In March, Will Tura announced that he would retire from performing. Definitely, after he was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s. A farewell that caused a stir in Flanders. There was a storm for the two tribute concerts in the Sportpaleis last Thursday and Friday. There, more than twenty artists performed their own version of a Tura song under the watchful eye of the grandmaster himself.
But Radio2 listeners also contribute. Lonely Without You is at the very top of the Top 2000 end-of-year list. Listeners were able to cast their votes for this last week. “What fantastic news,” Tura herself responds. “It moves me enormously and I am very grateful to all listeners. I wish everyone a happy 2024.” (Read more below the photo)
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Tura makes a big leap, because last year the song was in 33rd place. He appears on the list a total of thirteen times. Queen’s Bohemian Rhapsody has to exchange last year’s first place for number two. John Lennon drops one place with Imagine, completing the top 3.
Surprises and classics
The Top 2000 had a number of surprises in store. Metejoor saw his 1 in a million tumble out of the top 20 to number 55. But he does reenter the top 20: This is what my mom said and lands in place 17. Pommelien Thijs does even better: she is the highest newcomer at 12 with Unusual. (Read more below the photo)
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Of course there are classics again. Queen and/or Freddie Mercury and ABBA each occupy 21 places in the list and are the most popular artists. Elton John follows in their wake with 16 songs, Bruce Springsteen and Clouseau appear fourteen times. The Wauters brothers are the most popular Flemish artists. The Beatles, Madonna, George Michael and Coldplay each take thirteen places. Niels Destadsbader and Metejoor each manage to conquer ten.
Most of the songs, 539 to be precise, come from the eighties. Followed by 421 from the 1970s and 356 from the 1990s. 93 songs are from the 2020s, 13 songs are from before 1960. The list contains 378 Flemish productions and 315 Dutch ones.
The complete top 20
1. Lonely Without You – Will Tura – last year at 33
2. Bohemian rhapsody – Queen – last year at 1
3. Imagine – John Lennon – last year at 2
4. Summer of ’69 – Bryan Adams – last year at 3
5. You’re the first, the last, my everything – Barry White – vorig jaar ook op 5
6. Mia – Gorky – last year at 8
7. Dancing queen – Abba – last year at 11
8. Sultans of swing – Dire Straits – last year on 13
9. Let the sun in your heart – Willy Sommers – last year at 7
10. Hotel California – The Eagles – last year on 14
11. The best – Tina Turner – last year at 32
12. Unusual – Pommelien Thijs – new
13. Africa – Toto – last year on 15
14. Child in time – Deep Purple – last year at 18
15. The river – Bruce Springsteen – last year 30
16. Piano man – Billy Joel – last year at 29
17. This is what my mom said – Metejoor – new
18. Stairway to heaven – Led Zeppelin – last year on 16
19. Viva la vida – Coldplay – last year on 6
20. Paradise by the dashboard light – Meat Loaf – last year on 19