As I start the text portion of this post, having already organised all of my special mentions and top five placements - I have to just say holy crap, there were just so many entries this week!

201 I believe and also can't really fathom at the same time, it is 9:28pm on New Years Eve and I have spent my entire day soaking up all of this weeks Open Mic entries - and guys this week you all kicked some serious arse.

So many brilliant entries that I have started to get more strict with my judging criteria, otherwise before you know it my special mentions list will also have to be two posts long.

I want to take this chance to just say how amazing this year has been and what a phenomenal opportunity Open Mic has been, specifically a massive thank you to @luzcypher - without you this contest wouldn't exist and I wouldn't have been given this insane opportunity, so again I appreciate it more than you know.

Another big thank you and massive love and respect goes out to our Open Mic judges, @soundlegion, @verbal-d, @jessamynorchard and @passion-ground - you guys go above and beyond each week and keep at it no matter how hard the going gets, it's been an amazing year and I can't wait to join you all again in the next!

Another major reason for this contests success would be the sublime generosity being offered up by several whales on the platform, @pfunk, @xeldal, @teamsteem and @ausbitbank - you guys pony up and give us something to offer these amazingly talented musicians, so a massive thank you to each and everyone of you your amazing!

Now for the entrants, without you guys we wouldn't have music to hear, enjoy and share - you are the glue that keeps us going and growing, I love you all for putting yourself out there and sharing a part of yourselves with us each week.

I could go on forever, so without further delay - here is this weeks Open Mic top five selection.

This week's top 5:

1st Place - @vera.carla - Running with the wolves

Well I am just in love with everything about this entry, your vocals were both sublime - so beautiful, clear and sweet and yet and powerful and full of emotion.

I can't get enough of it, just wow - what a brilliant song choice, but with that being said not many people would be able to pull of a cover of this level of complexity with such beautiful perfection.

I am not familiar with this song until your entry and wow it is brilliant and you both performed it so exceptionally, your vocal range is everything I love about singing - your vocal control coupled with the range is just next level.

@luisferchav was perfect accompaniment, just having only the guitar allowed the vocals to truly shine (as they well should) - and with his harmonies to join you in the chorus really made the song take flight, you have both won me over in a big way.

I love it when you hear something that just speaks to your soul, that makes you feel as though this was a song meant for you to hear, love and sing - I know I will be listening to this again and again as I welcome in the new year.

You guys smashed it in the best possible way, I don't know how to describe the brilliance I just heard - but I can't wait to hear more from the two of you, thank you so much for sharing this with us.

It's a treasure!

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2nd Place - @adreini - Fight

Well this is just everything I look for in a solo entry, such a full and vibrant performance in spite of there being only one instrument - that instrument is being used to full and massive effect!

Your ability to combine all the different elements into this song was just sublime to hear, the harmonic notes mixed in with the deeper base style line, then mix in the insanely fast tempo and percussive embellishments and you have yourself a brilliant entry.

I have never heard this song before, but I am a big fan of this style of playing and you have performed the hell out of this song - I thoroughly enjoyed every single element, it was so full and textured throughout.

The song had an amazing flow and the skill and control to pull it off were impressive to say the least, I am so stoked to have had you enter this week with such a brilliant entry.

I really can't wait to hear more from you in the new year, you have an amazing gift thank you for sharing it with us.

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3rd Place - @hardikv - Log Kya Kahange

What an amazing energy, I just fell in love with this song immediately - this is just so brilliant and feels amazingly polished and professional.

Over the past few weeks we have been blown away by the sheer calibre of our entries, I have been finding myself thinking these songs could be mainstream hits - yours is now included among those select few that have simply amazed me.

On first listen I had no idea what you were saying but it didn't matter, music overcame language barriers and I just thoroughly enjoyed it - then when I checked out your post I was thrilled to learn the song was conveying such a positive message, on not to care what others think and do what you love what a brilliant premise.

Just an absolutely brilliant song, performed to perfection - what more could an open mic judge want?

Well in all honesty not much else, you guys have a hit on your hands there - an absolute pleasure to hear and attempt to sing along, I can't wait to hear more in 2018!

