CAFFE´ LATTE´
TOP 10 ALBUMS- FEB. 2024
1
HANA Deluxe Edition
Sophie Ellis-Bextor 2 3
2 SOMETHING TO GIVE EACH OTHER
Troye Sivan 1 4
3 THIS IS ME… NOW [Deluxe Edition]
Jennifer Lopez NEW
4 VISIONS Vol. 1 Lufthaus 5 2
5 BLACK FRIDAY Tom Odell 4 2
6 TENSION Kylie Minogue 3 5
7 VENUS Zara Larsson NEW
8 TELLUS TIMELINE Autumn’s Child 10 2
9 ANGEL FACE Stephen Sanchez 7 6
10 THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO MARCIA
Marcia Hines 6 4
ALL THE EUROVISION COUNTRIES: (36). More: Monday.
Caffè ☕️Lattè looks back on:
ALL THE
EUROVISION
COUNTRIES
The Eurovision Song Contest was first held in 1956. Back then, only 7 countries participated. In the decades since, dozens of other nations have joined the ESC family. As Europe changed, countries faded into history as new countries and new names emerged. Eurovision itself has expanded beyond the European continent; to Africa, the Middle East and the Southern Hemisphere.
Our spotlight looks back on every country that has competed – in chronological order.
1998
The 1998 Eurovision Song Contest was held in host city Birmingham, England. As there were still more countries keen to participate than the EBU considered suitable for the Grand Final, the relegation system was maintained. This required the lowest scoring nations to automatically miss out on the following year’s Contest. One new country made its debut this year.
XXXVI
NORTH MACEDONIA
Macedonia first attempted to compete at Eurovision in 1996. It finally qualified for the Contest in 1998. Initially, the country participated under the name F.Y.R. Macedonia (Former Yugoslav Republic).
North Macedonia’s best result at Eurovision was seventh position in 2019 with the moving entry “Proud”, performed by Tamara Todevska. The country participated in 22 Contests. After two successive years (2021 and 2022) where it failed to qualify, North Macedonia withdrew from the Contest.
<<<THE T⏳ME CAPSULE<<<
RADAR LOVE
Golden Earring
1973
U.K. - #7; U.S.A. - #13
Trivia:
Golden Earring formed in The Hague, The Netherlands. The group scored a worldwide hit with "Radar Love". As well as charting in Britain and the US, the single went Top 10 in many European countries, Canada and Australia.
Check out all the songs that have been featured in this daily segment on Spotify, including today’s retro track.
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/1fw40hqEA0Fgh4cq4yoXD0?si=BYCiWGK3QRim_FaIIkAIdg
spotify:playlist:1fw40hqEA0Fgh4cq4yoXD0
MORE RETRO EVERY DAY
30 Songs Behind The Taylor Swift Phenomenon. Concludes: Monday.
Caffè Lattè looks back on:
30 KEY SONGS BEHIND THE
TAYLOR SWIFT
PHENOMENOM
XXIX
June,
2023
CRUEL SUMMER
“Cruel Summer” was first heard on Taylor Swift’s 2019 album release ‘Lover’. Despite being a fan favourite and critically lauded, the song was not issued as a single. Persistent fans promoted it on social media. Four years later, “Cruel Summer” was finally released to US radio.
In 2019, it dented the American chart as an album track. As an official single, “Cruel Summer” returned in the #49 position in 2023. The song climbed to the top, where it resided for 2 weeks. It was replaced by Swift’s “Is It Over Now?” for a week, before enjoying a further 2 weeks at #1. The song went on to top charts in Canada, Singapore and the Philippines. It peaked at #2 in Britain and Australia.
ALL THE EUROVISION COUNTRIES: (29-35). More: tomorrow.
Caffè ☕️Lattè looks back on:
ALL THE
EUROVISION
COUNTRIES
The Eurovision Song Contest was first held in 1956. Back then, only 7 countries participated. In the decades since, dozens of other nations have joined the ESC family. As Europe changed, countries faded into history as new countries and new names emerged. Eurovision itself has expanded beyond the European continent; to Africa, the Middle East and the Southern Hemisphere.
