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Denmark’s inaugural entry into the Eurovision Song Contest in 1957 was the captivating tune „Skibet Skal Sejle I Nat,“ performed by Birthe Wilke and Gustav Winckler. Remarkably, the song secured an impressive 3rd place, marking a strong debut for Denmark in the competition. This year’s participation will mark Denmark’s 53nd entry in the Eurovision Song Contest, highlighting the country’s enduring presence on the Eurovision stage.

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Denmark boasts three victories in the Eurovision Song Contest throughout its history. The first triumph came in 1963 with the enchanting song „Dansevise,“ performed by Grethe and Jørgen Ingmann. This timeless classic remains a beloved favorite in Denmark. The Olsen Brothers added another victory to the small kingdom with their uplifting anthem „Fly On The Wings Of Love“ in 2000, capturing the hearts of audiences across Europe. Thirteen years later, Emmelie de Forest secured Denmark’s third victory with her ethereal song „Only Teardrops,“ further solidifying Denmark’s status as a powerhouse in the Eurovision Song Contest.

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Denmark’s journey in the Eurovision Song Contest saw a hiatus between 1966 and 1978 due to waning public interest. However, the country’s enthusiasm for the contest resurged, leading to multiple participations since then. In total, Denmark has reached the Eurovision Grand Final 44 times, showcasing its enduring commitment to the competition.

With a relatively good track record, Denmark boasts a 59% chance of securing a Top 10 position in the Eurovision Song Contest. However, the contest’s rules, which historically mandated performances in the official national language, may have posed challenges for countries like Denmark with smaller language-speaking populations compared to countries like the UK, where English predominates.

To overcome this potential disadvantage, Danish songwriters and performers likely focused on crafting upbeat, catchy, and memorable songs with universal themes and hooks, appealing to a broader audience. This strategic approach allowed Denmark to carve out its niche and maintain competitiveness on the Eurovision stage, despite linguistic limitations.

Denmark is not alone in adopting the strategy of crafting catchy and upbeat songs with universal appeal for the Eurovision Song Contest. Countries like Sweden, Norway and Iceland have also embraced this approach, producing songs that transcend language barriers and captivate audiences with their infectious melodies and uplifting vibes.

The emergence of what’s often referred to as the „Scandinavian Happy Song“ underscores a shared musical ethos among Nordic countries, characterized by a focus on creating feel-good tunes that resonate with a wide audience. However, success in the Eurovision Song Contest hinges on various factors, including the quality of the song, the performance, the staging, and overall audience appeal.

Ultimately, the popularity of these upbeat and catchy songs reflects a universal desire for joyous and uplifting music, transcending linguistic and cultural boundaries to unite audiences in celebration on the Eurovision stage.

In recent years, Danish entries in the Eurovision Song Contest have undergone notable changes in style and language. Many Danish songs are now performed in English, reflecting a trend seen across numerous Eurovision entries where English has become a common language of choice. Furthermore, the musical style of Danish entries has evolved to become more contemporary and diverse, encompassing a wide range of genres such as pop, rock, and electronic music, among others.

Regarding the phenomenon of Nordic countries giving each other high scores in the Eurovision Song Contest, this is indeed a common occurrence attributed to voting blocs. Neighbouring countries, as well as those with cultural and linguistic ties, often show favouritism towards each other in the voting process. However, it’s important to acknowledge that this pattern is not exclusive to Nordic countries, as similar bloc voting dynamics exist in regions like the Balkans, the ex-Soviet countries, and the Mediterranean. Additionally, entries from non-neighbouring countries have also achieved success in the contest, demonstrating the diversity and unpredictability of Eurovision outcomes.

Copenhagen’s hosting of the Eurovision Song Contest in 2014 left a lasting impression with its stunning stage design, widely regarded as one of the most impressive in the history of the contest. Since then, subsequent host cities have endeavoured to match this level of spectacle with equally impressive stage designs. Nonetheless, the 2014 stage design remains a standout highlight in the annals of Eurovision history.

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It’s unfortunate to see that the Danish entries were not be able to qualify for the Grand Finals since 2019 that is certainly disappointing. However, the Eurovision Song Contest is known for its unpredictability, and even talented performers and entries sometimes face challenges in making it to the finals due to the fierce competition. Last year’s singer Saba could not convince with the song “Sand” and it ended up on 12th place in the semi-final.

