As usual, this year's competition has its normal collection of cheesy songs - "Europop" - in languages you can't understand.
Even the UK which - along with Republic of Ireland - has a world-beating popular music scene (they're also the two most successful countries in Eurovision) usually avoids cheesy Europop but is, unfortunately, represented this year by pop group SCOOCH (two men and two women) dressed up as air stewards and air hostesses and singing the song "Flying The Flag (For You)."
Lordi won last year's contest for Finland
Last year's winner was Finland - represented by rockers Lordi who dress up in monster masks - so tonight's competition is held in Helsinki.
Prime Minister Tony Blair with cheesy poppers Scooch, who are singing for the UK tonight in the nnual Eurovision Song Contest
THIS YEAR'S CONTENDERS
- Flying The Flag
- Artist: Scooch (Natalie Powers, Caroline Barnes, David Ducasse, Russ Spencer)
- Hear My Plea
- Artist: Frederick Ndoci
- Salvem El Món
- Artist: Anonymous
- Anytime You Need
- Artist: Hayko
- Get A Life, Get Alive
- Artist: Eric Papilaya
- Work Your Magic
- Artist: Koldun
- LovePower
- Artist: The KMG's
- Rijeka Bez Imena
- Artist: Maria Sestic
- Water
- Artist: Elitsa Todorova & Stoyan Yankoulov
- Vjerujem u Ljubav
- Artist: Dragonfly feat Dado Topic
- Comme ci-Comme ca
- Artist: Evridiki
- Mála Dáma
- Artist: KÁBAT
- Drama Queen
- Artist: DQ (Peter Andersen)
- Partners In Crime
- Artist: Gerli PADAR
- Leave Me Alone
- Artist: Hanna PAKARINEN
- L'amour À La Française
- Artist: LES FATALS PICARDS
- Mojot Svet
- Artist: Karolina
- Visionary Dream
- Artist: Sopho
- Frauen Regier'n Die Welt
- Artist: Roger CICERO
- Yassou Maria
- Artist: Sarbel
- Unsubstantial Blues
- Artist: Magdi RÚZSA
- Valentine Lost
- Artist: Eirikur Hauksson
- They Can't Stop The Spring
- Artist: DERVISH
- Push The Button
- Artist: Teapacks
- Questa Notte
- Artist: BONAPARTI.LV
- Love Or Leave
- Artist: 4FUN
- Vertigo
- Artist: Olivia LEWIS
- Fight
- Artist: Natalia Barbu
- Ajde Kroci
- Artist: Stevan Faddy
- On Top Of The World
- Artist: Edsilia Rombley
- Ven A Bailar Conmigo
- Artist: Guri SCHANKE
- Time To Party
- Artist:The Jet Set
- Dança Comigo (Vem Ser Feliz)
- Artist: Sabrina
- Liubi, Liubi, I Love You
- Artist:TODOMONDO
- Song #1
- Artist: SEREBRO
- Molitva
- Artist: Marija ŠERIFOVIĆ
- Cvet Z Juga
- Artist: Alenka GOTAR
- I Love You Mi Vida
- Artist: D'NASH
- The Worrying Kind
- Artist: THE ARK
- Vampires Are Alive
- Artist: DJ Bobo
- Shake It Up Shekerim
- Artist: Kenan DOĞULU
- Dancing Lasha Tumbai
- Artist: Verka SERDUCHKA
Facts and Figures
Countries With Most Wins
Ireland (7) 1970 1980 1987 1992 1993 1994 1996
Luxembourg (5) 1961 1965 1972 1973 1983
United Kingdom (5) 1967 1969 1976 1981 1997
France (5) 1958 1960 1962 1969 1977
Sweden (4) 1974 1984 1991 1999
Netherlands (4) 1957 1959 1969 1975
Israel (3) 1978 1979 1998
Italy (2) 1964 1990
Denmark (2) 1963 2000
Norway (2) 1985 1995
******************
Countries With Most Top-5 Finishes
United Kingdom (28)
France (25)
Sweden (18)
Ireland (18)
Germany (15)
Switzerland (14)
Italy (13)
Luxembourg (13)
Denmark (11)
Spain (10)
news.bbc.co.uk
Last edited: