The Swedish Melodifestivalen is still proving popular with the Swedish TV audiences. The four heats have constantly been receiving record ratings, and the one from Malmö Arena on Saturday is the second most watch fourth heat in history.
Since Swedish television SVT introduced the current format of Melodifestivalen in 2002, the fourth heat has been watched by around 3 million people.
This year’s figure is 3,500,000 viewers, leaving the record with Carola in Gothenburg in 2006 unbeaten with its 3,645,000 viewers.
The Top 10 viewing figures for heat 4:
- Gothenburg 2006 – 3,645,000 viewers
- Malmö 2013 – 3,500,000 viewers
- Karlskrona 2008 – 3,410,000 viewers
- Malmö 2004 – 3,275,000 viewers
- Malmö 2005 – 3,190,000 viewers
- Gävle 2007 – 3,145,000 viewers
- Malmö 2012 – 3,115,000 viewers
- Växjö 2005 – 3,100,000 viewers
- Sundsvall 2003 – 3,045,000 viewers
- Falun 2002 – 2,970,000 viewers
Heat 1 from Karlskrona was also only behind the 2006 one at 3,565,000 viewers.
Heat 2 from Gothenburg became the most watched Melodifestivalen heat ever with 3,705,000 viewers.
Heat 3 from Skellefteå was the most watched fourth heat ever with 3,490,000 viewers.
So even if many reporters have been saying this year has been full of surprise qualifications, and many have been critical of the standard of the songs, it is clear the show remains the Saturday night favourite with the Swedish audiences.
The total population of Sweden was in 2011 9,453,000.
All the four heats are now available to watch again on SVT Play (links on the right hand side of this page).
Next Saturday two more finalists will be decided at the Second chance round of Melodifestivalen.
