ICELAND in the Eurovision Song Contest – Participation history

Iceland in the Eurovision Song Contest
Participating broadcaster
Participation summary
Appearances
First appearance
Language
National Selections National final
Internal selection
Hostings
Highest placement Top 5 FINAL SEMI-FINALS
Highest placement Top 10 FINAL SEMI-FINALS
Worst placement (Bottom) FINAL SEMI-FINALS
Times qualified – Qualifiying rate
Victories
Nul points (Nil points) FINAL SEMI-FINALS

Participation history

Note: Entries scored out signify where Iceland did not compete
Years

1986 • 1987 • 1988 • 1989 • 1990 • 1991 • 1992 • 1993 • 1994 • 1995 • 1996 • 1997 • 1998 • 1999 • 2000 • 2001 • 2002 • 2003 • 2004 • 2005 • 2006 • 2007 • 2008 • 2009 • 2010 • 2011 • 2012 • 2013 • 2014 • 2015 • 2016 • 2017 • 2018 • 2019 • 2020 • 2021 • 2022 • 2023 • 2024
Artists ICY (Pálmi Gunnarsson) • Halla Margrét (Halla Margrét Árnadóttir) • Beathoven (Sverrir Stormsker og Stefán Hilmarsson) • Daníel (Daníel Ágúst Haraldsson) • Stjórnin (Sigríður Beinteinsdóttir og Grétar Örvarsson) • Stefán and Eyfi (Stefán Hilmarsson og Eyjólfur Kristjánsson) • Heart 2 Heart (Heart2Heart; Sigríður Beinteinsdóttir og Sigrún Eva Ármannsdóttir) • Inga (Ingibjörg Stefánsdóttir) • Sigga (Sigga Beinteins, Sigrún Eva Ármannsdóttir) • Bo Halldórsson (Björgvin Halldórsson) • Anna Mjöll • Paul Oscar (Páll Óskar) • Selma (Selma Björnsdóttir) • August and Telma (Einar Ágúst & Telma) • Two Tricky (Kristján Gíslason og Gunnar Ólason) • Birgitta (Birgitta Haukdal) • Jónsi • Selma (Selma Björnsdóttir) • Silvía Night (Silvía Nótt) • Eiríkur Hauksson • Euroband (Eurobandið) • Yohanna (Jóhanna Guðrún) • Hera Björk • Sjonni’s Friends (Vinir Sjonna) • Greta Salóme and Jónsi • Eythor Ingi (Eyþór Ingi) • Pollapönk • Maria Olafs (María Ólafs, María Ólafsdóttir) • Greta Salóme (Greta Salóme Stefánsdóttir) • Svala (Svala Björgvinsdóttir) • Ari Ólafsson • Hatari • Daði og Gagnamagnið • Daði og Gagnamagnið • Systur (Sigga, Beta og Elín) • Diljá • Hera Björk
Songs “Gleðibankinn” • “Hægt og hljótt” • “Sókrates” (Þú og þeir (Sókrates)) • “Það sem enginn sér” • “Eitt lag enn” • “Nína” (Draumur um Nínu) • “Nei eða já” • “Þá veistu svarið” • “Nætur” • “Núna” • “Sjúbídú” • “Minn hinsti dans” • “All Out of Luck” • “Tell Me!” (Hvert sem er) • “Angel” (Birta) • “Open Your Heart” (Segðu mér allt) • “Heaven” (Himinn) • “If I Had Your Love” • “Congratulations” (Til hamingju Ísland) • “Valentine Lost” (Ég les í lófa þínum) • “This Is My Life” (Fullkomið líf) • “Is It True?” (Er það satt?) • “Je ne sais quoi” • “Coming Home” (Aftur heim) • “Never Forget” (Mundu eftir mér) • “Ég á líf” • “No Prejudice” (Enga fordóma) • “Unbroken” (Lítil skref) • “Hear Them Calling” (Raddirnar) • “Paper” (Ég veit það) • “Our Choice” (Heim) • “Hatrið mun sigra” • “Think About Things” (Gagnamagnið) • “10 Years” • “Með hækkandi sól” • “Power” (Lifandi inní mér) • “Scared of Heights” (Við förum hærra) •
  • Emittente televisiva: RÚV
  • Processo di Selezione: Selezione Nazionale (Söngvakeppnin 1986–1994, 2000–2001, 2003, 2006–2019
  • ) | Selezione Interna (1995–1997, 1999, 2004–2005)
  • Organizzazione concorso – Paese ospite: 
  • Numero di partecipazioni: 32 (25 finali)
  • Lingue:  Inglese ()
  • Prima partecipazione: ESC Bergen 1986: Icy | Gleðibankinn
  • Miglior piazzamento: Top 5: FI: 2nd: 1999, 2009 | SF: 
  • Miglior piazzamento Top 10: FI: 
  • Peggior piazzamento (Bottom): FI: Last: 1989, 2001| SF: Last: 2018 SF
  • Average place: 12,43
  • Qualificazioni per la Finale: 9 su 16 (dal 2004)
  • Numero di vittorie: 
  • Nul points (Nil points): FI: 1989 | SF: 

