The Eurovision logo is inspiring and friendly. The emblem signifies unity and strong connections among countries. It highlights the desire to admire the creative talents and performance styles characteristic of countries around the world.
The Eurovision Song Contest began with an idea from Marcel Bezençon of the European Broadcasting Union, or EBU. Inspired by Italy’s Sanremo Music Festival, he proposed a televised song competition for European broadcasters. The first contest took place on May 24, 1956, in Lugano, Switzerland, with Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, and Switzerland each sending two songs.
Switzerland won the first edition with Lys Assia’s “Refrain.” In 1957, the format changed to one song per country, and the field grew to ten participants. Corrie Brokken won for the Netherlands with “Net als toen,” while the contest continued to expand through the 1960s. In 1967, color broadcasting added a new technical stage to the event.
The 1970s brought several major changes and famous winners. ABBA won for Sweden in 1974 with “Waterloo,” and Brotherhood of Man won for the UK in 1976 with “Save Your Kisses for Me.” In 1975, the familiar points system was introduced, with countries awarding scores from 1 to 12. The 1980s introduced jury voting. Later, the fall of the Iron Curtain brought more Eastern European countries into the contest.
In 1990, Toto Cutugno won for Italy with “Insieme: 1992.” In 1998, language rules changed, allowing songs in any language. The contest introduced semi-finals in 2004 and expanded to two in 2008. In 2009, voting combined juries and the public. Australia joined in 2015 for the 60th anniversary. The contest has been hosted in 26 cities, with Dublin hosting seven times. It has featured artists such as ABBA, Celine Dion, Julio Iglesias, and Olivia Newton-John.
Meaning and History
1956 – 2004
The contest’s first emblem features a circle containing four musical notes. In the black-and-white version, the figure transforms into a four-pointed star, symbolizing the winner’s popularity and success. Concentric circles around the image resemble a dartboard target, evoking associations with victory and hitting the mark.
The emblem had a color version: red, white, and blue. In this version, the four notes dancing in a circle were visible, highlighting the song’s lyrical nature and the contest’s musical focus. Arranged in a circle, these notes symbolized unity and harmony, key elements of the music festival.
2004 – 2014
JM International created the casual inscription, with the letter V turned into a heart at the center, to standardize the contest’s logo. This design draws attention to the center, where each host country can display its national flag and place the contest’s mascot. The flag in the heart-shaped symbol expresses gratitude to the host country for its hospitality and for welcoming the contest’s participants and audience.
The design conveys energy and dynamism, emphasizing renewal and other key aspects of European creative growth and development. It conveys the contest’s festive, inspirational atmosphere, bringing together people from different countries and cultures.
2015 – 2025
While maintaining the overall concept, the logo’s font has been softened and made more visually appealing. “Storytegic” designers carried out this transformation for the unified logo’s 10th anniversary. Smooth curves and equal spacing between symbols emphasize the pursuit of a harmonious artist who keeps pace with the times. Such a performer can touch the hearts of audiences across different countries and serve as a symbol of European music in the coming year.





