Netherlands in the Eurovision Song Contest

This article deals with the history of the Netherlands as a participant in the Euro Vision Song Contest.

Regularity of participation

The Netherlands have already participated in the first edition of the Euro Vision Song Contest in 1956 and regularly since then. Only twice was the land of the competition voluntarily refrained, namely in 1985 and 1991. 1995 and 2002 allowed for bad placements last year, no contribution will be filed. 2009 announced the formerly responsible broadcaster NOS that the responsibility for the posts on the ESC to another entity within the NPO, the TROS be delivered.

Success in competition

The Netherlands, a total of four times to win the competition: 1957 in the second edition of the event with the chunks and Corry Net as toen, two years later beetje with Teddy Scholten and Een. 1969 had Lenny Kuhr, the troubadour won with her ​​song De, in first place with three other countries. 1975, Teach-In with Ding-a -dong the far past winners. On the other hand, all contributions up to and including 1970, which did not win could not even place in the first half of the table. The Netherlands also came four times to the last place, twice with zero points. Total landed only 18 of the 45 posts, their placement is known - exactly 40 % - in the first half. In 2004, the Netherlands had to first qualify in the newly introduced semi-finals. In the preliminary round yet come to the sixth place clear on, you had to get in the finals with the 20th place satisfied. Until the introduction of the new system with two semi-finals (2008) this was the worst result of a semi-final qualifiers. From 2005 to 2012, the Netherlands failed eight times in a row in the semifinals - and thus more frequently than any other country. 2013 succeeded with Anouk and Birds for the first time the finals.

List of posts

Color legend: - Victories. - A tie to the last place. - Contributions finals.

Commercial success

The first three Dutch champion title internationally were only minor successes. Only Een beetje reached the 13th place in Italy in the Italian version. Ding-a -dong sold a little better, but was not a chart-topping. Among the other Netherlands contribution was probably as ' t om de liefde gaat 1972 the most successful, he reached the charts in several countries. 2013 Anouk reached # 3 in the Netherlands and number 49 in the German single charts.

National preliminary decisions

Only four post and singers were selected for the internal competition. 1961, 1980, 2008 and 2013, in all other years, a national qualifying round took place, usually under the title Nationaal Song Festival. These preliminaries were carried out in many different systems:

Classic qualifying round

In most cases, a "classic " preliminary round took place, ie, at an evening featured several artists several titles before, under which the favorite was selected at the end. The system was conducted in 1956 to 1958, 1962, 1968 and 1969, 1976-1978, 1981, 1983-1986, 1989, 1992, and 1998 to 2001, with slight differences: usually presented every singer a song before, but especially in the early years, some performers have had several songs in a preliminary round. Of 2006, three artists, three different songs to choose from. The number of featured songs varies between four and 13

2010, the system was changed slightly. The song was produced internally by Pierre Kartner. After the song was sung by five artists in five different versions. Then, a four-member jury awarded one vote for best song. The studio audience forgave another voice. Since there was a tie between two artists decided Kartner Pierre, who won the qualifying round.

Preliminary round with a singer

Some preliminary rounds of the artist or the group was selected internally, which then presented several titles. This was the case in 1963 and 1964 ( three items), 1967 ( six items), 1971-1974 ( between three and six titles ) and 1987 and 1988 ( six items), 1992-1994 (eight items), 1997 ( again six titles ) and 2011 ( five items). 2007 stands out particularly from the frame, Edisilia Rombley presented three songs to chose in the end but even her song for Helsinki, even if you got a jury to one side, she advised.

Preliminary decisions with preliminary

Occasionally, were carried out before the final semi-final rounds: 1965 five preliminary rounds with three titles, two semi-finals in 1990 with 10 titles and 2003 to 2005 of four. 1996 were also five preliminary rounds conducted, but the effect differed in that in each round only one artist or a group presented three titles, of which the best qualified for the final.

Preliminary decisions with separate choice

1975 and 1982, singer and song were chosen independently. It featured three performers in each case before the same three titles under which the favorite is selected. Then the song of all three was presented again before the Dutch representative was chosen.

Voting modes

In most years, a jury has been off at the Trials, which was composed differently and some music experts, singer or as in 1977 only celebrities received or " normal" citizens recruited. In 1978, a jury unit exclusively of former Dutch participants in the competition. In some years, the jury has been extended by a telephone vote, as happened in 1959 and 1960 and in all years from 1996. 1956 to 1958 and 1971 alone was allowed to vote the audience, namely by sending in postcards.

Languages

The Netherlands have to sing in the years without voice control usually their contributions in English, exceptions are De oude muzikant 1973, Ik ben verliefd ( Sha -La- Lie) 2010. 1983 was the title of Sing Me a Song, as well as some more but words in the text in English, the scope was still within allowable by the EBU limit. 2006, the chorus of Amambanda was presented in an imaginary language. Many of the posts that were sung at the competition in Dutch, were published in English, including all the songs since 1968. Many more articles were added in German, some in Italian, Spanish and other languages.

Aligned competitions

1958 taught the Netherlands as last year's winner of the Euro Vision Song Contest in Hilversum from, as 1976 in The Hague. After 1969 won four countries, the host, was drawn for 1970, where also the Netherlands was bestowed the honor of the competition to be held in Amsterdam. After Israel in 1980 after the victory in Jerusalem the competition did not want to align and even completely renounced participation, took over the Netherlands the task, so the competition returned to The Hague.

Trivia

• The Netherlands is the only country known to last year's winner and the host - took last place (1958 ) - albeit divided.
• 1976 Corry moderated Brokken the Euro Vision Song Contest from The Hague. She became the first former participant who took over this task. In addition, she is the only singer who took both the first (1957 ) and the last place (1958).
• Due to the explosion of fireworks factory in Enschede on 13 May 2000 was waived when taking place this evening ESC on the televoting in the Netherlands and resorted to the voting of a jury.
• In the competitions that were organized in the Netherlands, the scoreboard was often labeled Dutch. In 1980 she was indeed English letters, however, the presenter while she called on different phones juries in other countries, spoken Dutch.
• For Euro Vision Song Contest 2011 in Dusseldorf, the delegation traveled to the band 3JS on a river cruise ship, which was moored on the bank of the Rhine near the old town.