There is only one winner of the Eurovision Song Contest each year*. One song out of 40(ish) that will go down in history. But does that mean that the other 39(ish) songs completely wasted their time by competing in the first place?
Of course not! So why shouldn’t they be remembered too?
In this podcast, I’m looking at the songs that didn’t win Eurovision, whether they came a close second or dead last.
Speaking to fans, journalists, and of course, contestants, I’ll be dissecting each song and celebrating it for what it achieved, even if it didn’t get a trophy.
*Ignoring Madrid 1996
It would be actually criminal not to do at least one episode this season that looks at the songs from 2025, and since I don't want to end up getting locked away, I am happy to deliver!
For this final episode of Eurovisionism Season 2, I am joined by Kyriakos Tsinivits and Yolanda Vu- two massive Eurovision fans with some hot takes that you will either love or despise.
Theme Song: Max Dary
Outro Song: JOJ BOUK
14 May 2025
How The UK And Spain Almost Solved Eurovision (Featuring ESC Gabe and Luis Mesa)
Or: Spainio and UKette.
After their second and third place finishes in 2022, the perception of The UK and Spain at Eurovision changed from disappointment to excitement. With just two songs, these countries had turned their fortunes around and were expected to make a return to the top of the leaderboard- somewhere neither had been in decades.
But in the years after Chanel and Sam Ryder took to the stage, no Spanish or British entries have managed to come close to replicating those outstanding results. Fans have been left wondering, in the words of Remember Monday, "what the hell just happened?" After all, Spain and the UK have two of the biggest economies and music industries of participating Eurovision countries. They should be untouchable!
To get to the bottom of this, Gabe Milne (ESC Gabe) and Luis Mesa (Euromovidas) join me on this final regular episode of the season. Both are Eurovision fans and journalists who have seen what their country is capable of on the Eurovision stage and are left wondering why that quality is not sent every single year! We discuss what it meant for them to see their flags at the top of the scoreboard, and how they see a way out for two of the biggest Eurovision countries.
Theme Song: Max Dary
Outro Song: JOJ BOUK
12 May 2025
Georgia Should Be Good At Eurovision. So Why Have They Never Won? (Featuring Iru)
Georgia is one of many countries to have never won Eurovision. On its own, that is not an interesting fact at all. But when you consider that at the same time they have more Junior Eurovision titles to their name than anybody else, things become a little less simple. If Georgia is able to bring back trophy after trophy (after trophy, after trophy. They've won four times) then why can't they replicate that success in the "adult" competition?
To uncover this mystery I am joined by Junior Eurovision expert Craig Land (of Aussievision) and Iru- winner of Junior Eurovision in 2011 and contestant at regular Eurovision in 2023! I also had the joy of getting help from my friends Nathan Roach and Molly Brookman to really bring this story to life.
Theme Song: Max Dary
Outro Song: JOJ BOUK
7 May 2025
Latvia: The Happiest Country In Eurovision (Featuring Jöran Steinhauer from Aarzemnieki)
Every Eurovision fan remembers the song that first drew them into the contest. Maybe for you it was ABBA with Waterloo. Or Loreen with Euphoria. Mine was Aarzemnieki with Cake To Bake. And in this episode of Eurovisionism, I get to speak to the man responsible for writing it!
In 2014, Jöran Steinhauer and his bandmates took to the Eurovision stage representing Latvia. Twelve years earlier, this little Baltic country won their only Eurovision trophy, which set the streets of Riga alight. History beckoned as this plucky young band with their cheery song attempted to secure another victory for their country. But after their three minutes were up, Latvia was again missing from the list of qualifying countries. Since then, it's been much the same for following Latvian participants. Aside from a handful of solid results, Latvia has been largely unsuccessful at Eurovision.
Or have they?
Join me over the next twenty minutes as I examine what it means to have success at Eurovision, and how a German man came to represent a country that most Europeans might struggle to point out on a map.
Thank you to Jöran for speaking to me for this episode, it was exceptionally cool to learn all about the person who wrote my favourite Eurovision song!
And thank you also to the members of the Sydney Latvian Society in Strathfield who invited me to visit during one of their dance group rehearsals. They are doing a fantastic job of keeping the Latvian spirit alive and well on the other side of the world to their home country!
And finally, thank you to my friend Alex who is always happy to be my go-to European for this podcast (and in life generally).
Theme Song: Max Dary
Outro Song: JOJ BOUK
5 May 2025
The Rise And Fall Of Moldova At Eurovision (Featuring SunStroke Project)
In Moldova's relatively short time at Eurovision, they have basically done it all. From the dizzying heights of a bronze medal finish to the dark days of three straight non-qualifications, this country has always been one to watch. But this year, for the first time since 2005, there will be no Moldova in Eurovision.
So what happened? How did things get so bad? And will we see them back in the contest ever again?
To find out, I spoke to the band responsible for Moldova's best ever Eurovision result and arguably the most recognisable Eurovision meme- SunStroke Project! Yes, Epic Sax Guy is on this podcast!
I'm also joined by Liv Webster from Aussievision- one of the biggest Eurovision fan sites (and podcast) in the world!
Special thanks to Lana, SunStroke Project's manager, and Lachlan Woods (president of OGAE Australia) who helped me to organise the interview with Sergei and Sergey.
I am painfully aware of the mistake at the beginning of the episode in which I say that Moldova's first Eurovision entry was in 2007 when in fact it was two years earlier in 2005! I hope you can look past this and not let it ruin the very immersive experience, as there are no other errors in any of the episodes of Eurovisionism!
