NB. This version was published in January 2017 and has been replaced by an updated Top 5 from Armenia.
Back to Europe’s uttermost east, and yet another country beginning with A (having already done Albania, Austria and Azerbaijan, Armenia is another of Eurovision’s relative newcomers, having entered for the first time in 2006. They have done well, almost as well as their bitter rivals Azerbaijan, so although I only have 10 songs to choose from to make my top 5, there are plenty of high placing results among that 10.
7 of Armenia’s 10 Eurovision entries have placed in the top 10 in the grand final, and all five songs in my top 5 were in the top 10. That might make it the country top 5 with the highest average contest results to date (though still many countries to do in my Top 5 series yet!)
5. Eva Rivas “Apricot Stone” (2010, 7th place, 141 points)
I was torn between this and 2011’s Armenian entry as to what would be in 5th place but I plumped for this as while it’s not as catchy as “Boom Boom” (the only Armenian entry not to qualify for the final, it’s a higher quality song and is performed live better as well.
4. Iveta Mukuchyan “LoveWave” (2016, 7th place, 249 points)
Last year’s Armenian effort, this is more style than substance in many ways – a performance rather than a song but nonetheless it’s pretty impressive and we get some traditional/ethnic sounds within it which always counts highly with me!
3. André “Without Your Love” (2006, 8th place, 129 points)
The only male Armenian entry on my list, Andrey Hovnanian, was the first artist to represent Armenia and made an impressive start for the ex-Soviet country in Eurovision. It has classic Eurovision elements that always appeals to me – a big dancey, catchy, ethnopop number! (Plus quite a hot guy!)
2. Sirusho “Qélé, Qélé” (2008, 4th place, 199 points)
Warming to my theme, it’s another catchy, dancey, ethnopop number from Armenia and in fact is their most successful entry to date. Aram MP3 also finished 4th in 2014, but he scored fewer points than this.
1. Inga and Anush “Jan Jan” (2009, 10th place, 92 points)
Maybe a bit of a surprise this is my number 1? Well, surprise or not, I do enjoy this song a lot – bit of a guilty pleasure! Costume wise, apparently they are wearing traditional dress of their home village – Graham quipped “a village where Liberace is the mayor it seems”! I love the energy they put into the performance and of course I enjoy the ethnic sounds and instruments in it as well!
What do you think of my top 5? No Aram MP3 as you may have spotted – do you agree? Let me know in the comments below!