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4th Place - @angelofmercy - Perfect

What a beautiful entry, such stunning vocals and the instrumental backing was spot on - a very exceptional first entry into open mic.

I absolutely loved every second of this entry, it's a great song you all did it justice - such a brilliant rendition of not such an easy song to pull of, at least to this standard.

Your vocals are exceptional, I love the power hidden behind the softer intro - the big ending really had me loving this.

I found myself singing along with you as I tried to write this review, always a brilliant sign in my opinion - if people want to sing along with you, you're doing something right.

Congratulations on your first entry in Open Mic, you guys nailed it - I can't wait to hear more from you in the new year!

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5th Place - @hokpulor - JOROMI

Hell yes, I just love this entry - it really is brilliant, the vocals just blew me away and the overall song just works perfectly.

Now about those vocals, there are moments of absolute perfection where you took me on a journey - then the energy and performance really came shining through.

When you really feel the emotion you convey it so well, you have a rather impressive vocal range - and your control is impressive especially in the moments of extreme power and emotion.

I love the vocal slides and the way your voice couples beautifully with the guitar accompaniment, yet another song I will be enjoying into the new year.

Thank you so much for this amazing entry, it sounds like you guys had some fun during the making as well - and that really is the point of music, for the sheer joy of it!

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Honourable Mentions:

@yourmercury - Too good at goodbye

@jaredkhamanah - Sin Dormir

@storycharlemagne - As if

@lucybanks - Somewhere Only We Know

@kayclarity - From This Valley

@queenbee - Focus

@onetruebrother - Wind Swept Shore

@jaybird - Meet Me on the Shore

@luisferchav - The wait

@jetperalta - Recuerdame

@kiloindigo - Santa's In Mexico

@smith-house - Brighter

@senzenfrenz - The Boxer

@afrao0 - Singing Winds

@bhoa - serenity prayer

@steembirds - Bots Bots Bots Bots

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Again another week of especially talented musicians, you all offer such brilliant music you make choosing the hardest part of the job.

I'm trying to keep this one short and sweet, it's now 10:30 pm on New Years Eve - so hope you all have a wonderful New Years and let's keep the amazing music going in 2018!

I'd also like to remind everyone again that all top five nominations from this week, will feature in the Steemit Musicians live radio show on MSP-Waves next week.

A massive congratulations to all of those to be featured in the show, it is going to be great opportunity to get to further share the awesome entries we receive each week - I can't wait to hear the audience's feedback on our selections and your entries.

I hope you can all drop by and support those who made this week's lists, I'm sure they'd appreciate the support - not to mention if you join you get to help choose the weekly 20 SBD winning entry!

Please join us for Steemit Musicians this Sunday 12-1 UTC!

Time Zone Converter

You can listen live at the mspwaves website- http://mspwaves.com/home/listen
You can listen on twitch-

You can join broadcast hosts in a special chat room on the MSP Discord Channel: https://discord.gg/kNxM7T6
You can check out http://mspwaves.com/ for more information

On the note of the community I thought I'd take a moment to mention that, over at the minnow support program on our discord chat room Peace Abundance and Liberty - the recently revitalised music room has been getting rather active lately.

As well as the recent burst of activity, we have also added a jukebox to the room - so now when you're chatting with people in the music room, you can choose and play music from youtube (this includes open mic entries, I may have already played a couple I really enjoyed).

So far I have seen a few open mic regulars hanging out and about on the PAL chat rooms, now we have a place where we can actively share music live with people were chatting with - this can help musicians in so many ways, not to mention it's just fun to hang out and chat over and about good tunes.

In addition to the new music room Peace Abundance and Liberty chat rooms have a lot to offer, you can access bots to vote on your posts, you can also meet and interact with over 5000 steemians in the channel - this can be a very useful resource to new steemians, but is also a fantastic place to meet and interact with like minded individuals on many different topics.

Again a big thanks to @soundlegion, @jessamynorchard, @verbal-d and @passion-ground for all they do as judges, please remember to go and check out their top five selections each week and to @luzcypher and @pfunk thank you so much for making all of this possible - until next week.

Which was your favourite entry this week?

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