By Despoina Herouvim,
May is here, and if you are a fan of the European Song Contest, then this is probably your favourite month, since May is all about ESC. With a tradition of more than 60 years, Eurovision has given us over 1,500 songs and hundreds of hours of live television, but most importantly, it has given a chance to all European countries to come together and sing, dance and have fun. I am sure we all remember some of the most classic songs of the contest like “Waterloo” by Abba or “Diva” by Dana International or some of the most iconic performances like “My Number One” by Elena Paparizou or “Fuego” by Eleni Foureira. Do you remember though which songs managed to collect the most points from the jury and the public? Trust me, it is really interesting to see the 10 highest scoring songs of all time, as half of them did not even win the contest, but definitely won our hearts. Let us take a look and remember the 10 songs from Eurovision that got the most points from the jury vote and the tele vote, up until now of course.
10. “Soldi” (472 points)
After winning the 69th Sanremo Music Festival, Mahmood represented Italy in 2019 with the song “Soldi”, which translates into “money” in English. The song that was based on the singer’s relationship with his father has a very catchy melody and along with the amazing stage presence of Mahmood, Italy managed to enthuse the audience and win the second place with 472 points.
9. “You Are the Only One” (491 points)
Sergey Lazarev represented Russia in 2016 with the song “You Are the Only One” and we must admit that this song just “screams” Eurovision. The beat is catchy and memorable, the visuals are on point and it’s definitely a performance to remember. Therefore, it was no surprise that the singer managed to excite Eurovision fans, and after the end of the voting, he got the 3rd place with 491 points.
8. “Arcade” (498 points)
Duncan Laurence represented the Netherlands in 2019 with the song “Arcade” and won the 1st place with 498 points. The song is an extremely emotional ballad, talking about lost love and showing the pain and vulnerability the singer felt after a hard break-up he went through. The heartbreaking lyrics, the melody and the mesmerising performance were some of the things that contributed to his victory.
7. “Voilà” (499 points)
Barbara Pravi represented France in 2021 with the song “Voilà”, which is basically a call for acceptance. With amazing vocals and an emotional performance, she gives us a glimpse into her inner world and her newfound sense of liberation. With an authentic French character, the song was undoubtedly one of the best of the 2021 contest and won the 2nd place, after collecting 499 points.
6. “Sound of Silence” (511 points)
Dami Im represented Australia in 2016 with the song “Sound of Silence”. With a mid-tempo power ballad, she collected 511 points, finishing in the 2nd place. How could she not, given the absolutely stunning vocals and her magnificent presence on stage? The 2nd place was well-deserved, especially if we take into account that this was the 2nd time Australia participated in the contest.
5. “Zitti Ε buoni” (524 points)
Selected through the “Sanremo Music Festival”, Måneskin represented Italy in 2021 with the song “Zitti Ε buoni” and won the contest with 524 points. It comes as no surprise with a song like this, and with such a bold meaning. The band was absolutely incredible. From the very first moment, when Damiano David appeared on stage, Europe went into frenzy. With killer vocals, rock star vibes and a stage presence that took our breaths away, there was no way Måneskin would leave that stage without winning. Måneskin wοn the Eurovision Song Contest 2021.
4. “Toy” (529 points)
Netta represented Israel in 2018 with the song “Toy” and won the competition with 529 points. A song with a powerful message about female empowerment and with pretty catchy lyrics, there was no doubt that Israel had the entire package to win the contest. If we add to this, Netta’s energy and charisma, along with her incredible, powerful voice and dynamic personality, the win was expected.
3. “1944” (534 points)
Jamala represented Ukraine in 2016 with the song “1944” and won the contest with 534 points. The song, with a message so much bigger than Eurovision which undoubtedly touched our hearts, the emotional performance of the singer and the amazing visuals with the tree of life definitely were some of the reasons that this entry is one of the most unforgettable performances.
2. “Beautiful Mess” (615 points)
Kristian Kostov represented Bulgaria in 2017 with the song “Beautiful Mess” and finished in the 2nd place with 615 points. The young star, with the unbelievably mature voice for his age, carried the entire performance as the entire focus was on him. A well-written song with electro edges that just worked and took Eurovision by storm.
1. “Amar pelos dois” (758 points)
Salvador Sobral represented Portugal in 2017 with the song “Amar pelos dois” and won the contest with 758 points. A sentimental ballad about unconditional love, sang with the soothing voice of the Portuguese singer and some trees on a distant LED wall, were the only things needed for Portugal to be the undeniable winner of 2017, proving that sometimes less is more. “Amar pelos dois” is such a unique performance, with a magic melody and a message that will echo through the years.
References
- Ten Highest Scoring Eurovision Songs, aussievision.net, Available here
- 21st Century Eurovision, Eurovision-song-contest-fandom.com, Available here
