Eurovision: Songs Sweden Almost Sent (1959 - 2023) | Second Places in Swedish National Finals 

Salem Al Fakir will always be my favorite. Keep on walking is such an amazing song. Sad until this day that it didn't win

The fact that some of these second places still are more than good enough to have won the international contest themselves say a lot about how much of a Eurovision powerhouse Sweden is

I had completely forgotten about Keep On Walking but as soon as I heard it I felt like I was being sent to more than ten years ago... That song has such an emotional attachment to it I cant even describe. Wow, it's so good.

I was 6 years old when Yohio performed with Heart Break Hotel and I am to this day really salty about how he didn’t win. 17 years old and he looks and sounds like he’s been performing on stage for decades! Also, Salem Al Fakir is such an underrated song. Beautifully executed ❤

I had totally forgot YOHIO. He was everywhere around 2013. I live in Finland and I remember seeing interviews of him at TV. I have to check their music videos now. 😊

You know Sweden is a power house when 90% of the songs on this list are literally better than anything that Germany has ever sent to the actual contest 💀

some of these old ones are so iconic to a Swedish person hahah, I can't believe they didn't even win, they have stood the test of time and become legendary lol

It's been 18 years but I am still salty that we didn't send Nanne Grönvall with Håll Om Mig. I belive we would have won if we sent her that year.

In Sweden these 2nd place songs from 1968 onward tend to be more loved in many cases than the winning songs. Some of these songs people in Sweden are still upset about them not winning, especially 2010 tend to get people upset., me included.

Nanne in 2005 and Salem in 2010 are the ones I will never get over. I am still pissed that they didn't win.

I'd really like to see a version of this video, but with the actual winners also, side by side :)

The way Nanne came 2nd by only being 3 points away from the winner DESPITE her entry being a big fan favorite with the televote (and even garnered attention outside of Sweden bc of a popular anime music video and was apparently a trend in Chinese Tiktok) was Sweden's Jann incident from the Polish NF, I'll be real. Update: Apparently, Blanka and Martin both scored 19th in their final (albeit Sweden was tied with Ukraine in 19th place during 2005), an obscure but hilarious fact that I kinda find karmatic for overshadowing the fan favorites of their respective National Finals-

Dotter is a Eurovision legend who has never been at Eurovison (if we don't count that she announced the points once). I hope she'll perform in the Grand Final one day🙏❤️

I still listen to Salem al Fakirs Keep on Walking to this day. 100% sure he would have done better than Anna Bergendahl.

Yohio deserved to win, he won the televote and had an amazing song

As a swedish person, i think that melodifestivalen sometimes has better songs then eurovision has

So many of these songs were better than the ones we actually sent. And then there's Anders Bagge😂

Keep On Walking - Salem Al Fakir, will forever be ICONIC!!

Ace Wilder, Oscar Zia, Dotter, Eric Saade and Marcus&Martinus were just 💯❤❤❤

A noticeable amount of these runners-up would end up winning the following year: 1962 Monica Zetterlund 1974 Lasse Berghagen 1979 Tomas Ledin 1981 Chips 1990 Carola 2000 Friends

Nanne with "Håll om mig" was and still is my favorite. Super song and show. It would have won the international ESC

Oh, and Human by Oscar Zia! One of the best songs in "mello" ever. It's... amazing. Love it. Love, love, love it.

Many would be worth to be Swedens representantive at Eurovision. Still sad that Ace Wilder lost the tight race in 2014 or Jon Henrik Fjällgren with his best entry at MF competed with the Winner of ESC 2015.

Thank you so much for putting this compilation of music together - Sweden should be so proud of their wonderful Eurovision entries over the years and to hear these other songs that could have been chosen - Greetings from the U.K. 🇬🇧

Melfest' 2014-2017's era was just OUTSTANDING

Oh how I remember Drömhus from -99! It was a favourite when I was a kid and I still remember the lyrics perfectly. Can't dislike it even though it's not really my type of music today. Didn't even knew it was from Melodifestivalen.

Possible Eurovision winners if the past were altered: 1986: 7:33 1990: 8:33 1995: 9:48 1999: 10:48 2002: 11:48 2008: 13:18 2010: 13:48 2012: 14:18 2015: 15:03 2016: 15:18 2023: 17:03

I feel sorry for Danny Saucedo for bad timing, first with Eric Saade in 2011 and Loreen in 2012, he would totally win otherwise 😅

One year I want Melodifestivalen hunger games style, have all the second placers compete with a song lmao, I need to see Danny, Eric, Yohio and more compete in Mello again

The second place in 2010 could have won Eurovision but instead they sent a song that didn't qualify.

Now imagine the world where Lasse Berghagen wins in 1974...

In 1989, one of the guys in the duo that finished second (Orup, wearing a white shirt) was so disappointed that he went into the dressing room of the winner (Tommy Nilsson) and while Tommy wasn't there, Orup found something else to take out his anger on. There was a big cake waiting for Tommy, but Orup smashed it with an umbrella and left.

