The Eurovision Music Contest is popping 70, with a few political clouds hanging over its glitter-drenched occasion.
The annual musical extravaganza that has been likened to a pop music Olympics takes place in Vienna, Austria, Might 12-16. It will see singers and bands from 35 nations compete onstage for the continent’s musical crown — however with some high-profile absentees who’re boycotting to protest Israel’s participation.
Right here’s a information to all issues Eurovision: What it is, who to look ahead to and the way to participate.
A contest to unite a continent
Eurovision is a world pop music competitors based in 1956 to check new live-broadcasting know-how and foster unity after the trauma of World Warfare II. From an preliminary seven contestants, it grew to incorporate dozens of countries from throughout Europe, in addition to farther-flung Israel and Australia.
The contest is a campy but heartfelt celebration of variety, nationwide satisfaction and the joyous energy of pop with a world fanbase. Organizers say final yr’s competitors was watched by 166 million individuals round the world, and followers from 75 nations have purchased tickets for the reside reveals in Vienna.
The contest has displayed moments of supreme silliness — profitable songs “La, La, La” and “Growth Bang-a-Bang,” anybody? — as properly as items of pop perfection like ABBA ’s 1974 winner “Waterloo.”
Different memorable winners embrace Canadian chanteuse Celine Dion — who competed for Switzerland in 1988 — Austrian drag diva Conchita Wurst in 2014, Italian rock band Måneskin in 2021 and Ukrainian folk-rap group Kalush Orchestra in 2022.
United by music, divided by politics
Eurovision’s motto is “United by Music,” however it has repeatedly been embroiled in world occasions. Russia was expelled in 2022 after its full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
The 2024 contest in Malmo, Sweden, and final yr’s occasion in Basel, Switzerland, noticed pro-Palestinian protests that known as for Israel to be expelled over its conduct of its conflict towards Hamas in Gaza and allegations it tried to manipulate voting in favor of its contestant.
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Tensions got here to a head in December when 5 nations — Iceland, Eire, the Netherlands, Slovenia and Spain — pulled out of the competition after organizers determined to permit Israel to compete.
Bulgaria, Moldova and Romania have returned after skipping the occasion for creative or monetary causes in recent times, that means 35 nations will compete in Vienna, down from 37 in 2025. A number of pro-Palestinian protests are deliberate throughout Eurovision week.
Finnish favorites and a Boy George cameo
Eurovision historian Dean Vuletic mentioned “Eurovision is Europe’s largest election,” with winners determined by a mixture of nationwide juries and viewers’ votes.
Finland is the oddsmakers’ favourite with “Liekinheitin” (“Flamethrower”), a high-intensity mashup that includes violinist Linda Lampenius and pop singer Pete Parkkonen.
Additionally extremely rated are 17-year-old French singer Monroe with pop-operatic love ballad “Regarde!” and Denmark’s Søren Torpegaard Lund with the sultry “Før Vi Går Hjem” (“Earlier than We Go House”).
Australia, a eager Eurovision participant regardless of being 1000’s of miles from Europe, has despatched established star Delta Goodrem with “Eclipse,” a slick midtempo ballad. Greece’s Akylas is changing into a fan favourite with party-rap monitor “Ferto” (“Carry It”).
Vuletic additionally tipped Cyprus’ entry, the folk-influenced dance-pop tune “Jalla” by Antigoni. It’s already a hit on YouTube and “might be the up-tempo feelgood tune that folks vote for,” he mentioned.
Israel, which has received Eurovision 4 instances and got here second in 2025, has despatched crooner Noam Bettan with the ballad “Michelle.” Singer Senhit, representing tiny San Marino, has enlisted Eighties icon Boy George to make a visitor look on occasion anthem “Famous person.”
Paul Jordan, an professional identified as Dr. Eurovision, mentioned the contest has moved past its fame for “sugary pop.” This yr’s entries vary from classically influenced “popera” to electro-pop, energy ballads and folk-influenced songs.
“There’s not a lot of tacky pop numbers,” Jordan mentioned. “There’s such variety that I don’t assume there may be such a factor as a ‘Eurovision sound’ anymore.”
The way it works and the right way to vote
Historically the competitors is hosted by the earlier yr’s winner, and final yr’s victor was Austrian singer JJ with pop-opera tune “Wasted Love.” The 2026 contest is being held at the Wiener Stadthalle in Vienna, the third time Austria’s capital has hosted Eurovision.
The competitors shall be aired by nationwide broadcasters in collaborating nations, on streaming service Peacock in the United States and on the Eurovision YouTube channel in some nations.
Collaborating nations every enter a singer or band with an unique tune that may be not more than three minutes lengthy and is carried out reside, usually with spectacular staging.
Two semifinals, on Might 12 and 14, will winnow the subject of opponents down to 25 who will compete in the grand ultimate on Might 16, hosted by Austrian singer/crystal heiress Victoria Swarovski and actor Michael Ostrowski.
Viewers in collaborating nations can vote throughout the reside ultimate by cellphone or textual content message, however aren’t allowed to vote for their very own nation’s act. Viewers in the U.S. and different nonparticipating nations can vote on-line at www.esc.vote.
Every nation’s public vote is translated into factors, on a scale of 1 to 12, for the highest-ranked acts.
The European Broadcasting Union, which runs Eurovision, has toughened voting guidelines in response to vote-rigging allegations, halving the variety of votes per cost to 10 and tightening safeguards towards “suspicious or coordinated voting exercise.”
After a voting interval, every nation in flip publicizes its jury and public voting outcomes, with the factors tallied on-screen till a winner emerges. The fast-changing rankings and suspense about whether or not any nation will get the dreaded “nul (zero) factors” are all a part of the pleasure.
Questions dangle over Eurovision’s future
The withdrawal of nations together with seven-time winner Eire and Spain — one in every of the “large 5” nations that pay the most to the contest — is a main blow at a time when many public broadcasters face funding pressures and social media has lured away some eyeballs.
Eurovision is trying to the future, and to different continents, with the first Eurovision Music Contest Asia due to happen in Bangkok in November.
Jordan mentioned that, at 70, Eurovision is “a part of our European tradition” and may climate the newest storm.
“It nonetheless will get individuals speaking. It nonetheless brings us all collectively. It nonetheless will get enormous viewing figures, it’s nonetheless creating hits,” he mentioned. “At a time when broadcasting is altering, individuals nonetheless make a date with their tv set on that Saturday night time.”