Eurovision Song Contest 2004 — 49th edition of the Eurovision Song Contest
The 49th Eurovision Song Contest introduced a semi-final format to accommodate record participation, with Ukraine winning for the first time.
Key Facts
- Edition
- 49th Eurovision Song Contest
- Participating countries
- 36 countries
- Winner
- Ukraine – "Wild Dances" by Ruslana
- Semi-final date
- 12 May 2004
- Final date
- 15 May 2004
- Venue
- Abdi İpekçi Arena, Istanbul
By the Numbers
Location
Cause → Event → Consequence
The growing number of countries wishing to participate in Eurovision had strained the old relegation system, which forced some nations to sit out alternate years. To resolve this, the EBU replaced relegation with a new semi-final format, allowing all countries to compete annually for the first time since 1994.
The 2004 contest, held in Istanbul after Turkey's 2003 victory, featured a first-ever semi-final on 12 May followed by the final on 15 May. Thirty-six countries participated, a record at the time, with four nations — Albania, Andorra, Belarus, and Serbia and Montenegro — making their debuts.
Ukraine won its first Eurovision title with Ruslana's "Wild Dances," just one year after the country's debut. The top three entries all exceeded 200 points, the first time non-winning songs crossed that threshold, and the contest was released on DVD in its entirety for the first time.