Eurovision Song Contest 2006

Eurovision Song Contest 2006
Feel the Rhythm
Dates
Semi-final18 May 2006 (2006-05-18)
Final20 May 2006 (2006-05-20)
Host
VenueOlympic Indoor Hall
Athens, Greece
Presenter(s)
Directed byVolker Weicker
Executive supervisorSvante Stockselius
Executive producerFotini Yannoulatou
Host broadcasterHellenic Broadcasting Corporation (ERT)
Websiteeurovision.tv/event/athens-2006 Edit this at Wikidata
Participants
Number of entries37
Number of finalists24
Debuting countries Armenia
Returning countriesNone
Non-returning countries
  • A coloured map of the countries of EuropeBelgium in the Eurovision Song Contest 2006Italy in the Eurovision Song ContestNetherlands in the Eurovision Song Contest 2006Switzerland in the Eurovision Song Contest 2006Germany in the Eurovision Song Contest 2006United Kingdom in the Eurovision Song Contest 2006Monaco in the Eurovision Song Contest 2006Luxembourg in the Eurovision Song ContestSpain in the Eurovision Song Contest 2006Ireland in the Eurovision Song Contest 2006Denmark in the Eurovision Song Contest 2006Finland in the Eurovision Song Contest 2006Norway in the Eurovision Song Contest 2006Portugal in the Eurovision Song Contest 2006Sweden in the Eurovision Song Contest 2006Israel in the Eurovision Song Contest 2006Greece in the Eurovision Song Contest 2006Malta in the Eurovision Song Contest 2006Austria in the Eurovision Song ContestFrance in the Eurovision Song Contest 2006Turkey in the Eurovision Song Contest 2006Serbia and Montenegro in the Eurovision Song Contest 2006Morocco in the Eurovision Song ContestCyprus in the Eurovision Song Contest 2006Iceland in the Eurovision Song Contest 2006Bosnia and Herzegovina in the Eurovision Song Contest 2006Croatia in the Eurovision Song Contest 2006Slovenia in the Eurovision Song Contest 2006Estonia in the Eurovision Song Contest 2006Slovakia in the Eurovision Song ContestHungary in the Eurovision Song ContestRomania in the Eurovision Song Contest 2006Lithuania in the Eurovision Song Contest 2006Poland in the Eurovision Song Contest 2006Russia in the Eurovision Song Contest 2006Macedonia in the Eurovision Song Contest 2006Latvia in the Eurovision Song Contest 2006Ukraine in the Eurovision Song Contest 2006Albania in the Eurovision Song Contest 2006Andorra in the Eurovision Song Contest 2006Belarus in the Eurovision Song Contest 2006Bulgaria in the Eurovision Song Contest 2006Moldova in the Eurovision Song Contest 2006Armenia in the Eurovision Song Contest 2006
         Finalist countries     Countries eliminated in the semi-final     Countries that didn't participate but were allowed to vote     Countries that participated in the past but not in 2006
Vote
Voting systemEach country awarded 12, 10, 8–1 point(s) to their 10 favourite songs
Winning song
2005 ← Eurovision Song Contest → 2007

The Eurovision Song Contest 2006 was the 51st edition of the Eurovision Song Contest. It took place in Athens, Greece, following the country's victory at the 2005 contest with the song "My Number One" by Helena Paparizou. Organised by the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) and host broadcaster Hellenic Broadcasting Corporation (ERT), the contest was held at the Olympic Indoor Hall, and consisted of a semi-final on 18 May, and a final on 20 May 2006. The two live shows were presented by American television personality Maria Menounos and Greek former contestant Sakis Rouvas.[1]

Thirty-seven countries participated in the contest. Armenia took part for the first time. Meanwhile, Austria, Hungary, and Serbia and Montenegro announced their non-participation in the contest. Serbia and Montenegro had intended to participate, but due to a scandal in the national selection, tensions were caused between the Serbian broadcaster, RTS, and the Montenegrin broadcaster, RTCG. Despite this, the nation did retain voting rights for the contest.

The winner was Finland with the heavy metal-song "Hard Rock Hallelujah", performed by Lordi and written by lead singer Mr. Lordi. This was Finland's first victory in the contest - and first top five placing - in 45 years of participation, the longest time a country had competed without a win at that point. It was also the first ever hard rock song to win the contest, as well as the first band to win since 1997. Russia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Romania and Sweden rounded out the top five. Bosnia and Herzegovina achieved their best result in their Eurovision history. Further down the table, Lithuania also achieved their best result to date, finishing sixth. Of the "Big Four" countries Germany placed the highest, finishing joint fourteenth (with Norway).

The contest saw the 1,000th song performed in the contest, when Ireland's Brian Kennedy performed "Every Song Is a Cry for Love" in the semi-final.

  1. ^ "In pictures: Eurovision 2006". BBC News. 21 May 2006. Archived from the original on 30 October 2020. Retrieved 9 August 2008.