The Song of the Year (Russian: Песня года / Pesnya goda) song contest is a TV song festival in the former USSR, then Russia. First held in 1971. Since the first years of its existence the festival was given importance of the main musical event of the year (pop, also rock music), which the festival retained until now, as evidenced by television ratings.
During the year, a number of "promotional issues" (until 2005) was held, and in December the final television concert (the final) was shot, which aired in early January next year (until 2004 - always on Channel One television in Russia). Attendance (including finals) is determined at the discretion of the organizers, declaring the main selection criterion popularity of a song (or member) within a year.