AMERICAN REACTS TO All Winners 🥇 of the Eurovision Song Contest (1956-2023)..

[@MikaIsDead]

The reason they started singing in mostly English is because in 1997, they switched from a judges panel to a telephone voting system. And English is the most common non-native/second language in Europe

[@bigkevreacts]

Thanks for the info.. I wondered why they switched.

[@lighthouse620]

i mean they abolished the language rule after 1999 it wasnt because of the televote that just happened at a similar time

[@MikaIsDead]

@lighthouse620 The rule change meant that they were no longer pressured to sing in their native language however, I believe contestants and song writers switched to using specifically English is because its spoken in many different countries across Europe and has the widest reach.

[@lighthouse620]

Yeah of course there was a switch because of the televote but other than a very brief period in the 70s nobody but ireland malta and UK was allowed to sing in english so that was obviously the primary reason behind it @@MikaIsDead

[@MikaIsDead]

@lighthouse620 I think you're missing my point. Yes, the rule change meant they were allowed to sing in any language but the reason non-english countries primarily choose to sing English and not another language is because its widely understood across Europe. Its not a coincidence that all the winning songs since 1992 except 4 (5 if you count Noctourne) have been in English.

[@AAngerJ]

You missed the biggest winner of all times: Norway 2009, Alexander Rybak.

[@Momo-rv6en]

Technically an artist can enter eurovision as many times as they want, but for most countries they first have to win their national selection show for eurovision. So it is not that easy to keep winning national selection shows. So the national selection shows take place mostly January until March, eurovision is in May. Eurovision consists of first two semi finals from which country have to qualify and then on saturday the big final with 26 countries, normally 36-41 countries enter eurovision each year. . For example Sweden (the video you have seen) has failed to qualify only once so far. Sweden, Italy and Ukraine are the countries with the best track record I believe.

[@bigkevreacts]

Wow. Didn't realize how massive it was. Thanks for breaking it down.

[@domenicmaselli]

Its basically the biggest non sporting annual tv program in the world and even bigger than the superbowl@@bigkevreacts

[@Asa...S]

When speaking of the best track record when it comes to qualifying, Italy shouldn't be mentioned though, since they're Big 5 (together with Germany, UK, Spain and France, the countries that pays the most money, so they automatically qualifies each year without having to compete in the semis). Top 10 when it comes to qualifying: 1. Ukraine 13/13 2. Sweden 13/14 3. Russia 11/12 4. Bosnia & Herzegovina 7/8 5. Azerbaijan 12/14 6. Turkey 6/7 6. Australia 6/7 8. Norway 13/16 8. Greece 13/16 10. Serbia 11/14 Video suggestion: "Qualification Rate of Every Country at Eurovision | UPDATED 2023 (Top 44)".

[@ronnopotter]

There are no rules for former artists to come back. Even if they already won. The examples are Johnny Logan from Ireland and Loreen from Sweden.

[@gg454lune]

And they're only the ones who won twice. Niamh Kavanagh, Gigliola Cinquetti, Dana International, Jean-Claude Pascal, Lys Assia and Isabelle Aubret all came back after they won, even if they didn't win a second time. Anne-Marie David even represented another country in 1979.

[@tommylundholm9146]

Norway 1995 always brings tear too my eyes

[@randomamericansescreaction1590]

1995 has lyrics, but only 1:30 into it IIRC. Love to see more US love for Eurovision :) 1998's Dana International was the first (and so far only) transgender winner. 2014's winner is a drag queen but out of costume identifies as male (and still fabulous)

[@bigkevreacts]

Thanks for the info 👍

[@Asa...S]

Previous winners who came back: Lys Assia 1956, 1957, 1958 Cory Brokken 1957, 1958 Jean Claude Pascal 1961, 1981 Isabel Aubert 1962, 1968 Gigliola Cinquetti 1964, 1974 Anne-Marie David 1973, 1979 Itzar Cohen 1978, 1985 Milk & Honey 1979, 1988 Johnny Logan 1980, 1987 Elizabeth Andreassen 1985, 1994, 1996 Hanne Krogh 1985, 1991 Carola 1991, 2005 Niamh Kavanagh 1993, 2010 Dana International 1998, 2011 Charlotte Perelli 1999, 2008 Alexander Rybak 2009, 2018 Lena 2010, 2011 Loreen 2012, 2023

[@bigkevreacts]

Thanks for the break down!

