What Is The Eurovision Song Contest?
The Eurovision Song Contest is an annual competition held among active member countries of the European Broadcasting Union (EBU), in which participating countries each submit a song to be performed on live television; then proceed to cast votes for the other countries' songs, in order to find the most popular song in the competition. Each country participates via one of their national EBU-member television stations, whose task it is to select a singer and a song to go forward to represent the country in the international competition.
The Contest has been broadcast every year since its inauguration in 1956, and is one of the longest-running television programmes in the world. It is also one of the most-watched non-sporting events in the world, with audience figures having been quoted in recent years as anything between 100 million and 600 million internationally.
The Contest is historically known for being mainly a bastion of formulaic, orchestrated pop music. However it has featured a vast, diverse array of songs, including such musical genres as Arab, Balkan, Celtic music, Dance, Folk, Israeli, Greek, Latin, Metal, Nordic, Pop-rap, Rock, and Turkish.
Over the years, the Song Contest has grown from a mere televisual experiment into an international institution of mammoth proportions. Most countries in Europe have taken part at least once during the Contest's history, and such is the magnitude and scale of the Contest that the word "Eurovision" is one of the few household names to be recognised across an entire continent.
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The Eurovision 1950s Winners
Eurovision Winning Songs For 1956-1959
1956 Lugano, Switzerland
Winner : Switzerland : "Refrain" performed by Lys Assia
1957 Frankfurt, Germany
Winner : Netherlands : "Net Als Toen" performed by Corry Brokken.
1958 Hilversum, Netherlands
Winner : France : "Dors, Mon Amour" performed by Andre Claveau.
1959 Cannes, France
Winner : Netherlands : "Een Beetje" performed by Teddy Scholten.
1956 Winner: Lys Assia
Biography For Lys Assia

Lys Assia (born March 3, 1926, original name Rosa Mina Schärer) is a Swiss pop singer. She was born in Rupperswil, Canton of Aargau, Switzerland.
As a young girl she was a dancer, but stood in for a female singer in 1940. People who heard her singing liked it, so she changed from dancing to singing.
In 1956 she was the winner of the very first Eurovision Song Contest, in which she sang for Switzerland. She had also been in the German national final of that year (see: Germany in the Eurovision Song Contest 1956); she returned to the contest again for Switzerland in 1957 and 1958.
She still continues to perform music, and appears at Eurovision events and conventions.
Original Eurovision Designs
Unique Eurovision Fashions and Collectibles
The Eurovision 1960s Winners
Eurovision Winning Songs For 1960-1968
No 1969 video here as this was an unusual year. Please see below for more details.
1960 London, United Kingdom
Winner : France : "Tom Pillibi" performed by Jacqueline Boyer.
1961 Cannes, France
Winner : Luxembourg : "Nous Les Amoureux" performed by Jean-Claude Pascal.
1962 Luxembourg, Luxembourg
Winner : France : "Un Premier Amour" performed by Isabelle Aubret
1963 London, United Kingdom
Winner : Denmark : "Dansevise" performed by Grethe and Jorgen Ingmann.
1964 Copenhagen, Denmark
Winner : Italy : "Non Ho L'eta" performed by Gigliola Cinquetti.
1965 Naples, Italy
Winner : Luxembourg : "Poupee De Cire, Poupee De Son" performed by France Gall.
1966 Luxembourg, Luxembourg
Winner : Austria : "Merci Cherie" performed by Udo Jurgens.
1967 Vienna, Austria
Winner : United Kingdom : "Puppet On A String" performed by Sandie Shaw.
1968 London, United Kingdom
Winner : Spain : "La La La" performed by Massiel.
1965 Winner: France Gall
Biography of France Gall
France Gall (born Isabelle Genevieve Marie Anne Gall on 9 October 1947 in Paris) is a popular French yé-yé singer.
Gall was married to, and had a successful singing career in partnership with, French singer-songwriter Michel Berger.
Eurovision 1969
The Winning Eurovision Songs For 1969
In 1969, there was a four way tie for the winning song, and no rules in place to break the deadlock. As a result, four countries shared the winners rostrum: France, Spain, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom.
Songs:
France - Un Jour, Un Enfant (Frida Boccara)
Spain - Vivo Cantando (Salome)
Netherlands - De Troubadour (Lenny Kuhr)
United Kingdom - Boom Bang-A-Bang (Lulu)
Great Deals on Eurovision Items
Find Your Eurovision Song Contest Bargains
From the history of the Eurovison Song Contest, there is always collectible Eurovision memorabilia to find.
Fetching RSS feed... please stand byThe Eurovision 1970s Winners
Eurovision Winning Songs For 1971-1979
Possibly some of the best songs came during the 1970s. Here are the winners from 1971 to 1979.
1971 Dublin, Ireland
Winner : Monaco : "Un Banc, Un Arbre, Une Rue" performed by Severine.
