To be honest, I was kind of taking a break from Talossa. I offered to conduct the election way before I was appointed. Anyway, since I'm here now, if no-one is willing to take over from me, I'll start the election next weekend.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RbmS3tQJ7Os

Nominated by Jordan Placie for the 2018 edition.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fJ9rUzIMcZQ

First voted on by Eðo Grischun for the 2009 edition.

Fwiw, this would have been the virtual top 20 based on round 2/3 (which would also have been the tiebreaker, but I can already reveal we do not have a tie for first place).

1. Under Pressure (6)
2. Telegraph Road (4)
3. Sultans of Swing (8 )
4. Gimme Shelter (?)
4. Take Five (10)
4. Sweet Dreams (14)
7. Bohemian Rhapsody (?)
8. Innuendo (15)
9. Don't Stop Me Now (-)
10. Starman (9)
11. The Sound of Silence (7)
12. What a Wonderful World (17)
12. Africa (12)
14. You Give Love a Bad Name (11)
15. While My Guitar Gently Weeps (18)
16. Baba O'Riley (-)
17. Ring of Fire (3)
18. Knights of Cydonia (-)
19. Crazy Train (19)
20. The Devil Went Down to Georgia (5)

Probably the biggest surprise this final. Last time Ring of Fire reached the final was in 2016, when it ended 5th (out of then 10 finalists). This year it returns after not even making it to round 3 last year and it immediately gets its highest position so far. 6 people voted for it and this includes three top-3 positions for a well deserved third place.

Two songs left. In 3 hours we'll find out whether we'll have a winner that has never won before or whether Queen takes back its place on the throne.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=It7107ELQvY

First voted on by Moritz Fernaodescu for the 2013 edition.

Well, there goes my number one. To me, Telegraph Road is the ultimate TMT song, maybe even more so than Bohemian Rhapsody, because that one tends to top all-time lists everywhere, whereas Telegraph Road really reminds of past TMT editions, when we did have a broadcast. Sadly that was not to be this year, but I will still take this opportunity to listen to it again (actually probably listened to all songs again when posting them).

This year it has the second highest standard deviation, with people either giving no points, putting it in their bottom-3, or putting in in their top-33. Three top-3 places is enough for a small gain compared to last year.

A one place gain as well for the Devil Went Down to Georgia, which got 4 votes including 2 top-3 places.

This means we are now down to the top 3. The winner will be Bohemian Rhapsody, Gimme Shelter, or Ring of Fire. We'll find out in about 6-7 hours

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1TTAXENxbM0

First voted on by Lüc da Schir for the 2013 edition.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K6RUg-NkjY4

Nominated by Ian Plätschisch for the 2017 edition.

Under Pressure is one of three songs to get points from all voters. However, too many of those votes were on the low end for it to retain its second place.

Tomorrow I will post the top 5.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a01QQZyl-_I

Nominated by Lüc da Schir for the 2018 edition.

I guess despite the electorate changing (and shrinking  :'( ) quite a bit this is probably the year with the least change so far.

The Sound of Silence is the highest entry not to have been in the final before. Four votes, including three top 5 finishes and one first place puts it in an impressive 7th place.

Meanwhile, Sultans of Swing keeps its 8th place, being the highest scoring song not to get any top 3 votes, though it got several scores in the top 5.

This means 5 out of last year's top 6 (Starman being the only exception) have made it to the top 6 again. Only Ring of Fire wasn't in the final last year, though it did get 5th place in 2016.

As a reminder, last year the top 6 was
1. Starman
2. Under Pressure
3. Gimme Shelter
4. Bohemian Rhapsody
5. Telegraph Road
6. The Devil Went Down to Georgia.

At the very least we'll have a different winner this year. We'll find out soon if the order has changed for the others as well...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8FB9GYkIT3E

Nominated by Lüc da Schir for the 2018 edition.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kIufLA7Bx2Q

Nominated by Erschéveþ da Schir for the 2019 edition.

And with that last year's winner has been defeated. Starman has always been somewhat love/hate in the final. This year it even had the highest standard deviation, with two top 3 votes (including a first place), two bottom 3 votes, and three no-votes.