Eurovision Song Contest

The Eurovision Song Contest is the world's longest-running television music competition. Starting in 1956, the annual contest pits singers from countries in the European Broadcast Union against one another in live performances. The winning song is determined by votes cast by the public and a professional jury in each participating country.

The Eurovision Song Contest is incredibly popular and has become an iconic institution. The annual event drew approximately 163 million global viewers in 2024. Additionally, by that point many people around the world had tuned in to the contest's events via live streaming on social media platforms such as YouTube and TikTok. The contest has grown from seven participating nations in its first year to forty-three nations in 2008. Over 1,500 songs from fifty countries have been performed during the competition's history.

The competition is known for introducing unique songs and elaborate performances. As the number of participating countries has increased, the rules have changed concerning format, musical arrangements, language requirements, and voting procedures.

The Eurovision Song Contest has produced notable winners. The most famous victors include the Swedish group ABBA and pop superstar Celine Dion.

Background

During the 1950s, a divided Europe was still reeling from World War II (1939–45). The Eurovision Song Contest was formed to unite Europe and promote a shared continental identity through light musical entertainment.

The competition was spearheaded by Marcel Bezençon, director of the European Broadcast Union (EBU). The union is made up of public broadcasters across Europe, parts of Asia, and the Middle East. The contest also offered the EBU a way to test the range of the latest broadcast technology.

The first contest was held on May 24, 1956, and was originally called the Eurovision Grand Prix. Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, and Switzerland participated. Switzerland won the inaugural contest with Lys Assia's song "Refrain." In 1968, the competition's name was changed to the Eurovision Song Contest.

Every year, each participating country submits one song and performer to the Eurovision Song Contest. The broadcaster of each nation picks the act. Most broadcasters choose their entry by holding a nationally televised contest. The winner is determined by public voting.

The Eurovision Song Contest is usually held in March, April, or May. The winner is chosen through the course of three television shows: two semifinals and the final. Six countries are automatically granted a spot in the final: the host country and the "Big Five," consisting of France, Germany, Italy, Spain, and the United Kingdom. These countries contribute the most money toward the costs of holding the contest. The remaining countries must finish in the top ten of a semifinal to advance to the final.

The winning country traditionally hosts the competition the following year. This can be an expensive endeavor. In addition to providing a venue for the live performances, the host country must also designate a location for Eurovision Village, the event's official fan zone.

Until 2023, Ireland led all countries in the Eurovision Song Contest with seven wins. Sweden then tied Ireland with a seventh win in 2023. They are followed by the United Kingdom, France, the Netherlands, and Luxembourg with five wins each. Participating countries outside or on the fringes of Europe include Israel, which has won four times, Azerbaijan, and Australia.

Spanning more than six decades, the Eurovision Song Contest is one of the oldest television shows in history. When the contest marked its sixtieth anniversary in 2015, Guinness World Records recognized the competition as the longest-running annual musical contest on television.

Overview

The Eurovision Song Contest blends fervent patriotism with sentimental songs, outlandish costumes, and flamboyant performances. Songs cannot be political or commercial in nature.

The contest is televised annually on the broadcasting company of each participating nation. Hundreds of millions of viewers tune into the contest every year, with dedicated fans making the trek to the host country. The competition has altered its format as more countries seek to participate.

In the 1990s, the Eurovision Song Contest experienced an influx of countries after the breakup of the Soviet Union. As more nations wanted to participate, the qualifying process grew more convoluted. In 2004, the Eurovision Song Contest instituted a semifinal that allowed all countries to participate. The competition added a second semifinal in 2008 after a record forty-three nations entered the contest.

During the competition, each contestant performs a three-minute song live on stage. Up to six performers are allowed on stage. Prior to 1999, the contest mandated that a live orchestra accompany the singer. As the number of contestants increased, the rules changed to allow a pre-recorded backing track. With so many acts, there is not enough time in between performances to set up instruments.

Songs in the Eurovision Song Contest can be performed in any language. Before 1999, the contest's rules limited participating countries to perform songs in their national language. This rule was briefly lifted from 1973 to 1977. Most of the songs performed at the contest have been sung in English, followed by French.

The contest's voting procedures have changed throughout the decades. Votes have been cast through a combination of professional juries and the public audience.

Since 1975, the Eurovision Song Contest's voting has been conducted through a points system. Voters award a set of points ranging from one to eight, as well as ten and twelve, to the songs they like. Their favorite songs are scored the highest number of points—twelve—or the famed douze points.

To level the playing field, countries cannot vote for themselves. Until the late 1990s, each country had an internal jury of music professionals who voted. Then countries experimented with televoting in 1997, allowing the public to call in their votes. Afterward, the jury's votes and the public vote were combined, with each accounting for half of the final tally. In 2016, the voting process was altered so that each nation's jury and public voters awarded a separate set of points. In addition to the telephone, the public can cast votes through texting and the contest's official smartphone application. The winner receives the most points.

The winners of the Eurovision Song Contest experience a temporary boost of fame from their victory, but few go on to have long-lasting careers. However, two winners achieved international fame. Swedish pop group ABBA won the 1974 contest with their song "Waterloo," and became one of the most successful bands in popular music history. In 1988, the contest launched the career of booming songstress Celine Dion. The pop icon represented Switzerland, winning over voters with the song "Ne Partez Pas Sans Moi" ("Don't Leave without Me").

The Eurovision Song Contest continued going strong after more than sixty years. Only being forced into cancellation one time, in 2020, due to the health concerns surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic, the television competition remained significantly popular. The contest continued to unite Europe through song, and because of its global status, geopolitical situations were also reflected in participation as well as outcomes. For instance, following Russia's early 2022 invasion of Ukraine, deemed unjustified by international leaders, the contest's organizer, EBU, announced that Russia was prohibited from taking part in that year's competition. That same year, Kalush Orchestra, a folk-rap group from Ukraine, was crowned the winner of the contest to much public praise and support. Similarly, following the outbreak of war between Israel and Hamas in Gaza in the fall of 2023, the 2024 contest saw thousands of people in support of Palestine protesting in the Swedish host town due to Israel's participation. That year also marked a historic moment for the contest when a nonbinary contestant won for the first time.

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