HistoryData
culture2021

Eurovision Song Contest 2021 — 65th edition of the Eurovision Song Contest

January 1, 2021

Italy won the 65th Eurovision Song Contest with Måneskin's 'Zitti e buoni,' marking the first Big Five winner since Germany in 2010 and drawing 183 million viewers.

Quick Facts

Year
2021
Category
culture

Key Facts

Edition
65th Eurovision Song Contest
Winning song
'Zitti e buoni' by Måneskin (Italy)
Participating countries
39
TV audience
183 million viewers in 36 European markets
Final date
22 May 2021
Venue
Rotterdam Ahoy, Rotterdam

By the Numbers

65
Edition
39
Participating countries
183
TV audience
22
Final date

Location

Map of Rotterdam, NetherlandsMap of Rotterdam, NetherlandsRotterdam, Netherlands

Cause → Event → Consequence

Cause

The 2020 Eurovision Song Contest was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, leaving the Netherlands—whose broadcaster AVROTROS had won in 2019 with Duncan Laurence's 'Arcade'—to host the postponed competition in 2021. Many countries retained their 2020 selections but were required to submit new songs under contest rules.

Event

The 65th Eurovision Song Contest was held at Rotterdam Ahoy across two semi-finals on 18 and 20 May and a final on 22 May 2021, with 39 countries competing. Italy's rock band Måneskin performed 'Zitti e buoni,' winning the combined jury and televote. France, Switzerland, Iceland, and Ukraine completed the top five, with several historic voting outcomes recorded.

Consequence

Italy's victory ended an eleven-year drought for the Big Five bloc and prompted renewed global interest in Måneskin. The United Kingdom became the first country to score no points from both juries and the televote in the same contest, while Australia failed to qualify for the final for the first time since its 2015 debut.

Work

Eurovision Song Contest 2021

by Måneskin (winners: 'Zitti e buoni')music
Italy's first Eurovision win since 1990 propelled Måneskin to international fame; the contest drew 183 million viewers, marking increased youth engagement, and set multiple voting records including the UK's historic zero-point result.

Timeline Context

Timeline around 202120212018201920202022202320242020 Summer Olympics — games of the XXXII Olympiad, in Tokyo, Japan, held in 2021UEFA Euro 2020 — 16th men’s European association football championship2020 Summer Paralympics — 2020 edition of the Summer Paralympics2021 Formula One World Championship — 72nd running of the Formula One World Championship2021 Taliban offensive — 2021 military offensive by the Taliban causing the fall of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan2021 Copa América — Edition's XLVII Copa AmericaFootball at the 2020 Summer Olympics — association football practiced at the 2020 Summer OlympicsBasketball at the 2020 Summer Olympics — Basketball events at the 2020 Summer Olympicseurovision-song-contest-2021-65th-edition-of-the-eurovisio-2021