luxembourg’s Eurovision winner of 1965, Poupee De Cire, Poupee De Son by France Gall.

04 Israel – Yuval Raphael – New Day Will Rise

A harrowing backstory for Yuval that sadly, if somewhat predictably, isn’t revealed on the official Eurovision website. At least, it shows her pronounces are She/Her. Yuval survived the Hamas terrorist attacks from Gaza on 7 October 2023 when she hid in a shelter with 50 other people following attendance at the Nova Sukkot Gathering music festival. Grenades launched into the shelter killed all except 11 people, with Yuval hiding under dead bodies for 8 hours. No surprise to see her Eurovision song to be this stunning ballad about hope and life. Her voice is gorgeous too.

03 Finland – Erika Vikman – Ich komme

I’m coming! She’s coming! We’re all coming! Finland’s Queen Erika will finally grace the Eurovision stage after narrowly missing victory at UMK 2020 with Cicciolina. Where that was arguably a better song for the contest subsequently cancelled due to Covid-19, Ich Komme is designed to pound just as hard on the stage as it does vocally and with its unrelenting energy. After feeling a little limp towards it initially, I’m fully hard on it now. Curiously, the English translation on the official Eurovision website is a diluted version compared to the actual raunchy ones found elsewhere. For a period, none showed, so clearly a revised translation was asked.

02 Austria – JJ – Wasted Love

A stunning operatic pop song from an artist who can reach soprano heights. A techno/trance section rounds out this stellar entry.

01 France – Louane – Maman

This stunning ballad, both in structure and vocally, really struck at my heart personally. Translating to “Mamma”, Louane sings about the pain and suffering of losing her mother, how she slowly begins to move on and finds love, and now her own daughter calls her “Mamma”. It’s a wonderful message about the circle of life and maternal love. At the end of the song, that actually is her daughter saying “Mamma”.

Summary

I just realised this is my most French Top 10 ever! With the obvious France, there’s also Luxembourg and Switzerland, while Netherlands is partly in French and Israel includes a verse in French. To be precise, they’re all top 7, and they represent all the songs with French this year.

In scoring the songs, none actually scored more than 8 points (out of 10) and none below 4 points. That shows that 2025 is a very even year. Converting to the 5-star system, everything that scored 8 points is worth 5 stars. Seven points is worth 4 stars, six points is worth 3 stars, and five or four points is worth 2 stars. The star system is therefore relative for the year. Ideally, eight points should be worth 4 stars, and would not be if several songs scored nine or more. Some might be worth 9 anyway and I simply scored a little harsher this year, so most of the seven in that bracket are definitely worthy to be there.

Seven songs with 5 stars is a bit higher than normal. It’s one more than 2024 (another even year) while the stronger 2023 only had four songs with 5 stars. Twenty songs with at least 4 stars is an increase from 17 in 2024 and 16 of 2023, which is surprising considering it feels like a weak year. That nothing scored 1 star (vs 5 in 2024 and 4 in 2023) protects 2025 as a potentially painful year. Relativity within the year, again, likely caused the skew to higher star brackets. The younger, harsher me would probably slap one star off everything to make it seven entries with 1 star and none with 5 stars. Curiously, the other notoriously even year, Kyiv 2017, only two songs got 5 stars (three too few in hindsight) and 19 songs got at least 4 stars. In the annual Eurovision Battle, Kyiv 2017 has proved unbeatable so an even year could very well be a good year.

National Final Injustices – How Would They Rank?

Were any songs left in the national finals that could elevate their countries? Possible alternatives like Bojana and David (performing Sesto Culo) from Serbia and Ogenj (Daj Daj) from Croatia would not change much for those countries. Klara Hammarström (On And On And On) would definitely put Sweden top 10. Emilija (Heartbeat) from Latvia would put them top 20. Nataleen, performing The Game, would send Norway to the top 10 easily. Perhaps seventh. Wig Wam (Human Fire) were also good and would be nudging the top 10. Finland, conceivably, could have all six of their UMK 2025 entries sent to Eurovision and do well, and be in my top 20. As for my favourite this year, Aina by Viivi, that would be my number one!

With Viivi this year, that actually makes it four times Finland would be my top ranked song if they sent something else. The others are Erika Vikman with Cicciolina in 2020, Portion Boys with Samaa Taivasta Katsotaan in 2023, and Sara Siipola with Paskana last year.

Basel 2025: National Final Injustices

Sweden: Kaj steam to victory at Melodifestivalen 2025 with Bara bada bastu

Estonia: Tommy Cash wins Eesti Laul 2025 with Espresso Macchiato

Finland: Erika Vikman wins UMK 2025 in throbbing style with Ich Komme

Mr Eurovision Australia

It's about the music! A unique perspective combining passion, fun and respect.