Russia’s Buranovskiye Babushki

Eurovision is 60, or if we’re being really pernickety 59. Either way, that’s well over half a century! But the contest isn’t the only one who’s ageing. Sure you may be feeling full of youthful vigour right now, but wait until you’ve gone through our list below. Y’all will be signing up for your pensions in no time, or at least seeing if the Buranovskiye Babushki have room for any new members.

1. Eurovision’s 70th anniversary celebrations are as far away as its 50th.

2. It’s been ten years since the UK almost sent the heavily pregnant, latex clad, glamour model Katie Price (formerly Jordan) to Eurovision.


A lucky escape? Their actual representative, Javine, only came 22nd.

 3. Twelve years ago, the EBU were so paranoid that Russia’s Tatu would share an on-stage snog that they almost arranged for a pre-recorded “clean” version of their performance.

Tumblr: taturossija
Tumblr: taturossija

The kiss never happened, and we had to wait ten more years for Finland’s Krista Siegfrids to bring some same-sex realness to the contest.

4. The Eurovision semi-final system has been in place in some shape or form for 11 years.

Kate Ryan Eurovision 2006

Countless “injustices” have ensued.

5. The 100% televoting era came to an end seven years ago, when the juries rescued Sweden’s Charlotte Perrelli.

Charlotte Perelli Hero

Were it completely up to televoters, she wouldn’t have qualified for the final.

6. And the 50/50 system was first rolled out during the 2009 grand final, six years ago.

Alexander Rybak Fairytale Eurovision norway

A love/hate relationship was born.

7. Las Ketchup, Spain’s 2006 representatives, rose to fame 13 years ago with their worldwide number one “The Ketchup Song”.

What were we all thinking?

8. UK viewers haven’t heard Terry Wogan’s commentary in over half a decade.

Terry Wogan Listen Listen

He retired in 2008.

9. Iceland’s Silvía Night hasn’t been seen for eight years and is presumed dead.

Tumblr: All28day
Tumblr: All28day

The last known sighting was in 2007. Thankfully, her alter ego Ágústa Eva Erlendsdóttir is still with us.

10. Eurovision.tv’s homepage in June 2005.

Eurovision.tv screenshot June 2015

11. The official Eurovision album from 2001.

Eurovision album 2001

Featuring classics from Dave Benton, Antique and Natasha St-Pier.

12. No one below the age of 25 will remember Luxembourg’s final participation in 1993.

13. And anyone under 15 is unlikely to remember Monaco’s last appearance in 2006.

Séverine Ferrer La Coco Dance Monaco Eurovision

14. Before Vienna, we’d gone 11 whole contests without witnessing the dreaded “nul points”.

The UK’s Jemini were the last recipients in 2003.

15. It’s been 14 years since we first met Sanna Nielsen at Melfest 2001.

Sanna Nielsen OMG
Tumblr: JanelaESC

16. “Molitva” was the last non-English language winner – eight years ago!

Serbia Molitva

17. Ireland’s 2015 entrant, Molly Sterling, wasn’t even alive the last time the country won with “The Voice” in 1996.

https://youtu.be/rj345GYAG1k

18. Speaking of Molly, guess whose heart was going on at the top of the Irish charts the day she was born?

Celine Dion Shock

Celine Dion’s heart went on and on and on for a total of seven weeks!

19. We first met Celine 27 years ago, when she asked us not to leave without her.

Celine Dion gif

The Canadian gave Switzerland its second win.

20. Back to chart-toppers, Cher was at number one in 23 countries with “Believe” when Israel’s Nadav Guedj was born in November 1998.

21. While San Marino’s Anita Simoncini arrived in April 1999, just as the world was becoming acquainted with a certain Britney Spears!

Her buddy, Michele Perniola was greeted by the much less-exciting Des’ree the previous September.

And especially for those of you who are Generation X-ers

22. ABBA split up 33 years ago.

Abba waterloo

The Swedish winners were only together for a decade.

