Eurovision

The Eurovision Song Contest, commonly known as Eurovision, is an annual international song competition organized by the European Broadcasting Union (EBU). It began in 1956 and is the longest-running annual televised music competition. It brings together active EBU members from Europe and nearby regions, with participants often including non-European broadcasters as guests. The contest is traditionally held in May each year and is broadcast to a large international audience.

Each participating country submits an original song performed on live television and radio. The entries compete in semi-finals to determine who advances to the grand final, where a final set of performances is staged. The winner is decided by a voting system that combines juries and public televoting from each participating country, awarding points in a 12–10–8–…–1 scheme. The results are announced during the final, creating a dramatic finish that has become a hallmark of the event.

The contest features a “Big Five” group—France, Germany, Italy, Spain, and the United Kingdom—whose broadcasters automatically qualify for the final due to their financial contributions to the EBU. The host city is typically in the country that won the previous year, though there have been exceptions, including the 2020 cancellation. The host nation usually organizes the following year’s contest.

Eurovision has served as a launching pad for numerous artists, including ABBA, who won in 1974, and Celine Dion, who won for Switzerland in 1988. It is known for its diverse musical styles and languages, a passionate fan culture, and extensive media and online coverage. The competition has also faced criticism regarding political voting, prompting adjustments to the voting format over time.