If there is one thing Sweden knows, it’s music. Yknow, most of the time

Cecilia Vennersten will always have a special place in my heart. Even if she got second, that song was something special that year.

Nano's Hold On was probably stronger than I Can't Go On

A few of these are entirely the “International jury’s” fault for not getting into the contest. Nano should have won. Still a sore in the eye that we sent a boy on a treadmill instead. And Heartbreak hotel was a boop on every playlist that year.

sweden has produced so many good songs over the centuries, like wow, some of these i had forgot were from eurovision!

Well this was a blast from the past! 😊 Dotter's Bullet Proof was sooo good!!

Thank you for your wonderful job

2001-2015 is such a blast from the past for me. Also, how the hell did I forget about being the biggest fan of BWO 😂

rip heartbreak hotel

I was so mad when Nanne Grönwall didn't win with "håll om mig". I still love that song and firmly believe it could have gone far in ESC. I have no memory of what song actually won but I remember it wasn't popular at all. Edit: OMG I had no idea Drömhus almost won in -99! That song was my favourite for several years when it came!

Poor Danny Suacedo placing 2nd 2 times, always after a huge favourite

2010, 2013 and 2016 deserved too win alot more than those who actually did.

2020 doesn't matter much, since eurovision was cancelled, but if not, I really wanted Dotter to win. She was amazing, and as a 9 year old then, I was devastated when she lost.

What did we send in 1986 instead of Lena Philipson with ”Kärleken är evig”?? That’s a classic!

i remember when i was young and loved Danny Saucedo and his song "in the club" i didn't even know english but i till tried to sing along lol

VERY nice work U did here:).And 12 points goes to MONICA ZETTERLUND, Ann-Kristin Hedmark, Svante Thuresson, Lena Eicsson, "Gimmicks", Arja Saijonmaa, Sanna Nielsen and Caroline af Ugglas.

2016 - 2018 + 2021 = They all should've won.

Thanks! Fantastisk å finne Jon Henrik Fjällgrens joik!

For anyone outside of our country who is interested in this sorta thing I have to recommend "Guld och gröna skogar" by Hasse Andersson back in 2015. Probably the song I wanted us to send the most together with Jon Henrik, the guy who you can see in 15:02 of this video. Both songs are wonderful representations of our musical culture. The first is typical Swedish folk music, one of our only original music traditions while the other is a joik, a musical tradition of our indigenous people, the Sámi. Both are really strong songs and both represented a part of our culture that the outside world doesn't see to often. It's not just "another good song" it's a good song that means something, that shows the world part of our culture. And that to me at least, makes for the most wonderful Eurovision entries

Nano and Dotter👏 Kind of weird that the norwegian twins cant breathe without air. They must be AI

Watching the older songs/artists I couldn't help myself from thinking,about,who of them are still alive... .🥺

Ahh, "Det Vackraste" The singer now never ever have to do any other songs because she gets booked in at weddings constantly to sing that one song..

Eric Saade really should have won 2021, as well as Oscar Zia in 2016

Every Minute by Eric Saade could have been such a banger 😭

It's a crime we skipped on some of these. Nanne (Håll om Mig), Caroline af Ugglas, Yohio, Salem al Fakir, and Oscar Zia should have represented Sweden.

I haven’t ever heard a single person say “glad we didn’t send Salem Al Fakir”. Bro we all wish we sent him instead. ALL OF US

I seriously don’t know how they managed to let that song go in 1992… such a bop

Chips, Arja and Nanne. Marvellous. Thanks for a great upload xx

Some of these songs were deep in my brain and some I didn't even know were Swedish or from Melodifestivalen. Brutal nostalgia.

Dotter needs to win Melodifestivalen someday.

Im still mad that Oscar Zia didnt win, its such a good song. Also with Yohio

78 it was the song "Miss decibel" with Lasse Holm Kikki Danielsson and Wizex.

The way I will NEVER forgive the fact that Nanne didn't win in 2005 and we sent one of our worst entries yet instead, shameful!

found a mistake the song 1978 is called Miss Decibel if anyone want to listen to the whole version of it

9:49 is Swedish popular music at it's best.

Half of these are like Swedish classics! Especially many of the second place songs from the 1980s

Omg snälla snälla is the only song from my childhood that made such a bad impression that I still remember talking shit about it

Lokking through some of the comments and I see nobody mentionig 2015's Jon Henrik with Jag är fri. I'm still mad that he never won mello. He really deserved it in 2015. It was something new and never-been-done-before in mello, and esc too (I think?) at that point. He participated this year too but apparently it was his last time (he said). Then a few years later, in 2019, Norway sent that Spirit in the sky by Keiino. Which included jojk too. I'm glad they sent some jojk when Sweden didn't 😑.

