Greatest Eurovision Winners Ever: Best of 1956-2019

Image source: Eurovisionary.com

Credits to be among the greatest Eurovision winners ever is not a thing anyone can get easily. However, there are contestants who succeeded in writing their names in the ESC long history. Let’s discover the best songs of the European main music competition for 63 years.

A quick guide through the ESC history

Nowadays, the number of countries fighting for leadership in ESC varies from 40 to 50 annually. The contest itself not only stood the test of time but became one of the world’s longest-running TV shows. Moreover, Eurovision is the most-watched non-sports event in the world with approximately 200 million viewers every year. By the way, the next contest is coming soon, so don’t miss the chance to choose your favorite!

Taking first place in such a big song contest is a challenge for both experienced and new artists. There were a lot of good winning songs for 63 years of the ESC, however, not all of them left their mark in music. We made our list of the greatest Eurovision winners ever and are eager to know if you agree with it.

Greatest Eurovision winners ever: most in the 20th century

The ESC explosion predictably fell upon the last century. It was the time of the greatest Eurovision winners ever who became world stars after getting the trophy. Here are the best 20th-century singers who won the European main song contest.

ABBA

Who else could open our top other than this Swedish pop group? ABBA was and still remains the symbol of Eurovision with their iconic “Waterloo” performance. Having won the ESC in 1974, the band influenced pop music and developed its own career significantly. There is no need in counting ABBA’s hit songs as everyone knows them and sings along.

Dana International

A 1998 Eurovision winner, Dana International is another face of the contest with her winning song “Diva”. Born as a male, Sharon Cohen took the name Dana and entered history as one of the first transgenders in European music. Moreover, Dana’s victory put Israel on new heights at the ESC and influenced further generations of winners like Conchita Wurst.

Teach-In

“Ding-a-Dong every hour…when you pick a flower… even when your lover is gone gone gone”. Who hasn’t been singing to this song in the mid-70s? Thanks to the ESC, Teach-In signed themselves as one of the greatest Eurovision winners ever. The song of this Dutch band is still played on the radio, so it is undoubtedly an immortal hit.

Eurovision gave the world such famous stars as Celine Dion, Brotherhood of Men, and Katrina and the Waves. However, let’s not get stuck in the past and move on to nowadays.

The 2000s and 2010s: most memorable winning songs

Bet on the first ESC winner of the new decade at 1xBet but first, check the list of recent winners. The 21st century brought Eurovision to new heights. More and more countries assigned themselves to the contest, including such winning countries as Ukraine, Azerbaijan, Australia. Italy made its comeback to Eurovision and extended Big 4 to Big 5. It was the times of Lena, Alexander Rybak, and Ruslana, however, they didn’t enter our top 3 of the greatest Eurovision winners ever. So, who is on the list?

Lordi

As the most extraordinary ESC winners ever, this Finnish metal band turned the 2006 contest upside down. When six musicians dressed like monsters entered the stage, it was clear that no chance was left for others to win. “Hard Rock Hallelujah” is definitely the most memorable Eurovision winner in the 2000s.

Loreen

A Swedish pop star, Loreen, won in 2012 and entered the list of the top ESC winners immediately. Her powerful dance & vocal performance still enters the top 5 in various polls concerning greatest Eurovision winners ever. Probably, she is the face of the contest in the 2010s but shares this title with our next pick.

Conchita Wurst

Yes, it’s Conchita Wurst who closes our top 3 of the best Eurovision winners so far. This pop icon probably won the 2014 show in advance. When Austria announced its next contestant, it was clear that Conchita won’t leave with empty hands. However, who can say that “Rise Like a Phoenix” didn’t deserve to win? This empowering hymn is definitely among the best ESC songs when it comes to lyrics, don’t you agree?

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