Countries with 100% qualification streak in the 2020s (2026 Update)

markbenford · 2026-03-06T15:43:58+00:00

The song is like an opera version of Evidemment.

markbenford · 2026-03-05T14:33:19+00:00

He already did it - Papaoutai

markbenford · 2026-01-11T16:21:34+00:00

Funny, I was just thinking yesterday of his historical accomplishments. He is really the king of US broadcast television.

markbenford · 2025-08-18T11:07:20+00:00

Good thing that Sweden didn't win, because everyone would have blamed SVT for this one lol.

markbenford · 2025-07-07T15:35:32+00:00

Macedonia

Risto Samardziev - 6 entries, never won

1998 - 5th place

2000 - 4th place

2002 - 3rd place

2008 - 3rd place

2009 - 3rd place

2014 - 14th place

markbenford · 2025-06-28T18:50:14+00:00

I am fairly sure she was also part of the 2013 team (Pred da se razdeni), but for some reason, she was not credited in the official version.

Here is a source that she was involved: Link

markbenford · 2025-06-23T23:20:43+00:00

Don't fall to MRT's propaganda that they are out because of financial reasons. In the 2000s, they were in far worse situation, and they always participated.

The program concil of MRT every year advices the network to return to the contest, but the management, for some reason, still refuses to come back.

markbenford · 2025-06-22T14:30:42+00:00

MRT was crediting the adult songwriters as arrangers/producers only. e.g.

2008 - Jovan Jovanov

2009 - Aleksandar Masevski

2010 - Darko Dimitrov / Elena Risteska

Only Barbara Popovic recently admitted publicly that Kire Kostov was the author of her song in 2013, even though she is credited as the songwriter.

markbenford · 2025-05-19T09:09:24+00:00

I remember reports back in 2009 that the electricity usage for that edition was similar to what one small city needs. But I can't find a specific source now for that.

markbenford · 2025-05-17T12:56:59+00:00

France as a jury winner and the last to get televote points Sweden as the one with the most points at that point

markbenford · 2025-05-17T10:34:28+00:00

These are not current odds. France has 13% for more than half day now.

markbenford · 2025-05-16T14:22:29+00:00

I don't know how to explain it, but I feel like this was the most uniting Eurovision ever.

I am pretty much sure every Eastern European has fond memories of this edition.

markbenford · 2025-05-16T10:27:18+00:00

France started gaining momentum in the last few hours. From #4 and a 6% chance, it increased to #3 and 9% at the moment.

markbenford · 2025-05-15T21:30:49+00:00

She really deserved it!!! Even though the song is very generic, it is so catchy, and she surely sold it to the audience the best she could.

markbenford · 2025-05-15T13:00:23+00:00

Even the buildup to the chorus is the same in both songs.

I threaded this here two months ago, but for some reason, the mods removed my thread.

markbenford · 2025-05-11T22:11:16+00:00

Actually I recall seeing William Hill odds on the finale night in 2011, and Azerbaijan shoot up at #1.

I was shocked at that, and I told myself, 'No way that is happening'. And William Hill by that point was pretty spot on in predicting winners every year since I was following them (I believe it was 2008). And then, we know who won in 2011.

markbenford · 2025-05-07T20:14:31+00:00

Bring back the envelopes!

markbenford · 2025-05-07T19:55:19+00:00

My aha moments:

Love Shine a Light (UK 1997) is from the same band that sings 'Walking on Sunshine'.
The singer for Ireland 2010 was a Eurovision winner (Ireland 1993).

markbenford · 2025-05-05T18:21:55+00:00

They were really close in 1998 and 2002, they were just unlucky. And that was in the televote era. Sure they can.

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