Eurovision Song Contest facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Eurovision Song Contest |
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Logo since 2015
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| Genre | Music competition |
| Created by | European Broadcasting Union |
| Based on | Sanremo Music Festival |
| Presented by | Various presenters |
| Country of origin | Various participating countries |
| Original language(s) | Various; primarily English and French |
| No. of episodes |
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| Production | |
| Production location(s) | Various host cities |
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| Production company(s) | European Broadcasting Union Various national broadcasters |
| Release | |
| Original release | 24 May 1956 – present |
| Chronology | |
| Related shows |
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The Eurovision Song Contest, often called Eurovision, is a big international music competition. It's held every year by the European Broadcasting Union (EBU). Countries that are members of the EBU send an original song to represent them. These songs are performed live and broadcast to everyone. Then, people vote for their favorite songs to pick a winner!
The idea for Eurovision came from the Italian Sanremo Music Festival, which started in 1951. Eurovision has been happening every year since 1956, except for 2020 because of the COVID-19 restrictions. This makes it the longest-running international music competition on TV! Over 50 countries have taken part at least once.
Each country sends one song, which must be three minutes or less. It's performed live by a singer or a group of up to six people, all aged 16 or older. Countries give points (1-8, 10, and 12) to their top ten favorite songs. These points come from both music experts and the public watching at home. The song with the most points wins!
Besides the main competition, there are also special opening and interval acts. Famous performers like Madonna and Justin Timberlake have appeared. The show started as one evening event. But as more countries joined, including some outside Europe like Israel and Australia, it grew. Now, there are semi-finals to decide who gets into the final show.
The contest is usually held in the country that won the year before. This helps promote the host country and city to tourists. Thousands of fans and journalists attend every year. Eurovision is watched by hundreds of millions of people worldwide, making it one of the most-watched non-sporting events. Performing at Eurovision can really boost an artist's career. Many famous musicians, like ABBA and Celine Dion, have competed.
While it's very popular, some people criticize Eurovision for its artistic quality or for being too political.
Contents
How Eurovision Started and Grew
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The European Broadcasting Union (EBU) was created in 1950. The word "Eurovision" was first used in 1951 by a British journalist. In 1955, the EBU decided to create a European song competition. It was inspired by Italy's Sanremo Music Festival. The first contest was held in Lugano, Switzerland, in 1956. It was a way to test live TV broadcasts across different countries and encourage new songs.
Seven countries took part in the first contest. Each country had two songs, which was the only time this was allowed. Switzerland's song "Refrain" by Lys Assia won. At first, only the winner was announced. But in 1957, they started showing the points on a scoreboard. Since 1958, the winning country usually hosts the next year's event.
Over the years, technology changed the show. Color TV broadcasts started in 1968. Satellite broadcasts began in 1985, and online streaming in 2000.
By the 1960s, about 16 to 18 countries competed each year. Countries outside Europe, like those in Western Asia and North Africa, also started joining. After the Cold War ended, many new countries from Central and Eastern Europe joined. This meant too many countries wanted to compete for one show.
To solve this, in 1993, they had a special pre-qualifying round for new countries. From 1994, a system was introduced where the lowest-scoring countries couldn't compete the next year. In the 2000s, semi-finals were added. This allowed all interested countries to compete every year.
Eurovision has been held 68 times as of 2024. It's the longest-running annual international televised music competition. A record 43 countries have participated in a single contest. The only time Eurovision was cancelled was in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Instead, a special show called Eurovision: Europe Shine a Light honored the songs that would have competed.
What's in a Name?
The contest has had different names in various languages. The official names, Eurovision Song Contest and Concours Eurovision de la Chanson (in French), became standard later on. The name was briefly changed to Eurosong in 1996 but went back to Eurovision Song Contest the next year. Since 2004, the official name is always Eurovision Song Contest, but countries can use their own translations.
How the Show Works
The Eurovision Song Contest is a live TV show. It's broadcast at the same time to all participating countries. Each country is represented by a TV broadcaster that is part of the EBU. The show is put on by one of the participating broadcasters in a chosen host city.
Since 2008, the contest usually has three live shows over one week:
- Two semi-finals on Tuesday and Thursday.
- A grand final on Saturday.
Most countries compete in one of the semi-finals. But the host country and the "Big Five" countries automatically qualify for the final. The "Big Five" are France, Germany, Italy, Spain, and the United Kingdom. These countries contribute the most money to the contest. The top 10 songs from each semi-final join them in the final, making 26 entries in total.
