Name: Eurovision Song Contest | Eurovision Song Contest 1956
Released: 1956-05-24
Rating: 7.1

The Eurovision Song Contest is an international song competition, organised annually by the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) and featuring participants representing primarily European countries. Each participating country submits an original song to be performed on live television and radio, transmitted to national broadcasters via the EBU's Eurovision and Euroradio networks, with competing countries then casting votes for the other countries' songs to determine the winner.

Air day

3/4/2015

Season

0

Episodes

28

Vote average

0

The first ever Eurovision Song Contest took place in Lugano, Switzerland, at the Teatro Kursaal, on 24th of May 1956.

Air day

24/5/1956

Season

1

Episodes

1

Vote average

5

The 1957 Eurovision Song Contest was held in Frankfurt am Main, Germany after Switzerland declined to host the contest for a second time.

Air day

3/3/1957

Season

2

Episodes

1

Vote average

6.3

The Netherlands had the honour of hosting the third Eurovision Song Contest. The 1958 contest took place at the television studios in Hilversum, the 'media capital' of the Netherlands. For the occasion, the venue was decorated with thousands of tulips.

Air day

12/3/1958

Season

3

Episodes

1

Vote average

5

The glamorous Mediterranean resort of Cannes, France hosted the 4th Eurovision Song Contest in March 1959.

Air day

11/3/1959

Season

4

Episodes

1

Vote average

5

London was the host city of the fifth Eurovision Song Contest despite a Dutch victory in Cannes in 1959.

Air day

29/3/1960

Season

5

Episodes

1

Vote average

5

The Eurovision Song Contest 1961 returned to Cannes for the second time in two years. The number of participants began to rise as the Eurovision Song Contest became increasingly popular.

Air day

18/3/1961

Season

6

Episodes

1

Vote average

5

The 1962 Eurovision Song Contest was held in the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg for the first time. France scored another victory with Un premier amour performed by Isabelle Aubret.

Air day

18/3/1962

Season

7

Episodes

1

Vote average

5

The 8th Eurovision Song Contest took place in London, despite a French victory in the preceding year. Denmark's first victory would become controversial topic.

Air day

23/3/1963

Season

8

Episodes

1

Vote average

5

The 1964 Eurovision Song Contest took place in Copenhagen, Denmark. Italy scored its first victory with a song performed by 16-year-old Gigliola Cinquetti who had already won the Italian San Remo Festival with her entry Non Ho l’Età.

Air day

21/3/1964

Season

9

Episodes

1

Vote average

5

The 1965 Eurovision Song Contest took place in Naples and saw Luxembourg win again. The winning entry, performed by France Gall, Poupée De Cire, Poupée De Son, is a milestone moment in the history of the show since it is the first time that a pop song won the Eurovision Song Contest.

Air day

20/3/1965

Season

10

Episodes

1

Vote average

5

Once again, the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg had the honour of staging Europe's most important musical contest and for the first time, a song in German managed to win the trophy.

Air day

5/3/1966

Season

11

Episodes

1

Vote average

5

After Udo Jürgens' victory in 1966, Vienna, Austria's capital, was chosen to host the Eurovision Song Contest in 1967.

Air day

8/4/1967

Season

12

Episodes

1

Vote average

5

The thirteenth Eurovision Song Contest which took place in the Royal Albert Hall in London was the first Eurovision Song Contest to be broadcast in colour. The bookmakers were sure of another British victory since Cliff Richard - who had dominated the European charts for several years already - decided to represent his native country.

Air day

6/4/1968

Season

13

Episodes

1

Vote average

5

The Spanish capital of Madrid hosted the 1969 Eurovision Song Contest after Massiel won the trophy in London the year before. Austria decided to stay home so the number of participants went down to 16 as no new countries entered.

Air day

29/3/1969

Season

14

Episodes

1

Vote average

5

The Netherlands hosted the Eurovision Song Contest once again in 1970. The contest took place in the capital, Amsterdam, however only 12 delegations made the trip to the Dutch capital due to what was referred to as "the voting scandal" of the year before.

Air day

21/3/1970

Season

15

Episodes

1

Vote average

5

After Dana's victory in 1970, the Eurovision Song Contest moved to the Emerald Isle, Ireland, and the number of participants rose again.

Air day

3/4/1971

Season

16

Episodes

1

Vote average

5

Host Broadcaster BBC arranged the 1972 Eurovision Song Contest outside London for the first time. The honour of hosting went to the Scottish capital Edinburgh after Monaco, which won the year before, was unable to provide a suitable venue. The contest resulted in two big hits all over the continent: Après Toi by winner Vicky Leandros and Beg, Steal Or Borrow by The New Seekers who ended up in second place.

