Eurovision Song Contest 2016
The 61st Eurovision Song Contest, held in Stockholm in May 2016, featured 42 countries, a revised voting system, and the Ukrainian winner Jamala with the song “1944”.
Overview
The Eurovision Song Contest 2016 was the 61st edition of the pan‑European music competition. It took place in Stockholm, Sweden, in May 2016 after Sweden won the previous year. Forty‑two countries entered the contest; among them, Australia participated for a second consecutive year as a special invitee. The event culminated in a televised final that drew a large international audience.
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Format and voting changes
Eurovision 2016 retained the multi‑round structure of two semi‑finals and a grand final, where qualifying entries from the semis joined automatic finalists. A major procedural change was introduced to the scoring: jury votes and public televotes were presented separately to create greater suspense. Each country still awarded the familiar points (1–8, 10 and 12) from its professional jury, while televote results were tallied and announced as national totals rather than reassigning individual 1–12 scores.
Result and significance
The contest was won by Ukrainian singer Jamala with the song “1944”. The entry attracted widespread attention because its lyrics refer to the 1944 deportation of Crimean Tatars, prompting public debate over political themes in Eurovision entries; the event’s organizers reviewed the song and allowed it to compete on the grounds of historical context. Jamala’s victory was one of the most discussed outcomes of the year.
Participants and presentation
Forty‑two national broadcasters sent performers, and the live shows were produced with the contest’s usual combination of musical staging, interval acts and national spokespeople announcing jury points. The contest’s structure—semi‑final qualification, the role of the "Big Five," and a televised grand final—remained central to how entries were selected and how viewers engaged via televoting and digital platforms.
Legacy and notable facts
- 2016 is remembered for the revised voting presentation that separated jury and public scores to heighten suspense.
- Jamala’s “1944” spurred conversations about historical memory and the line between politics and art at an international music event.
- The participation of countries such as Australia reflected Eurovision’s expanding global appeal and broadcast partnerships.
Beyond the winner and procedural changes, Eurovision 2016 continued the contest’s role as a live showcase for popular music across Europe and beyond, providing a platform for artists, national broadcasters and viewers to interact in a high‑profile televised event.
Venue
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| Candidate Cities: |
On 1 June 2015, Swedish Television presented a list of requirements for the potential host city:
- The arena hosting the event must be covered.
- Sufficient hotels and hotel rooms must be available in the vicinity of the venue for the duration of the event.
- The venue should provide space for possible annexes.
- A press centre should be located on the site.
- The venue should be ready for stage construction four to six weeks before the event.
- The host city should be located near a commercial airport.
The following arenas applied to host the event:
| City | Venue | Capacity | Owner | Comments |
| max. 14,000 | Idrotts- och Kulturcentrum i Göteborg AB (City of Gothenburg) | Venue of the Eurovision Song Contest 1985, venue of the Melodifestivalen 2003-2016. | ||
| Saab Arena | max. 11,500 | Linköpings Sportfastigheter AB | Venue of the Melodifestivalen in 2005, 2008, 2011 and 2014. | |
| Fjällräven Center | max. 9,800 | Venue of the Melodifestivalen 2007, 2010 and 2014. | ||
| Göransson Arena | max. 10,000 | Göransson Arena AB | Wanted to host the ESC together, venue of the Melodifestivalen 2010. | |
| Stockholm (Globen City) | Annexet | max. 3,950 | SGA Fastigheter (City of Stockholm) | Housed the area for the delegations |
| Ericsson Globe | max. 16,000 | Venue of the Eurovision Song Contest 2000, venue of the final of the Melodifestivalen 2002-2012. | ||
| Hovet | max. 9,800 | Housed the press center | ||
| Tele2 Arena | max. 45,000 | Parallel to the ESC final there was a public viewing called Eurovision The Party. Gina Dirawi announced the jury scores from the arena. | ||
| Withdrawn applications | ||||
| Ullevi | max. 25,000 | Higab (City of Gothenburg) | The plan was to cover the stadium with a roof. This idea was rejected for cost reasons. | |
| Malmö Arena | max. 15,500 | Parkfast Arena AB | Venue of the 2013 Eurovision Song Contest, venue of the 2009-2016 Melodifestivalen. Application withdrawn on 11 June 2015. | |
| max. 67,500 | Svenska Fotbollförbundet, Solna Municipality, Jernhusen, PEAB, Fabege | Venue of the final of the 2013-2016 Melodifestivalen. Application withdrawn on 12 June 2015. | ||
On 11 June 2015, Malmö Arena withdrew its bid as it was already booked for concerts for the period of the event. The city of Stockholm announced one day later that it would apply with the Globen City. The official closing date for an application to host the Eurovision Song Contest 2016 was 13 June 2015, and a week later the host broadcaster SVT began sifting through the applications. On 8 July 2015, it was decided that the 2016 ESC would be held at Stockholm's Globen. This was the second time the hall had hosted the competition.
Additional venues in Stockholm were announced on January 8, 2016:
- The official opening ceremony with the reception of the mayor took place in the town hall of the city.
- The Euroclub, a nightclub where parties were given for the accredited, was a temporary venue on the waterfront in front of the Royal Palace.
- The Euro Village, the official area for fans, was located in the Royal Gardens.
Management and host
On the very night of his victory, Måns Zelmerlöw expressed his interest in taking on a role as presenter.
Furthermore, Christer Björkman said on 25 May 2015 that Petra Mede, Sanna Nielsen as well as Gina Dirawi and Dolph Lundgren could be possible hosts. Petra Mede had previously hosted the 2013 Eurovision Song Contest and co-hosted Eurovision Greatest Hits with Graham Norton. Sanna Nielsen competed for Sweden in 2014 and hosted the Swedish preliminary Melodifestivalen the following year. Gina Dirawi also hosted the Swedish preliminary in 2012, 2013 and 2016. On 14 December 2015, SVT announced that Petra Mede and Måns Zelmerlöw would host the ESC.
On September 4, 2015, the core production team for the ESC was announced:
- Martin Österdahl and Johan Bernhagen - Executive Producer
- Tobias Åberg - Head of Production
- Christer Björkman - Contest Producer
- Sven Stojanović - Show Producer
- Lotta Loosme - Head of Communications
- Sofi Franzén - Head of Events, City and Partners
- Josephine Görander - Executive Assistant and Office Manager
Österdahl, Åberg and Björkman were already involved in the production of the competition in 2013, while Stojanović was a director in 2000 as well as 2003 to 2005 and 2008.
Related articles
Author
AlegsaOnline.com Eurovision Song Contest 2016 Leandro Alegsa
URL: https://en.alegsaonline.com/art/32654
Sources
- eurovision.tv : "Stockholm to host 2016 Eurovision Song Contest"