Our spotlight looks back on every country that has competed – in chronological order.
1994
The 1994 Eurovision Song Contest became a new watershed. A record 25 countries competed after the lowest-scoring countries in the previous year were culled. Ireland made ESC history by winning for the third consecutive year; it is still the only country to do so. This was also the year that the TV audience was introduced to Bill Whelan’s “Riverdance”. Seven new countries joined the Eurovision family, the most since the inaugural Contest back in 1956.
XXIX
ESTONIA
Estonia competed in a preliminary heat to join the Contest in 1993, but was unsuccessful and missed the Final. The following year, the country debuted on the Eurovision stage. It became the first former Soviet nation to win the ESC in 2001 with the catchy “Everybody”. This year, Estonia will be vying for a place in the Grand Final during Semi-Final 2 with its 30th entry.
XXX
ROMANIA
Like Estonia, Romania failed to qualify in 1993, but debuted at Eurovision in the following year. The country is still chasing its first ESC victory. It has participated 24 times. To date, its best result is third place, achieved in 2005 and 2010. In 2024, Romania will not be competing.
XXXI
SLOVAKIA
Slovakia emerged as a new country in 1993, after Czechoslovakia became a thing of the past. That year, the fledgling nation failed to qualify to join the Eurovision family, but made it through in 1994. After the 1998 Contest, Slovakia withdrew. The country returned in 2009, but failed to progress from the Semi-Final stage year after year. After only 7 participations, Slovakia last participated in Baku in 2012, .
XXXII
LITHUANIA
In 1990, Lithuania declared its independence from the Soviet Union. Its debut in 1994 resulted in a score of zero points. Lithuania declined to participate again until its return in 1991.
Despite participating 25 times, Lithuania’s best result remains sixth place achieved in 2006 with the ironically titled “We Are The Winners”. Silvester Belt will represent the country during the first Semi-Final this year.
XXXIII
HUNGARY
Hungary failed to qualify in 1993, but succeeded the following year. Its inaugural entry, performed by Friderika Bayer, landed in fourth place. This remains the best result thus far for Hungary in the Eurovision Song Contest. After participating seventeen times, Hungary last competed in 2019.
XXXIV
RUSSIA
Upon debuting in 1994, Russia soon established itself as one of the most successful countries at Eurovision. It participated 24 times and finished in the Top 3 on nine occasions. This included a victory with “Believe” performed by Dima Bilan in 2008. Following the invasion of Ukraine, Russia was disqualified from the Contest. Its last entry was in 2021.
XXXV
POLAND
Poland made an impressive debut in the Eurovision Song Contest in 1994, finishing in second place with the entry “To Nie Ja!”. Unfortunately, after a total of 27 participations, Poland has failed to repeat or improve on that achievement. The persistent country will be competing in the first Semi-Final in 2024 with “The Tower” to be performed by Luna.
<<<THE T⏳ME CAPSULE<<<
SILVER DREAM MACHINE
David Essex
1980
U.K. - #4
Trivia:
In 1980, David Essex starred in the film 'Silver Dream Racer'. While the motion picture was a flop, the singer scored a Top 10 hit in Britain with "Silver Dream Machine" from the movie. Essex wrote and produced the song.
Check out all the songs that have been featured in this daily segment on Spotify, including today’s retro track.
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/1fw40hqEA0Fgh4cq4yoXD0?si=BYCiWGK3QRim_FaIIkAIdg
spotify:playlist:1fw40hqEA0Fgh4cq4yoXD0
MORE RETRO EVERY DAY
Caffè Lattè presents:
The
Weekly
SPOTIFY
PLAYLIST
Every weekend, Caffè Lattè compiles the best new music, some retro & an hour of The Black Roots: R&B / Soul.
Like it on Spotify and find the updated playlist each week in the same place.