Air day

25/3/1972

Season

17

Episodes

1

Vote average

5

After hosting the Eurovision Song Contest in 1962 and 1966, it was Luxembourg's third occasion to show the best of Europe's music to millions of viewers. The big favourite to win was yet again Cliff Richard representing the United Kingdom, but the host nation Luxembourg took the trophy.

Air day

7/4/1973

Season

18

Episodes

1

Vote average

5

For the second time in three years the United Kingdom staged the Eurovision Song Contest without having won the contest in the preceding year. Due to the fact that the broadcaster in Luxembourg, RTL, did not wish to host the event again for financial reasons, the BBC embraced the possibility once more. The 1974 Eurovision Song Contest was held at The Dome, in the seaside resort of Brighton.

Air day

6/4/1974

Season

19

Episodes

1

Vote average

5

The Eurovision Song Contest moved northwards for its 20th anniversary. The 1975 Eurovision Song Contest was held in Stockholm, Sweden on 22nd March.

Air day

22/3/1975

Season

20

Episodes

1

Vote average

5

For the third time in the history of the Eurovision Song Contest, the Netherlands organised the musical highlight of the year. After having hosted the event in Hilversum and Amsterdam, The Hague was chosen as host city for the 1976 event.

Air day

3/4/1976

Season

21

Episodes

1

Vote average

5

The Eurovision Song Contest 1977 was the first contest which was troubled by a strike and was only organised five weeks after the planned date.

Air day

7/5/1977

Season

22

Episodes

1

Vote average

5

After having won in London in 1977, French Television organised the 1978 Eurovision Song Contest in Paris on 22nd April.

Air day

22/4/1978

Season

23

Episodes

1

Vote average

5

The 24th Eurovision Song Contest was held outside the geographical area of Europe for the first time. Jerusalem played the proud host of the annual event in 1979.

Air day

31/3/1979

Season

24

Episodes

1

Vote average

5

Israeli TV declined the opportunity to host the 1980 Song Contest again after Israel won in Jerusalem in 1979. After much discussion, it was decided that the contest would be arranged by Dutch TV NOS in The Hague.

Air day

19/4/1980

Season

25

Episodes

1

Vote average

5

Ireland's capital Dublin hosted the 1981 Eurovision Song Contest after Johnny Logan won the contest in the preceding year with What's Another Year. Bucks Fizz won the 1981 contest for the United Kingdom with the song Making Your Mind Up.

Air day

4/4/1981

Season

26

Episodes

1

Vote average

5

The BBC surprised everyone when they decided that the 1982 Eurovision Song Contest would be held in the northern city of Harrogate.

Air day

24/4/1982

Season

27

Episodes

1

Vote average

5

After trying to win for many years, German broadcaster ARD finally hosted the 1983 Eurovision Song Contest in Munich.

Air day

23/4/1983

Season

28

Episodes

1

Vote average

5

Luxembourg hosted the contest for the 4th last time after Corinne Hermès' victory the year before.

Air day

5/5/1984

Season

29

Episodes

1

Vote average

5

Swedish national broadcaster SVT decided to stage the 1985 Eurovision Song Contest in Gothenburg's Scandinavium, the biggest venue to have hosted the show to date.

Air day

4/5/1985

Season

30

Episodes

1

Vote average

5

The Norwegian city of Bergen had the honour of hosting the 1986 Eurovision Song Contest which saw Belgium score its first and to date, only victory with Sandra Kim's J'Aime La Vie.

Air day

3/5/1986

Season

31

Episodes

1

Vote average

5

The 1987 Eurovision Song Contest was held in Brussels, Belgium. Viktor Laszlo was the host of the 32nd edution of the competition which was won by Ireland.

Air day

9/5/1987

Season

32

Episodes

1

Vote average

5

The 1988 Eurovision Song Contest is best remembered for one of the most thrilling voting moments in the history of the competition and for launching a legend; Céline Dion.

Air day

30/4/1988

Season

33

Episodes

1

Vote average

5

Following Céline Dion's victory the preceding year in Dublin, Switzerland staged the Eurovision Song Contest in Lausanne. 22 countries participated in the 1989 Eurovision Song Contest.

Air day

6/5/1989

Season

34

Episodes

1

Vote average

5

The 1990 Eurovision Song Contest was held in Zagreb following Yugoslavia's win the previous year. As communism fell in Europe, many of the songs reflected the wider political context.

