The eleventh esctoday.com TOP TEN list starts today with the places 10, 9 and 8 being announced. As revealed on Saturday, this week's topic are the TOP TEN most successful countries.
The ranking will feature countries that have taken part more than five times, i.e. in more than 10% of the editions of the contest held so far. It will be based on the average relative placing (i.e. the place in the contest compared to the number of participants) a country has achieved since its debut until today. Rules are:
- Semi final results and final results are counted separately.
- The qualifiying rounds of 1993 and 1996 will not be considered.
- In the case of a tie, the country that won more often compared to its participations gets the higher place in the ranking.
An example:
The countries x took part in the contest three times and finished 4th out of 12, 4th out of 16 and 10th out of 20. The average relative placing for x is 36/100, which equals a 9th place among 25 contestants. All average placings will be given compared to 25 countries competing as this is the current number of finalists every year.
So here we start…
No. 10 – Croatia
Croatia's average relative placing since the country's debut in 1993 equals a 11.75th place among 25 contestants.
Croatia had a rather rough start in the Eurovision Song Contest finishing 15th and 16th in 1993 and 1994. The more recent years were not too successful either as Croatia has not reached the top ten of the final since 2002, but came very close on three occassions. Croatia was never last and not even in the bottom four as the worst placings were fifth last places in the final in 2008 and the semi final 2010. In 2007 and 2010, they did not make it to the final.
Croatia owes its top ten placing in this ranking mainly due to a string of very successful results in the 1990s through to the early 2000s. Between 1995 and 2001, the country reached the top ten six times in seven years. The highest place to date was a fourth place both in 1996 (Maja Blagdan with Sveta ljubav) and 1999 (Doris Dragovic with Marija Magdalena). The highest placing in a semi final was a third place for Kraljevi Uljice & 75 Cent in 2008 as they came third. Technically, they are therefore responsible for both the best Croatian result ever (in the semi final) and the worst Croatian result ever (in the final).
Third place in the semi final – Kraljevi Uljice with Romanca in 2008:
No. 9 – Sweden
Sweden's average relative placing since the country's debut in 1958 equals a 11.29th place among 25 contestants.
Until Abba's victory in 1974, Sweden's results in the contest were mixed as about half of their entries reached the first half of the scoreboard. Sweden took a break in 1976 and after their return in 1977, they had to go through a series of rather low results. The only other longer streak of bad luck that the country had to go through has been going on since 2007 with no entry even being to close to reaching the top ten in the final. Sweden finished last twice in the contest, the first time in 1963 (with nil points) and the second time in 1977. 2010 is the only year since the introduction of the semi finals that the country did not qualify for the final.
Most of the other years, Sweden was one of the more successful countries. They won four times: In 1974 with ABBA and Waterloo, in 1984 with Herreys and Diggiloo-diggiley, in 1991 with Carola and Fångad av en stormvind and in 1999 with Charlotte Nilsson and Take me to your heaven. Sweden also came second once, third four times, fourth twice and fifth seven times.
Victory in Jerusalem – Charlotte Nilsson with Take me to your heaven:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1qe1NNxeN7w
No. 8 – Israel
Israel's average relative placing since the country's debut in 1973 equals a 11.05th place among 25 contestants.
Israel's longest streak of bad luck lasted five years between 2000 and 2004, when the country never reached the top ten. Only on three other occassions, the country did not reach the top ten twice in a row: In 1989 and 1990, in 2006 and 2007 and in 2009 and 2010. Israel never came last but finished second last three times: in 1986, in 1993 and most recently in 2006. In 2004 and 2007, the country was eliminated in the semi finals.
Israel won the contest three times. The first victory was achieved by Izhar Cohen & Alpha-Beta in 1978 with A-ba-ni-bi and Galit Atari & Milk & Honey followed in their footsteps with Hallelujah the year after. In 1998, Dana International took first place with Diva. Israel also finished second twice, third once, fourth twice and fith twice. 19 of the 33 entries reached a placing in the first half of the scoreboard.
First victory in 1978 – Izhar Cohen with A-ba-ni-bi:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2-Ao1OOILh4
Tomorrow, we will introduce no. 7 and 6 on the list.