Iceland debuted at the Eurovision Song Contest in 1986 when the appropriately named trio ICY took to the stage in Bergen with ‘Gleðibankinn’ (‘Bank of Fun’).

The country’s best results to date are two second places, courtesy of Selma and the bop “All Out of Luck” (1999) and Yohanna and her ballad “Is It True?” (2009).

Daði og Gagnamagnið were expected to do well at Rotterdam 2020 with their viral hit “Think About Things” before the Contest was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. When they returned in 2021 with “10 Years”, a pre-recorded rehearsal take replaced their live performances during the shows as the band were isolating in a hotel room having tested positive for coronavirus.

In 2023, Gagnamagnið frontman Daði Freyr (and his partner and band member Árný) would finally perform live in a Grand Final, delivering a memorable version of Atomic Kitten’s “Whole Again” as part of the ‘Liverpool Songbook’ interval act.

Iceland has participated in the Eurovision Song Contest 36 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 second place, which it achieved with “All Out of Luck” by Selma in 1999 and “Is It True?” by Yohanna in 2009. The Icelandic participant broadcaster in the contest is Ríkisútvarpið (RÚV), which select its entrant with the national competition Söngvakeppnin.

Iceland has achieved a total of seven top ten placements, with the others being “Eitt lag enn” by Stjórnin finishing fourth (1990), “Nei eða já” by Heart 2 Heart seventh (1992), “Open Your Heart” by Birgitta eighth (2003), “Hatrið mun sigra” by Hatari tenth (2019), and “10 Years” by Daði og Gagnamagnið fourth (2021). Since the introduction of the semi-final round in 2004, Iceland has failed to qualify for the final nine times, including four years consecutively (2015–18). To date, Iceland is the only Nordic country that has yet to win the contest.

History

[edit]

Ríkisútvarpið (RÚV) is a full member of the European Broadcasting Union (EBU), thus eligible to participate in the Eurovision Song Contest. It has participated in the contest representing Iceland since its 31st edition in 1986 –twenty years after RÚV was founded–.

Iceland’s best position at the contest is second place, which they have achieved twice: in 1999 with the song “All Out of Luck” performed by Selma, beaten by Sweden‘s “Take Me to Your Heaven” by Charlotte Nilsson, and in 2009 with “Is It True?” performed by Yohanna, beaten by Norway‘s “Fairytale” by Alexander Rybak.

In contrast Iceland’s worst result in a grand final is last place, which has been achieved twice to date: in 1989, when “Það sem enginn sér” by Daníel Ágúst received nul points, and in 2001, when “Angel” by Two Tricky received three points.

With the introduction of semi-finals in 2004, Iceland automatically qualified for the final that year due to Birgitta‘s eighth place the previous year. In 2008, Iceland reached the final for the first time since then, with “This Is My Life” by Euroband. Iceland qualified for the final in seven consecutive contests between 2008 and 2014 before failing 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, finishing tenth, which was followed by a fourth-place finish for Daði og Gagnamagnið in 2021, Iceland’s joint-second best result to date, and a 23rd-place finish for Systur in 2022. Further non-qualifications came with Diljá in 2023 and Hera Björk in 2024.