23. The three year old from Brotherhood of Man’s “Save Your Kisses For Me” would be 42 today.

Brotherhood of Man Save Your Kisses For Me

24. The same age as the contest’s youngest ever winner – Belgium’s Sandra Kim.

https://youtu.be/akMqfNmBjzY

The 1986 victor was only 13.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE EUROVISION LISTS

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Steven
Steven
8 years ago

@John Yes I read most of his comments, for the most part I enjoy them and am not the only one. I have a scroll bar for anything that doesn’t interest me., its far quicker than whining. Your post came straight after his, I saw the thread as I was reading as it updated. There were a couple of posts deleted later from impersonators, your response was to one post that was relevant to the topic, so you started this argument. There was no spam in this article until after you had caused an argument and this is not the… Read more »

John
John
8 years ago

This is not the only article that he’s been spamming on though, have you not read any other articles which seem to have half the comments filled up with him.

And btw there was another post there but it got deleted.

Steven
Steven
8 years ago

@John. I already said, threatening comments and telling someone to shut up are completely different. It doesn’t make telling someone to shut up OK though. bullying doesn’t have to be threatening someone’s life. You are dictating what is and is not allowed on this forum and making statements on behalf of the entire community. Who cares if there are a ton of comments, in this particular thread they were mostly on topic and it was a long article with lots to comment on. It really is not difficult to just scroll through the comments, making multiple comments is not a… Read more »

John
John
8 years ago

@Steven
These are comments telling me to die, I have deleted them and asking someone to simply shut up isn’t on the same level.

Plus, on waht level does asking someone to stop with the spam make me a ‘bullying troll’ and ‘self proclaimed thread police, being rude and condescending.’ Look at the amount of comments.

Steven
Steven
8 years ago

@John. You can’t say ” I’m simply saying that Mario talks far too much for anyones liking” -anyone’s liking would mean that everyone has a problem with him, which is not true at all. You and a few others don’t personally like it, and that’s your opinion. It’s not my opinion or everyone else’s so please don’t speak on behalf of everyone and make sweeping assumptions, that’s what makes you a bully as you are trying to make someone feel bad and that the entire Internet has a problem with one them when it is not true. Freedom of speech… Read more »

Mario
Mario
8 years ago

@ Well Sandra Kim had the same syndrome with Nadav of Israel 😛 hehe..

2015
2015
8 years ago

Sandra Kim was only 13 ?!?!?!?!?!?! O.O
She looks 32 years old there LOL

Darren
Darren
8 years ago

@mario

Dont be annoyed by the haters, you are just as entitled to post comments here as anyone else is.
Plus I love you and your comments 😀 keep it up! Dont be listening to them x

Steven
Steven
8 years ago

@Isabelle (John)
Quel coincedence! 🙂

Isabelle
Isabelle
8 years ago

Mario, too many posts…
Stop, s’il vous plaît!

John
John
8 years ago

I’m not being a ‘troll’. I’m simply saying that Mario talks far too much for anyones liking, half the stuff isn’t even listened to (and only is in this thread because I’ve bought it up). And since freedom of speech is a thing, how come I get shit on my YouTube videos for saying that I dislike Spain’s song this year. I’ve had to remove harmful, threatening comments from fans because they love Edurne (this was before her hilarious flop btw). One comment from Mario would suffice, a few more if there was a conversation, but to have comment after… Read more »

Steven
Steven
8 years ago

@John Please stop being a bullying troll it is very very sad. We have freedom of speech here and Mario can say whatever he likes as long as it is not offensive. The vast majority of his posts are on topic, the only ones in this thread that aren’t are where he is responding to other people asking about his music. if you find them too long you don’t have to read them. Notice how in all the comments here no one else has been bothered except for you. Move on and read other posts instead of trying to be… Read more »

Otna
Otna
8 years ago

Such glam songs Mario

Mario
Mario
8 years ago

@ Robyn
The song is *I Look To You* by Whitney Houston..<3 I love this song <3 One of my most favorite pop ballads <3

@ Otna
The song is *People Like Us* by Kelly Clarkson <3
Its gay anthem that is aimed 4 homosexuals if you notice the lyrics & you see the videoclip… <3 Amazing song & i love it <3 🙂

@ Anfrufrafrafra
The song is *Happy by Leona Lewis.. <3 I love this <3
———————————————–

Mainly i only have pop music in my mp3 player… <3

Mario
Mario
8 years ago

Hey guys….Im here now…Im gonna reply to your comments.. 🙂

Chris
Chris
8 years ago

Some of these memories I remember clearly. 3. Everybody was curious whether they would be kissing or not. That was such a gentle issue then! 4. Ehh, nowadays, the semi-final system seems to be something obvious. But there was a huge discussion about the sense of the new solution. The most common counterargument was that the Eurovision would not be the same any more without this one special night. As we have been witnessing since then, it was a false perspective. 5. Such a shock! It was a clear Eurovision’s song, with bad staging though. Maybe it needed the juries’… Read more »

Briekimchi
Briekimchi
8 years ago

Quite hard to find the comments that are about the article.
This makes me feel plenty old. Buranovskiye Babushki was a particularly low point for Eurovision.

