Congratulations: 50 Years of the Eurovision Song Contest — television programme
The EBU's 50th-anniversary special determined the most popular Eurovision entry across five decades, with ABBA's 'Waterloo' winning from 2.5 million televotes.
Key Facts
- Date
- 22 October 2005
- Votes cast
- 2.5 million
- Competing songs
- 14
- Broadcasting countries
- 31 EBU-member countries
- Winning song
- Waterloo by ABBA (original winner 1974)
- Hosts
- Katrina Leskanich and Renārs Kaupers
By the Numbers
Location
Cause → Event → Consequence
The Eurovision Song Contest reached its fiftieth anniversary in 2005, prompting the European Broadcasting Union to plan a commemorative event that would celebrate the contest's history and identify its most beloved entry through public participation.
Hosted by Katrina Leskanich and Renārs Kaupers at Forum in Copenhagen on 22 October 2005, the special presented fourteen songs selected by internet poll and jury. Thirty-one countries broadcast the show, and televoting combined with national juries determined the winner from 2.5 million votes cast live.
ABBA's 'Waterloo', Sweden's 1974 winner, was voted the most popular Eurovision entry of all time. To mark the occasion, the EBU also released two double-album CDs and two DVDs compiling original Eurovision performances spanning fifty years.