Iceland in the Eurovision Song Contest

Iceland has participated in the Eurovision Song Contest 35 times since its debut in 1986, missing only two contests since then, in 1998 and 2002, when prevented from competing due to finishing outside qualification places the preceding years. The country's best result is second place, which it achieved with Selma in 1999 and Yohanna in 2009. The Icelandic broadcaster for the contest is Ríkisútvarpið (RÚV), which also broadcasts Iceland's national selection competition, Söngvakeppnin.

Iceland in the Eurovision Song Contest
Iceland
Participating broadcasterRíkisútvarpið (RÚV)
Participation summary
Appearances35 (27 finals)
First appearance1986
Highest placement2nd: 1999, 2009
Related articles
Söngvakeppnin
External links
RÚV page
Iceland's page at Eurovision.tv Edit this at Wikidata
For the most recent participation see
Iceland in the Eurovision Song Contest 2023

Iceland has achieved a total of seven top ten placements, with the others being Stjórnin finishing fourth (1990), Heart 2 Heart seventh (1992), Birgitta eighth (2003), Hatari tenth (2019) and Daði og Gagnamagnið fourth (2021). Since the introduction of the semi-final round in 2004, Iceland has failed to qualify for the final eight times, including four years consecutively (2015–18). To date, Iceland is the only Nordic country that has yet to win the contest.

History

Iceland's best position at the contest is second place, which they have achieved twice: in 1999 when Selma represented Iceland with the song "All Out of Luck", and came second to Sweden's Charlotte Nilsson and in 2009 when Yohanna came second to Norway's Alexander Rybak with the ballad "Is It True?".

In contrast Iceland's worst result in a grand final is last place, which has been achieved twice to date: in 1989, when Daníel Ágúst received nul points for his entry "Það sem enginn sér", and in 2001, when Two Tricky received three points for their entry "Angel".

With the introduction of semi-finals in 2004, Iceland automatically qualified for the final that year due to Birgitta's eighth place the previous year. In 2008, Iceland reached the final for the first time since then, when Euroband sang "This Is My Life". Iceland qualified for the final in seven consecutive contests between 2008 and 2014 before failing to qualify for the final from 2015 to 2018. In 2019, Hatari brought the country back to the final for the first time since 2014, finishing tenth, which was followed by a fourth-place finish for Daði og Gagnamagnið in 2021, Iceland's joint-second best result to date, and a 23rd-place finish for Systur in 2022. Another non-qualification came with Diljá in 2023.

Despite these mixed fortunes, Iceland is the second most successful country never to win the contest (behind only Malta).

Sigríður Beinteinsdóttir has participated five times (as a member of a group in 1990 and 1992, as a solo artist in 1994, and as a background vocalist in 1991 and 2006). Hera Björk has participated four times (as a backing vocalist in 2008, 2009 and 2015, and as a solo artist in 2010). Stefán Hilmarsson has participated twice (as a member of a group in 1988 and as a member of a duo in 1991), as have Selma Björnsdóttir (1999 and 2005), Eiríkur Hauksson (as a member of a group in 1986 and as a solo artist in 2007. Eiríkur has in addition participated for Norway in 1991 as a member of a group.), Jón Jósep Snæbjörnsson (as a solo artist in 2004 and as a member of a duo in 2012) and Greta Salóme Stefánsdóttir (as a member of a duo in 2012 and as a solo artist in 2016).

