Eurovision Song Contest winners

Fifty-six songs have won the Eurovision Song Contest, an annual competition organised by member countries of the European Broadcasting Union. The Contest, which has been broadcast every year since its debut in 1956, is one of the longest-running television programmes in the world. The Contest's winner has been determined using numerous voting techniques throughout its history; centre to these have been the awarding of points to countries by juries or televoters. The country awarded the most points is declared the winner. [ [http://www.eurovision.tv/addons/files/Extract_ESC2007Rules.pdf Extract from the rules for the 2007 Eurovision Song Contest] . Eurovision.tv. Retrieved on 22 August 2007.] The first Eurovision Song Contest was not won on points, but by votes (two per country), and only the winner was announced. [ [http://www.eurovision.tv/index/main?page=66&event=273#event_info_273 Eurovision 1956] . Eurovision.tv. Retrieved on 24 May 2008.]

There have been fifty-three Contests, with one winner each year except the tied 1969 Contest, which had four. Twenty-five different countries have won the Contest; the most recent addition to this list is Russia, which won the Contest in 2008. Switzerland also won the Contest on their debut—the first Contest, in 1956. The country with the highest number of wins is Ireland, with seven. Portugal is the country with the longest history in the Contest without a win; it made its forty-first appearance at the 2008 Contest. The only person to have won more than once is Johnny Logan, who won the Contest three times for Ireland; once as a singer, in 1980; once as a singer-songwriter, in 1987; and once as a songwriter for Linda Martin, in 1992.

Winning the Eurovision Song Contest provides a unique opportunity for the winning artist(s) to capitalise on their success and surrounding publicity by launching or furthering their international career. However, throughout the history of the Contest relatively few names have gone on to be huge international stars. The most notable winning Eurovision artists whose career was directly launched into the spotlight following their win were ABBA, who won the Contest for Sweden in 1974 with their song "Waterloo". ABBA went on to be one of the most successful bands of their time. [BBC News (6 December 2005). [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/4502670.stm ABBA's Bjorn says no to reunion] . Retrieved on 15 March 2008.] Another notable winner who subsequently achieved international fame and success was Céline Dion, who won the Contest for Switzerland in 1988 with the song "Ne Partez Pas Sans Moi". Dion's success, however, is not as directly attributed to her winning the Contest, as she achieved international fame some years later. [Billboard.com. [http://www.billboard.com/bbcom/bio/index.jsp?pid=4468 Biography - Celine Dion] . Retrieved on 15 March 2008.]

Winners

Footnotes

References

* [http://www.eurovision.tv/content/view/171/152/ Eurovision Song Contest history] . Eurovision.tv. Retrieved on 19 August 2007.
*John Kennedy O'Connor (2005). "The Eurovision Song Contest 50 Years The Official History". London: Carlton Books Limited. ISBN 1-84442-586-X.
* [http://www.esctoday.com/annual/contests.php?section=history History] . ESCtoday.com. Retrieved on 19 August 2007.