Finland in the Eurovision Song Contest

For Finland's upcoming participation, see Finland in the Eurovision Song Contest 2016.
Finland

Finland

Member station Yle
National selection events
Appearances
Appearances 49 (44 finals)
First appearance 1961
Best result 1st: 2006
Worst result Last: 1963, 1965, 1968, 1980, 1982, 1990, 1992, 1996, 2009, 2015 SF
Nul points: 1963, 1965, 1982
External links
YLE page
Finland's page at Eurovision.tv

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
  Winner
  Second place
  Third place
  Last place
Year Artist Language Title Final Points Semi Points
1961 Laila Kinnunen Finnish "Valoa ikkunassa" 10 6 No semi-finals
1962 Marion Rung Finnish "Tipi-tii" 7 4
1963 Laila Halme Finnish "Muistojeni laulu" 13 0
1964 Lasse Mårtenson Finnish "Laiskotellen" 7 9
1965 Viktor Klimenko Finnish "Aurinko laskee länteen" 15 0
1966 Ann Christine Finnish "Playboy" 10 7
1967 Fredi Finnish "Varjoon - suojaan" 12 3
1968 Kristina Hautala Finnish "Kun kello käy" 16 1
1969 Jarkko & Laura Finnish "Kuin silloin ennen" 12 6
1970 Did not participate
1971 Markku Aro & Koivistolaiset Finnish "Tie uuteen päivään" 8 84
1972 Päivi Paunu & Kim Floor Finnish "Muistathan" 12 78
1973 Marion Rung English "Tom Tom Tom" 6 93
1974 Carita English "Keep Me Warm" 13 4
1975 Pihasoittajat English "Old Man Fiddle" 7 74
1976 Fredi & Ystävät English "Pump-Pump" 11 44
1977 Monica Aspelund Finnish "Lapponia" 10 50
1978 Seija Simola Finnish "Anna rakkaudelle tilaisuus" 18 2
1979 Katri Helena Finnish "Katson sineen taivaan" 14 38
1980 Vesa-Matti Loiri Finnish "Huilumies" 19 6
1981 Riki Sorsa Finnish "Reggae OK" 16 27
1982 Kojo Finnish "Nuku pommiin" 18 0
1983 Ami Aspelund Finnish "Fantasiaa" 11 41
1984 Kirka Finnish "Hengaillaan" 9 46
1985 Sonja Lumme Finnish "Eläköön elämä" 9 58
1986 Kari Kuivalainen Finnish "Never The End" 15 22
1987 Vicky Rosti & Boulevard Finnish "Sata salamaa" 15 32
1988 Boulevard Finnish "Nauravat silmät muistetaan" 20 3
1989 Anneli Saaristo Finnish "La dolce vita" 7 76
1990 Beat Swedish "Fri?" 21 8
1991 Kaija Kärkinen Finnish "Hullu yö" 20 6
1992 Pave Maijanen Finnish "Yamma, yamma" 23 4
1993 Katri Helena Finnish "Tule luo" 17 20 Kvalifikacija za Millstreet
1994 CatCat Finnish, English "Bye Bye Baby" 22 11 No semi-finals
1995 Did not participate
1996 Jasmine Finnish "Niin kaunis on taivas" 23 9 22 38
1997 Did not participate No semi-finals
1998 Edea Finnish "Aava" 15 22
1999 Did not participate
2000 Nina Åström English "A Little Bit" 18 18
2001 Did not participate
2002 Laura English "Addicted To You" 20 24
2003 Did not participate
2004 Jari Sillanpää English "Takes 2 To Tango" Failed to qualify 14 51
2005 Geir Rönning English "Why?" 18 50
2006 Lordi English "Hard Rock Hallelujah" 1 292 1 292
2007 Hanna Pakarinen English "Leave Me Alone" 17 53 Host country
2008 Teräsbetoni Finnish "Missä miehet ratsastaa" 22 35 8 79
2009 Waldo's People English "Lose Control" 25 22 12a 42
2010 Kuunkuiskaajat Finnish "Työlki ellää" Failed to qualify 11 49
2011 Paradise Oskar English "Da Da Dam" 21 57 3 103
2012 Pernilla Karlsson Swedish "När jag blundar" Failed to qualify 12 41
2013 Krista Siegfrids English "Marry Me" 24 13 9 66
2014 Softengine English "Something Better" 11 72 3 97
2015 Pertti Kurikan Nimipäivät Finnish "Aina mun pitää" Failed to qualify 16 13
2016 Sandhja English "Sing It Away"
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