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/1aHVcWWm5ThHFm8KW5S9eC?si=2b6cdce835ad4b34
This week:
NEW JUSTIN TIMBERLAKE, NORAH JONES, GUY SEBASTIAN, MELISSA MANCHESTER & DOLLY PARTON, MISSY HIGGINS, KIANA and more!
Retro from The Human League, Berlin + others
plus R&B/ Soul gems from:
Randy Crawford, Whitney Houston, Dionne Warwick, Heatwave, Diana Ross & Marvin Gaye, The Isley Brothers, Teddy Pendergrass & more!
30 Songs Behind The Taylor Swift Phenomenon. Continues: tomorrow.
Caffè Lattè looks back on:
30 KEY SONGS BEHIND THE
TAYLOR SWIFT
PHENOMENOM
XXVIII
October,
2023
IS IT OVER NOW?
(TAYLOR’S VERSION)
(FROM THE VAULT)
In July 2023, Taylor Swift released the ‘Taylor’s Version’ edition of her ‘Speak Now’ album. Barely 4 months later, another re-recording emerged. This was a new Taylor’s Version of her ‘1989’ album, the fourth in the series (and most recent).
One of the previously unreleased tracks on this new version of ‘1989’ was “Is It Over Now?”. The song was co-written and co-produced by Swift with Jack Antonoff. When the song topped the Billboard Hot 100, it replaced the singer’s “Cruel Summer”. Is It Over Now?” only enjoyed a week at #1, when the resurgent “Cruel Summer” reclaimed pole position.
Her eleventh US #1 song also fared well in other countries. “Is It Over Now?” debuted at the top in the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia and New Zealand. The song became Swift’s fourth #1 on Billboard Magazine’s Global 200 chart.
ALL THE EUROVISION COUNTRIES: (26-28). More: tomorrow.
Caffè ☕️Lattè looks back on:
ALL THE
EUROVISION
COUNTRIES
The Eurovision Song Contest was first held in 1956. Back then, only 7 countries participated. In the decades since, dozens of other nations have joined the ESC family. As Europe changed, countries faded into history as new countries and new names emerged. Eurovision itself has expanded beyond the European continent; to Africa, the Middle East and the Southern Hemisphere.
Our spotlight looks back on every country that has competed – in chronological order.
1993
The rules of the Eurovision Song Contest were changed in order to allow a record 25 countries to compete. By now, Yugoslavia had faded into the history books but regions from within that old country would participate in their own right. Such was the desire to compete, that a preliminary heat was staged before the actual Contest. At that precursor to the present-day’s Semi Finals, seven new countries vied to join the ESC fold. The previous year’s 22 countries (with the exception of Yugoslavia) automatically progressed to the Contest in 1993. The nations that ended at the bottom would be culled from the 1994 Contest.
XXVI
SLOVENIA
Seven countries competed in a preliminary heat to join the Contest in 1993, from which three were admitted. All 3 had previously been a part of Yugoslavia. Slovenia has since participated 30 times.
To date, the best Slovenian result has been finishing in seventh place twice: in 1995 and 2001. In 2024, Slovenia will be competing in Semi-Final 1. Its entry “Veronika” will be performed by Raiven.
XXVII
BOSNIA-HERZEGOVINA
As Yugoslavia splintered into new nations in 1993, some debuted at Eurovision. Bosnia-Herzegovina joined that year and participated 19 times. Its best result thus far is 2006, finishing third with “Lejla” performed by Hari Mata Hari.
Despite achieving other impressive results, Bosnia-Herzegovina last competed at Eurovision in 2016. It can make its comeback in a future Contest, but it will continue to
be absent in 2024.
XXVIII
CROATIA
In 1993, Croatia became the third of the
new countries to join the Eurovision family in its own right, after previously
competing as part of Yugoslavia. This year's Contest will feature the 30th Croatian entry.
The 1989 winner Riva was a group from Croatia when the region was competing as Yugoslavia, bringing the Contest to the Croatian capital Zagreb. As Croatia, the country’s best result thus far has been fourth place, achieved twice: in 1996 and 1999. In May 2024, the Croatian entry will be performing during the first Semi-Final.