Air day

5/5/1990

Season

35

Episodes

1

Vote average

5

The 1991 Eurovision Song Contest was held in Rome, Italy and saw France and Sweden tie for first place at the end of the voting.

Air day

4/5/1991

Season

36

Episodes

1

Vote average

5

After having hosted the Eurovision Song Contest in Stockholm and Gothenburg before, Swedish broadcaster SVT opted to host the 1992 Eurovision Song Contest in Sweden's third largest city, Malmö.

Air day

2/5/1992

Season

37

Episodes

1

Vote average

5

The tiny town of Millstreet in Ireland was the centre of Europe when it hosted the 1993 Eurovision Song Contest.

Air day

15/5/1993

Season

38

Episodes

1

Vote average

5

After winning the contest on home ground in Millstreet in 1993, the contest was staged at the Point Theatre in Dublin. Ireland set two new records for the Eurovision Song Contest in 1994; they won the contest for a 6th time and won for the third time in a row.

Air day

30/4/1994

Season

39

Episodes

1

Vote average

5

For a record third year in a row Ireland hosted the 40th Eurovision Song Contest which was held again in the Point Theatre in Dublin.

Air day

13/5/1995

Season

40

Episodes

1

Vote average

5

The 1996 Eurovision Song Contest moved to a new destination, after it had been in Ireland for the three preceding years. Norway's capital Oslo had the honour of hosting the contest for the first time.

Air day

18/5/1996

Season

41

Episodes

1

Vote average

5

Dublin's Point Theatre was - yet again - the venue for the 1997 Eurovision Song Contest. To date it is the last contest that has been held in Ireland. For the first ever the public had a say in the outcome of the competition.

Air day

3/5/1997

Season

42

Episodes

1

Vote average

5

The 1998 Eurovision Song Contest from Birmingham culminated in one of the most thrilling voting sequences for years and reminded us that Europe is a more open-minded place than we might have thought.

Air day

9/5/1998

Season

43

Episodes

1

Vote average

5

The 1999 Eurovision Song Contest took place in Jerusalem for the first time since 1979. Free language rules were introduced meaning that participating countries could choose which language they performed in.

Air day

29/5/1999

Season

44

Episodes

1

Vote average

5

In May 2000 the Eurovision Song Contest returned to Stockholm for the first time since 1975. The spectacular show took place in the Globen Arena with a record-breaking 13,000 in attendance.

Air day

13/5/2000

Season

45

Episodes

1

Vote average

5

A record-breaking 35,000 spectators attended the 2001 Eurovision Song Contest in the Parken Stadium in Copenhagen, the largest venue to date.

Air day

12/5/2001

Season

46

Episodes

1

Vote average

4

The 2002 Eurovision Song Contest was hosted in the Estonian capital Tallinn. It was the first time that one of the new-entrant countries staged the Eurovision Song Contest.

Air day

25/5/2002

Season

47

Episodes

1

Vote average

4

Latvia hosted the competition in 2003 following Marie N's victory in Tallinn the previous year.

Air day

24/5/2003

Season

48

Episodes

1

Vote average

5

After having successfully hosted the first ever Eurovision Song Contest Semi-Final, Istanbul held its breath for the 2004 Final.

Air day

12/5/2004

Season

49

Episodes

2

Vote average

3

The 50th Eurovision Song Contest took place on 21st May 2005 in the Ukrainian capital, Kyiv. 24 countries participated in the Grand Final.

Air day

19/5/2005

Season

50

Episodes

2

Vote average

3

With the Eurovision Song Contest already enjoying enormous popularity in Greece, Helena Paparizou's victory in 2005 created the perfect circumstances to organise the show. Under the Greek sun, the 2006 contest took place in Athens!

Air day

18/5/2006

Season

51

Episodes

2

Vote average

3

The Final of the 52nd Eurovision Song Contest took place in Helsinki, Finland, at the Hartwall Arena. For the occasion, the venue was referred to as the Helsinki Arena. Czech Republic and Georgia debuted in the Semi-Final, so did Serbia and Montenegro as independent states. Of those countries, only Georgia and Serbia managed to qualify for the Final, together with returning country Hungary.

Air day

10/5/2007

Season

52

Episodes

2

Vote average

3

For the first time in the history of the Eurovision Song Contest, two Semi-Finals were held to decide which 25 countries would be represented in the Final. The Final of the contest took place on the 24th of May, just like the first ever Eurovision Song Contest in 1956.

Air day

20/5/2008

Season

53

Episodes

3

Vote average

3

For the second time in the history of the Eurovision Song Contest, two Semi-Finals were held to decide which 25 countries will be represented in the Final. The Final of the contest took place on the 16th of May in the Russian capital of Moscow.

