7.
The 2006 contest in Athens was a spectacle to behold as we saw Eurovision grow even bigger. Fresh from the success of the Olympic Games the state broadcaster ERT put on a show that would in equal measure match up to something one would have witnesesed at the opening ceremony. The Grand Prix was claimed by first time winners Finland. The rock band Lordi took to the stage in their demonic costumes and made history by winning the contest with their heavy metal rock track Hard Rock Hallelujah. Such was the impact of their visual look and stage show they made headlines across the world and again set a template that many other artists found hard to emulate over the years in a bid to conquer Eurovision. Eurovision was becoming a beast that would need to be tamed.
