The Eurovision Song Contest and the Nordic Bloc

In the first 35 years the contest took place in a Europe divided by the Cold War. It was only after the Cold War ended, that countries in Eastern Europe and the former Soviet Union could participate. Between 1993 and 2008, 23 countries from previously communist Europe entered the contest, including nine republics from the former Soviet Union. Paul Jordan argued in his article "From Ruslana to Gaetana. Performing 'Ukraineness' in the Eurovision Song Contest" that the competition provided one of the first international platforms for these countries to represent their cultural identities after the Soviet Union's break-up, making the ESC an important platform for cultural diplomacy.

Throughout the years, 52 different countries, including Australia, Georgia, and Azerbaijan, have participated in the contest. The contest has been broadcast in various countries, including Brazil, Canada, Chile, China, New Zealand, Uganda, and the USA, attracting between 150 and 200 million viewers annually.

In his book about post-1945 Europe, British historian Tony Judt characterized the ESC as a competition featuring "B-league crooners and unknowns from across the continent performing generic and forgettable material". He described the event as "so stunningly banal in conception and execution that it defies parody". Despite this, Eurovision showcases a diverse array of musical genres, from pop and schlager to ballads, disco, rock, dance, hip-hop, techno, country, folk, and opera. It has also launched the international careers of several renowned bands and artists.

However, Eurovision is distinct from other song contests. It's a large-scale, extravagant, over-the-top media event known for its wild performances, creative choreographies, and unforgettable stage shows. Success in Eurovision relies not just on vocal talent or lyrical prowess, but also on the capacity to surprise. Memorable performances include Finnish Lordi's Hard Rock Hallelujah from 2006, Ukrainian Verka Serduchka's Dancing Lasha Tumbai from 2007, and Australian Kate Miller-Heidke's Zero Gravity from 2019.

Over the years, several performances have also had political content and messages. In an article on voting bias in the Eurovision, “Douze points: Eurovisions and Eurodivisions in the Eurovision Song Contest”, Gad Yair has argued that the contest is a seismograph for exposing national trauma, historical conflicts, and general grudges that countries hold against each other. Over the years, several songs and performances have recalled European conflicts and brought them to life for TV audiences. In 2015, for example, Armenia entered with a song commemorating the centenary of the Armenian genocide where an estimated 1 million Armenians were killed by Ottoman military forces. The song was entitled Don’t Deny and soon became an object of much controversy. There are states that do deny the genocide, including Turkey and Azerbaijan. Azerbaijan requested that Armenia should withdraw the song. The EBU instead required that Armenia change the title, which they did. The song was entered under the title Face the Shadow, which did not mention denial but still implied that the event was not recognized.

In 2016, Ukraine entered a song, 1944, commemorating Stalin’s deportation of Crimean Tatars during the Second World War. Russia, which had annexed Crimea from Ukraine in 2014, complained to the EBU and accused Ukraine of politicizing the contest with references to the current conflict between the two countries. The EBU ruled that the song commemorated a historical event which was not against the contest’s rules, and the Ukrainian singer Jamala was therefore able to perform the song - and win. Countries presenting songs and performances with apparent political content are often asked to change the lyrics or else be excluded. The Georgian band Stephanie and 3G were excluded from the 2009 Eurovision in Moscow for a song that was believed to insult Russia’s president, Vladimir Putin. The Belarusian band Galasy ZMesta was excluded in 2021 for a song that was seen as a threat towards the democratic opposition in Belarus. In 2007, the Israeli band Teapack was asked to change the lyrics to their song Push the Button which was interpreted as a slander of the Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. They made a few changes and went on to perform the song in Helsinki.

The Nordic countries have done quite well in the ESC. Together, they have had 14 victories: seven for Sweden, three each for both Norway and Denmark, and one for Finland. With eight victories over the past 25 years, the Nordic region is the most successful region in recent times; they have won a third of the contests between 1999 and 2023.