[@MegaDorkatron]

Fun fact....1986 winner Sandra Kim is 13 years old...she lied and said she was 15 lol

[@bigkevreacts]

I had no idea. That's wild..

[@stephanievantielen5615]

What do you mean she lied? As if Sandra wrote the lyrics....

[@MegaDorkatron]

@@stephanievantielen5615 She told the producers she was 15 while she was 13. Switzerland tryed to get her disqualified...they failed.

[@090giver090]

@@MegaDorkatron Also IIRC they make an age restriction of "16 and older" a hard rule after that.

[@MagdalenaBozyk]

There are several videos on rules of Eurovision and what it really is. It could be fun for you to react to them. I can explain a little bit, though. Eurovision is a song contest, not a singing contest. So it's not like American Idol or America's got talent or any other singing competitions you are aware of. The rules are: 1) Every competing country has to be part of Eurovision Broadcasting Union. They don't have to be from Europe per se. But they have to pay a fee to be part of that union. 2) Every member country can send 1 song to the competition. 3) The song has to be an original song. So the rules are that nobody can have sang that song until a certain amount of time before the Finale. So here is the biggest difference from what you know from the singing competitions - it's the song that is original, not the people that perform the song or write the song. Some of the artists that perform the songs are often major stars in their own countries, already. 4) Although it was the song to begin with, not the performance that was important, it's really now all about the performance too. Because - what really makes a song? It's the whole package, right? 5) The song gets 3 minutes stage time. No more. Although the song can be of any genre, it has to follow certain rules of construction, if it makes any sense to you. 6) Since it is a song contest, there has to be singing. That one "song without singing" from Norway, got away with it by adding some vocals. 7) Singing has to be done live. No playbacks allowed. Since few years back they allow the main performer to pre-record some slings of their own voice to add as a background choir. 8) There's rules on how many people can be on stage at one time. If you want more people than those on stage (you already filled it up with dancers, but you have a choir, too) they have to perform from behind the stage. 9) In the early years there was a live orchestra. First they were hidden below/in front of the stage. Now the music is mostly playback. There was a while that they allowed people with instruments on stage to pretend they were playing, but nowadays if they have an instrument on stage - it has to be played live. 10) There are no rules on how a country chooses their representing song and/or artist. Every country does their own thing. 11) Voting rules have been a controversy over the years. They tend to change. And each change makes someone mad. 12) Oh, I almost forgot. There are five countries, called "The Big Five" that contribute a lot of money to the Broadcasting union and the contest per se, so they and the winner from the previous year automatically qualify to the finals.

[@bigkevreacts]

Thanks for breaking it all down 😀

[@MagdalenaBozyk]

@@bigkevreacts You're welcome! Here you have some videos you can react to (and learn more about Eurovision): kzbin.info/www/bejne/iWW1iYyVZ7ehmKc kzbin.info/www/bejne/i4m5fqlqrpV_sNU kzbin.info/www/bejne/oXrGm5duqdCXpcU

[@JakobFischer60]

I was born 1960 in Germany, and I remember all the songs beginning from 1965.

[@regenbogen_sim]

I learned a little Dutch in school between 2020 to Oktober 22 and I didn't learn too much but I appreciate the Dutch songs a lot more now.

[@mervinmannas7671]

Currently Sweden and Ireland have the most winning entries with 7 each. France, The Netherlands, Luxemburg and the United Kingdom each have 5 and Israel 4. Until the year 2000 the United kingdom was consistantly the most sucessful with its five wins and 15 second places. Since then our record has been dismal with only 3 top 5 finishes and a number of last places. The voting has changed a few times over the years but now it is split in two with 50% decided by a jury of music professionals in each country and 50% from a televote. This has been interesting as a couple of years the jury and public have had very different ideas. The Italian rock song was 4th after the jury vote but a high televote leapt it into the lead. The same happened the following year with the UK in a commanding lead after the televote but the whole of Europe got behind Ukraine in it solidarity and it gained the highest public vote to date with every country except 2 puting it in either 1st or 2nd place points wise. Even Sam Ryder the uK contestant said it was the right result. There was a lot of conspircey theory nonsense after Loreens win this year because the popular vote on the night was Finland. It does mean that Sweden will be hosting the contest on the 50th anniversary of their first win with ABBA in 1974.

