Ahead of Their Time – A Journey Following the Great Eurovision Songs That Conquered Millions Outside the Contest – Part 2
Every year, a vast array of songs graces the Eurovision stage, each carrying the hope of captivating hearts and claiming the coveted first place. While many fade into obscurity immediately after the competition, some songs manage to transcend the boundaries of time and stage. Often, it’s the songs that didn’t win first place or even come close to the top that resonate with the audience and find their place in collective memory. These are the songs that sound different, new, and perhaps too strange for the moment they first appeared – but over the years, they reveal their full beauty and fill radio stations and hearts anew.
In Part I of the series, we delved into several memorable songs throughout the contest’s history. In this article, we’ll continue our journey into the past to those songs that were ahead of their time but blossomed and captivated the global audience with their unique artistry only after the competition itself had ended.
The Early Years
The song “Uno per tutte” (English: “One for All”) performed by Emilio Pericoli, representing Italy in 1963, reached third place that year but didn’t achieve great success at Eurovision. However, the song gained recognition in Italian and international charts after Eurovision. It represents a classic style of Italian chanson that succeeded more outside the competition and became a beloved Italian hit still sung in cafes around the world today.
“Elle était si jolie” (English: “She Was So Pretty”) by Alain Barrière, who also represented France in the 1963 Eurovision contest, only reached fifth place. The song, describing a sad romantic ballad, combines delicate French singing and an emotional melody. Although it didn’t achieve much success in the competition, it became a beloved hit in France and received many plays worldwide. Over the years, the song has become a cult song for fans of French chanson and 1960s European culture. To the Israeli ear, the song is well remembered from director Shmulik Firstenberg‘s 1990 film, “Kiss in the IDF,” starring the late Yehuda Barkan and Michal Yanai. The musical production for this film was handled by Nancy Brandes, who also arranged Ofra Haza‘s song, “Chai,” which represented Israel at Eurovision in 1983 and took second place, and was also the conductor for Avi Toledano‘s song, “Hora,” which represented Israel at Eurovision 1982 and also took second place.
France Gall‘s song, “Poupée de cire, poupée de son” (English: “Wax Doll, Sound Doll”) representing Luxembourg in 1965, is one of the most revolutionary songs in Eurovision history. The song, written by Serge Gainsbourg, is considered the first Eurovision song to break the traditional patterns of simple ballads. Initially, the song was considered too daring and challenging due to its contemporary French rock and pop influences, and in the years following the competition, it achieved significant success and became a classic. Despite its modest success during Eurovision, the song is now considered a milestone in European music and is mentioned as one of the most influential musical works in the history of the competition.
“L’Amour Est Bleu” (English: “Love Is Blue”) performed by Vicky Leandros for Luxembourg in 1967, didn’t achieve great success at Eurovision itself, reaching only fourth place. However, after the competition, the song gained impressive success, especially in its instrumental version performed by Paul Mauriat, which became an international hit, particularly in the United States. The melodic and touching tune of the song, with its classical influence, gained new life and became one of the great classics of the era, despite not winning the competition.
Modern Era Breakthroughs
“In My Dreams” by the band Wig Wam is considered one of the boldest songs in the 2005 Eurovision contest. It’s a heavy rock song with glam rock influences, a style that was unusual in the competition at that time. The song received only 125 points and shared ninth place with Denmark, but it gained success in the European rock scene after Eurovision and became a cult song among fans. Although it didn’t place high, the song became a symbol of rock genre’s entry into the Eurovision contest and was retrospectively seen as a trailblazer for more songs in this style that would come to the Eurovision stage in the future, and in many eyes, it paved the way for Lordi‘s victory with “Hard Rock Hallelujah” the following year.
“Dancing Lasha Tumbai” by Verka Serduchka is one of the most iconic songs in Eurovision history. The song, which took second place in 2007, was particularly unusual due to its campy style and Verka’s eccentric performance. Although initially the song caused a stir and was even considered controversial in terms of style and the literal meaning of its lyrics, it became a hit among Eurovision fans and remains one of the most identifiable songs with the competition to this day. The song’s success continues years later, as it is considered one of the most influential pop hits in Eurovision history and in European music history.
