Eurovision 2014

[Eddie Teach]

Australia doesn't have neighbors.

[The Brain]

Australia doesn't have neighbors.

[Admiral Yi]

ABBA?

ABBA, Gypsy Kings, Ca Plane Pour Moi, 99 Luftballon, Take On Me, there are exceptions to the rule.  But the fact remains that compared to population, Europe outside of the UK is a pop music desert.

[The Brain]

ABBA?

ABBA, Gypsy Kings, Ca Plane Pour Moi, 99 Luftballon, Take On Me, there are exceptions to the rule.  But the fact remains that compared to population, Europe outside of the UK is a pop music desert.

Sweden is a solid pop country. ABBA, Roxette, Cardigans, Ace of Base etc. And Max Martin has had like 17 US number ones in recent years.

[Eddie Teach]

You left out Sweden's greatest band, Shitgoat.

[The Brain]

You left out Sweden's greatest band, Shitgoat.

That's poop, not pop.

[Valmy]

ABBA, Gypsy Kings, Ca Plane Pour Moi, 99 Luftballon, Take On Me, there are exceptions to the rule.  But the fact remains that compared to population, Europe outside of the UK is a pop music desert.

Do we know this for sure?  I mean generally the US does not like music in foreign languages that much. 

I mean the only Korean song I have ever heard is Gangnam Style but supposedly they have a ton of pop music.  None of it might be good granted but how would I know?

[Syt]

Australia doesn't have neighbors.

[Eddie Teach]

Korea produces a lot of stuff like the Spice Girls and the Backstreet Boys. 

[Liep]

ABBA?

ABBA, Gypsy Kings, Ca Plane Pour Moi, 99 Luftballon, Take On Me, there are exceptions to the rule.  But the fact remains that compared to population, Europe outside of the UK is a pop music desert.

I think you're neglecting the national music scene in each country. Most of the time a Danish act is topping the pop charts here, they'll likely never be more than known in Denmark (exceptions, of course: Volbeat, Aqua) or if they strike big, Germany.

Doesn't mean it's not quality pop, it's just not suited for America.

[Sheilbh]

Do we know this for sure?  I mean generally the US does not like music in foreign languages that much. 

Yep. Language difference matters. Also Europeans are far more into electronic music than Americans. Daft Punk's probably another who count as chart-topping Euro-pop, similarly Giorgio Moroder made the sound of huge amounts of disco - just about every Donna Summers song for example.

Chances are given how big hip hop is in the US and how much electronic music's sampled in that that Americans are listening to more European artists than ever they just don't know it.

Anyway I'm not entirely sure 'pop' exists anymore, I think our culture's so fragmented and individual that it's tough to talk of one pop music. Maybe you'll get the odd global boyband like One Direction but everyone's got their own niche now. J-pop and K-pop may not have cracked America totally, but there are probably millions of fans in the US who are geekily into that genre. So little odd sub-cultures like Northern Soul are now the norm.

[The Larch]

There are also lots of acts that rarely leave their home countries, for instance German speaking bands which are rarely known outside of its cultural area. Same with Italians. Their music scenes are vibrant but purely domestic.

[Solmyr]

So I wonder what happens if the country that wins Eurovision is annexed by this time next year.

[Legbiter]

Austrian dude looks like the offspring of Prince and Kim Kardashian.

[celedhring]

Has somebody warned Putin that Russia's sent two slavettes to this hole of gay debauchery?