Each country chooses its song and artist in its own way. Some have big TV shows where the public votes, while others pick internally.
Each show starts with an opening act, often with music and dance. In the final, there's a "Flag Parade" where artists walk out with their country's flag, like at the Olympics. One or more presenters host the show. They give updates, interview artists, and guide the voting.
After all songs are performed, viewers can vote for their favorite songs. You can't vote for your own country. Voting is done by phone, SMS, or the official app. The public vote makes up 50% of the final score. The other 50% comes from a jury of music experts in each country.
While people vote, there's an "interval act" with more performances. After voting closes, the results are announced. In the semi-finals, the 10 qualifying countries are announced in a random order. In the final, each country's spokesperson announces their jury points. Then, the public votes are added by the presenters. The winning artist gets a trophy and performs their song again. The winning country then gets to host the next year's contest!
Who Can Participate?
To join Eurovision, a country's broadcaster must be an active member of the European Broadcasting Union (EBU). This usually means they are in the European Broadcasting Area (EBA) or a member of the Council of Europe. The EBA includes countries in Europe, North Africa, and parts of Western Asia. So, countries like Israel and Australia can participate even if they're not strictly in Europe.
Australia was invited to join in 2015 for the 60th anniversary. They were the first country outside the EBA to compete. They've been invited back every year since!
Each year, the EBU sets rules for participation. Broadcasters must pay a fee to enter. A maximum of 44 countries can take part in one contest.
Here are the countries that have participated and when they first joined:
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Hosting the Contest
The country that wins Eurovision usually gets to host the next year's event. Hosting is a great chance to show off the host country and city to the world. It can also help the local economy and tourism.
Planning for the contest starts right after the previous year's show. The host city needs to have a venue big enough for at least 10,000 spectators. It also needs a press center for journalists, easy access to an airport, and enough hotels for everyone. Venues have ranged from small theaters to huge stadiums. The largest venue was Parken Stadium in Copenhagen in 2001, with almost 38,000 people!
Eurovision is not meant to make a profit. It's paid for by fees from participating broadcasters, money from the host city and broadcaster, and income from sponsorships, tickets, and merchandise.
Eurovision's Look and Theme
Before 2004, each contest had its own unique logo and design. But to make it more consistent, the EBU created a general logo in 2004. This logo is used every year, with a special theme designed by the host country. The host country's flag is usually in the middle of the Eurovision heart logo.
Each contest also has its own theme, which influences the stage design, opening acts, and "postcards." These "postcards" are short videos shown between songs. They usually highlight the host country and introduce the next performer. They started in 1970 and are now a regular part of the show.
Since 2024, Eurovision has a permanent slogan: "United by Music." This slogan was first used for the 2023 contest.
Getting Ready for the Show
Preparations at the venue start about six weeks before the final. This allows time for building the stage and technical rehearsals. Artists and their teams arrive two to three weeks before the live shows. Each country has a "head of delegation" who manages their team.
Artists have two rehearsals, 30 minutes and 20 minutes long. After rehearsals, they meet with the production team to review footage. There are also "meet and greet" sessions for fans and the press. Before each live show, there are three dress rehearsals. The second one, called the "jury show," is used by the professional juries to decide their votes.
A welcome party is usually held on the Sunday before the live shows. It includes a "red carpet" event for all the countries. There's also an official nightclub called the "EuroClub" and a "Eurovision Village" for fans. The village has live performances and big screens to watch the shows.
Contest Rules
The EBU organizes the contest with the host broadcaster. An "executive supervisor" from the EBU oversees the event. The rules change over time, but they cover things like song eligibility, the show's format, and how voting works.
Song and Artist Rules
Songs must be three minutes or less. They cannot have been released commercially before September 1st of the previous year. All songs must have vocals and lyrics; purely instrumental songs are not allowed. Songs can be performed in any language.
Rules about languages have changed. From 1966 to 1972, songs had to be in an official language of the country. This rule was removed in 1973, brought back for most countries in 1977, and then removed again in 1999.
There are no rules about where the songwriter comes from or their age. Songwriters can even write multiple songs for different countries in the same year.
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Only solo performers were allowed at first, but groups were allowed from 1971. Now, a maximum of six people can be on stage. No live animals are allowed. Since 1990, all performers must be 16 or older on the day of the live show. Sandra Kim, who won for Belgium at age 13, is the youngest winner ever.
Performers can be from any country. They can also compete more than once. For example, Lena won for Germany and competed again in Germany. Only two people have won twice as performers: Johnny Logan and Loreen.