ESCaddict
ESCaddict
8 years ago

Maybe a solution would be for @Mario to start up his own blog. He sure has plenty to say. Then those that want to read his stuff can get it all in one place.

LalehForWD
LalehForWD
8 years ago

@John
OMG Quit it already. In every forum there’s one who takes the chance to bully by playing self proclaimed thread police, being rude and condescending. That is truly annoying, part from being off topic you’re not contributing a bit. Leave that behaviour to the gaming kids.

Maxim
Maxim
8 years ago

I’m 16 and the fact that I have the same age as Nadav Guedj, now I just feel young. Although I do remember the 50th anniversary show of Eurovision 😉 hahaha

Milla
Milla
8 years ago

The first winner I remember winning is Norway’s Bobbysocks in 1985. And I remember that I considered Sandra Kim being such a cool girl. Very stylish at that time 🙂

Zach
Zach
8 years ago

I came across a nice fact that I’m only a year and a day younger than Elina Born so she will be celebrating her 21st B-day in 9 day and I’ll be celebrating my 20th in 10 days. Also I didn’t start watching eurovision until 2010 so I’ve only been involved for 5 years but in that time, I’ve seen Lena graduate high school, alexander rybak make an international career, Eric Saade start as a Manboy become Popular and make it Sting.

joey
joey
8 years ago

16. Grande Amore would be the latest non-english winner if it wasn’t for those stupid juries!!!

John
John
8 years ago

@Mario, it’s the point that you post about 50 responses to a post rather than just 1, you don’t shutup and it’s annoying seeing so many, half of which aren’t even about the article. I cant be the only one who feels like this.

Anfrufrafrafra
8 years ago

Mario, song number 106 please <3.

oooops
oooops
8 years ago

When was eurovision.tv born then?

kaden
kaden
8 years ago

It’s already mentioned, but when I think of Serbia’s win in 2007….I forget it was EIGHT years ago! And that’s when I realise I am getting old. And points 17, 20 & 21 don’t help

Otna
Otna
8 years ago

Pink MP3 players <3

Would love to know song #183 Mario. 😛

666
666
8 years ago

For me the winner of ESC 1988 was Canada, and not Switzerland :v

Mario
Mario
8 years ago

The 41st EuroVIsion was back in 2001.. It was the year that EBU first released the cd of EuroVision with the songs.. <3 Unfortunately i have never purchased/bought an authentic genuine cd album of ESC.. Although i had bought some copies many years ago from the music store…{the EuroVisions of 2001,2002,2003,2004 & 2005} Thank god that we have the youtube so i can download all the songs that i want to my mp3 player <3 And i can watch online in youtube all the full shows from any edition of EuroVision.. If only i was wealthy financially i would buy… Read more »

Mario
Mario
8 years ago

The date we have today is : 20 / 6 / 15
20+6+15 = 41
The #41 song in my pink mp3 player is….
*ROAR* by Katy Perry! <3 🙂
It almost has reached 1 billion views in youtube! WOW!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CevxZvSJLk8

Mario
Mario
8 years ago

Sanda Kim acted so mature 4 her 13 y.o. age back in 1986….Can’t believe that she was so young..
When Sandra was crowned as the Winner of Europe that year, I was not born that time but i was alive though…I was inside the womb & was born just few days later…I missed her winning for so close…But its not like that i would had watched the Vision as a new born baby i was.. :PP

Calvin
Calvin
8 years ago

Yeah, I feel about as old as the Babushki…combined! 🙁 Why did you do this to us, Padraig? Why? Whyiyiyiy? We’ve had 12 sets of semis? What?

