Iceland_in_the_Eurovision_Song_Contest_1987

Iceland in the Eurovision Song Contest

Iceland in the Eurovision Song Contest

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Iceland has participated in the Eurovision Song Contest 36 times since its debut in 1986, missing only two contests since then, in 1998 and 2002, when prevented from competing due to finishing outside qualification places the preceding years. The country's best result is second place, which it achieved with Selma in 1999 and Yohanna in 2009. The Icelandic broadcaster for the contest is Ríkisútvarpið (RÚV), which also broadcasts Iceland's national selection competition, Söngvakeppnin.

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Iceland has achieved a total of seven top ten placements, with the others being Stjórnin finishing fourth (1990), Heart 2 Heart seventh (1992), Birgitta eighth (2003), Hatari tenth (2019) and Daði og Gagnamagnið fourth (2021). Since the introduction of the semi-final round in 2004, Iceland has failed to qualify for the final nine times, including four years consecutively (2015–18). To date, Iceland is the only Nordic country that has yet to win the contest.

History

Iceland first entered Eurovision in 1986, or twenty years after RÚV was founded in 1966.

Iceland's best position at the contest is second place, which they have achieved twice: in 1999 when Selma represented Iceland with the song "All Out of Luck", and came second to Sweden's Charlotte Nilsson and in 2009 when Yohanna came second to Norway's Alexander Rybak with the ballad "Is It True?".

In contrast Iceland's worst result in a grand final is last place, which has been achieved twice to date: in 1989, when Daníel Ágúst received nul points for his entry "Það sem enginn sér", and in 2001, when Two Tricky received three points for their entry "Angel".

With the introduction of semi-finals in 2004, Iceland automatically qualified for the final that year due to Birgitta's eighth place the previous year. In 2008, Iceland reached the final for the first time since then, when Euroband sang "This Is My Life". Iceland qualified for the final in seven consecutive contests between 2008 and 2014 before failing to qualify for the final from 2015 to 2018. In 2019, Hatari brought the country back to the final for the first time since 2014, finishing tenth, which was followed by a fourth-place finish for Daði og Gagnamagnið in 2021, Iceland's joint-second best result to date, and a 23rd-place finish for Systur in 2022. Further non-qualifications came with Diljá in 2023 and Hera Björk in 2024.

Despite these mixed fortunes, Iceland is the second most successful country never to have won the contest (behind only Malta).

Sigríður Beinteinsdóttir has participated five times (as a member of a group in 1990 and 1992, as a solo artist in 1994, and as a background vocalist in 1991 and 2006). Hera Björk has also participated five times (as a backing vocalist in 2008, 2009 and 2015, and as a solo artist in 2010 and 2024). Stefán Hilmarsson has participated twice (as a member of a group in 1988 and as a member of a duo in 1991), as have Selma Björnsdóttir (1999 and 2005), Eiríkur Hauksson (as a member of a group in 1986 and as a solo artist in 2007. Eiríkur has in addition participated for Norway in 1991 as a member of a group.), Jón Jósep Snæbjörnsson (as a solo artist in 2004 and as a member of a duo in 2012) and Greta Salóme Stefánsdóttir (as a member of a duo in 2012 and as a solo artist in 2016).

Participation overview

Table key
1 First place
2 Second place
3 Third place
Last place
X Entry selected but did not compete
Upcoming event
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Conductors

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Heads of delegation

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Commentators and spokespersons

Iceland has broadcast the show since 1970. The first to be broadcast live was the 1983 edition after the plan to broadcast the 1982 contest failed. Since 1986, RÚV has broadcast the contest on the radio using same commentator for TV and radio and the Internet broadcast since early 2000s.

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Other shows

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The 2020 Netflix comedy film Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga depicts Will Ferrell and Rachel McAdams as a fictional duo from Iceland competing in Eurovision. Hannes Óli Ágústsson, who plays Olaf Yohansson in the film, reprised the role for the voting segment of the 2021 contest final, in which he presented the points on behalf of the Icelandic jury.[79]

Notes

  1. According to the then-Eurovision rules, the top ten non-Big Four countries from the previous year along with the Big Four automatically qualified for the Grand Final without having to compete in semi-finals. For example, if Germany and France placed inside the top ten, the 11th and 12th spots were advanced to next year's Grand Final along with all countries ranked in the top ten.
  2. The 2020 contest was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
  3. All conductors are of Icelandic nationality unless otherwise noted.
  4. Conducted by Þórir Baldursson at the national final.
  5. Conducted by Vilhjálmur Guðjónsson in the national final.
  6. Conducted by Jón Ólafsson in the national final.
  7. Icelandic commentary
  8. English commentary for the semi-finals; Icelandic Sign Language interpretation for the final
  9. English commentary; semi-finals with commentary also broadcast on RÚV2
  10. Sign language interpretation

