No Eurovision party is complete without a banging playlist – and if you’re still in need of one, we’ve got just the thing.
We’ve spoken to former winners and other famous faces from the iconic song contest about their all-time favourite songs from the Eurovision back catalogue, which we’ve compiled into a handy playlist ahead of this weekend’s festivities.
Here are some of the all-time Eurovision greats as chosen by legends from the contest like Katrina, Alexander Rybak, Loreen, Sam Ryder and Måns Zelmerlöw…
Rise Like A Phoenix – Conchita Wurst
Chosen by Cheryl Baker
“Rise Like A Phoenix is such a powerful song, Conchita is fantastic and she sang it brilliantly. I love that whole build-up to the chorus, the expectation of where’s it going to go, it’s wonderful.
“And, of course, in the end Conchita was the phoenix, wasn’t she?”
Soldi – Mahmood
Chosen by Måns Zelerlöw
“Soldi stands out because Mahmood was so laidback and cool. When a song hits you as much as Soldi did, in a language you don’t understand, and you still sing along to it, that gives a singer extra points in my book. And the signature hand-clap [stands out].
“The fact that I was there that year makes it more special too, I think. When we went out afterwards, at every club we were at we just wanted to hear Soldi.”
Euphoria – Loreen
Chosen by Da∂i Freyr
“This song changed a lot of people’s perspectives on Eurovision, and how you can use the platform to do different kinds of performances. It’s just an explosion of a pop song.
“And also the performance on the stage was really powerful. In order to do well in Eurovision, to have a good song is one thing, but you have to really capture a moment. But that doesn’t necessarily mean you need to do all the confetti and the pyro... you just need to capture the moment.”
Fuego – Eleni Foureira
Chosen by Mahmood
“I was at a club in Tel Aviv after Eurovision in 2019, and everybody was dancing. At one point they played Fuego by Eleni Foureira, and it was massive! People went crazy, and I remember dancing like crazy to that.”
Heroes – Måns Zelmerlöw
Chosen by Loreen
“If I had heard Heroes before Måns Zelmerlöw, I would honestly have taken that song for myself! I love it.
“Måns and I have a very special connection. He has a very special place in my heart – he’s a Gemini, so of course, he has – and when he did Heroes at Eurovision, everything was perfect.”
Hard Rock Hallelujah – Lordi
Chosen by Sam Ryder
“My favourite Eurovision moment ever was Lordi’s Hard Rock Hallelujah. I was just starting to learn the guitar around that time.
“Seeing them on stage, in their prosthetics and big platform shoes, bat wings and battleaxes, what’s not to like about that?”
Dancing Lasha Tumbai – Verka Serduchka
Chosen by Da∂i Freyr
“This song [represents] so much of of what I love about Eurovision. It’s just fun and ridiculous and you don’t really see that anywhere else, especially on a huge stage with so much production. It’s just a crazy song, with crazy costumes and a crazy dance, it’s just fun.
“Also, I love how iconic Verka Serduchka is, and how the Eurovision community has really embraced her as a god of Eurovision.”
Jan Jan – Inga & Anush
Chosen by Måns Zelmerlöw
“I just remember this very well, and I loved it so much. It had kind of traditional vibes, but was still very catchy. They were really good.”
Lucie Jones – Never Give Up On You
Chosen by Sam Ryder
“I’ve got to shout out Lucie Jones and Never Give Up On You, because she’s one of the best vocalists in the UK. Her technique and her pitch are incredible, and she’s a lovely human being.”
Nocturne – Secret Garden
Chosen by SuRie
“I love the quirky ones. The fact that an instrumental, cinematic soundscape of a track can win at Eurovision is just amazing.”
Eres Tú – Mocedades
Chosen by Katrina
“This is a very, very moving song, I’ve got goosebumps talking about it. Sweet, moving and anthemic, with a beautiful, beautiful melody.”
Amar Pelos Dois – Salvador Sobral
Chosen by Alexander Rybank
“Heroes by Måns Zelmerlöw is beautiful because it’s perfect. But Amar Pelos Dois is beautiful because it’s imperfect.”
Divine – Sébastien Tellier
Chosen by Da∂i Freyr
“Sébastien Tellier was definitely an influence on me. He is, I think, the artist that I discovered through Eurovision and listened to the most afterwards. I just really enjoy his music in general, and I first heard about him through Eurovision.
“His song Divine is something different. It’s catchy, there’s a lot of emotion to it, but it’s still quirky and weird.”
Follia D’Amore – Rapahel Gualazzi
Chosen by Mahmood
“I love that song. It was a little bit jazzy, and I love jazz. In Italy, it’s not so popular, so when Rapahel Gualazzi represented with a pop-jazzy song, for me, he felt like a kind of innovator.”
Arcade – Duncan Laurence
Chosen by SuRie
“There can be a strength in stillness and simplicity, and songwriting rising to the top in this theatrical spectacle of a show. Arcade is a beautiful song.”
Waterloo – ABBA
Chosen by Loreen
“Waterloo just reminds me of my childhood. We listened to it all the time, and I just loved the way ABBA dressed!”
Puppet On A String – Sandie Shaw
Chosen by Cheryl Baker
“I remember Sandie Shaw winning in 1967. I was a young girl then, and because I was a runner, I wanted to win an Olympic gold medal, that was my ultimate aim. But when I saw Sandie Shaw win the Eurovision, I thought, ‘oh my word, that’s what I want to do, I want to win the Eurovision Song Contest for my country’.
“And this young kid from Bethnal Green, east London, living in a council flat, with a dream like that, to think that it actually happened is pretty bloody fantastic, to be honest.”
Take a listen to our Ultimate Eurovision playlist in full below: