This year at wiwibloggs we are celebrating the festive season with a series of different polls. For the next few days, we’re going to stuff your stockings with a selection of Eurovision votes. Consider this a unique riff on the classic “Twelve Days of Christmas” carol.
Whether you celebrate Christmas or not, you can join us and let us know your thoughts for each and every poll. Today’s question — Who is your favourite Eurovision winner of the 1980s?
Eurovision winners: 1980 to 1989
The 1980s was a decade of big hits. Several of the winning numbers went on to become continent-wide chart smashes, while one performer would soon be a global household name. The performer was, of course, Céline Dion for Switzerland in 1988. The big hits came from Ireland (with Johnny Logan on two occasions), United Kingdom and Germany.
Other fan favourite entries came from Sweden, Norway and Belgium. Yugoslavia got its first win, shortly before its collapse, while Luxembourg enjoyed one last hurrah ahead of its permanent withdrawal in the 1990s.
The best one: 1987
The most overrated one: 1981
The worst one: 1983
Sandra Kim is a little ray of sunshine. I think part of what made her win is that the whole performance feels very uplifting and genuine: you can see on her face she’s just a happy pre-teenager who actually “loves life”.
I like most of the winners this decade. Except 1984 (I still don’t understand how this beat Ireland) and 1989 (so many great songs that year and this won!!?!)
I couldn’t really decide on one for the 1980s, so I ended up picking 1982, 1984, 1985, and 1988. Nicole’s (1982) I picked because it’s had such a lasting legacy in the nearly 40 years since its win…I mean, they even had Ilse DeLange and Michael Schulte cover it for the Europe Shine a Light special! Herreys (1984) and Bobbysocks! (1985) I picked simply because both were such fun songs and memorable performances. And then Céline Dion (1988) because Eurovision was really her first big break outside of the world of Francophone music and it helped set her up for… Read more »
I assumed that Céline would win this one, so I voted for Nicole (1982) instead. I know Ralph Siegel has his critics, but that pretty 1982 song is still very close to my heart, so thank you Ralph for writing it.
Nice to know I’m not the only one who can’t save 1983’s winning entry on my brain. It’s like 2011’s, no matter how many times I listen to it, it doesn’t stick. While I would love to forget “Diggi-Loo Diggi-Ley”, but it’s impossible.
My vote goes to “Hold Me Now”, though Johnny did a better job performing “What’s Another Year”. And Celine can’t be ignored, of course. But the 80’s may be my least favorite decade of Eurovision. Since I love 80’s music, I guess the contest failed to embrace the new sounds of that time. Sadly, they embraced all the terrible looks of that time.
I don’t know about this particular movie you mentioned, but yeah, “Hold Me Now” could pop up in most 80’s movies and fit perfectly. I also see Riva’s song as considerably 80’s, but coming a few years later too.
Germany.
1983’s runner up ‘Chai/Hi’ (at least in my opinion) is far better than the actual winner that year, ‘Si la vie est cadeau’, and it definitely would’ve been my favorite winner of the decade if Ofra Haza had won. On the other hand, Israel was a deserved runner up in 1982 with ‘Hora’, as Germany totally deserved to win that year, so I guess ‘Ein Bisschen Frieden’ is my favorite winner of the decade, with the previous year’s winner ‘Making Your Mind Up’ coming in second and 1989’s ‘Rock Me’ in third.
Fabulous Celine
Absolutely agree. It’s one of those rare songs that sounds like it’s always existed.
I just can’t get past Johnny Logan. I mean, he’s Mr. Eurovision!
Hold Me Now easily
celine dion all the way, though i’d prefer if she had worn a pair of white pants instead of that tutu. but eh, it was the 1980’s
UK 1981 is like Latvia 2002, they win because clever staging. Song Don t panic was better song in UK national final 1981
1.1986
2.1988
3.1985
For me The Netherlands deserve to won 1980
Germany or Switzerland in 1981
Belgium in 1982
Israel in 1983
Ireland in 1984
Spain in 1985
Luxembourg or Norway in 1988
Austria or Spain in 1985
Austria or Spain in 1989
Ofra Haza was robbed. Not only was ‘Chai’ so much better than ‘Si la Vie Est Cadeau,’ but it’s still a very famous, celebrated song in Israel and her performance was much more entertaining than Luxembourg’s.
Rock Me is such an underrated winner.
I just had to vote for Buck’s Fizz – truly iconic.
Johny Logan – Hold me now!
I cannot choose, I love them all! That was when music was “feeling” and not “fireworks” without fancy LEDs, over choreographed, over-produced songs, or singers without stories.
Those were the days, my friend!
Nicole – a little peace because it had that important message during the cold war times ……and the 2nd is Céline Dion because there she started to be a worldwide superstar.