References

  1. Roxburgh, Gordon (2016). Songs for Europe: The United Kingdom at the Eurovision Song Contest. Vol. Three: The 1980s. Prestatyn: Telos Publishing. ISBN 978-1-84583-118-9.
  2. Granger, Anthony (8 April 2018). "Iceland: Netta Barzilai Tops Alla leið Show One". Eurovoix. Retrieved 10 July 2020.
  3. Granger, Anthony (3 May 2019). "Iceland: "Cannot Take Qualification For Granted" – Felix Bergsson". eurovoix.com. Retrieved 6 December 2019.
  4. Gunnarsson, Oddur Ævar (4 August 2024). "Gísli Marteinn lýsir ekki Eurovision í ár" [Gísli Marteinn is not commenting Eurovision this year]. Visir.is (in Icelandic). Vísir. Retrieved 8 April 2024.
  5. Granger, Anthony (10 April 2024). "Iceland: Rúnar Freyr New Head of Delegation for Eurovision". Eurovoix. Retrieved 10 April 2024.
  6. "Sjónvarp – laugurdagur 4. april 1970" [Television – Saturday 4 April 1970]. Morgunblaðið (in Icelandic). Reykjavík, Iceland. 4 April 1970. p. 29. Retrieved 4 January 2023 via Timarit.is.
  7. "Sjónvarp – Sunnudagur 18. apríl" [Television – Sunday 18 April]. Tíminn (in Icelandic). Reykjavík, Iceland. 18 April 1971. p. 21. Retrieved 5 January 2023 via Timarit.is.
  8. "Sjónvarp – Mánudagur 17. apríl 1972" [Television – Monday 17 April 1972]. Vísir (in Icelandic). Reykjavík, Iceland. 17 April 1972. p. 17. Retrieved 5 January 2023 via Timarit.is.
  9. "Sjónvarp – Sunnudagur 29. apríl 1973" [Television – Sunday 29 April 1973]. Vísir (in Icelandic). Reykjavík, Iceland. 28 April 1973. p. 17. Retrieved 6 January 2023 via Timarit.is.
  10. "'ABBA' með lagið "Waterloo" leggja Evrópu að fótum sér" ['ABBA' with the song "Waterloo" bring Europe to its feet]. Vísir (in Icelandic). Reykjavík, Iceland. 17 May 1974. p. 13. Retrieved 14 March 2023 via Timarit.is.
  11. "Sjónvarp um helgina" [TV this weekend]. Þjóðviljinn (in Icelandic). Reykjavík, Iceland. 13 April 1975. p. 18. Retrieved 8 January 2023 via Timarit.is.
  12. "Sjónvarp – Sunnudagur 25. apríl" [Television – Sunday 25 April]. Dagblaðið (in Icelandic). Reykjavík, Iceland. 24 April 1976. p. 23. Retrieved 9 January 2023 via Timarit.is.
  13. "Sjónvarp – Föstudagur 20. maí" [Television – Friday 20 May]. Dagblaðið (in Icelandic). Reykjavík, Iceland. 20 May 1977. p. 27. Retrieved 9 January 2023 via Timarit.is.
  14. "Sjónvarp – Sunnudagur 30. apríl" [Television – Sunday 30 April]. Dagblaðið (in Icelandic). Reykjavík, Iceland. 29 April 1978. p. 22. Retrieved 10 January 2023 via Timarit.is.
  15. "Sjónvarp – Mánudagur 16. apríl" [Television – Monday 16 April]. Dagblaðið (in Icelandic). Reykjavík, Iceland. 11 April 1979. p. 18. Retrieved 10 January 2023 via Timarit.is.
  16. "Sjónvarp – Laugardagur 26. apríl" [Television – Saturday 26 April]. Dagblaðið (in Icelandic). Reykjavík, Iceland. 26 April 1980. p. 23. Retrieved 11 January 2023 via Timarit.is.
  17. "Dagskráin – Sunnudagur 19. apríl" [The schedule – Sunday 19 April]. Morgunblaðið (in Icelandic). Reykjavík, Iceland. 16 April 1981. p. 26. Retrieved 12 January 2023 via Timarit.is.
  18. "Á skjánum – Föstudagur 30. apríl" [On screen – Friday 30 April]. Morgunblaðið (in Icelandic). Reykjavík, Iceland. 30 April 1982. p. 4. Retrieved 12 January 2023 via Timarit.is.
  19. "Sjónvarp – Laugardagur 23. apríl" [Television – Saturday 23 April]. DV (in Icelandic). Reykjavík, Iceland. 22 April 1983. p. 19. Retrieved 13 January 2023 via Timarit.is.
