Every year, with the revival of the Eurovision season, thousands of viewers, fans, and professional jurors attempt to crack the code how to win at Eurovision: What is the secret formula that leads a country to first place? Do audiences prefer solo male singers? solo female singers? Or perhaps they favor bands? In the series “The Eurovision Formula”, we dive into historical data. In this article, we take a closer look at one of the contest’s most central criteria: is there a gender advantage on the road to Eurovision glory?

Gender in Eurovision: From Soloists to Groups and Beyond

Throughout Eurovision’s history, the stage has been filled with all kinds of performers – solo vocalists, duos, and full-scale bands. Yet, when analyzing patterns of victory, the picture becomes more complex. Trends have shifted gradually over the decades, and the passing of the trophy between genders has become more frequent.

Winning Patterns Across Europe

A country’s success often reflects diverse approaches. Sweden, for example, achieved victory twice with groups, one of them being ABBA in 1974. Most of its additional wins, however, came from women – such as Carola, Charlotte Perrelli, and Loreen, who in 2012 and 2023 became the second performer ever to win Eurovision twice. Sweden has had only one male winner, Måns Zelmerlöw, in 2015. Most of Luxembourg’s victories as well achieved by women – four women won for Luxembourg, and only one man.

Ireland presents a bit more balanced picture. The country celebrated female victories with Dana in 1970, Linda Martin in 1992, Niamh Kavanagh in 1993, and Eimear Quinn in 1996. Additionally, Ireland won twice with male artists – both times with Johnny Logan, who became the first performer to win Eurovision twice (1980 and 1987). Another Irish victory came from a duo, Paul Harrington & Charlie McGettigan, in 1994.

The United Kingdom, too, saw multiple gender pathways to the trophy. While Sandie Shaw (1967) and Lulu (1969) brought success for female performers, three of the Unoted Kingdom’s five wins came from groups: Brotherhood of Man (1976), Bucks Fizz (1981), and Katrina and the Waves (1997).

Gender-Specific Wins: One-Sided Histories

Some countries have displayed striking consistency with particular genders. Germany, Spain, Turkey, Greece, and Latvia have only ever won with female performers. Conversely, some nations saw victory solely with male artists – for example, Russia with Dima Bilan in 2008 and Portugal with Salvador Sobral in 2017. Austria also showed a distinct pattern: all its Eurovision wins came from male performers – Udo Jürgens in 1966, Conchita Wurst in 2014, and JJ in 2025. Conchita’s victory, however, was especially significant as it celebrated drag artistry on an international stage, symbolizing a defining moment in Eurovision’s relationship with identity and gender.

The Numbers and the Verdict: Is There a Gender Advantage?

Which gender wins most often? The statistics leave little doubt: women lead Eurovision’s hall of fame. Out of 73 total winners:

Despite women’s historic dominance, with 56.16% of the total victories to date, a closer look at the past decade paints a more complex picture: just three solo women have won, while men, bands, and gender-nonconforming performers have increasingly claimed victory. Ultimately, the decisive factor is not gender but the quality of the song and the strength of its performance.

But is gender the only decisive factor? Is the running order influences voting – do specific numbers hold hold the key advantage? Are there any coursed numbers? We’ll explore these in the next article of the “Eurovision Formula” series.