1970s
The 1970s started with a major drop in the participants list - only 12 delegations decided to take part in the Eurovision Song Contest in 1970 due to the "voting scandal" from the previous year which led to four winners. As a result, a new rule was devised; if two or more songs gained the same number of points, each song had to be performed once more. The jury had to select their favorite song (except for the juries of the countries concerned). This had to be done by a show of hands. If entries still were to tie, both of them would share the first position.
More changes were in the air: in 1975 another voting system was implemented which is very similar to the one in use today. Juries in every country would give 1 - 12 points to their 10 favourite songs, starting with the famous 12 (douze) points to their top favourite, then 10 to the second favourite, 8 to their third favourite, 7 to their fourth favorite and ending with 1 point for their tenth favourite. The votes were cast in the
order the songs were performed.
Another important rule change for the 1973 Eurovision Song Contest was that the participants could choose the language in which they wanted to sing their songs. This rule remained valid until 1976, although exceptions were permitted for the 1977 contest, and was put in effect again from 1999 onwards.
The rule of performing either solo or as a duet was abolished in 1971: now groups of up to six persons were allowed to perform at the Eurovision Song Contest and this has led to many groups winning the contest in recent years.
The 1970s saw many hits from the contest, including entries such as All Kinds Of Everything by Dana, Après Toi by Vicky Leandros, Teach-In's Ding-A-Dong, Save Your Kisses For Me by Brotherhood of Man, Beg, Steal Or Borrow by The New Seekers and naturally the song which was chosen to be the best Eurovision Song Contest entry ever, in 2005 - Waterloo by the world-famous Swedish foursome ABBA. ABBA had actually tried to enter the 1973 Eurovision Song Contest already with the song Ring Ring, which later became a hit for them in many European countries - but they only reached the third place in the Swedish national selection.
More and more countries all over the world decided to broadcast the Eurovision Song Contest, including Brazil, Chile, Japan, Taiwan, the Philippines, Hong Kong, Dubai and Thailand. Israel and Turkey also entered the contest for the first time in the seventies.
More changes were in the air: in 1975 another voting system was implemented which is very similar to the one in use today. Juries in every country would give 1 - 12 points to their 10 favourite songs, starting with the famous 12 (douze) points to their top favourite, then 10 to the second favourite, 8 to their third favourite, 7 to their fourth favorite and ending with 1 point for their tenth favourite. The votes were cast in the
order the songs were performed.
Another important rule change for the 1973 Eurovision Song Contest was that the participants could choose the language in which they wanted to sing their songs. This rule remained valid until 1976, although exceptions were permitted for the 1977 contest, and was put in effect again from 1999 onwards.
The rule of performing either solo or as a duet was abolished in 1971: now groups of up to six persons were allowed to perform at the Eurovision Song Contest and this has led to many groups winning the contest in recent years.
The 1970s saw many hits from the contest, including entries such as All Kinds Of Everything by Dana, Après Toi by Vicky Leandros, Teach-In's Ding-A-Dong, Save Your Kisses For Me by Brotherhood of Man, Beg, Steal Or Borrow by The New Seekers and naturally the song which was chosen to be the best Eurovision Song Contest entry ever, in 2005 - Waterloo by the world-famous Swedish foursome ABBA. ABBA had actually tried to enter the 1973 Eurovision Song Contest already with the song Ring Ring, which later became a hit for them in many European countries - but they only reached the third place in the Swedish national selection.
More and more countries all over the world decided to broadcast the Eurovision Song Contest, including Brazil, Chile, Japan, Taiwan, the Philippines, Hong Kong, Dubai and Thailand. Israel and Turkey also entered the contest for the first time in the seventies.