  20. "Sjónvarp – Laugardagur 5. maí" [Television – Saturday 5 May]. DV (in Icelandic). Reykjavík, Iceland. 5 May 1984. p. 19. Retrieved 13 January 2023 via Timarit.is.
  21. "Laugardagur 4. maí – Sjónvarp" [Saturday 4 May – Television]. DV (in Icelandic). Reykjavík, Iceland. 4 May 1985. p. 23. Retrieved 14 January 2023 via Timarit.is.
  22. "Útvarp/Sjónvarp" [Radio/Television]. Tíminn (in Icelandic). Reykjavík, Iceland. 3 May 1986. p. 23. Retrieved 13 January 2023 via Timarit.is.
  23. "Íslenska dómnefndin" [The Icelandic jury]. Þjóðviljinn (in Icelandic). Reykjavík, Iceland. 1 May 1986. p. 2. Retrieved 28 May 2024 via Timarit.is. Markús Örn Antonsson útvarpsstjóri er formaður nefndarinnar og Guðrún Skúladóttir er ritari og talsmaður nefndarinnar þegar niðurstaða dómnefndar verður kynnt í Bergen. [Broadcaster Markús Örn Antonsson is the committee's chairman and Guðrún Skúladóttir is the committee's secretary and spokesperson when the jury's decision is announced in Bergen.]
  24. "Útvarp/Sjónvarp" [Radio/Television]. Morgunblaðið (in Icelandic). Reykjavík, Iceland. 9 May 1987. p. 6. Retrieved 15 January 2023 via Timarit.is.
  25. "Ellefu dómnefndarmenn valdir fyrir söngvakeppnina" [Eleven jury members selected for the song contest]. Morgunblaðið (in Icelandic). Reykjavík, Iceland. 5 May 1987. p. 24. Retrieved 15 January 2023 via Timarit.is. Formaður dómnefndarinnar verður Markús Örn Antonsson útvarpsstjóri og ritari Guðrún Skúladóttir. [The chairman of the jury will be broadcaster Markús Örn Antonsson and the secretary Guðrún Skúladóttir.]
  26. "Útvarp/Sjónvarp" [Radio/Television]. Morgunblaðið (in Icelandic). Reykjavík, Iceland. 30 April 1988. p. 6. Retrieved 15 January 2023 via Timarit.is.
  27. "Prestur, fiðlusmiður, bóndi og vitavördur í dómnefndinni" [Priest, violin maker, farmer and lighthouse keeper on the jury]. DV (in Icelandic). Reykjavík, Iceland. 30 April 1988. p. 9. Retrieved 29 May 2024 via Timarit.is. Guðrún Skúladóttir er sem fyrr ritari nefndarinnar og það verður því væntanlega hún sem tilkynnir um niðurstöðu nefndarinnar úr útvarpshúsinu þegar líða tekur á kvöldið. [As before, Guðrún Skúladóttir is the committee's secretary, and it will presumably be she who announces the committee's decision from the broadcast centre as the evening draws to a close.]
  28. "Laugurdagur 6. maí" [Saturday 6 May]. DV (in Icelandic). Reykjavík, Iceland. 6 May 1989. p. 3. Retrieved 12 December 2022 via Timarit.is.
  29. "Söngvakeppnin: Fjórir valdir til að syngja bakraddir" [Eurovision: Four chosen to sing backing vocals]. Morgunblaðið (in Icelandic). Reykjavík, Iceland. 12 April 1989. p. 19. Retrieved 28 May 2024 via Timarit.is. Ritari nefndarinnar er Erla Björk Skúladóttir. [The secretary of the committee is Erla Björk Skúladóttir.]
  30. "Útvarp–Sjónvarp – laugurdagur 5. maí" [Radio–Television – Saturday 5 May]. Morgunblaðið (in Icelandic). Reykjavík, Iceland. 3 May 1990. p. 3. Retrieved 28 November 2022 via Timarit.is.
  31. "Útvarp/Sjónvarp – laugurdagur 4. maí 1991" [Radio/Television – Saturday 4 May 1991]. Morgunblaðið (in Icelandic). Reykjavík, Iceland. 4 May 1991. p. 6. Retrieved 28 November 2022 via Timarit.is.
  32. "Á dagskrá – laugurdagur 9. maí" [On the agenda – Saturday 9 May]. Morgunblaðið (in Icelandic). Reykjavík, Iceland. 8 May 1992. p. 2. Retrieved 18 November 2022 via Timarit.is.
  33. "Laugardagur 15/5" [Saturday 15/05]. Morgunblaðið Dagskrá (in Icelandic). Reykjavík, Iceland. 26 May 1999. pp. 4–5. Retrieved 29 May 2024.