Participation overview
Table key
1 First place
2 Second place
3 Third place
◁ Last place
X Entry selected but did not compete
† Upcoming event
Year Artist Song Language Final Points Semi Points
1986 ICY "Gleðibankinn" Icelandic 16 19 No semi-finals
1987 Halla Margrét "Hægt og hljótt" Icelandic 16 28
1988 Beathoven "Sókrates" Icelandic 16 20
1989 Daníel "Það sem enginn sér" Icelandic 22 ◁ 0
1990 Stjórnin "Eitt lag enn" Icelandic 4 124
1991 Stefán and Eyfi "Nína" Icelandic 15 26
1992 Heart 2 Heart "Nei eða já" Icelandic 7 80
1993 Inga "Þá veistu svarið" Icelandic 13 42 Kvalifikacija za Millstreet
1994 Sigga "Nætur" Icelandic 12 49 No semi-finals
1995 Bo Halldórsson "Núna" Icelandic 15 31
1996 Anna Mjöll "Sjúbídú" Icelandic 13 51 10 59
1997 Paul Oscar "Minn hinsti dans" Icelandic 20 18 No semi-finals
1999 Selma "All Out of Luck" English 2 146
2000 August and Telma "Tell Me!" English 12 45
2001 Two Tricky "Angel" English 22 ◁ 3
2003 Birgitta "Open Your Heart" English 8 81
2004 Jónsi "Heaven" English 19 16 Top 11 in 2003 contest[lower-alpha 1]
2005 Selma "If I Had Your Love" English Failed to qualify 16 52
2006 Silvía Night "Congratulations" English 13 62
2007 Eiríkur Hauksson "Valentine Lost" English 13 77
2008 Euroband "This Is My Life" English 14 64 8 68
2009 Yohanna "Is It True?" English 2 218 1 174
2010 Hera Björk "Je ne sais quoi" English, French 19 41 3 123
2011 Sjonni's Friends "Coming Home" English 20 61 4 100
2012 Greta Salóme and Jónsi "Never Forget" English 20 46 8 75
2013 Eythor Ingi "Ég á líf" Icelandic 17 47 6 72
2014 Pollapönk "No Prejudice" English 15 58 8 61
2015 Maria Olafs "Unbroken" English Failed to qualify 15 14
2016 Greta Salóme "Hear Them Calling" English 14 51
2017 Svala "Paper" English 15 60
2018 Ari Ólafsson "Our Choice" English 19 ◁ 15
2019 Hatari "Hatrið mun sigra" Icelandic 10 232 3 221
2020 Daði og Gagnamagnið "Think About Things" English Contest cancelled[lower-alpha 2] X
2021 Daði og Gagnamagnið "10 Years" English 4 378 2 288
2022 Systur "Með hækkandi sól" Icelandic 23 20 10 103
2023 Diljá "Power" English Failed to qualify 11 44
2024 TBD 2 March 2024 †[1] Upcoming †

Conductors
Year Conductor[lower-alpha 3] Notes Ref.
1986 Gunnar Þórðarson [lower-alpha 4] [2]
1987 Hjálmar H. Ragnarsson
1988 No conductor
1989
1990 Norway Jon Kjell Seljeseth [lower-alpha 5]
1991 Jón Ólafsson
1992 United Kingdom Nigel Wright [lower-alpha 6]
1993 Norway Jon Kjell Seljeseth
1994 Republic of Ireland Frank McNamara
1995
1996 Ólafur Gaukur
1997 Szymon Kuran

Heads of delegation
Year Head of delegation Ref.
2017–2023 Felix Bergsson
[3][4]

Commentators and spokespersons

Iceland has broadcast the show since 1970. The first to be broadcast live was the 1983 edition after the plan to broadcast the 1982 contest failed. Since 1985, RÚV has broadcast the contest on the radio using same commentator for TV and radio and the Internet broadcast since early 2000s.

Year Commentator Spokesperson Ref.
1970 No commentatorDid not participate
1971 Unknown
1972 Björn Matthíasson
1973 Jón O. Edwald
1974 Unknown
1975 Dóra Hafsteinsdóttir
1976 Jón Skaptason
1977 No commentator
1978 Ragna Ragnars
1979 Unknown
1980
1981
1982
1983
1984
1985 Hinrik Bjarnason
1986 Þorgeir ÁstvaldssonGuðrún Skúladóttir
1987 Kolbrún Halldórsdóttir
1988 Hermann Gunnarsson
1989 Arthúr Björgvin BollasonErla Björk Skúladóttir
1990 Árni Snævarr
1991 Guðríður Ólafsdóttir
1992 Árni SnævarrGuðrún Skúladóttir
1993 Jakob Frímann Magnússon
1994 Sigríður Arnardóttir
1995 Áslaug Dóra Eyjólfsdóttir
1996 Svanhildur Konráðsdóttir
1997
1998 Páll Óskar HjálmtýssonDid not participate
1999 Gísli Marteinn BaldurssonÁslaug Dóra Eyjólfsdóttir
2000 Ragnheiður Elín Clausen
2001 Eva María Jónsdóttir
2002 Logi Bergmann EiðssonDid not participate
2003 Gísli Marteinn BaldurssonEva María Jónsdóttir
2004 Sigrún Ósk Kristjánsdóttir
2005 Ragnhildur Steinunn Jónsdóttir
2006 Sigmar Guðmundsson
2007
2008 Brynja Þorgeirsdóttir
2009 Þóra Tómasdóttir
2010 Jóhanna Guðrún Jónsdóttir
2011 Hrafnhildur HalldórsdóttirRagnhildur Steinunn Jónsdóttir
2012 Matthías Matthíasson
2013 Felix BergssonMaría Sigrún Hilmarsdóttir
2014 Benedikt Valsson
2015 Sigríður Halldórsdóttir
2016 Gísli Marteinn BaldurssonUnnsteinn Manuel Stefánsson
[5]
2017 Björgvin Halldórsson
[6]
2018 Edda Sif Pálsdóttir
[7]
2019 Jóhannes Haukur Jóhannesson
[8][9]
2021 Hannes Óli Ágústsson
(as Olaf Yohansson from Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga)
[10]
2022 Árný Fjóla Ásmundsdóttir
[11]
2023 Einar Stefánsson
[12][13]