1972 Edinburgh, United Kingdom
Winner : Luxembourg : "Apres Toi" performed by Vicky Leandros.
1973 Luxembourg, Luxembourg
Winner : Luxembourg : "Tu Te Reconnaitras" performed by Anne-Marie David.
1974 Brighton, United Kingdom
Winner : Sweden : "Waterloo" performed by ABBA.
1975 Stockholm, Sweden
Winner : Netherlands : "Ding-A-Dong" performed by Teach-In.
1976 The Hague, Netherlands
Winner : United Kingdom : "Save Your Kisses For Me" performed by Brotherhood Of Man.
1977 London, United Kingdom
Winner : France : "L'oiseau Et L'enfant" performed by Marie Myriam.
1978 Paris, France
Winner : Israel : "A-Ba-Ni-Bi" performed by Izhar Cohen and The Alphabeta.
1979 Jerusalem, Israel
Winner : Israel : "Hallelujah" performed by Milk And Honey.
1974 Winners: ABBA
Biography of Eurovision Winners ABBA

ABBA was a Swedish pop music group active between 1972 and 1982. The band comprised Benny Andersson (Sweden), Björn Ulvaeus (Sweden), Anni-Frid Lyngstad (Norway), and Agnetha Fältskog (Sweden). They topped the charts worldwide from the mid-1970s to the early 1980s. The name "ABBA" is an acronym formed from the first letters of each of the group member's given name (Agnetha, Björn, Benny, Anni-Frid). At one time, Benny was married to Anni-Frid, and Björn was married to Agnetha, but both cou...
Great Eurovision Finds
All You Ever Wanted to Know About the Eurovision Song Contest
Eurovision Song Contest 2008
Release Date: 06/10/2008
Amazon Price: $49.99 (as of 10/10/2008)
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80 Original Eurovision Hits
Release Date: 05/08/2006
Amazon Price: $39.98 (as of 10/10/2008)
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Eurovision, Vol. 2
Release Date: 03/08/2004
Amazon Price: $23.99 (as of 10/10/2008)
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Ultimate Eurovision Party
Release Date: 05/13/2008
Amazon Price: $47.99 (as of 10/10/2008)
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The Eurovision 1980s Winners
Eurovision Winning Songs For 1980-1985
While this decade produced some fine songs (and artists that became household names) - the fashions and hairstyles left something to be desired! However...enjoy!
1980 The Hague, Netherlands
Winner : Ireland : "What's Another Year" performed by Johnny Logan.
1981 Dublin, Ireland
Winner : United Kingdom : "Making Your Mind Up" performed by Bucks Fizz.
1982 Harrogate, United Kingdom
Winner : Germany : "Ein Bisschen Frieden" performed by Nicole.
1983 Munich, Germany
Winner : Luxembourg : "Si La Vie Est Cadeau" performed by Corinne Hermes.
1984 Luxembourg, Luxembourg
Winner : Sweden : "Diggi-Loo Diggi-Ley" performed by Herreys.
1985 Gothenburg, Sweden
Winner : Norway : "La Det Swinge" performed by Bobbysocks.
The Eurovision 1980s Winners Continued...
Eurovision Winning Songs For 1986-1989
More down and dirty songs from the 1980s ;-) And yes, it's THAT Celine Dion!
1986 Bergen, Oslo
Winner : Belgium : "J'aime La Vie" performed by Sandra Kim.
1987 Brussels, Belgium
Winner : Ireland : "Hold Me Now" performed by Johnny Logan.
1988 Dublin, Ireland
Winner : Switzerland : "Ne Partez Pas Sans Moi" performed by Celine Dion.
1989 Lausanne, Switzerland
Winner : Yugoslavia : "Rock Me" performed by Riva.
1981 Winners: Buck's Fizz
Biography of Eurovision Winners Bucks Fizz
Bucks Fizz are a British pop group, formed in 1981 to compete in the Eurovision Song Contest that year. They won with "Making Your Mind Up" and went on to have a successful pop career. The group was made up of four performers: Bobby G, Cheryl Baker, Mike Nolan and Jay Aston, whose gimmick was that they were all blond.
Eurovision Song Contest: A US View
Fetching RSS feed... please stand byThe Eurovision 1990s Winners
Eurovision Winning Songs For 1990-1995
This was Ireland's decade. Four winning songs, with the Celtic sound mesmerizing voters three years in a row (1992-1994 inclusive).
1990 Zagreb, Yugoslavia
Winner : Italy : "Insieme 1992" performed by Toto Cotugno.
1991 Rome, Italy
Winner : Sweden : "Faangad Av En Stormvind" performed by Carola.
1992 Malmo, Sweden
Winner : Ireland : "Why Me?" performed by Linda Martin.
1993 Millstreet, Ireland
Winner : Ireland : "In Your Eyes" performed by Niamh Kavanagh.
1994 Dublin, Ireland
Winner : Ireland : "Rock'N'Roll Kids" performed by Paul Harrington and Charlie McGettigan.