Although “Fairytale” by Alexander Rybak won Eurovision in 2009, its real global breakthrough occurred after the competition. At the time, the song was considered quite unique due to the combination of violin and contemporary dance, and immediately after the competition became a commercial success in Europe. It is considered a song that presented a unique musical approach that opened the door for other songs using classical instruments within the pop genre, and significantly influenced the Eurovision contest in subsequent years. As mentioned, the song was quite successful in the years following the victory, but the song’s true success came due to a trend on the TikTok app, which created a massive chain reaction and the song again reached the top of the charts with tens of millions of renewed plays across the web.
The song “Calm After the Storm” by the duo The Common Linnets, representing the Netherlands in 2014, took second place in the Eurovision contest, but its great success came only afterwards. The musical style of the song – American blues and rock – was very unique in the Eurovision arena, and was ahead of its time in terms of the intimate and minimalist tone it had. After the competition, the song achieved success in Europe and the United States, and entered international music charts. The song is considered an example of a song that Eurovision indeed recognized its quality, but its true success came only thanks to the loyal fan base that found the song outside the competition framework.
The song “Rhythm Inside” by Loïc Nottet, Belgium’s representative to Eurovision 2015, was considered unique due to its electronic and modern style. The song reached only fourth place, but after the competition, it achieved great success and became a hit in many European countries thanks to innovative production and an elaborate music video. It is considered a song that managed to break the boundaries of Eurovision and become a global hit thanks to its exceptional arrangement and electric and mysterious atmosphere.
In 2016, Sweden sent Frans with the song “If I Were Sorry” which, although reaching fifth place in the competition, succeeded impressively outside of it. The song, which combines contemporary folk-pop style with honest and intimate lyrics, became popular in European pop charts and was played on many radio stations. The song became one of the most identifiable songs of the competition in recent years, proving that even a song that doesn’t win first place can become a hit by touching the hearts of the audience.
“Love Me Back” by Can Bonomo represented Turkey in the 2012 Eurovision Song Contest and reached only seventh place. The song combines elements of traditional Turkish music with contemporary pop, bringing a maritime love story that mixes Turkish culture with a contemporary and energetic style. After Eurovision, the song achieved great success in many countries and became popular in Turkey and neighboring countries. The success of the song proved the ability of this unique style to reach a wide audience even beyond the boundaries of the competition.
The song “Spirit in the Sky” by the band KEiiNO represented Norway at Eurovision 2019 and reached only sixth place in the overall ranking (despite reaching first place in the public vote), but after the competition it achieved significant success and became popular among contest fans. The song combines modern pop with elements of joik, a traditional singing style from Sami culture, which made it particularly unique and original. The song managed to capture the hearts of audiences worldwide thanks to its optimistic and energetic message, and became a favorite song at Eurovision parties around the world.
One of the most talked-about songs in the Eurovision arena recently is “Snap” performed by Rosa Linn, who represented Armenia in 2022. The song initially achieved little success at Eurovision itself, reaching only 20th place in the final, a particularly disappointing result given the high expectations. But after the competition, the song went viral, especially on social media, with hundreds of millions of views and plays on various platforms like Spotify, YouTube, and TikTok. The song’s success likely stems from its personal and touching lyrics and its simple and catchy melody. This is a classic case of a song that was ahead of its time in the competition, but ultimately captured the hearts of audiences worldwide.
Like many songs that didn’t achieve immediate fame, many Eurovision creations reveal their true beauty only after the stage lights have faded. There’s a special magic in songs written from the heart that reach other hearts at a later stage, when the audience matures to feel their power. They remind us that sometimes the most meaningful path is the one that develops slowly, when time and audience find the song at just the right moment. They inspire anyone who creates and believes, reminding that success is not always measured by immediate victory but by the echo that remains and accompanies years later. These songs receive new life thanks to listeners from all over the world, not just Eurovision fans, who give them a place of honor in memories and special moments. And so, even in Eurovision – there are moments that prove that good music doesn’t need to win, but only to find its way to people’s hearts.
Eurovision 2025: The 69th Eurovision Song Contest will take place in Basel, Switzerland, on May 13, 15-17, 2025. The St. Jakobshalle arena, which will host the competition, is expected to accommodate about 12,000 spectators for each show. The contest will be held in Switzerland following its third victory in history with the song “The Code”, performed by singer Nemo. This will be the third time the competition is hosted in Switzerland, after the contest was held there in 1956 and 1989.
