Ever since Lordi earned a victory with “Hard Rock Hallelujah” ten years ago, rock music has had a welcome place at Eurovision, with many acts bringing a big rock sound to the arena stage. This year has seen five acts incorporate rock into their act. But which is your favourite? Listen to the songs below and have your say in our poll. You can vote for as many acts as you like, but you can only vote once so make it count. Rock on!

Cyprus: Minus One “Alter Ego”

Teaming up with Swedish songwriter Thomas G:son, Minus One has given “Alter Ego” a solid schlager core infused with their Cypriot rock flavour. Delish!

Belarus: Ivan “Help You Fly”

While “Help You Fly” is predominantly an electro-pop song, there’s a lot of crunchy rock guitar and rhythm, delivering plenty of attitude in the chorus.

Georgia: Nika Kocharov & Young Georgian Lolitaz “Midnight Gold”

The Young Georgian Lolitiaz bring a classic Britpop sound, backed up by Nika Kocharov’s vocals, which meld London indie with Tbilisi cool.

Montenegro: Highway “The Real Thing”

Highway break away from their X Factor boyband roots with a mix of EDM in the verses and thick stoner rock guitar on the chorus.

Romania: Ovidiu Anton “Moment of Silence”

Ok, so Ovidiu Anton is no longer in the competition, but we’re still going to include him because he delivered the goods with his dramatic rock ballad.

What is the best rock entry of Eurovision 2016?

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Grete Paia
Grete Paia
7 years ago

Surprising they even bothered to mention rock songs. Maybe they had to because some of them said this year contest is flooded by rock songs.

Bapak Lurah
Bapak Lurah
7 years ago

Romania and Cyprus
Also Germany if they choose Avantasia lol

AurelianTamisan
AurelianTamisan
7 years ago

I like them all to be sincere. ‘Moment of Silence’ was my favourite from the start in the whole competition, without any subjectivism that I’m Romanian, it really captivated me. A strong message, great voice, powerful music, it is my favourite all time from my country. I also like Montenegro a lot, I think that people mostly can’t understand this genre, mostly they are judging it as ‘noisy and disconcerting’, but I find it very well-structured, with some lesser genres included in it. The dubstep part really got me. Belarus was my favourite in the contest for some time, I… Read more »

Ejin
Ejin
7 years ago

I voted for Cyprus & Montenegro,because I like these 2 songs mucher then the 3 other songs. This is my top 5 :
1.Montenegro – The Real Thing
2.Cyprus – Alter Ego
3.Romania – Moment of Silence
4.Belarus – Help You Fly
5.Georgia – Midnight Gold

AurelianTamisan
AurelianTamisan
7 years ago

Repect Wiwibloggs for keeping Romania in your polls! I think I can speak in other’s place too, so we Romanians really appreciate it! Especially that you mostly criticised our song:))

The Anders
The Anders
7 years ago

Georgia, all the way. It is edgy and noisy, and they are not trying to please the listener. We have too few songs of that kind in Eurovision, sadly.

But the Montenegrin one is fine too (even though I am not so fond of the “DJ elements” in it, such as the scratching).

Pollaski
Pollaski
7 years ago

@Charles

By your definition, NONE of these artists are rock because none of them will be playing their instruments live due to the rules of the contest. Minus One is a rock band- they fit any conventional definition. They’re a more mainstream style than Georgia and Montenegro, but that’s fine. They may not fit your musical tastes either, but that’s fine as well.

Now drop the hipster attitude, and quit trying to exclusify a genre that is by definition broad and fairly encompassing. You’re not impressing anyone.

Charles
Charles
7 years ago

@Pollaski: Since when Wikipedia is a source of wisdom … I mean a 10 year old could insert any load of rubbish info into it and … you’re taking it for granted as un unquestionable universal truth? If you wanna find what true Rock sound is … go to a true Rock concert where everybody plays live and don’t ask Thomas G:son to give it a synth dance pop treatment to it. As simple as that.

Pollaski
Pollaski
7 years ago

Hrm… “Cyprus is not rock”

Let’s take a look at the definiton of rock as done by wikipedia

***Musically, rock has centered on the electric guitar, usually as part of a rock group with electric bass guitar and drums. Typically, rock is song-based music usually with a 4/4 time signature using a verse-chorus form, but the genre has become extremely diverse. Like pop music, lyrics often stress romantic love but also address a wide variety of other themes that are frequently social or political in emphasis.***

Alter Ego seems to fit that. They’re rock. Don’t be a hipster.

Héctor
Héctor
7 years ago

Cyprus and Belarus. Belarus is aaaaaaalways underrated in every poll.

georgekirkas
georgekirkas
7 years ago

In my opinion, Jamie-Lee has an amazing song and thank God that Germany chose her! Avantasia cannot even be compared to her!

Mark Mack
Mark Mack
7 years ago

Only Montenegro’s and Georgia’s could be descrbed as rock. Cyprus’ is the best out of the five but it’s not rock.

Kfir
Kfir
7 years ago

Cyprus by far

Homer
Homer
7 years ago

The only real rock song is from Georgia and maybe Montenegro (even though i’m not a fan of the latter). The other entries are not pure rock at all. Either way, i agree with Tha, it’s sad that Germany decided to go with another bland and forgettable entry with Avantasia also in competition…

Yudhistira Mahasena
7 years ago

Why, Belarus of course.
I like Belarus’ entry this year for it’s a good idea sending an electro-rock song to Eurovision. Rarely any country in the contest has sent such genre.

danpito
danpito
7 years ago

Ivan – Belarus

Olga...(the one from Latvia)
Olga...(the one from Latvia)
7 years ago

*pseido rock – Belarus, Cyprus, Romania. It has too much pop elements, and please don’t say pop rock is also rock :/

Georgia and Montenegro the only real roco entries, both different subgenres.

Colin
Colin
7 years ago

I voted Romania 🙂 Too bad it’s not an option now. 🙁 I like Georgia and Cyprus too. Belarus and Montenegro not so much.

Tha
Tha
7 years ago

Rock? Hahahahaha
We could have this pool with one option if Germany would send Avantasia instead Jamie.

georgekirkas
georgekirkas
7 years ago

I voted for Cyprus and Belarus, because I love these songs! (Am I the only one who loves Belarus’ song?)

Chupacabra
Chupacabra
7 years ago

Montenegro,…. then Cyprus as ESC-combatibly washed. Both in my top 10

PP
PP
7 years ago

Cyprus and Romania

oooops
oooops
7 years ago

I voted for Romania(My 6th this year), but there are no authentic Rock song this year.

Daniel
7 years ago

Only Cyprus

Article 10 Liberty
Article 10 Liberty
7 years ago

Montenegro, Georgia, Belarus, Romania….no Swedish ‘crapwiter’ was involved.

Pollaski
Pollaski
7 years ago

Cyprus and it ain’t even close.

power b.
power b.
7 years ago

Cyprus <3

Charles
Charles
7 years ago

Romania, Belarus and Cyprus: You call these 3 “rock songs”? How come really?
Belarus and Cyprus are nothing but contemporary produced pop songs and Romania is, again, a over the top theatrical emotionally-fake cheesy melodramatic song. None of these are true rocks songs. To be honest only Montenegro is daring to bring any authentic rock into this game.

esc 2016
esc 2016
7 years ago

Cyprous




other countries??….

Paddy
Paddy
7 years ago

I voted Romania