Top 10 Eurovision Songs

When music from different countries comes together, it is an explosion of art and passion. 

For an incredible 65 years, the famous Eurovision Song Contest has been taking place, making it the longest-running televised music competition in Europe.

stay up to date and join our mailing list

Over the years, we have heard many wonderful (and many not-so-awesome) songs that shaped our lives through vibrant rhythms, enchanting lyrics and memorable performances.

To celebrate 65 years of the Eurovision Song Contest, we summarized a list of the 10 top Eurovision songs that manifested our love for wonderful pop music. 

Domenico Modugno – Nel Blu Dipinto Di Blu (Italy, 1958)

Italy has always been celebrated for its beautiful instrumental and vocal classical music from early years on. Domenico Modugno, an Italian singer and actor from Apulia, represented his melodic song “Nel Blu Dipinto Di Blu” at the Eurovision Song Contest in 1958 and quickly found fans all around the globe. Although he just came 3rd place in the contest, he created a hit that today is a well-known melody in every house to which even the youngest hum along. Many also might know the song under the name “Volare“, which was also covered by artists such as Dean Martin, Louis Armstrong, and David Bowie.

ABBA – Waterloo (Sweden,1974)

Jumping from one legend to the other, it is no question that we mention the band that is probably the most famous contest winner of all time: ABBA. 

Known for hits such as “Mamma Mia“, “Dancing Queen“, and “Voulez-Vous“, the crew of ABBA represented their home country Sweden in the Eurovision Song Contest in 1974. The song “Waterloo” is a composition about a love relationship that draws an analogy to Napoleon’s feisty battle at Waterloo and his surrender. With its rhythmic sounds and funky pop elements, the song won the band 1st place in the contest and laid the path to a lifelong story of success.

Lordi – Hard Rock Hallelujah (Finland, 2006)

The winner of the Eurovision Song Contest in 2006 is undoubtedly one of a kind. Electronic, heavy metal and hard rock is something that hadn’t been seen at the competition until the Finnish band Lordi set foot on the international stage. “Hard Rock Halleluja” is a mix of metallic tunes, screaming vocals and energetic hard rock that, in combination with the band’s monstrous costumes, generated an unforgettable performance of true underworld sensation. 

Alexander Rybak – Fairytale (Norway, 2009)

Folk, pop and violin melodies were the things that shaped the Eurovision Song Contest in 2009. Alexander Rybak, a singer and violinist from Norway, broke records on the final day when he performed his folklore-like song “Fairytale“. With a score of 387 points, he was the artist with the most received votes in the contest at this time. His song addresses a long-gone relationship that leaves the lover dreaming about the connection as if it was a fairytale. Shortly after the competition, the song even made it to the top 10 UK and found many fans across Europe that were fascinated by the beautiful Norwegian hymn.

Lena – Satellite (Germany, 2010)

In 2010 the 19-year-old Lena from Germany made her debut with the song “Satellite” and achieved 1st place in the Eurovision Song Contest. The pop song quickly became a sing-along classic all over the world and settled on 1st place in the charts in Germany, Finland, Norway and Denmark for a while. Producers and critics define the song as bubbly, sweet and very simple, with funny lyrics that consist of just three chords. And maybe that’s exactly what people were looking for – a hit of great composition and dance-along lyrics – simply a great mood booster. 

Loreen – Euphoria (Sweden, 2012)

The Swedish know how to make great music, and that means there is no question that our next Top 10 Eurovision song is no other than Laureen’s “Euphoria”. 

The hymn did not only took the votes by storm but also claimed itself a spot in the international charts. This dance-pop song is one of the most streamed and downloaded ESC songs of all time and convinces fans with solid bass rhythms and trance-like features. The piece brings back the famous style of music from the 1980s – also known as Eurodance – and through its individuality adds something to the competition that hasn’t been seen before.

The Common Linnets – Calm after the storm (Netherlands, 2014)

Leaving pop music behind, we come to a song known for its country folk contributions to the world of Eurovision. The Common Linnets are a band from the Netherlands and participated in the song contest of 2014, 

The country ballad “Calm after the storm” became 2nd place but quickly evolved to one of the most listened to songs in Europe that year. It is a folk themed hit that gives listeners nostalgic feelings about long-gone memories. So no wonder that this song is so famous for its melodic composition and therefore earns a spot on our list of the Top 10 Eurovision Songs.

Sound of Silence – Dami Im (Australia, 2016)

People might ask themselves now: “Why does Australia participate in a European Contest?”.

As the competition is hosted by the European Broadcasting Union, of which Australia is part, it allowed us to participate in the contest and get close to a win in 2016. Dami Im represented our country with her pop song “Sound of Silence”, a ballad that speaks about the love of a distant relationship. It was the moment of glory for a whole nation when Dami Im scored 2nd place, making her music a hymn across the country.

Even though the song didn’t make it 1st place in the content, it became 5th in the Australian charts and stayed there for 11 weeks.  Don’t confuse this song with Sound of Silence, redone by Disturned.

Occidentali’s Karma – Francesco Gabbani (Italy, 2017) 

Many people may have vague memories of a dancing gorilla when hearing this Italian pop song. Maybe it was one of the reasons why the 34-year old singer and songwriter Francesco Gabbani delivered such an outstanding and unforgettable piece of music. The catchy song actually originates from philosophy, starting the work with “To be, or not to be”, Shakespeare’s famous words. Throughout the lyrics, listeners can find segments from Erich Fromm, Heraclitus and Karl Marx, making it a piece that is convincing on the outside with a catchy melody but on the inside with thoughtful messages for everyone who listens. “Occidentali’s Karma” became 6th in the contest, yet convinced and inspired music enthusiasts worldwide. 

Måneskin – Zitti E Buoni (Italy, 2021)

Måneskin is a name that seemingly cannot disappear from news and magazines in 2021. 

Featuring a professional show with their song “Zitti E Buoni“, the crew of Måneskin convinced the jury and listeners with their vibrant, untamed and distorted sound of music, later being crowned with 1st place in the contest. 

“Zitti E Buoni” is a semi rock n’ roll piece that approaches the topic of a person’s wish to be unique and not limited by society’s preferences. 

After their massive success at the Eurovision Song Contest 2021, the Italian band had their breakthrough worldwide and conquered the world of music basically overnight. It is the most streamed Eurovision Song in history. 

So what do you think of our list of Top 10 songs of Eurovision? Let us know in the comments below. And if you like our stuff consider joining our mailing list so you never miss a thing. Or help us out by becoming a Patron, we release articles early on our Patron page, plus more benefits too.

One last thing, don’t forget to like, love, share and follow!