Longest running annual TV music competition (international)
- Who
- Eurovision Song Contest (ESC)
- What
- 67:353 year(s):day(s)
- Where
- Not Applicable
- When
- 11 May 2024
The Eurovision Song Contest (ESC) has been staged annually (with the exception of 2020) since 1956, when the “Eurovision Grand Prix” featured seven European countries and was won by Switzerland's Lys Assia with the song “Refrain”. The ESC was held for the 68th time on 11 May 2024, with 37 countries represented at the Malmö Arena in Sweden. Switzerland’s Nemo (b. Nemo Mettler) won the latest edition with “The Code”, scoring 591 points. They were the first openly non-binary musician to triumph at the contest.
The first ESC took place at the Teatro Kursaal in Lugano, Switzerland, on 24 May 1956. The only year the competition did not run was 2020, owing to the COVID-19 pandemic. The “Eurovision Grand Prix” adopted its current name, the Eurovision Song Contest, in 1968.
The ESC predominantly features member countries of the European Broadcasting Union or the Council of Europe, the exceptions being Israel (since 1973), Morocco (1980) and Australia (since 2015). Australia were the 52nd country to take part in the ESC since its inception in 1956.
As of the 2024 competition, Germany – one of the “big five” countries – had been represented at the ESC more than any other nation (67), missing out only in 1996.
There are several annual music competitions that pre-date the ESC: Ferruccio Busoni International Piano Competition (Italy), 1949–present (held annually except 2002); ARD International Music Competition (Germany), 1952–present; Maria Canals International Music Competition (Spain), 1954–present (annual since 1956). However, none of these contests are broadcast on TV (live or highlights).
In terms of more recent contenders, the birth of reality TV has spawned series such as The X Factor (2004–present) and The Voice (2010–present), but their history is relatively short compared to the ESC.
Also in the pop/rock field, two of the biggest and most established annual music contests are Live and Unsigned (UK, 2007–present) and Open Mic UK (UK, 2008–present), but neither are broadcast on TV.