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Finland has participated in the Eurovision Song Contest 57 times since its debut in 1961. The Finnish participant broadcaster in the contest is Yleisradio (Yle), which has often selected its entrant with a national final, since 2012 known as Uuden Musiikin Kilpailu. The country won the contest for the first – and to date only – time in 2006 with "Hard Rock Hallelujah" performed by Lordi. The country's best result before then was achieved with "Tom Tom Tom" by Marion Rung in 1973, which placed sixth.
Finland has finished last in the contest eleven times, receiving nul points in 1963, 1965, and 1982. Since the introduction of the semi-finals in 2004, Finland has failed to reach the final eight times. In 2014, the country had its best result in eight years with "Something Better" by Softengine finishing 11th, a result that would be surpassed with "Dark Side" by Blind Channel, which came sixth in 2021, and later with "Cha Cha Cha" by Käärijä, which won the public vote and came second overall in 2023, the latter of which is Finland's second best result to date.
Before its 2006 victory, Finland was considered by many to be the under-achiever of the contest. Prior to 2006, it had placed last a total of eight times, three times with nul points. Finland's entry in 1982, "Nuku pommiin" by Kojo, was one of only fifteen songs to score no points since the modern scoring system was implemented in 1975. Due to poor results, Finland was relegated from taking part in 1995, 1997, 1999, 2001 and 2003.
In 2006, Finland won the contest with "Hard Rock Hallelujah" by the band Lordi, an entry that stood out from the Europop that had dominated the competition. The song scored the highest number of points in the history of the contest, with 292, a record that was later broken by Norway's Alexander Rybak in 2009.
In 2015, Finland finished last in the first semi-final with the shortest-ever Eurovision song, the one minute and 27 seconds "Aina mun pitää" performed by Pertti Kurikan Nimipäivät. Finland reached the final for the first time in four years in 2018, with Saara Aalto placing 25th. After a non-qualification in 2019 with Darude and Sebastian Rejman, Blind Channel placed sixth in 2021, followed by a 21st place for The Rasmus in 2022 and a second place for Käärijä in 2023, the latter of which is Finland's second best result to date.
All of Finland's entries were in English between 1973 and 1976, and since 2000 (with the exceptions of 2008, 2010, 2012, 2015 and 2023); both of these periods allowed submissions in any language. Finland's entries in 1990 and 2012 were in Swedish, which is an official language in the country alongside Finnish. All of Finland's other songs have been in Finnish.
Over the years, Yle has had several experienced radio and television presenters as commentators. The Eurovision Song Contest has been broadcast in Finland from 1960 to 2001 and from 2021 onwards by Yle TV1 and from 2002 to 2019 by Yle TV2.
All conductors are of Finnish nationality unless otherwise noted.
Conducted by George de Godzinsky at the national final.
Conducted by Risto Hiltunen at the national final.
Only year between 1966 and 1989 where Finland participated and Ossi Runne was not their conductor; he instead provided television commentary. Runne still conducted at the national final.
Conducted by Ossi Runne at the national final.
Käärijä was initially appointed as the Finnish spokesperson, though he withdrew before the final and was replaced by Laaksonen.
Roxburgh, Gordon (2012). Songs for Europe: The United Kingdom at the Eurovision Song Contest. Vol. One: The 1950s and 1960s. Prestatyn: Telos Publishing. pp. 93–101. ISBN978-1-84583-065-6.
Roxburgh, Gordon (2014). Songs for Europe: The United Kingdom at the Eurovision Song Contest. Vol. Two: The 1970s. Prestatyn: Telos Publishing. pp. 142–168. ISBN978-1-84583-093-9.
Roxburgh, Gordon (2016). Songs for Europe: The United Kingdom at the Eurovision Song Contest. Vol. Three: The 1980s. Prestatyn: Telos Publishing. ISBN978-1-84583-118-9.
Pajala, Mari (2013). Badenoch, Alexander; Fickers, Andreas; Henrich-Franke, Christian (eds.). "Intervision Song Contests and Finnish Television between East and West". Airy Curtains in the European Ether: Broadcasting and the Cold War. Baden-Baden, Germany: Nomos: 215–270. doi:10.5771/9783845236070-215. ISBN9783845236070 – via Academia.edu. Walli was closely involved in YLE's ESC productions; among other things he provided the commentary for all the 1960s ESCs on Finnish television.
"TV-opastiedot: 13.05.1995". suomikassu.fi (in Finnish). Archived from the original on 13 June 2021. Retrieved 21 June 2024. 22.00 Eurovision laulukilpailu Euroviisut kilpailevat 40. kerran. Suoraa lähetystä bublinista selostavat Olli Ahvenlahti ja Erkki Pohjanheimo.
"Televisio & Radio" [Television & Radio]. Helsingin Sanomat (in Finnish). 18 May 1996. pp. D15 – D16. Retrieved 23 December 2022.