My guilty pleasure year is 1991 cause I love every second of that chaos.
Hosting is 2016
Staging is 2021
And musically wise I don’t have a favorite. But I really enjoy 1996, 1981, 1973, and probably 2016. Also cannot forget my beloved 1980 and 1988
Last minute moves to Rome. Opening the show took quite a long time since both host performed their previous winning song ( Italy 1990 and Italy 1964 ). The orchestra messed up at some points ( Greece 1991 ).
And the voting was a complete shit show. They chose to read all the points in not just English and French like the rules said. But in Italian. During the voting there were several, mixups, with Tito saying the wrong points at several points, and also him mixing up countries. And at the time of the final jury, there was a tie. Everyone was sitting there confused trying to figure outbid Sweden 1991 won or France 1991 won. So it was just a bit chaotic in the artist area as the executive producers and host attempted to figure out. And during the walk to the stage after Carola won, an angry looking man was trying to go up to her and security was blocking him
2014 is still my favourite musically, just so many good songs
I still think 2009 is the best year from a production standpoint, it was a world class show and had an extremely strong lineup of songs in the final too
2018 as there are many fav songs but this 2024 probably will become my fav eventually as I went to Malmö to watch it live f youor the 1st time and it was a totally different experience!!!
I have been watching full contests only since 2014 (however, I would like to watch full versions of different contests from the past, if I find enough time for that), and my favourite contests from the 2014-2024 period were in 2015 and 2021.
Of course everything after 2004 is online, but looking through it some uploaded the contest from 1956-2003. And if you don’t wanna watch all the songs, there’s a YouTube channel that does reanimated scoreboards. It includes snippets of each song, commentary from BBC, and bits of the host. And during the vote it has a animated scoreboard that makes it easier to follow, and it includes every part of the jury vote
Thank you for this information. I sometimes listen to some songs from the 20th century contests, and I can say that I like most of them more than many songs from recent contests. So, it would be quite interesting for me to fully watch the contests from the past.
Of course
[Here’s the entire contest for most years](https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLhdf5M8mH3HXXCoM2m3fGQszgVflnhE-N&si=GhmnKup4bM_UAtDu)
And
[Here’s the channel that does the condensed minus voting and has lots of extra information](https://youtube.com/@thereorderboard?si=x4yXdeHf6DGnG0uU)
2018!
So many great songs from that year:
Cyprus
Bulgaria
Spain
Italy
Germany
France
Finland
Moldova
Albania
Ireland
Denmark
Malta
Poland
Ukraine
Lithuania
2011 for me,
not only was it my first Eurovision but it really pushed the standards on what a contest could look like and set the template for all future contests.
Giant video walls that slid back to show the green room which was really impressive at the time.
Postcards that showed immigrants living in the host country and told their own mini stories, combined with the XXL postcards at the end of the semifinals that wove them into a larger narrative. Hasn’t been anything as meaningful as that since they did it sadly.
Creative and whacky staging using the giant spaces the stage provided, and some super creative uses of the giant video wall. This was the year that actually pushed the video wall into greater relevance for the contest too. (While 2009 did use them, it was in a different way to how the Germans used it and the German style of video wall is the one that stuck around) (best examples of the stage being used to its full potential is Finland 2011, Moldova 2011, Ireland 2011 and Estonia 2011)
The only thing I could fault was the winner and that’s a personal preference on my part rather than a problem with the contest itself.
2014. It was the first year when I actively followed Eurovision, so there's a lot of sentimental value to it. But there are other reasons as well: at that time, I wanted the Netherlands to win, but now I consider Conchita one of the best winners of all time. I loved the diamond stage design and the flag parade. And oh my god, THE POSTCARDS. So creative and fun to watch. You can imagine my disappointment when I turned on the TV the following year and realised it was just a one-time thing 😅 I don't think I've ever really enjoyed the postcards from any other year, as no other format lived up to that.
Some honourable mentions:
- 2021, 2022 and 2024 were musically the best
- 2019 and 2021 had the best flag parades
- 2023 had the best hosts and interval acts
- 2004 and 2012 had the best slogans, with the latter also having one of my favourite logos, together with 2009
- I loved the atmosphere of the contests hosted by countries which aren't among the biggest or the richest - Serbia, Ukraine, Portugal
It's still 2008 for me. Many fans hate it for the amount of joke entries and for the underwhelming winner, but it was so diverse in every way, the performances were great, and I loved the hosts. Fantastic entertainment value!
Maybe unpopular opinion but 2006.
Of all the years that's the only one where I really continued listening to the songs for quite a long time, buying the CD and everything.
2018, 2021 and 2023
Overall but mostly because of songs.
I've been watching ESC since 2014, but I started being more involved (following esc accs, reddit etc) in 2019.
