Is Denmark killing the tradition of EU playlists?

Published on 04/07/2025 - 13:05 GMT+2

The clip has travel for Brussels to switch retired nan reddish and achromatic Polish flags for different group of reddish and achromatic flags. Poland’s presidency of nan Council has travel to an extremity – and it’s now Denmark’s move astatine nan helm.

Presiding complete nan Council is simply a rotating role, passed among personnel states each six months. The state holding nan presidency wields nan gavel during negotiations and acts arsenic a mediator successful nan often heated argumentation discussions betwixt ministers.

The role, however, doesn’t only travel pinch governmental responsibilities – it’s besides rich | successful tradition. One of nan much astonishing ones is music.

A Spotify playlist, featuring each country’s music, has been released by each EU presidency since 2019.

But for those eagerly awaiting to bask immoderate Danish hits curated by nan marque caller presidency, we person immoderate sad news to share... Copenhagen has amazingly decided to disrupt nan tradition.

“There will beryllium nary Danish Presidency Spotify playlist,” nan presidency told Euronews Culture, declining to explicate nan logic why.

Has nan contented reached nan Finnish line?

The now surgery contented of nationalist playlists primitively stems from Finland's presidency successful 2019. The playlist, titled “Songs from Finland,” was handpicked by Helsinki and features astir 25 tracks – of people including “Sandstorm” by Darude.

“We are delighted that nan Spotify playlist created during Finland’s presidency has gone connected to animate consequent presidencies,” said a spokesperson astatine nan Finnish EU representation.

“Music is simply a powerful measurement to stock stories astir taste identity,” they added.

The victor takes it all

One of nan astir celebrated playlists, based connected download statistics, is nan Swedish 1 from nan first half of 2023, which still boasts almost 6000 saves. As a beardown music-exporting nation, Sweden, possibly unsurprisingly, chose to characteristic songs by ABBA, Avicii and Zara Larsson – and nan numbers propose that it was a success. 

“We had it playing successful nan elevator astatine nan agency of nan Swedish EU practice for six months, from early greeting until nan past personification went location astatine night. Eventually, our colleagues recovered nan measurement mounting and turned it down,” a Swedish spokesperson admitted.

Polished curation

Turning to Instagram, nan Poles crowdsourced their playlist curation by asking followers to prime their favourite Polish songs from nan 1960s to modern hits.

“We collected astir 200 songs from group and past narrowed it down. We wanted a wide array of genres and artists,” explained nan Warsaw agency of nan Polish presidency.

When asked astir nan consequence of nan contented ending and their playlist being nan last, they said: “We dream that nan contented doesn’t die. It’s not excessively late. When you’re conscionable getting into nan presidency, you’re overtaken by joy, enthusiasm and work. Once they get done nan first weeks, they mightiness travel around.”

We emotion to judge that dream springs eternal but signals we've received propose different and that location won't beryllium a Danish playlist.

Still, that shouldn’t extremity anyone from enjoying hits for illustration 'Natteravn' by Rasmus Seebach, Aqua’s 'Barbie Girl' aliases possibly nan Grammy nominated “7 Years” by soul-pop duo Lukas Graham.