The orchestra was a big part of the contest until 1998. Now, all instrumental music is pre-recorded. The main vocals must be live, but backing vocals can be pre-recorded since 2021.
Performance Order
Since 2013, the show's producers decide the order in which countries perform. This helps make the show more exciting for TV viewers. It prevents similar songs from being played one after another.
Before the semi-finals, countries are put into groups based on their location and past voting. Then, they are randomly assigned to one of the two semi-finals. The "Big Five" and the host country automatically qualify for the final. They are assigned to a semi-final for voting purposes.
After the semi-finals, the qualifying countries draw to see if they perform in the first or second half of the final. The host country's exact spot in the final is also drawn. The producers then decide the final running order, considering music style, stage needs, and other production details.
How Voting Works
The results are decided by a point system. Each country gives 1 to 8, 10, and 12 points to their ten favorite songs. The song they like best gets 12 points.
In the semi-finals, each country's points come mostly from public votes (televoting). In the final, each country gives two sets of points: one from the public and one from a jury of five music professionals. Since 2023, viewers in countries that aren't participating can also vote online. Their votes are combined into one "extra country" score for the public vote.
Countries are not allowed to vote for their own song. This rule started in 1957.
Televoting was first tried in 1997 and became mandatory in 2004. A jury was brought back for the final in 2009, with jury and public votes split equally. This mix is still used in the final. If there's a tie, the song with more public votes wins.
Announcing the Votes
Since 1957, each country's votes are announced during the show. A spokesperson from each country, often a well-known person, announces their country's points. In 1994, satellite links allowed spokespersons to be seen on screen for the first time.
The jury points (1-8 and 10) are shown on screen and added automatically. Then, the spokesperson announces which country gets their 12 points. After all jury points are announced, the presenters reveal the total public points for each finalist. The public points are revealed from lowest to highest based on the jury vote.
After the final, a full breakdown of all results is published online. This includes detailed jury and public votes.
Broadcasting the Show
Participating broadcasters must show the semi-final they are in, and the final, live and in full. This includes all songs, voting recaps, and the winning song's replay. Broadcasters can show ads during short breaks. If a broadcaster doesn't air the show as expected, they might face penalties. Many non-participating countries also air the contest.
The Eurovision network uses a special logo and theme tune when it broadcasts. The tune is the Prelude to Marc-Antoine Charpentier's Te Deum.
The EBU has recordings of almost all contests. Only the 1956 contest has just a short video of the winning song. No full recording of the 1964 contest is known to exist.
How the Contest Expanded
From just seven countries in 1956, Eurovision grew steadily. By 1990, 22 countries were regularly competing.
Big changes in Europe in the late 1980s and early 1990s, like the breakup of Yugoslavia, led to many new countries joining the EBU. This meant even more broadcasters wanted to participate.
Pre-selections and Relegation
In 1993, 29 countries wanted to join, which was too many for one show. So, a pre-selection round was held for seven new countries from Central and Eastern Europe. Only three of them made it to the main contest.
From 1994, a "relegation" system was used. Countries that scored poorly had to sit out the next year. This made space for new countries. This system changed a few times over the years.
The "Big Five" Countries
In 1999, a special rule was made for France, Germany, Spain, and the United Kingdom. They were given an automatic right to compete every year. These countries are the biggest financial supporters of the contest. They became known as the "Big Four." When Italy rejoined in 2011, they became the "Big Five."
Since semi-finals started in 2004, the "Big Five" and the host country automatically qualify for the final. They don't have to compete in the semi-finals. Some people debate if this gives them an unfair advantage or disadvantage. To make it fairer, since 2024, the "Big Five" and host country now perform their songs live in the semi-finals, even though they don't compete for qualification.
Semi-Finals Are Introduced
In 2004, a semi-final was introduced because so many countries wanted to join. This made Eurovision a two-day event. The top 10 countries from the previous year's final, plus the "Big Four," went straight to the final. All other countries competed in the semi-final for 10 spots.
The single semi-final continued until 2007. But with 42 countries competing in 2007, the semi-final had 28 entries for only 10 spots. So, a second semi-final was added for the 2008 contest. Now, almost all countries compete in one of the two semi-finals. Only the host country and the "Big Five" automatically qualify for the final.
To try and reduce "bloc voting" (where countries vote for their neighbors), a new system was introduced to split countries between the two semi-finals based on their location and past voting.
