Finland in the Eurovision Song Contest

Finland has participated in the Eurovision Song Contest 49 times since its debut in 1961. Finland won the contest for the first time in 2006 with Lordi's "Hard Rock Hallelujah". Previously, its best showing was Marion Rung’s song "Tom Tom Tom" in 1973, which was placed 6th.

Finland has finished last in the contest final ten times, receiving "nul points" in 1963, 1965 and 1982. Since the introduction of the semi-finals in 2004, Finland has failed to reach the final five times. In 2014, the country had its best result for eight years when Softengine finished 11th. In 2015 Finland finished last in Semi Final One with the shortest ever Eurovision entry "Aina mun pitää" that only lasts 1 minute and 25 seconds by PKN (Pertti Kurikan Nimipäivät).

History

Before the 2006 victory, Finland was considered by many as the ultimate under-achiever of Eurovision. Prior to its triumph, it had placed last a total of eight times and even the notorious "nul points" once after the introduction of the current scoring method. Finland's entry in 1982, "Nuku pommiin" by Kojo, was one of only fifteen songs since the modern scoring system was instituted in 1975 to earn no points. (Norway had placed last ten times and scored zero points four times, but has also won twice before 2006).

During the 1990s and early 2000s, Finland was arguably one of the countries most affected by the various relegation schemes designed to limit the number of participants. Due to low results, Finland was excluded from the contest in 1995, 1997, 1999, 2001 and 2003. Before 2006, there even was a popular joke circulating in Finland, where a man frees a genie from a bottle:

Genie: Thanks for freeing me! I will now grant you one wish.

Man: Bring the Finnish Karelia back to Finland!

Genie: That's too big a wish, maybe a smaller one?

Man: OK, let Finland win the Eurovision Song Contest even once!

Genie: Hmm... let me see that map again...

First victory

In 2006, Finland finally gained victory, with an entry radically different from the mainstream Europop that dominates the competition: a hard rock song, played by a monster band in an over-the-top fashion. The band Lordi and its song Hard Rock Hallelujah broke records scoring the highest number of points in Eurovision Song Contest history (292) but its title was taken by Norway in 2009 (387).

Language

All of Finland's entries were in English between 1973 and 1976 and again since 2000 (except in 2008, 2010, 2012 and 2015); both of these periods allowed submissions in any language. Two entries, 1990 and 2012, were in Swedish, which is an official language in Finland alongside Finnish. All of Finland's other songs have been in Finnish.

Voting patterns

In voting patterns, Finland has traditionally supported and been supported by the other Nordic countries. In recent years also the Baltic nations, such as Estonia and Latvia have been favoured by Finland, and the other way around. In 2004, Finland's first-place vote went to Sweden; in 2005, it contributed 12 points to Norway; in 2006, it was Russia's turn to get the 12 points, but it was Serbia who got their top score in 2007. The first time in Eurovision history that Sweden gave Finland 12 points was in 2006 for Lordi's song "Hard Rock Hallelujah". In 2007, they repeated this, giving 12 points to Hanna Pakarinen with "Leave Me Alone". Finland has also given notably high points to Italy, a country that had not competed in various periods, especially from 1998 to 2010, but returned in 2011.

Contestants

As of the 2012 contest, there have been 47 Finnish entries in the contest: 33 in Finnish, 13 in English and 2 in Swedish.

Table key

NOTES:

a. ^ In 2009, Finland qualified through the back-up jury selection.

b. If a country had won the previous year, they did not have to compete in the semi-finals the following year. In addition from 2004-2007, the top ten countries who were not members of the big four did not have to compete in the semi-finals the following year. If, for example, Germany and France placed inside the top ten, the countries who placed 11th and 12th were advanced to the following year's grand final along with the rest of the top ten countries.

Voting history

As of 2015, Finland's voting history is as follows:

Most points given in the grand finals only Rank Country Points 1  Sweden 216 2  United Kingdom 141 3  Italy 140 4  Israel 134 5  Norway 125 Most points received in the grand finals only Rank Country Points 1  Sweden 120 2  Norway 115 3  Iceland 78 4  Ireland 74 5  United Kingdom 70

Most points given in the semis and finals Rank Country Points 1  Sweden 236 2  Norway 178 3  Israel 161 4   Switzerland 150 5  Estonia 143 Most points received in the semis and finals Rank Country Points 1  Norway 174 2  Sweden 160 3  Iceland 137 4  Estonia 120 5  Ireland 103

Hostings

Marcel Bezençon Awards

Press Award

Fan Award

Commentators and spokespersons

Photogallery

• 

  Viktor Klimenko at Naples (1965)

• 

  Hanna Pakarinen at Helsinki (2007)

• 

  Teräsbetoni at Belgrade (2008)

• 

  Krista Siegfrids at Malmö (2013)

• 

  Softengine at Copenhagen (2014)

See also

• Finland in the Eurovision Dance Contest
• Finland in the Eurovision Young Musicians

References

External links

• National Final 2009
• Points to and from Finland eurovisioncovers.co.uk

Finland in the Eurovision Song Contest   Participation 1961 1962 1963 1964 1965 1966 1967 1968 1969 1970 1971 1972 1973 1974 1975 1976 1977 1978 1979 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016   Artists 1960s Laila Kinnunen Marion Rung Laila Halme Lasse Mårtenson Viktor Klimenko Ann Christine Fredi Kristina Hautala Jarkko & Laura 1970s 1970 Markku Aro & Koivistolaiset Päivi Paunu & Kim Floor Marion Rung Carita Pihasoittajat Fredi & Ystävät Monica Aspelund Seija Simola Katri Helena 1980s Vesa-Matti Loiri Riki Sorsa Kojo Ami Aspelund Kirka Sonja Lumme Kari Kuivalainen Vicky Rosti & Boulevard Boulevard Anneli Saaristo 1990s Beat Kaija Kärkinen Pave Maijanen Katri Helena CatCat 1995 Jasmine 1997 Edea 1999 2000s Nina Åström 2001 Laura 2003 Jari Sillanpää Geir Rönning Lordi Hanna Pakarinen Teräsbetoni Waldo's People 2010s Kuunkuiskaajat Paradise Oskar Pernilla Karlsson Krista Siegfrids Softengine Pertti Kurikan Nimipäivät   Songs 1960s "Valoa ikkunassa" "Tipi-tii" "Muistojeni laulu" "Laiskotellen" "Aurinko laskee länteen" "Playboy" "Varjoon - suojaan" "Kun kello käy" "Kuin silloin ennen" 1970s 1970 "Tie uuteen päivään" "Muistathan" "Tom Tom Tom" "Keep Me Warm" "Old Man Fiddle" "Pump-Pump" "Lapponia" "Anna rakkaudelle tilaisuus" "Katson sineen taivaan" 1980s "Huilumies" "Reggae OK" "Nuku pommiin" "Fantasiaa" "Hengaillaan" "Eläköön elämä" "Never The End" "Sata salamaa" "Nauravat silmät muistetaan" "La dolce vita" 1990s "Fri?" "Yamma, yamma" "Tule luo" "Bye Bye Baby" 1995 "Niin kaunis on taivas" 1997 "Aava" 1999 2000s "A Little Bit" 2001 "Addicted To You" 2003 "Takes 2 To Tango" "Why?" "Hard Rock Hallelujah" "Leave Me Alone" "Missä miehet ratsastaa" "Lose Control" 2010s "Työlki ellää" "Da Da Dam" "När jag blundar" "Marry Me" "Something Better" "Aina mun pitää" (Note: Entries scored out are when Finland did not compete)