Other shows
Show Commentator Channel Ref.
Songs of Europe No commentator RÚV
[14][15]
Congratulations: 50 Years of the Eurovision Song Contest Gísli Marteinn Baldursson
Eurovision Song Contest's Greatest Hits No commentator
Eurovision: Europe Shine a Light Felix Bergsson

The 2020 Netflix comedy film Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga depicts Will Ferrell and Rachel McAdams as a fictional duo from Iceland competing in Eurovision. Hannes Óli Ágústsson, who plays Olaf Yohansson in the film, reprised the role for the voting segment of the 2021 contest final, in which he presented the points on behalf of the Icelandic jury.[10]

Notes
  1. According to the then-Eurovision rules, the top ten non-Big Four countries from the previous year along with the Big Four automatically qualified for the Grand Final without having to compete in semi-finals. For example, if Germany and France placed inside the top ten, the 11th and 12th spots were advanced to next year's Grand Final along with all countries ranked in the top ten.
  2. The 2020 contest was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
  3. All conductors are of Icelandic nationality unless otherwise noted.
  4. Conducted by Þórir Baldursson at the national final.
  5. Conducted by Vilhjálmur Guðjónsson in the national final.
  6. Conducted by Jón Ólafsson in the national final.

References
  1. Adam, Darren (13 October 2023). "Söngvakeppnin back in Laugardalshöll". ruv.is. RÚV. Retrieved 13 October 2023.
  2. Roxburgh, Gordon (2016). Songs for Europe: The United Kingdom at the Eurovision Song Contest. Vol. Three: The 1980s. Prestatyn: Telos Publishing. ISBN 978-1-84583-118-9.
  3. Granger, Anthony (8 April 2018). "Iceland: Netta Barzilai Tops Alla leið Show One". Eurovoix. Retrieved 10 July 2020.
  4. Granger, Anthony (3 May 2019). "Iceland: "Cannot Take Qualification For Granted" – Felix Bergsson". eurovoix.com. Retrieved 6 December 2019.
  5. Granger, Anthony (14 May 2016). "ESC'16: 41 Spokespersons Revealed For Tonight". Eurovoix. Retrieved 10 July 2020.
  6. Granger, Anthony (4 May 2017). "Iceland: Bo Halldórsson To Announce Jury Votes". Eurovoix. Retrieved 10 July 2020.
  7. Granger, Anthony (29 April 2018). "Iceland: Edda Sif Pálsdóttir Revealed as Spokesperson". Eurovoix. Retrieved 10 July 2020.
  8. Granger, Anthony (24 April 2019). "Iceland: Gísli Marteinn Baldursson Returns To Commentary Booth For Tenth Eurovision Song Contest". Eurovoix. Retrieved 10 July 2020.
  9. Granger, Anthony (17 May 2019). "Iceland: Jóhannes Haukur Jóhannesson Announced as Spokesperson". Eurovoix. Retrieved 10 July 2020.
  10. "Iceland: "Play Jaja Ding Dong" Guy Will Reveal The Icelandic Jury Points at Eurovision 2021". Eurovoix. 8 May 2021. Retrieved 7 June 2021.
  11. "Árný Fjóla verður stigakynnir Íslands í Eurovision" [Árný Fjóla will be Iceland's scorer in Eurovision]. ruv.is (in Icelandic). RÚV. 4 May 2022. Retrieved 4 May 2022.
  12. "Dagskrá | RÚV Sjónvarp". ruv.is (in Icelandic). Retrieved 10 April 2023.
  13. Granger, Anthony (11 April 2023). "Iceland: Gísli Marteinn Baldursson Confirmed as Commentator For Eurovision 2023". Eurovoix. Retrieved 11 April 2023.
  14. Wærhaug, Sølvi (24. august 1981). «Nesten krise …». VG. s. 36.
  15. Wærhaug, Sølvi (18. august 1981). «Fire verdensdeler følger Momarkedet». VG. s. 37.
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