Two weeks ago Armenian singer-songwriter Rosa Linn made history by being only the 12th artist to have landed a Eurovision entry on to the Billboard Hot 100, the main American music singles chart.
Landing at Number 97, then leaving the chart one week later, Rosa Linn’s “Snap” has re-entered the chart, coming back at Number 93 on this week’s Billboard Hot 100.
“Snap” is the first Eurovision single to hit the Billboard Hot 100 since Duncan Laurence’s Eurovision 2019 winner for the Netherlands, “Arcade,” reached Number 30 during the summer of 2021. The last Eurovision entry prior to “Arcade” to land on the chart was Gina G’s “Ooh Aah… Just a Little Bit,” which reached Number 12 in 1997 after making 8th place for the United Kingdom at Eurovision 1996.
To read about the other eleven Eurovision entries who have made the Billboard Hot 100, check out our list here.
“Snap” is also the lowest ever placed Eurovision entry to get into the Billboard Hot 100. “Snap” came in 20th on the night of the Grand Final in Turin, Italy, after placing 5th in Semi-Final 1.
However “Snap” found life after Eurovision 2022 had ended, with the song gaining the attention of Americans on Tik-Tok.
Born on May 20, 2000, in Vanadzor, Armenia’s third biggest city, Rosa Kostandyan has also lived in the United States and is signed to Armenian-American record label Nvak Collective.
Linn first tried out for Junior Eurovision 2013 with “Gitem.” Monica Avenasyan ended up representing Armenia that year in Kyiv, Ukraine, coming in 6th with “Choco-Factory.”
“Snap” was written by Linn, in collaboration with Tamar Kaprelyan, Lars Principato, Jeremy Dusulet, Ellie Crystal and Courtney Harrell.
Prior to her ascent up the American charts, “Snap” also fared well on European charts, breaching the Top 10 in Ireland, Sweden, Norway and the Netherlands. “Snap” also hit Number 21 on the United Kingdom’s Singles Charts (where Sam Ryder’s “Space Man” reached Number 2).
As for the top end of the Billboard Hot 100, Harry Styles remains at Number 1 with “As It Was.”
Only 22 years old, it is still possible that the self-proclaimed “girl from a small town in Armenia” can match the achievements of everyone’s favorite ethnic Armenian diva Cherilyn Sarkisian, popularly known mononymously as Cher, and her many Number 1’s on the Billboard Hot 100.
Other ethnic Armenians to have graced the Billboard charts include the nu-metal band System of a Down, with the bands Korn and Spineshank also prominently featuring Armenian members. Anita Darian also hit Number 1 as the female vocalist on The Tokens’ cover of “The Lion Sleeps Tonight” and drummer Sib Hashian performed on Boston’s legendary debut self-titled rock album from 1976, including chart-topping songs like “More Than a Feeling” and “Long Time / Foreplay“.
Does it matter to #YOU that Rosa Linn has cracked the Billboard Hot 100? Do #YOU want ESC United to look at Eurovision artists who hit other Billboard charts? Let us know in comments, on social media, or in our forum.