Year Location Venue Presenters
2007 Helsinki Hartwall Areena Jaana Pelkonen and Mikko Leppilampi

Marcel Bezençon Awards

Press Award

Year Song Performer Final Result Points Host city
2006 "Hard Rock Hallelujah" Lordi 1st 292 Athens
2011 "Da Da Dam" Paradise Oskar 21st 57 Düsseldorf

Fan Award

Year Performer Song Final
Result
Points Host city
2002 Laura Voutilainen "Addicted to You" 20th 24 Tallinn

Commentators and spokespersons

Year(s) Finnish Commentator Dual Finnish Commentator Trio Finnish Commentator Spokesperson Swedish Commentator Dual Swedish Commentator
1960 Aarno Walli No Dual Commentator No Trio Commentator Did Not Participate No broadcast No broadcast
1961 Poppe Berg
1962
1963
1964
1965
1966
1967
1968
1969 Aarre Elo
1970 No Broadcast Did not participate
1971 Heikki Seppälä No Spokesperson
1972
1973 Erkki Pohjanheimo
1974 Matti Paalosmaa Aarre Elo
1975 Heikki Seppälä Kaarina Pönniö
1976 Vesa Nuotio Erkki Vihtonen
1977 Erkki Toivanen Kaarina Pönniö
1978
1979 Anja-Maija Leppänen
1980 Heikki Harma Aarre Elo
1981 Ossi Runne No Dual Commentator Annemi Genetz
1982 Erkki Toivanen Solveig Herlin
1983 Erkki Pohjanheimo
1984 Heikki Seppälä
1985 Heikki Harma Kari Lumikero Annemi Genetz
1986 Solveig Herlin
1987 Erkki Toivanen No Dual Commentator
1988 Erkki Pohjanheimo
1989 Heikki Harma
1990 Erkki Pohjanheimo Ossi Runne
1991 N/A Heidi Kokki
1992 Kati Bergman Solveig Herlin
1993 Kirsi-Maria Niemi
1994
1995 Olli Ahvenlahti Did not participate
1996 Sanna Kojo Solveig Herlin
1997 Aki Sirkesalo Olli Ahvenlahti Did not participate
1998 Maria Guzenina Sami Aaltonen Marjo Wilska
1999 Jani Juntunen No Dual Commentator Did not participate
2000 Pia Mäkinen
2001 Asko Murtomäki Did not participate
2002 Maria Guzenina Marion Rung
2003 Did not participate
2004 Markus Kajo Anna Stenlund
2005 Jaana Pelkonen Heikki Paasonen Jari Sillanpää
2006 Nina Tapio Thomas Lundin No Dual Commentator
2007 Ellen Jokikunnas Laura Voutilainen
2008 Jaana Pelkonen Mikko Peltola Mikko Leppilampi
2009 Jari Sillanpää Tobias Larsson
2010 No Trio Commentator Johanna Pirttilahti
2011 Tarja Närhi Susan Aho Eva Frantz Johan Lindroos
2012 Tobias Larsson Mr. Lordi
2013 Aino Töllinen Juuso Mäkilähde Kristiina Wheeler
2014 Sanna Pirkkalainen Jorma Hietamäki Redrama
2015 Aino Töllinen Cristal Snow Krista Siegfrids
2016 Mikko Silvennoinen No Dual Commentator Jussi-Pekka Rantanen

Photogallery

See also

References

    External links

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