Pick a Day

Music History Events: Eurovision

May 20, 2006 The Finnish band Lordi win the Eurovision Song Contest - the first heavy metal band ever to do so.More

April 6, 1974 ABBA become European stars overnight when their composition "Waterloo" wins the annual Eurovision Song Contest.More

February 10, 1968 Paul Mauriat's orchestral version of "Love Is Blue" hits #1 in America. An international hit recorded in several languages, the song finished fourth in the Eurovision Song Contest in 1967 with a version performed by Vicky Leandros.

May 13, 2017 Portugal wins the Eurovision Song Contest for the first time when Salvador Sobral triumphs with the ballad "Amar Pelos Dois."

May 10, 2016 Justin Timberlake performs his new single "Can't Stop the Feeling" in the interval of the Eurovision Song Contest as the show is broadcast in America for the first time. His appearance in Stockholm, Sweden, leads to speculation that the USA will be invited to enter the song competition, following the successful addition of Australia to the line-up in 2015.

May 23, 2015 Australia makes its inaugural entry in the Eurovision Song Contest, which is held in Vienna, Austria. The country is represented by singer and songwriter Guy Sebastian. Their invitation to compete follows a successful guest appearance from Jessica Mauboy in 2014. Sebastian finishes fifth, with the win going to Sweden's Måns Zelmerlöw.

September 16, 2006 After their triumph with "Hard Rock Hallelujah" at Eurovision, Finland's leading monster Rock band Lordi record a live concert DVD Bringing Back The Balls To Stockholm in neighboring Sweden. Naturally, the band perform in (and are cheered in) English.

May 3, 1997 Katrina & the Waves, whose last big hit was "Walking On Sunshine" in 1985, win the Eurovision Song Contest for the United Kingdom with "Love Shine A Light." Lead singer Katrina Leskanich is American, but guitarist Kimberley Rew and drummer Alex Cooper are British.

April 30, 1994 Ireland wins the Eurovision Song Contest for the third time in a row. Paul Harrington and Charlie McGettigan's performance of "Rock 'N' Roll Kids" at the Point Theatre in Dublin wows the international voting panels and gives the country a record sixth win. The show's interval features the first ever performance of Michael Flatley's Riverdance, which goes on to massive global success.

April 30, 1988 An unknown Canadian singer named Celine Dion wins the Eurovision Song Contest for Switzerland. Her song "Ne partez pas sans moi" beats the United Kingdom's entry by a single point. The success encourages her to learn English, and two years later her fifteenth studio album, Unison (1990), reaches #4 in the US chart. She goes on to become one of the most successful singers in the world - her biggest hit, 1997's "My Heart Will Go On", selling over 15 million copies.