[Pyramid*]

Originally Posted by joeysteele

Surprised you take that line sadly, it used to be the vehicle for some artists to break through worldwide, Celine Dion,Johnny Logan had massive world success and they were in Eurovision but it openred the door for loads of UK acts across Europe after they represented the UK.

The last 7 or 8 years it has lost that status but it did if you read the history of Eurovision,open the door for many acts worldwide that otherwise may have stayed closed to them.

It might have opened the doors, in that it gave them a platform to be heard, but they still would not have won due to talent, but due to who was pally with who, which country had fallen out with which one, and what countries were trying to curry favour with others. If the winning country happened to have a singer/group who were half decent, I'd have thought that was a lucky byproduct for the singer/group concerned - - but to class it as Highly Prestigious on an international level? Nope, can't agree on that one at all.

And I'd say it's been a laughing stock for about double the length of time you feel it lost it's way - if not even longer than that.

[MTVN]

Originally Posted by Pyramid*

It might have opened the doors, in that it gave them a platform to be heard, but they still would not have won due to talent, but due to who was pally with who, which country had fallen out with which one, and what countries were trying to curry favour with others. If the winning country happened to have a singer/group who were half decent, I'd have thought that was a lucky byproduct for the singer/group concerned - - but to class it as Highly Prestigious on an international level? Nope, can't agree on that one at all.

And I'd say it's been a laughing stock for about double the length of time you feel it lost it's way - if not even longer than that.

I dont think that used to be the case, look which 4 countries have won it the most; Ireland, France, the UK & Luxembourg. None of those countries have that many guranteed votes, or that many other countries that can be relied on to give them points. It's become a lot more about voting for your neighbours since Yugoslavia was dissolved but before then I dont necessarily think it was. It was Eurovision that first launched the career of Abba who went on to become one the most successful bands of all time, I dont think you can just put that win down to Sweden being "pally" with other countries

[Pyramid*]

Originally Posted by Pyramid*

It might have opened the doors, in that it gave them a platform to be heard, but they still would not have won due to talent, but due to who was pally with who, which country had fallen out with which one, and what countries were trying to curry favour with others. If the winning country happened to have a singer/group who were half decent, I'd have thought that was a lucky byproduct for the singer/group concerned - - but to class it as Highly Prestigious on an international level? Nope, can't agree on that one at all.

And I'd say it's been a laughing stock for about double the length of time you feel it lost it's way - if not even longer than that.

Originally Posted by MTVN

I dont think that used to be the case, look which 4 countries have won it the most; Ireland, France, the UK & Luxembourg. None of those countries have that many guranteed votes, or that many other countries that can be relied on to give them points. It's become a lot more about voting for your neighbours since Yugoslavia was dissolved but before then I dont necessarily think it was. It was Eurovision that first launched the career of Abba who went on to become one the most successful bands of all time, I dont think you can just put that win down to Sweden being "pally" with other countries

Abba won in 1974. 36 years ago. You'll see the last part of my post above, bolded in blue - made reference to it being a laughing stock and not to be taken seriously for quite some time.

I didn't suggest the policital aspect had any impact 36 years ago: given that Joeysteele quoted 7 or 8 years and I suggested double that time frame - that's clearly the point at which I personally fel the political side came into play and at which point politics decided the winner rather than talent.