Eurovision Song Contest 1996 — 41st edition of the Eurovision Song Contest
Ireland's Eimear Quinn won a record-extending seventh Eurovision title for the country, marking the last contest decided solely by jury voting.
Key Facts
- Edition
- 41st Eurovision Song Contest
- Date
- 18 May 1996
- Winning song
- "The Voice" by Eimear Quinn (Ireland)
- Participating countries
- 23 (30 submitted entries)
- Ireland's total wins
- 7 (record-extending)
- Germany's absence
- First and only time absent from the contest
By the Numbers
Location
Cause → Event → Consequence
Norway earned the right to host after Secret Garden won the 1995 Eurovision Song Contest with 'Nocturne'. Thirty national broadcasters submitted entries, but an audio-only qualifying round two months before the final was required to reduce participants to 23, eliminating seven countries including Germany for the first and only time in the contest's history.
The 41st Eurovision Song Contest was held on 18 May 1996 at the Oslo Spektrum, hosted by Ingvild Bryn and Morten Harket. Ireland's Eimear Quinn performed 'The Voice', written by Brendan Graham, and won the contest. Norway, Sweden, Croatia, and Estonia rounded out the top five, with Croatia, Estonia, and Portugal each achieving their best results to date.
Ireland secured a record seventh Eurovision victory, its fourth in five years, with songwriter Brendan Graham claiming his second win in three years. The contest was the last decided entirely by jury voting; televoting was trialled in 1997 and became widespread from 1998, fundamentally changing how Eurovision results were determined.
Work
Eurovision Song Contest 1996
The 1996 contest was the last decided solely by jury voting and marked Ireland's record seventh win, while also introducing a pre-final audio qualifying round to manage growing participation.