Mario
Mario
8 years ago

~ 1) If im alive till 2025 i wil be 39 years old…We had 39 participant countries in 2005 when my coutry Greece won with Helena Paparizou <3 The 39th Vision wa held in 1994…I was 8 years old that year…Ireland was the Winner with *Rock N Roll Kids*…It was the last time that our Vision was held in April.. 3) I can't believe that we had all this fuzz over the so called lesbian kiss of T.A.T.U.! I love their songs by the way <3 I want them back <3 4) Kate Ryan was robbed big time…If she was… Read more »

Adam
Adam
8 years ago

The 3 year old from “Save your kisses for me” and Sandra Kim being the same age is just..adkjghnagfahginjga.

Branko
Branko
8 years ago

Thank You Wiwibloggs… now I realize how old I am actually… and now I feel depressed!

Mario
Mario
8 years ago

Ok wanna play a game..? 🙂
If anyone here wants to bother he/she can write me {via comment} a random number from #1 to #217 and i will write back which song actually is on my mp3 player <3 🙂

Mario
Mario
8 years ago

*Believe* of Cher is one of my most favorite songs <3
When this was huge hit i was not even 12 years old!
My beloved movie *TITANIC* was released in the cinemas that year! <3
I have great memories of that song…It is considered gay anthem 4 us homosexuals <3
When i hear this song it brings summer gay love memories in my mind <3
I have it on my mp3 player & its one of the 217 songs that i have currently inside it <3 🙂

Mario
Mario
8 years ago

@ Yes…I was kinda LOL when i saw that about Molly Sterling…

Really unbelievable dude that 8 years had passed just like that…
2007 really seems recent for me…Have cool memories from that Vision & that illuminating magical un4gettable summer <3

2007 was the last year that i had the Vision of Gay Love…After then it was all over..
8 really miserable bad years for me..

LucyEAPercy
8 years ago

This was a really brilliant article Padraig, love it. Can’t believe Cher was #1 when Nadav was born, I remember that song being top of the charts, and now I really DO feel old, and I turn only 24 on Friday! Insane. Gonna go search for grey hairs on my head now YEAHBYE

Daniel
Daniel
8 years ago

Number 17 is most shocking.
Plus when I think of 2007, I think “oh, 4, 5 years ago..” then it hits me that it was 8 f***ing years ago.

Mario
Mario
8 years ago

I really wanted to discuss furthermore on these cool data info on this wiwi article but now im not in the mood for that really & i hesitate to do it…I got turned off that i saw that comment about me..

Is that too much that i post multiple comments..?
And in most of the articles there are just few comments or none at all…
So honestly i think that im doing some good that im posting my comments..

If how many others users think that im annoying i really can’t help it… xx

Mario
Mario
8 years ago

I might be annoying & to be honest i would not give to me the award for the most nice user here in WiWiBloggs… But it gets on my nerves to see this negativity towards me by several mean users.. And i blame only me that i had given the right for people like them to criticize me.. I think that im too much honest & want to explain everything so these ugly situations & unwanted drama are getting created unfortunately.. Its not worth it to deal with people like them.. Im aware that numerous users here do not like… Read more »

Mario
Mario
8 years ago

Its really beyond me how Charlotte Perelli with the anthemic masterpiece *Hero* that was hyped as the #1 big hot favorite to win the Vision & was voted as the #1 Big Winner of the OGAE fun clubs voting to not manage being in the top10 qualifiers in televoting alone & had the juries to intervene & rescue her from the painful elimination(!) Really unbelievable that she would had not qualify if we had only televoting!

Mario
Mario
8 years ago

@ Well pretty relevant to write this sh*t here John..
Just go f**k off please… Ok?
Its actually annoying mean people like you that create all this ugly drama with the messy replies here..

Deniz@TurkNL
Deniz@TurkNL
8 years ago

When I saw the thumbnail, I thought it was about Russia withdrawing.
I am not that old, so the article isn’t shocking me (Yet).

oooops
oooops
8 years ago

I heard that junioreurovision.tv was born in 2003, so if eurovision.tv was born in 2005… omg????

John
John
8 years ago

Why anyone would want to be Mario is beyond me tbh, he’s annoying as hell.

Anyway, nice list.

Mario
Mario
8 years ago

Pretty cool data here… Good job 🙂
Good to know these info 🙂