Over the next weeks, we will be looking back at this Eurovision Song Contest decade. 336 songs were presented in a total of 18 shows over the last ten years and today, we will take a look back at the most memorable moments during the votings.
Reminder: Vote for your favourite song of the decade
Currently, you can choose the best song of the decade. The polls for the first round are still open until this Sunday. You can read more and vote here.
Runaway winners
Throughout the whole voting, it was clear, which country would win the first Eurovision Song Contest of this decade. At the end of the show, the Danish Olsen Brothers took home the trophy – they had been in the lead after the first country had voted and never gave it away again. Another Nordic country almost did the same trick in 2006: Lordi of Finland took the lead after the second country had voted and would remain on top until the end of the show. The third runaway winning country in this decade was also the third Nordic country winning: Norway's Alexander Rybak remained on top of the scoreboard throughout the whole voting in 2009. He would also win the highest amount of points ever. Another very obvious winner was Marija Šerfifovic from Serbia in 2007 being on top of the scoreboard after 39 of the 42 countries had voted.
Excitement
While in some years it was very clear, which country would be the winner, there were other years when the voting was exciting until the very end. In 2002, Malta and Latvia were tying for first place when the very last set of 12 points was to be announced. Lithuania gave its 12 points to Latvia so that Marie N took over Ira Losco and gave Latvia its first victory. However, she would have still won the contest if the 12 points had went to any other country because of the tie-break rule. In 2003, the voting was equally exciting. It was not before the last country voting, when Slovenia gave its 10 points to Turkey that Turkey was the winer. Furthermore, there were only three points between the top three countries. Towards the end of the 2005 contests, it was clear that Helena Paparizou from Greece would take home the trophy. However, at the beginning, no clear winner could be seen. No less than eight of 24 compting countries – that means a third! – were in the lead at at least one point during the voting. Greece was in the lead for the first time after the 19th country voted (but was still tying with Latvia).
Trivia
- Three years in a row – in 2006, 2007 and 2008 – Malta gave its 12 points in the final to a country that received no top mark from any of the other countries (the same also happened in the second 2008 semi final). Already in 2005, Malta was one of only two countries that gave 12 points to Cyprus (the other being – and this is probably no surprise – Greece).
- Georgia debuted in the contest in 2007 and was in for a major surprise in the semi final giving 12 points to Belgium – Belgium received only 14 points in total.
- Both in 2006 and 2007, Albania was the only country to gave any points to the countries finishing last in the final.
- FYR Macedonia qualified from the semi final on all four occasions only one semi final was held just to finish outside the top ten in the final. However, both in 2008 and 2009 FYR Macedonia finished 10th in its semi final but did not make it to the final as the jury wildcards were given to Sweden and Finland respectively.
- Including semi finals, four countries achieved more than one last place in this decade: Norway (2001 & 2004), United Kingdom (2003 & 2008), Germany (2005 & 2008) and the Czech Republic (2007 & 2009). Czech Reublic finished twice in the semi final having taken part only three times in total. They were not much more successful in 2008 finishing second last.
- Czech Republic and San Marino both debuted in the contest finishing last.
- Having taken part since 1957 and 1965 respectively, the United Kingdom and Ireland both achieven their first last places in the competition in this decade.
You know more trivia? Share it with the other readers by posting a reaction!
Funny spokespersons and hosts
Here is a collection of moments when the show was all about the spokespersons.
Paul de Leeuw & Sakis Rouvas (2006):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CSR2tDg9rUc
Sweden always pulls off a huge show (2008):
The annual Peter Poles awards go to… Peter Poles! (2009):
Next time we will look back at the most memorable outfits and stage shows.
