Europe on Stage: ESC – Eurovision Song Contest

What do ABBA, Conchita Wurst, Lordi, Lena, Jamala, Udo Jürgens, and Nemo have in common?
Not only did they all win the Eurovision Song Contest – they changed it.
The Eurovision Song Contest is much more than an annual music competition. It is a stage, a seismograph, and a playground for European pop culture: glamorous and embarrassing, political and playful, serious and camp at the same time. This gift book discusses the ESC as a cultural event – as a pop phenomenon full of desire, exaggeration, and productive contradictions.
After an overview of the history, dramaturgy, and myth of the Eurovision Song Contest, the focus shifts to around 30 selected winners from almost seven decades of ESC history. The selection does not follow a rigid canon, but rather a curatorial perspective: international impact and lasting success, iconic performances, social relevance, aesthetic breaks, scandals, innovations – and those moments when Europe held its breath for three minutes.
From early classics such as “Volare” and “Merci, Chérie” to pop explosions à la ABBA and Lena, from queer milestones to politically charged victories in the shadow of war and solidarity, from ironic trash to quiet counter-designs: each story shows how closely music, media, and zeitgeist are interwoven at the ESC.
The result is a panorama of European pop history – entertaining and knowledgeably told, with a keen sense of camp, drama, and meaning. A book for ESC fans, pop culture enthusiasts, and anyone who wants to know why this competition has been around for more than 70 years – and why it keeps reinventing what Europe can be on stage: Europe On Stage – The ESC Gift Book.
From the appendix: ABBA
Alexander Rybak
Bucks Fizz
Céline Dion
Conchita Wurst
Dana International
Domenico Modugno
Flo Rida
Hatari
Jamala
JJ
Johnny Logan
Kalush Orchestra
Lena
Loreen
Lordi
Måneskin
Nemo
Netta
Nicole
Rodolfo Chikilicuatre
Ruslana
Salvador Sobral
Sandie Shaw
Stefan Raab
Subwoolfer
Udo Jürgens
Verka Serduchka
Vicky Leandros
WRS.