Famous Songs and Artists
Eurovision has been a starting point for many artists who became world-famous. ABBA, who won for Sweden, sold hundreds of millions of albums. Their winning song "Waterloo" sold over five million copies. Celine Dion's win for Switzerland helped launch her international career. She sold an estimated 200 million records worldwide.
Other famous artists who competed include Julio Iglesias, Olivia Newton-John, and Cliff Richard. Many well-known songwriters and producers have also created Eurovision entries.
Some Eurovision songs have become huge hits. "Save Your Kisses for Me" (UK, United Kingdom) sold over six million singles. "Nel blu, dipinto di blu" (Italy, Italy), also known as "Volare," is the only Eurovision song to win a Grammy Award. It sold over 22 million copies worldwide.
More recently, "Euphoria" (Sweden, Sweden) became number one in many countries. "Arcade" (Netherlands, Netherlands) became very popular on TikTok and charted on the Billboard Hot 100 in the US.
Johnny Logan is the first artist to win twice as a performer, for Ireland and Ireland. He also wrote the winning song for Ireland.
Winners of Eurovision
72 songs from 27 countries have won Eurovision as of 2025. Ireland and Sweden have won the most times, with seven wins each. France, Luxembourg, the United Kingdom, and the Netherlands have won five times each.
In 1969, four countries tied for first place because there were no tie-break rules back then! Most winning songs have been in English, especially since the language rule was removed in 1999.
Only one country has won on its first try: Serbia in 2007. Some countries waited a long time for their first win. Portugal won in Portugal, 53 years after its first entry.
The United Kingdom has come in second place sixteen times, more than any other country. Norway has finished last a record twelve times.
Countries have won two years in a row four times. Ireland even won three times in a row from Ireland to Ireland! They then won again in Ireland, giving them four wins in five years.
The winners (artists, songwriters, and broadcaster) receive a trophy. Since 2008, it's a microphone-shaped glass trophy. The award is usually given by the previous year's winner.
Special Performances and Guests
Besides the main competition, there are always special performances from non-competing artists. These are a big part of the live show. The reigning champion often returns to perform their winning song from the previous year.
The opening and interval acts are often very memorable. They can feature famous international artists or local stars. Organizers often use these performances to show off their country's culture and history. Sometimes, they are funny and include parodies of past Eurovision moments.
Riverdance, a famous Irish dance show, first started as an interval act at the 1994 contest in Ireland. It was so popular that it became a full stage show seen by millions worldwide.
Other famous artists who have performed as guests include Aqua, Apocalyptica, t.A.T.u., Justin Timberlake, and Madonna. Even groups like Cirque du Soleil and the Vienna Boys' Choir have performed. Sometimes, actors, athletes, or even astronauts have made guest appearances!
Eurovision's Impact on Culture
The Eurovision Song Contest has fans all over the world. It gets hundreds of millions of viewers every year. It's often seen as fun and unique, and it's even parodied in TV shows and comedy festivals. Several movies have been made about the contest, including the 2020 Netflix comedy Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga.
Eurovision has a huge online following. There are many fan clubs and websites dedicated to the event. One of the oldest and largest fan clubs is OGAE, started in 1984. These fan clubs often host events to celebrate Eurovision.
Before the contest each year, there are "pre-parties" in different cities. These events feature the artists who will compete. Fans and press can meet them and see them perform. Eurovision in Concert in Amsterdam is one of the first of these events.
Other Eurovision Events
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The EBU also organizes other contests and special events under the "Eurovision Live Events" brand.
They have held anniversary shows for Eurovision:
- Songs of Europe in 1981 for the 25th anniversary.
- Congratulations: 50 Years of the Eurovision Song Contest in 2005 for the 50th anniversary, where fans voted for the most popular song.
- Eurovision Song Contest's Greatest Hits in 2015 for the 60th anniversary, a concert with past Eurovision artists.
- Eurovision: Europe Shine a Light in 2020, a special show when the contest was cancelled.
Other contests by the EBU include:
- Junior Eurovision Song Contest: A song contest for singers aged 9 to 14.
- Eurovision Young Musicians: A classical music competition for young musicians.
- Eurovision Young Dancers: A dance competition for young, non-professional dancers.
- Eurovision Choir: A competition for non-professional choirs.
- Eurovision Dance Contest: An event for ballroom and Latin dancing (held only twice).
There are also similar music competitions outside the EBU. The American Song Contest was held in 2022, featuring songs from US states and territories.
See also
In Spanish: Festival de la Canción de Eurovisión para niños