[@bigkevreacts]

Thanks for breaking it all down. I love learning about Eurovision 😀

[@Gulamaja]

About the language thing, between 1973-1975 and since 1999 all countries can sing in what language they want

[@bigkevreacts]

Cool. Thanks for letting me know.

[@Asa...S]

Everyone could sing in whatever language they wanted in 1956-1965 too, there were no rule against it. But everyone sang in their native language though, until Sweden who sang "Absent Friend" in English in 1965, and then they banned it, forcing everyone to sing in their native languages.

[@Craigy2818]

Why did they block so many good songs? It's annoying how ESC and the music companies do that, when this gives them more exposure.

[@bigkevreacts]

I know.. It's super annoying after reacting to all of them. You'd think they'd want the extra exposure.

[@jeffreyscholte4737]

So much looking forward to november 16th.. here in Amsterdam, going to the big Eurovision party with a lot of artists; Bobbysocks(1985) Gali Atari(1979 with Milk and honey - Hallelujah), Johnny Logan, and many others!

[@johanlaferte85]

Dana International, Alexander Ryback, Lena, Carola and Charlotte Perelli are also previous winners who came back. But their song flopped.

[@bigkevreacts]

Thanks for sharing that.

[@josefinelagerstrom2643]

I wouldn't say Carola flopped. She placed 3rd, then 1st, and then 5th. It's not bad. 🤷🏻‍♀️

[@silviamunoz6863]

I love 2016 and 2017 songs! Why the video skipped from 2019 to 2023? Copyright issues? Mäneskin was so good!

[@bigkevreacts]

Yeah youtube blocked those years.

[@WienerVL]

Why is Udo Jürgens (1966 winner for my country Austria) cut out?

[@bigkevreacts]

Cause it got blocked so I had to trim it.

[@jordywoody14]

React to all the Eurovision runner ups and 3rd places next please

[@bigkevreacts]

I will get to them but I have a few other requests I need to finish before I do 😀

[@Asa...S]

And 4ths and 5ths and so on... So much Eurovision to react too, but there is no rush.

[@eniskano280]

Nice 🎉

[@chocobxl]

2014 was very brief.

[@hearmerawrnow]

You should talk more, react. You seem like a nice guy, show us that 🙂

[@ayejnoxx8089]

I don't want to say anything, but there were a lot of winners...some were left out.. where is Alexander Rybak who won in 2009. Where is Conchita Wurst the winner of 2014, the person who made this video blew it

[@bigkevreacts]

KZbin blocked some of the artists. So they had to be trimmed out of the video.. Nothing I could do about it.

[@ToveG-eg5zj]

you missed 2011 and 2012.2013 audio is of and you cut out moste of 2014 and 2015

[@bigkevreacts]

KZbin blocked a lot of songs so they had to be trimmed out.

[@liliaeth]

Was wondering why you skipped 2021 and 2022

[@bigkevreacts]

KZbin blocked them so I had to trim them out.

[@houssamlabiod]

Why did you skip 1966 ?

[@bigkevreacts]

Webcam glitched during this part and had to cut out the footage.

[@elisabethpedersen7893]

and 2009

[@simonh0250]

Is it just me or did he skip a bunch of songs?

[@bigkevreacts]

Certain songs get blocked by youtube so I had to trim them out.

[@MagdalenaBozyk]

@@bigkevreacts Strange, that never used to happen before.

[@Adrian-yj8rx]

@bigkevreacts Why have you cut out Austria 1966? Greetings from Austria! 🇦🇹

[@bigkevreacts]

If this is what i think it is my webcam glitched during that part and the footage was garbled so I had to cut out some stuff. I guess that section was one of them.