Finland first competed in the Eurovision Song Contest in 1961, and it would be fair to say that in the past 60+ years, that they haven’t had the best of luck! For decades they were considered to be the great ‘under-achiever’s‘. Their list of failures include:
- Finishing Last in eleven times,
- Scoring Nul Points in 1963 and 1965,
- Failing to reach the final eight times since the introduction of the semi-finals,
- Being relegated from taking part in 1995, 1997, 1999, 2001, and 2003,
- And there was once even a joke about the possibility of them winning it (although it’s very hard to find now).
But in the last 18 years, they have turned it all around.
In 2006, Finland won the contest for the first time, with a rather unique act (see below), and scoring a record high score, which they kept until 2009 when Alexander Rybak won for Norway. This victory meant that Finland could host the show the following year, and what a year that was, one of the best grand finale’s in recent memory, as well as possibly the most epic opening in contest history.
Since winning it in 2006, Finland has finished in the top 20 on four occassions, including two top 10 finishes, as well as a runner-up position in 2023. They have also entered the shortest ever Eurovision song to date at 1 Minute and 27 Seconds, with Aina mun pitää performed by Pertti Kurikan Nimipäivät. Ok, it finished last in the semi-finals, but it’s still a big record.
Since my first Eurovision Song Contest (ie, the first time I took any interest in it) 20 years ago this year; I have voted for Finland more than any other competing country. It’s true. I first voted for them in 2006, begining a chain reaction of voting for them four years in a row (2006-2009), and then voting for them again in 2021 and 2022. Not sure who I have voted for the second most, possibly Ukraine.
Anyway, as Finland are one of my favourite countries to vote for in the Eurovision Song Contest, I thought I would sharew with you my Top 5 Picks. Now as usual there’s not enough room for them all, but to give the unlikley few a mention, here are the others worthy of a noted mention:
Dark Side, and Lose Control.
And so, without further ado, here are my Top 5 Favourite Songs From Finland In The Eurovision Song Contest; Enjoy!
5. Missä Miehet Ratsastaa – Teräsbetoni – Since 2006, Finland has become the most reliable country in the contest to provide something for Heavy Metal fans. It worked in 2006, so why can’t it happen again? Less a song, and more of a glorious charge into battle. It’s like hearing a legion of hungry wolves home in on thier prey. Much faster in speed than in 2006, with perhaps an element of thrash metal, but still carrying that gothic theme. Even if you don’t understand Finnish, you just want to jump in with their battle cry, and charge into musical battle with them!
4. Cha Cha Cha – Käärijä – Honestly, it did take me a while to get into this one, but from an artisitc point of view, it’s one of the few entries in Eurovision where the song actually evolves and changes, like it’s not one song, but a blend of many. It starts with a Metal like sound, with vocals that sound like a Rammstein song. The key to the song’s popularity is it’s very catchy chorus which is so easy to join in with, even if you’re not a fan of the metal like tune. But while it’s playing we also see some simple but effectively cool dance sequences too. And then it becomes this light, funky disco song, the type that has always been popular at Eurovision. It sort of transcends from one song into another, and all the while, encouraging you to get involved, either by swinging your arms like a monkey, or shouting “CHA, CHA CHA, CHA CHA CHA CHA!”
3. Leave Me Alone – Hanna Pakarinen – Further embracing a Metal like sound for it’s riff, comes this song about emotional breaking up. It’s a deep, powerful song, which shouts a more pop, but dark almost ballad like chorus, of the singer asking to be left alone. It’s possible the most straight to the point song on this list, but that makes it both very simple, and very effective!
2. Hard Rock Hallelujah – Lordi – This song became something of a turning point for me, as it became the first song where I could instantly say, that’s my genre of music. It made me fall in love with Metal, and I have been a devoted fan since. OK, yes, it’s not entirely from the music that this song won, it’s the costumes they were wearing. I voted because of both though. It’s not the heaviest of Heavy Metal, but it doesn’t need to be, as it’s trying to send a dark message, or tell a gothic tale, so it needs to be paced out enough so people can hear it, rather than hear inaudible screaming. In many respects, it’s less a song, and more of an Anthem, one that I am genuinley surprised didn’t become the National Anthem of Finland given the historic signifigance of this song for both Finland and Eurovision. It’s an Epic, not in length of course, but in power and glory!
1. Jezebel – The Rasmus – Whilst Lordi above is one of the all time Eurovision Greats, there’s just something about this song that stands out to me more than Hard Rock Hallelujah. It’s a hard one to truly define, but it fits in that anthemic like area of Eurovison Songs. The band has a great stage presence, and whilst the song may not be as epic as those above, there’s something with this good all rounder that appeals more to me. It’s almost a mystery; even to me, but this is a fantastic rocker that I can’t get enough of. I want to listen to it over and over again. I want to shout the lyrics. I want to join in. I want to scream jezebel like the whole audience. There’s just something extraordinary about this song! Can you see/hear it?
Things I Like 
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