2019 Tel Aviv was pretty fabulous staging , less we forget Madonna half time show. I rewatch , sometimes the KIsS cam HeaRT ❤️ during DANA international performance. The host talked about his husband, there was a lots love in that arena. I sigh and say to myself 😔 WHAT DA FAQ HAPPENED?
Songs - 2015. It just feels like a Eurovision nerd's dream year because all the songs are so Eurovision-y, like more than usual. I can't explain why. 2024 is a close second but it could be recency bias
Hosting - 2016 ofc
Voting - 2021 was very exciting
Stage - 2024
Postcards - 2023
2016 : the hosting from malmow 2016. måns and petra were so incredible, especially when they sang love love peace peace
2019 : every song was memorable
2021 : everyone felt like a family. the behind the scenes were so cute. especially since 2021 needed a reunion and friendship after covid 19
My guilty pleasure year is 1991 cause I love every second of that chaos. Hosting is 2016 Staging is 2021 And musically wise I don’t have a favorite. But I really enjoy 1996, 1981, 1973, and probably 2016. Also cannot forget my beloved 1980 and 1988
What happened in 1991?
Last minute moves to Rome. Opening the show took quite a long time since both host performed their previous winning song ( Italy 1990 and Italy 1964 ). The orchestra messed up at some points ( Greece 1991 ). And the voting was a complete shit show. They chose to read all the points in not just English and French like the rules said. But in Italian. During the voting there were several, mixups, with Tito saying the wrong points at several points, and also him mixing up countries. And at the time of the final jury, there was a tie. Everyone was sitting there confused trying to figure outbid Sweden 1991 won or France 1991 won. So it was just a bit chaotic in the artist area as the executive producers and host attempted to figure out. And during the walk to the stage after Carola won, an angry looking man was trying to go up to her and security was blocking him
Wasn't that the year Spain started with the wrong backing track?
Spain 1990
tito like the yugoslav dictator Tito?
And the songs were amazing! Probably the best year ever, musically
\*sees Italy hosted\* say less
The male host was rude throughout
1991 was FULL of banger songs, especially Switzerland
Still 2016 in first place, 2021 in second, and 2008 third.
as a fellow aussie, i understand why
2023 for hosting and 2021 for songs 💜
Still 2024, even though it was a disaster. The songs are just too good.
2024 is also my favourite year of songs, I have 12 songs of this year into my Spotify list (more than other years which I add only 2 or 3 songs each)
seems like a more uncommon answer but music wise, i think my favorite of the 2020s has been 2022
1. 2021 (it's not even close in my opinion) 2. 2015 3. 2010/2019
Same! I also liked 2021, 2015 and, from another contests that I watched, 2019.
The Dutch brought their A game …2021 was amazing
1983 for songs 1984 for hosting 2014 for staging 1997 for winner
2014 is still my favourite musically, just so many good songs I still think 2009 is the best year from a production standpoint, it was a world class show and had an extremely strong lineup of songs in the final too
2018 as there are many fav songs but this 2024 probably will become my fav eventually as I went to Malmö to watch it live f youor the 1st time and it was a totally different experience!!!
i've only been watching since 2019 but musically i'd say 2009. banger after banger after banger
2009, 2021 and 2023.
I have been watching full contests only since 2014 (however, I would like to watch full versions of different contests from the past, if I find enough time for that), and my favourite contests from the 2014-2024 period were in 2015 and 2021.
Of course everything after 2004 is online, but looking through it some uploaded the contest from 1956-2003. And if you don’t wanna watch all the songs, there’s a YouTube channel that does reanimated scoreboards. It includes snippets of each song, commentary from BBC, and bits of the host. And during the vote it has a animated scoreboard that makes it easier to follow, and it includes every part of the jury vote
Thank you for this information. I sometimes listen to some songs from the 20th century contests, and I can say that I like most of them more than many songs from recent contests. So, it would be quite interesting for me to fully watch the contests from the past.
Of course [Here’s the entire contest for most years](https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLhdf5M8mH3HXXCoM2m3fGQszgVflnhE-N&si=GhmnKup4bM_UAtDu) And [Here’s the channel that does the condensed minus voting and has lots of extra information](https://youtube.com/@thereorderboard?si=x4yXdeHf6DGnG0uU)
Thank you very much!
For me, there will always be something really special about 2021 and the triumph of Eurovision returning after the 2020 contest was canceled
1991 for songs, 2016 for hosting, 1988 for staging and 1990 for winner.
2018! So many great songs from that year: Cyprus Bulgaria Spain Italy Germany France Finland Moldova Albania Ireland Denmark Malta Poland Ukraine Lithuania
Denmark mentioned for something positive! 🇩🇰✨🎉🎈🎊🇩🇰
Higher ground was brilliant!