Biggest successes

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1st place, Olsen Brothers with “Fly On The Wings Of Love” (Stockholm 2000)

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2nd place, Rollo & King with “Never Ever Let You Go” (Copenhagen 2001)

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3rd place, Birthe Kjær with “Vi Maler Byen Rød” (Lausanne 1989)

History

  • Debut: 1957
  • Participations: 52
  • Victories: 3
  • Finals: 44 (12 since 2004)
  • Chances to reach the final: 85% (60% since 2004)
  • Top 10: 26 (6 since 2004)
  • Chances to reach the Top 10: 59% (30% since 2004)
  • Best place: 1 (3x)
  • Last places: 1
# location year performer song points rank show
1 Frankfurt 1957 Birthe Wilke and Gustav Winckler Skibet Skal Sejle I Nat 10 3 final
2 Hilversum 1958 Raquel Rastenni Jeg Rev Et Blad Ud Af Min Dagbog 3 8 final
3 Cannes 1959 Birthe Wilke Uh-jeg Ville Ønske Jeg Var Dig 12 5 final
4 London 1960 Katy Bødtger Det Var En Yndig Tid 4 10 final
5 Cannes 1961 Dario Campeotto Angelique 12 5 final
6 Luxembourg 1962 Ellen Winther Vuggevise 2 10 final
7 London 1963 Grethe and Jørgen Ingmann Dansevise 42 1 final
8 Copenhagen 1964 Bjørn Tidmand Sangen Om Dig 4 9 final
9 Naples 1965 Birgit Brüel For Din Skyld 10 7 final
10 Luxembourg 1966 Ulla Pia Stop, Ja Stop – Ja Stop, Mens Legen Er Go 4 14 final
11 Paris 1978 Mabel Boom Boom 13 16 final
12 Jerusalem 1979 Tommy Seebach Disco Tango 76 6 final
13 The Hague 1980 Bamses Venner Tænker Altid På Dig 25 14 final
14 Dublin 1981 Debbie Cameron and Tommy Seebach Krøller Eller Ej 41 11 final
15 Harrogate 1982 Brixx Video-video 5 17 final
16 Munich 1983 Gry Johansen Kloden Drejer 16 17 final
17 Luxembourg 1984 Hot Eyes Det‘ Lige Det 101 4 final
18 Göteborg 1985 Hot Eyes Sku‘ Du Spør Fra No’n 41 11 final
19 Bergen 1986 Lise Haavik and Trax Du Er Fuld Af Løgn 77 6 final
20 Brussels 1987 Anne-Catherine Herdorf and Bandjo En Lille Melodi 83 5 final
21 Dublin 1988 Hot Eyes Ka‘ Du Se Hva‘ Jeg Sa‘ 92 3 final
22 Lausanne 1989 Birthe Kjær Vi Maler Byen Rød 111 3 final
23 Zagreb 1990 Lonnie Devantier Hallo Hallo 64 8 final
24 Rome 1991 Anders Frandsen Lige Der Hvor Hjertet Slår 8 19 final
25 Malmö 1992 Lotte Nilsson and Kenny Lübcke Ålt Det Som Ingen Ser 47 12 final
26 Millstreet 1993 Tommy Seebach Under Stjernerne På Himlen 9 22 final
27 Dublin 1995 Aud Wilken Fra Mols Til Skagen 92 5 final
28 Dublin 1997 Kølig Kaj Stemmen I Mit Liv 25 16 final
29 Jerusalem 1999 Trine Jepsen & Michael Teschl This Time (I Mean It) 71 8 final
30 Stockholm 2000 Olsen Brothers Fly On The Wings Of Love 195 1 final
31 Copenhagen 2001 Rollo & King Never Ever Let You Go 177 2 final
32 Tallinn 2002 Malene Tell Me Who You Are 7 24 final
33 Istanbul 2004 Tomas Thordarson Shame On You 56 13 semi-final
34 Kyiv 2005 Jakob Sveistrup Talking To You 125 9 final
35 Athens 2006 Sidsel Ben Semmane Twist Of Love 26 18 final
36 Helsinki 2007 DQ Drama Queen 45 19 semi-final
37 Belgrade 2008 Simon Mathew All Night Long 60 15 final
38 Moscow 2009 Brinck Believe Again 74 13 final
39 Oslo 2010 Chanée & N’evergreen In A Moment Like This 149 4 final
40 Düsseldorf 2011 A Friend In London New Tomorrow 134 5 final
41 Baku 2012 Soluna Samay Should’ve Known Better 21 23 final
42 Malmö 2013 Emmelie de Forest Only Teardrops 281 1 final
43 Copenhagen 2014 Basim Cliche Love Song 74 9 final
44 Vienna 2015 Anti Social Media The Way You Are 33 13 semi-final
45 Stockholm 2016 Lighthouse X Soldiers Of Love 34 17 semi-final
46 Kyiv 2017 Anja Nissen Where I Am 77 20 final
47 Lisbon 2018 Rasmussen Higher Ground 226 9 final
48 Tel Aviv 2019 Leonora Love Is Forever 120 12 final
49 Rotterdam 2021 Fyr Og Flamme Øve Os På Hinanden 89 11 semi-final
50 Turin 2022 REDDI The Show 55 13 semi-final
51 Liverpool 2023 Reiley Breaking My Heart 6 14 semi-final
52 Malmö 2024 Saba Sand 36 12 semi.final
53 Basel 2025 Sissal Hallucination semi-final

Video Nostalgia

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Mabel with “Boom Boom”, Rank 16 (Paris 1978)

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Gry Johansen with “Kloden Drejer”, Rank 17 (Munich 1983)

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Lotte Nilsson & Kenny Lübcke with “Ålt Det Som Ingen Ser”, Rank 12 (Malmö 1992)