  34. "Laugurdagur 30. apríl" [Saturday 30 April]. DV (in Icelandic). Reykjavík, Iceland. 30 April 1994. p. 54. Retrieved 4 November 2022 via Timarit.is.
  35. Eurovision Song Contest 1994 (Television programme). Dublin, Ireland: Radió Telifís Éireann. 30 April 1994.
  36. "Dagskrá – laugurdagur 13/5" [Schedule – Saturday 13/5]. Morgunblaðið (in Icelandic). Reykjavík, Iceland. 11 May 1995. pp. 1, 4. Retrieved 11 October 2022 via Timarit.is.
  37. Eurovision Song Contest 1995 (Television programme). Dublin, Ireland: Radió Telifís Éireann. 13 May 1995.
  38. "Dagskrá – laugurdagur 13/5" [Schedule – Saturday 13/5]. Morgunblaðið (in Icelandic). Reykjavík, Iceland. 11 May 1995. pp. 1, 4. Retrieved 11 October 2022 via Timarit.is.
  39. Eurovision Song Contest 1996 (Television programme). Oslo, Norway: Norsk rikskringkasting. 18 May 1996.
  40. "Dagskrá laugurdags 3. maí" [Schedule for Saturday 3 May]. DV (in Icelandic). Reykjavík, Iceland. 3 May 1997. p. 62. Retrieved 26 June 2022 via Timarit.is.
  41. Eurovision Song Contest 1997 (Television programme). Dublin, Republic of Ireland: Radio Telefís Éireann. 3 May 1997.
  42. "Útvarp/Sjónvarp" [Radio/Television]. Morgunblaðið (in Icelandic). Reykjavík, Iceland. 9 May 1998. Retrieved 21 June 2022 via Timarit.is.
  43. "Sjónvarp | Útvarp" [Television | Radio]. Morgunblaðið Dagskrá (in Icelandic). Reykjavík, Iceland. 26 May 1999. pp. 10, 33. Retrieved 29 May 2024 via Timarit.is.
  44. Eurovision Song Contest 1999 (Television programme). Jerusalem, Israel: Israel Broadcasting Authority. 29 May 1999.
  45. "Laugardagur 13. mai" [Saturday 13 May]. Morgunblaðið Dagskrá (in Icelandic). Reykjavík, Iceland. 10 May 2000. p. 6. Retrieved 29 May 2024 via Timarit.is.
  46. KGP (13 May 2000). "Tvær Evróvisjón-keppnir sama daginn: Bakvarðasveitin á vakt – grípur inn í ef símkerfið hrynur" [Two Eurovision competitions on the same day: The back-up team on duty – to intervene if the network crashes]. Morgunblaðið Dagskrá (in Icelandic). Reykjavík, Iceland. p. 67. Retrieved 29 May 2024 via Timarit.is. Ragnheiður Elín Clausen mun venju samkvæmt koma fram fyrir Íslands hönd og lesa niðurstöður íslensku símakosningarinnar – eða dómnefndarinnar ef því er að skipta[...] [Ragnheiður Elín Clausen will, as usual, appear on behalf of Iceland and read the results of the Icelandic telephone election – or those of the jury if that is the case]
  47. "Laugardagur 12. maí" [Saturday 12 May]. DV (in Icelandic). Reykjavík, Iceland. 12 May 2001. p. 70. Retrieved 2 December 2022 via Timarit.is.
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  50. "Laugardagur 24. maí" [Saturday 24 May]. DV (in Icelandic). Reykjavík, Iceland. 24 May 2003. p. 62. Retrieved 8 December 2022 via Timarit.is.
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  58. "Fréttir af fólki" [News about people]. Fréttablaðið (in Icelandic). Reykjavík, Iceland. 11 May 2009. p. 30. Retrieved 2 March 2023 via Timarit.is. Ekki eru þó allir jafn heppnir því Sigmar Guðmundsson, sjónvarpsmaðurinn skeleggi, fer ekki fet og þarf að lýsa kvöldunum tveimur í beinni útsendingu á RÚV, hvort sem Ísland verður þar á meðal eða ekki. [However, not everyone is so lucky, because Sigmar Guðmundsson, the energetic TV presenter, does not go on foot and has to describe the two nights live on RÚV, whether Iceland will be included or not.]
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