We Did The Maths to Find Eurovision’s Most Paint-by-Numbers Song
Olly Alexander, UK 2024 (EBU / Corinne Cumming)
James Stephenson and Sem Anne van Dijk analyze Eurovision songs to uncover what truly makes a difference on the Contest stage. Since the name itself suggests, the Eurovision Song Contest is primarily about the songs. This premise inspired their new series, Eurovision Uncovered, which explores the musical elements behind the entries.
One early question was whether the so-called “Eurovision formula” is real. While many have preconceived notions of what a Eurovision song should sound like, the Contest’s music has evolved significantly over the last decade. The goal wasn’t to find a guaranteed success formula but rather to see how formulaic Eurovision songs could be.
Every song entered is unique, but is there one that clearly rejects originality and sticks strictly to the formula? Instead of highlighting exceptional entries, the team aimed to identify the most average Eurovision song from recent years.
“The most average Eurovision song of the past decade is ‘Dizzy’ by Olly Alexander.”
Determining this was a complex task. While music is an art form, it also intersects with science. The creators combined both aspects to develop a formula reflecting this idea.
Author’s Summary
The study reveals that while Eurovision songs are diverse, some adhere so closely to a formula that they become notably average, exemplified by Olly Alexander’s “Dizzy.”