Air day

12/5/2009

Season

54

Episodes

3

Vote average

3

The 2010 Eurovision Song Contest was held in the capital of Norway, Oslo. 39 countries took part in the contest, which had two Semi-Finals and a Grand Final.

Air day

25/5/2010

Season

55

Episodes

3

Vote average

3

For the first time since 1983, Germany hosted the Eurovision Song Contest. The 2011 Eurovision Song Contest was held in Düsseldorf following an open selection process.

Air day

10/5/2011

Season

56

Episodes

3

Vote average

3

The 2012 Eurovision Song Contest was held in Baku, Azerbaijan. It is the furthest East that the contest had ever been held.

Air day

22/5/2012

Season

57

Episodes

3

Vote average

3

Thirteen years after Stockholm hosted the Eurovision Song Contest, the 2013 contest took place in the Malmö Arena in Malmö, Sweden. Two Semi-Finals determined which twenty countries — ten from each Semi-Final — would join the 'Big Five' (France, Germany, Italy, Spain and the UK) and host coumntry Sweden in the Grand Final.

Air day

14/5/2013

Season

58

Episodes

3

Vote average

3

The 2014 Eurovision Song Contest took place in Copenhagen, Denmark and was won by Austria's Conchita Wurst. The victory was headline news around the world.

Air day

6/5/2014

Season

59

Episodes

3

Vote average

3

The 2015 Eurovision Song Contest took place in the Wiener Stadhalle. The the official Eurovision Song Contest logo was refreshed, for the first time since it was launched in 2004.

Air day

19/5/2015

Season

60

Episodes

3

Vote average

4.8

Stockholm was announced as the host city in July 2015, with the Globe Arena taking the honour of being the venue for the 2016 contest. The arena previously staged the contest in 2000.

Air day

10/5/2016

Season

61

Episodes

3

Vote average

4.8

Following Jamala's victory in Stockholm with her song '1944', the 2017 Eurovision Song Contest was held in Ukraine's capital city, Kyiv. Kyiv had previously hosted the main competition in 2005, as well as the Junior Eurovision Song Contest in 2009 and 2013.

Air day

9/5/2017

Season

62

Episodes

3

Vote average

5

The 2018 Eurovision Song Contest took place in Portugal's capital city, Lisbon. It was the first time Portugal hosted the competition. The right to host the 2018 Eurovision Song Contest came after Salvador Sobral won the 2017 edition in Kyiv with his song Amar Pelos Dois.

Air day

8/5/2018

Season

63

Episodes

3

Vote average

5.3

After Netta's grand victory in Lisbon in Lisbon, the 2019 Eurovision Song Contest took place in Tel Aviv, Israel.

Air day

14/5/2019

Season

64

Episodes

3

Vote average

4.5

The Eurovision Song Contest 2021 takes place in Rotterdam. The Dutch city was due to host the Contest in 2020 before the event was cancelled due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

Air day

18/5/2021

Season

65

Episodes

3

Vote average

5.2

The 66th Eurovision Song Contest was held at the PalaOlimpico in Turin, after Måneskin’s success for Italy the previous year.

Air day

10/5/2022

Season

66

Episodes

3

Vote average

4.2

The 67th Eurovision Song Contest took place in in Liverpool on the banks of the River Mersey, where a crowd of thousands witnessed Loreen become the first woman to lift the trophy twice, having secured victory with her song 'Tattoo'.

Air day

9/5/2023

Season

67

Episodes

3

Vote average

5.7

The Grand Final of the Eurovision Song Contest 2024 took place in the Malmö Arena on Saturday 11 May with Semi-Finals on Tuesday 7 and Thursday 9 May.

Air day

7/5/2024

Season

68

Episodes

3

Vote average

4.7

The Grand Final of the Eurovision Song Contest 2025 took place in St. Jakobshalle, Basel, on Saturday 17 May with Semi-Finals on Tuesday 13 and Thursday 15 May, after it was selected by Host Broadcaster SRG SSR and the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) to host the 69th edition of the Contest.

Air day

13/5/2025

Season

69

Episodes

3

Vote average

3.8

The Eurovision Song Contest is an international song competition, organised annually by the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) and featuring participants representing primarily European countries. Each participating country submits an original song to be performed on live television and radio, transmitted to national broadcasters via the EBU's Eurovision and Euroradio networks, with competing countries then casting votes for the other countries' songs to determine the winner.

Air day

12/1/2026

Season

70

Episodes

5

Vote average

0

(Eurovision Song Contest)