After becoming an instant national hero by finishing second in Eurovision last weekend, Sam Ryder is celebrating after his song Space Man made chart history, as it narrowly missed out on number 1.
The United Kingdom's record in the Eurovision Song Contest has been a mixed bag to say the least over the last two decades. Prior to Sam giving the UK their best result since Imaani in 1998, the highest finish had come from Blue, who finished 11th in 2011.
But, after James Newman had a dismal time in Rotterdam a year earlier, receiving no points from either the juries or televote, Sam defied many people's expectations by topping the jury vote and finishing 5th with the public, leaving him in a very impressive runners up spot, behind favourites to win Ukraine. Since returning home TikTok sensation Sam has been appealing for fans to download and stream the different versions of Space Man available online and, early on Friday evening, it was announced he'd just been pipped to the post by Harry Styles.
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Space Man, having edged ahead earlier in the week, ended up finishing just behind As It Was, which has now been number 1 for seven weeks and Sam has reacted to the result, which sees him make history as the highest charting Eurovision act since Gina G in 1996.
Speaking to OfficialCharts.com, about losing out to Harry, Sam said: "I feel like what Harry stands for, as a fan of his and listening to his music, he stands for the same things that Eurovision celebrates; a freedom of expression, of inclusivity. A celebration of music, joy and togetherness”.
The chart news was announced live on Radio 1 by Scott Mills, who was in Italy for Eurovision as a semi final commentator for BBC Three. Ahead of the top 40 countdown he tweeted: "I LOVE a chart battle!"
Sam's week had already been given a massive boost, after he was confirmed to be on the line-up for the Queen's Platinum Jublilee Concert outside Buckingham Palace. The 32-year-old will join music legends like Elton John, Rod Stewart and Diana Ross for the event, which will be broadcast to millions of viewers on BBC One.
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