Theme Song: Max Dary
Outro Song: JOJ BOUK
4 May 2025
Season 2- The Songs That Didn't Win
Eurovisionism is back for 2025, and now that we are all across how the contest actually works, it's time to have a look at some of the stories of the past few years. And sure, we could explore the winners, or the fan favourites, but in my opinion, there are far better stories to tell. The stories of the songs that missed out on most of the glory and support from fans, that might have flown under the radar but are no less deserving of our attention now!
In Season 2 of Eurovisionism, we are going to meet musicians, journalists, and fans from the countries that didn't win Eurovision- whether they came a close second or dead last.
It all starts this week, so stay tuned!
Music by JOJ BOUK.
13 May 2024
Life After Eurovision (Featuring TEYA)
The days, weeks, even months after Eurovision can feel a little hollow (Hello Dons) for many fans. Having spent so long focussing on nothing but this contest, to have it just end is not a pleasant experience! But what about the artists who have spent such huge amounts of their careers preparing for this show? What do they do with themselves after Eurovision? I am joined by TEYA (Austria, 2023) to learn about what her experience at Eurovision was like and how artists can use the contest to their advantage.
Theme Song: Max Dary
Outro Song: JOJ BOUK.
7 May 2024
BONUS EPISODE- Is Eurovision REALLY non-political?
If the EBU had a catchphrase, it might be something along the lines of "Eurovision is not political". Every year they insist that politics should not be involved in the song contest, that it's all about the performers and the music. But is that really true? Or are politics everywhere in Eurovision? And how do these politics (or maybe the lack of them) impact the way that Israel's participation has been handled this year? I spoke with Associate Professor Jess Carniel to find out.
Correction: Morocco has recognised Israel as a country since 2020.
Theme Song: Max Dary
Outro Song: JOJ BOUK
6 May 2024
BONUS EPISODE- Who Will Win Eurovision 2024?
The big question coming up to the Grand Final of Eurovision in any year is "Who is going to win"? And depending on who you ask, you might get some very different answers. I decided to ask the President of OGAE Australia and Eurovision expert, Lachlan Woods (and not just because we have the same name)!
Lachlan and I (also Lachlan) spoke about our favourite songs from this year's contest and made some guesses as to who we think might take home the trophy.
There are a few spoilers in this episode about various songs so if you want to go in to the Semi Finals (or Grand Final) blind then this is your warning.
Theme Song: Max Dary
Outro Song: JOJ BOUK
5 May 2024
BONUS EPISODE- Interview With Alessandra
In the process of making this podcast I have gotten to speak to a lot of very cool and very nice people. One of those people is Alessandra Mele, who represented Norway at Eurovision in 2023. I really enjoyed her song, Queen of Kings, so it was quite cool to go from watching her on the TV last May to speaking to her myself (even if it was over Zoom). I asked her about what her time at Eurovision was like, what she is doing now, and how she ended up taking part in a flash mob earlier this year.
This is the first of a few bonus episodes that will be coming out in the days leading up to Eurovision, so stay tuned for more.
Theme Song: Max Dary
Outro Song: JOJ BOUK
2 May 2024
Eurovision Is A Party
Just like the Vengaboys, Eurovision fans like to party! Whether it's at home, at pre-parties, or in the host city, the atmosphere of Eurovision is one of celebration. And it's that idea of "party" that we are looking at today. Lachlan Woods, President of OGAE Australia, tells me how this atmosphere influences the contest, what it's actually like to be inside the arena for the Grand Final, and how you can throw the best possible Eurovision party this year!
Theme Song: Max Dary
Outro Song: JOJ BOUK
29 Apr 2024
Joke Songs & Eurovision
In recent years The Eurovision Song Contest has produced some big songs. Arcade by Duncan Laurance, Zitti E Buoni by Måneskin, and Snap by Rosa Linn all became global hits after their performances at Eurovision. But the contest has seen some far less polished, far less popular songs in its time too; joke songs. Some people love them, some people can't stand them, but regardless of what we think, are they here to stay? I am joined by Oranie Abbes (Wiwibloggs) to LEARN MORE.
Theme Song: Max Dary
Outro Song: JOJ BOUK
24 Apr 2024
Why Is Australia In Eurovision?
Australia joined the Eurovision Song Contest for the first time almost 10 years ago sending the likes of Guy Sebastian, Dami Im, and most recently Electric Fields to the big stage. But why do they want to be part of it? And how successful have they been since their inception? Kyriakos Tsinivits, former member of Aussievision, joins me in this first episode to find out!
Theme Song: Max Dary
Outro Song: JOJ BOUK
22 Apr 2024
Eurovisionism Trailer
Eurovision is easy to love. What's difficult is understanding it. There's a lot to make sense of and the answers are not always easy to come by. That is where Eurovisionism comes in.
Together we are going to dive deep into the murky waters of Eurovision, swim around for a little while (around the same amount of time it takes to listen to four podcast episodes) and come out the other side with a newfound understanding and appreciation for the greatest musical competition on Earth!
We will answer questions like "Why is Australia in Eurovision", "What are joke songs?", and "What should an artist do after competing in Eurovision?" while going through the whole process of the contest- starting at the national selections and ending the morning after the Eurovision Final.
Eurovisionism begins this week, so stay tuned!
Music: JOJ BOUK
Reach and audience
Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.
Spotify
5.0 / 5
12 ratings
Podcast Authority Score: 36 / 100
A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.
Quality
44
Social presence
0
YouTube
0
Engagement
71
Contact Eurovisionism
Guest appearances
Books guests
Based on episode analysis; this does not confirm that the show is currently accepting guests.
Host of Eurovisionism?
Claim your podcast to manage its listing and keep your show details accurate.
Pod Engine is an independent podcast discovery and analytics service and is not affiliated with or endorsed by this podcast. Artwork and show content belong to their owners. Full legal notice.
Explore this show Podcast research with Pod Engine