1995 Dublin, Ireland
Winner : Norway : "Nocturne" performed by Secret Garden.
The Eurovision 1990s Winners Continued
Eurovision Winning Songs For 1996-1999
Winning songs for the final four years of the 1990s:
1996 Oslo, Norway
Winner : Ireland : "The Voice" performed by Eimear Quinn.
1997 Dublin, Ireland
Winner : United Kingdom : "Love Shine A Light" performed by Katrina and The Waves.
1998 Birmingham, United Kingdom
Winner : Israel : "Diva" performed by Dana International.
1999 Jerusalem, Israel
Winner : Sweden : "Take Me To Your Heaven" performed by Charlotte Nilsson.
1997 Winners: Katrina & The Waves
Biography of Eurovision Winners Katrina & The Waves

Katrina and the Waves were a pop rock band of the 1980s, best known for their 1985 hit "Walking on Sunshine" and their 1997 Eurovision Song Contest victory with the song "Love Shine a Light".
The Eurovision 2000s Winners
Eurovision Winning Songs For 2000-2007
Eurovision entered the new millenium with ever more countries participating in the contest. Eastern Europe was now heavily involved, and this was reflected in the voting which appeared to show Eastern Bloc nations voting for their neighbours, as well as politically influenced voting which shut out some superior songs from either winning or reaching the Top 5.
2000 Stockholm, Sweden
Winner : Denmark : "Fly On The Wings Of Love" performed by Olsen Brothers.
2001 Copenhagen, Denmark
Winner : Estonia : "Everybody" performed by Tanel Padar, Dave Benton and 2XL.
2002 Tallinn, Estonia
Winner : Latvia : "I Wanna" performed by Marie N.
2003 Riga, Latvia
Winner : Turkey : "Every Way That I Can" performed by Sertab Erener.
2004 Istanbul, Turkey
Winner : Ukraine : "Wild Dances" performed by Ruslana.
2005 Kyiv, Ukraine
Winner : Greece : "My Number One" performed by Helena Pararizou.
2006 Athens, Greece
Winner : Finland : "Hard Rock Hallelujah" performed by Lordi.
2007 Helsinki, Finland
Winner: Serbia: "Molitva" performed by Marija Serifovic.
2003 Winner: Sertab Erener
Biography of Eurovision Winner: Sertab Erener
Sertab Erener (born December 4, 1964) is a Turkish pop star and also a cross-over soprano with a register as high as High-F. She is one of the most successful female Turkish pop singers in her homeland, and is considered one of the divas of Turkish pop music. In Europe, she is best known for winning the Eurovision Song Contest 2003 with her hit song Every Way That I Can, although she has had many other achievements outside Turkey.
Find Out More About Dima Bilan
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Dima Bilan
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Dima Bilan, (born December 24, 1981) is a young Russian vocalist who won the Eurovision Song Contest 2008 with his song "Believe". This is a far cry from Ust-Dzheguta, a small industrial town in Karachayevo-Cherkessia - an impoverished and volatile...
All The Winners: A Recap
Eurovision Song Contest 1956-1979
All Winners of Eurovision Song Contest 1956-2008 (1/2)
All The Winners: Continued
Eurovision Song Contest 1980-2007
All Winners of Eurovision Song Contest 1956-2007 (2/2)
More Eurovision
Eurovision Song Contest: The UK Entries & Eurovision 2008
If you have enjoyed browsing through this site, you may wish to view its sister pages.
Just click the links below!
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The Eurovision Song Contest: The UK Entries
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A lookback at the songs that have represented the United Kingdom at the Eurovision Song Contest since it first entered in 1957. Truly a nostalgic trip down memory lane. Enjoy!
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The Eurovision Song Contest 2008
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Taking part as an independent country for the first time in 2007, Serbia won the Eurovision Song Contest with Marija Serifovic, who performed the ballad Molitva. Her victory brought the 2008 Contest to Belgrade, where the new format of the Eurovisio...
Memories of the Eurovision Song Contest?
Share Your Favorite Eurovision Song Contest Stories

Love it or hate it, the Eurovision Song Contest has been around for over 50 years. Let us know your thoughts!
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chefkeem
What a great trip down memory lane for me! Growing up in Germany, in the 50s, 60s, and 70s - we were glued to the TV sets, every year at Eurovision's time. Gigliola, France, Udo, ABBA - all very familiar characters from my past. Germany finally won in the year after my emigration to the US. (I don't think my move had anything to do with it, though!) 5*s Posted May 11, 2008 |
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xtnshun
Great lens. I remember a lot of these! Posted May 03, 2008 |
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amandaquerque
Thank you for adding this lens to the BIG LENSES Group! Posted April 21, 2008 |
| sokrato
What a fascinating lens! Posted March 10, 2008 |
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JusticeDude
Fantastic detail! Posted February 15, 2008 |
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