Some translations of the Swedish titles for those interested 1959 - Time To Be In Love Again 1960 - Wonderful, So Wonderful 1961 - Play On The Rainbow (Playing in this context means as in playing an instrument or a game) 1961 - Winterspring (Spring in this context means the season) 1962 - When My Friend 1963 - Big City Melody 1965 - Still and Quiet 1967 - I'm not sure if this means "A Fan of Waltz" or "A Damn Waltz" 1968 - You Are A Spring Wind In April 1969 - Hello Clown 1971 - What's Up Love (Tjänare eller Tjenare is a kind of casual and slightly informal kind of greeting) 1972 - That's The Way You Are, That's The Way I Am 1973 - In Our World 1974 - My Lovesong To You 1975 - The Song Might Have Wings 1976 - This title is a reference to John Blund which is a character in Scandinavian folklore similar to Sandman. The title has essentially made the name more formal, in a way such as Sand M. An for example 1979 - It's In The Air 1980 - Hello Telephone Exchange (I'm surprised English doesn't really have a singular word for this concept) 1981 - Good Morning 1982 - Something Has Happened 1983 - Why Is Love Red? 1984 - Saint Cecilia 1985 - Take My Hand 1986 - Love Is Eternal 1987 - High Above The Sea 1988 - Again and Again 1989 - (A Swedish version of the expression) In Above My Head 1990 - In the Middle of an Adventure 1991 - A Life With You 1992 - As If the Sky Was Burning 1994 - The Most Beautiful I Know 1995 - The Most Beautiful 1996 - This is an old Swedish expression that's challenging to translate. The meaning of the expression is "If the grass is dry in the morning there will be rain during the day. If the grass is dry in the evening there will be rain the next day." I've seen some people interpret it as "What happens, happens". A literal translation could be something like: "If dew drifts, rain falls" 1997 - Where an Angel Has Visited 1998 - No Other Way/Road 1999 - Star In the Sky 2000 - When I Think About Tomorrow 2000 - See me 2001 - All That I See 2004 - My Love 2005 - Hold Me 2007 - (A Swedish version of) Pretty Please 2015 - I Am Free (Followed in parenthesis by the same expression in Sami)

You should do also Norway and Denmark, so many gems

Sweden would actually sent Yohio in 2013, we would come at least top 5!

Imagine how different Swedens winstreak would have looked if Lasse Berghagen had won instead of ABBA 1974

Fun fact for those of you who do not know, Felix who came in second in 2018 and Omar in young royals were in the same boy band.

still sad about yohio not winning with heartbreak hotel

Justice for the twins. Air is a bop

2022, bigger than the universe is a strong song. The winner was also very good. Both Bagge and Jacobs know how to sing.

B.I.G - "Ingen annan väg" is an amazing song. I had almost forgotten about it. A shame it is never played on Swedish radio.

my biggest grief is Danny, with amazing, one of my all time favorites, and would've won😮‍💨

Yohio entering was the reason I started watching the NF of countries

Kebabpizza will forever be my favourite melodifestivalen song of all time

I'm still so salty we sent Robin Bengtsson in 2017 instead of Nano😑

We should have sent Brandsta City Släckers. Also,one of the first youtube memes I remember was a Nanne Grönvall song with images implying she sang about Hitler. It suited the song to a scary degree.

Still mad that we didn’t get to see either The Mamas OR Dotter at Eurovision because they cancelled it 😭

Unfortunately the song got low quality in this video, but I will for all eternity mourn the fact that Human didn't win in 2016. Oscar Zia is an incredible singer and Human was a really heartfelt song. Frans's entry wasn't completely awful but it was certainly much worse and way more boring in comparison to Oscar's.

Still disapointed over that we didt send Yohio or Jon Henrik Fjällgren or Smahed into pices this year 🙈

10:00 how did i never know det vackraste was a mello song damn

NEVER EVER will i shut up about yohio in 2013!! childhood crush

Nanne, shirley, ace wilder & dotter - POP QUEENS

swedish is honestly such a pretty language, i wish they would send songs in swedish especially considering countries like france and italy never do and still place well (even though their entries are still very good)

We need Dotter, thank You

Drömhus 1999 will always be my favourite MF entry of all time!

Still upset about 2005, unbelievable how Nanne could not win! 😆

2010 tho :(

16:19 Holy shit that's a totally bad-ass costume. So friggin cool.

Melodifestivalen 1969 live audio exists, with all the songs being on YT. You also failed to mention that there was a tiebreaker in 1969, which was resolved with a recount. 1978’s title is not “Johan B. Lund,” but rather “Miss Decibel”

I am still mad that we didn't send Salem Al fakir to this day, same with Oscar Zia and Dotter

I loved ”Snälla, snälla”. So different from the rest.

Okay lets be real Nanne grönvall would've won easily with "Håll om mig" like cmon it's such a banger