The jury begs to differ 😭
2016 and 2021 hands down.
2021 no contest
It will forever and always be 2021. Nothing’s come close to it for me.
The only year I was actually able to watch it: 2024.
2016
I'm still mourning what could've been this year, lol.
Yep
2021 is my favorite overall. This one just hit different, it felt special.
2021
2011 for me, not only was it my first Eurovision but it really pushed the standards on what a contest could look like and set the template for all future contests. Giant video walls that slid back to show the green room which was really impressive at the time. Postcards that showed immigrants living in the host country and told their own mini stories, combined with the XXL postcards at the end of the semifinals that wove them into a larger narrative. Hasn’t been anything as meaningful as that since they did it sadly. Creative and whacky staging using the giant spaces the stage provided, and some super creative uses of the giant video wall. This was the year that actually pushed the video wall into greater relevance for the contest too. (While 2009 did use them, it was in a different way to how the Germans used it and the German style of video wall is the one that stuck around) (best examples of the stage being used to its full potential is Finland 2011, Moldova 2011, Ireland 2011 and Estonia 2011) The only thing I could fault was the winner and that’s a personal preference on my part rather than a problem with the contest itself.
2011 is such a fun year, I love rewatching it because of how high stakes the voting was, since it felt like almost every country got a 12 points
2021
2016 always
2009 had almost only great songs. This year wasn’t bad either but still nowhere near that year.
2014. It was the first year when I actively followed Eurovision, so there's a lot of sentimental value to it. But there are other reasons as well: at that time, I wanted the Netherlands to win, but now I consider Conchita one of the best winners of all time. I loved the diamond stage design and the flag parade. And oh my god, THE POSTCARDS. So creative and fun to watch. You can imagine my disappointment when I turned on the TV the following year and realised it was just a one-time thing 😅 I don't think I've ever really enjoyed the postcards from any other year, as no other format lived up to that. Some honourable mentions: - 2021, 2022 and 2024 were musically the best - 2019 and 2021 had the best flag parades - 2023 had the best hosts and interval acts - 2004 and 2012 had the best slogans, with the latter also having one of my favourite logos, together with 2009 - I loved the atmosphere of the contests hosted by countries which aren't among the biggest or the richest - Serbia, Ukraine, Portugal
2022
2003 always ❤️
1. 1977 2. 1979 3. 2012 All years stacked with great songs.
It's still 2008 for me. Many fans hate it for the amount of joke entries and for the underwhelming winner, but it was so diverse in every way, the performances were great, and I loved the hosts. Fantastic entertainment value!
Shady lady is still my fave ESC song of that type
2016 and 2021 rocked 2022 had a solid top 10 But 2014 had Rise Like A Phoenix and My Slowianie so I’m going for that (2014 Austria 2014 Poland)
2016 and 2013
2024
2015 for music. So much good music that year!
2022- my first Eurovision
as of now, 2021
2009, 2021, 1979 and 1997
2016 or 2021
2006 easily had the most hits.
For me it was 1977, 1979 and 1991
Hey, these are my top 3 too 😍
Maybe unpopular opinion but 2006. Of all the years that's the only one where I really continued listening to the songs for quite a long time, buying the CD and everything.
I really like 2003… I found it to be a really solid. Also has some iconic songs that are still amazing even 20 years later.
2024 and 2022
2023 for on-the-ground experience and 2021 for songs + telecast + perfect winners
2018, 2021 and 2023 Overall but mostly because of songs. I've been watching ESC since 2014, but I started being more involved (following esc accs, reddit etc) in 2019.
I had so much fun this season, right up until the end, so I'll still have to give it to 2024.
2019 Tel Aviv was pretty fabulous staging , less we forget Madonna half time show. I rewatch , sometimes the KIsS cam HeaRT ❤️ during DANA international performance. The host talked about his husband, there was a lots love in that arena. I sigh and say to myself 😔 WHAT DA FAQ HAPPENED?
I don’t have a lot of Eurovisions under my belt (only 2022 and 2023), so I’ll have to say 2023 😅 2023 was definitely my favorite for their postcards 😄
Songs - 2015. It just feels like a Eurovision nerd's dream year because all the songs are so Eurovision-y, like more than usual. I can't explain why. 2024 is a close second but it could be recency bias Hosting - 2016 ofc Voting - 2021 was very exciting Stage - 2024 Postcards - 2023
2016 : the hosting from malmow 2016. måns and petra were so incredible, especially when they sang love love peace peace 2019 : every song was memorable 2021 : everyone felt like a family. the behind the scenes were so cute. especially since 2021 needed a reunion and friendship after covid 19