Iceland in the Eurovision Song Contest

Iceland has participated in the Eurovision Song Contest 32 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 two second-place finishes, with Selma in 1999 and Yohanna in 2009.

Iceland
Member stationRÚV
National selection events
Participation summary
Appearances33 (26 finals)
First appearance1986
Best result2nd: 1999, 2009
Nul points1989
External links
Iceland's page at Eurovision.tv
For the most recent participation see
Iceland in the Eurovision Song Contest 2020

Iceland has achieved a total of six top ten placements, with the others being Stjórnin finishing fourth (1990), Heart 2 Heart seventh (1992), Birgitta eighth (2003) and Hatari tenth (2019). Since the introduction of the semi-final round in 2004, Iceland has failed to qualify for the final seven times, including four years consecutively (2015–18). As of 2019, Iceland is the only Nordic country that is 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 3 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 8th 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; however, it failed 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.

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

Sigríður Beinteinsdóttir has participated four times (as a member of a group in 1990 and 1992, as a solo artist in 1994, and as a background vocalist in 1991). Hera Björk has participated four times (as background vocalist in 2008, 2009 and 2015 and as solo artist in 2010). Stefán Hilmarsson has participated twice (as a member of a group in 1988 and as a member of a duo 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), Jón Jósep Snæbjörnsson (as a solo artist in 2004 and member of a duo in 2012) and Gréta Salóme Stefánsdóttir (as member of a duo in 2012 and solo artist in 2016).

The Icelandic broadcaster for the contest is Ríkisútvarpið (RÚV).

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

Heads of delegation
Year Head of delegation Ref.
2018–2019 Felix Bergsson
[1][2]

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
[3]
2017 Björgvin Halldórsson
[4]
2018 Edda Sif Pálsdóttir
[5]
2019 Jóhannes Haukur Jóhannesson
[6][7]

The 2020 Netflix comedy film Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga depicted Will Ferrell and Rachel McAdams as a fictional duo from Iceland competing in Eurovision.

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.
gollark: In bitrate or latency.
gollark: It might *work*, it just will not be *fast*.
gollark: No.
gollark: If you are running it *over a phone "line"*, you are subject to *the issues of that phone line*.
gollark: No, it doesn't.

References
  1. Granger, Anthony (8 April 2018). "Iceland: Netta Barzilai Tops Alla leið Show One". Eurovoix. Retrieved 10 July 2020.
  2. Granger, Anthony (3 May 2019). "Iceland: "Cannot Take Qualification For Granted" – Felix Bergsson". eurovoix.com. Retrieved 6 December 2019.
  3. Granger, Anthony (14 May 2016). "ESC'16: 41 Spokespersons Revealed For Tonight". Eurovoix. Retrieved 10 July 2020.
  4. Granger, Anthony (4 May 2017). "Iceland: Bo Halldórsson To Announce Jury Votes". Eurovoix. Retrieved 10 July 2020.
  5. Granger, Anthony (29 April 2018). "Iceland: Edda Sif Pálsdóttir Revealed as Spokesperson". Eurovoix. Retrieved 10 July 2020.
  6. Granger, Anthony (24 April 2019). "Iceland: Gísli Marteinn Baldursson Returns To Commentary Booth For Tenth Eurovision Song Contest". Eurovoix. Retrieved 10 July 2020.
  7. Granger, Anthony (17 May 2019). "Iceland: Jóhannes Haukur Jóhannesson Announced as Spokesperson". Eurovoix. Retrieved 10 July 2020.
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