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

Sigríður Beinteinsdóttir has participated five times (as a member of a group in 1990 and 1992, as a solo artist in 1994, and as a background vocalist in 1991 and 2006). Hera Björk has also participated five times (as a backing vocalist in 2008, 2009 and 2015, and as a solo artist in 2010 and 2024). Stefán Hilmarsson has participated twice (as a member of a group in 1988 and as a member of a duo in 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. Eiríkur has in addition participated for Norway in 1991 as a member of a group.), Jón Jósep Snæbjörnsson (as a solo artist in 2004 and as a member of a duo in 2012) and Greta Salóme Stefánsdóttir (as a member of a duo in 2012 and as a solo artist in 2016).

Participation overview

[edit]

Table key
1 First place
2 Second place
3 Third place
◁ Last place
X Entry selected but did not compete
† Upcoming event

Note: Edizione | # | Artista (i) | Canzone [Musica (m) / Texto (t)] | Lingua (Traduzione) | Punteggio | Posizione | Processo di Selezione

NOTES:

  • a^ 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.
  • b^ The 2020 contest was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
  • c^ All conductors are of Icelandic nationality unless otherwise noted.
  • d^ Conducted by Þórir Baldursson at the national final.
  • e^ Conducted by Vilhjálmur Guðjónsson in the national final.
  • f^ Conducted by Jón Ólafsson in the national final.
  • g^ Jump up to:a b c Icelandic commentary
  • h^ English commentary for the semi-finals; Icelandic commentary with Icelandic Sign Language interpretation for the final
  • i^ Jump up to:a b English commentary
  • j^ English commentary for the semi-finals; Icelandic Sign Language interpretation by Elsa G. Björnsdóttir for the final
  • k^ As Olaf Yohansson from Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga
  • l^ Icelandic Sign Language interpretation

Photo gallery

[edit]

Conductors

[edit]

Year Conductor[c] Notes Ref.
1986 Gunnar Þórðarson [d] [1]
1987 Hjálmar H. Ragnarsson
1988 No conductor
1989
1990 Norway Jon Kjell Seljeseth [e]
1991 Jón Ólafsson
1992 United Kingdom Nigel Wright [f]
1993 Norway Jon Kjell Seljeseth
1994 Republic of Ireland Frank McNamara
1995
1996 Ólafur Gaukur
1997 Poland Szymon Kuran

Heads of delegation

[edit]

Year Head of delegation Ref.
2017–2023 Felix Bergsson
[2][3]
2024– Rúnar Freyr Gíslason
[4][5]

Commentators and spokespersons

[edit]

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 1986, RÚV has broadcast the contest on the radio using same commentator for TV and radio and the Internet broadcast since early 2000s.

Commentators and spokespersons
Year Television channel Radio station Commentator Spokesperson Ref.
1970 Sjónvarpið No radio broadcast Unknown Did not participate [6]
1971 Björn Matthíasson [7]
1972 [8]
1973 Jón O. Edwald [9]
1974 Unknown [10]
1975 Dóra Hafsteinsdóttir [11]
1976 Jón Skaptason [12]
1977 Unknown [13]
1978 Ragna Ragnars [14]
1979 Björn Baldursson [15]
1980 [16]
1981 Dóra Hafsteinsdóttir [17]
1982 Pálmi Jóhannesson [18]
1983 Unknown [19]
1984 [20]
1985 Hinrik Bjarnason [21]
1986 Rás 1 Þorgeir Ástvaldsson [is] Guðrún Skúladóttir [22][23]
1987 Kolbrún Halldórsdóttir [24][25]
1988 Hermann Gunnarsson [26][27]
1989 Arthúr Björgvin Bollason Erla Björk Skúladóttir [28][29]
1990 Unknown [30]
1991 Rás 2 [31]
1992 Árni Snævarr [32]
1993 No radio broadcast Jakob Frímann Magnússon [33]
1994 Rás 2 Sigríður Arnardóttir [34][35]
1995 Áslaug Dóra Eyjólfsdóttir [36][37]
1996 Svanhildur Konráðsdóttir [38][39]
1997 [40][41]
1998 Páll Óskar Hjálmtýsson Did not participate [42]
1999 Gísli Marteinn Baldursson Áslaug Dóra Eyjólfsdóttir [43][44]
2000 No radio broadcast Ragnheiður Elín Clausen [45][46]
2001 Eva María Jónsdóttir [47][48]
2002 Rás 2 Logi Bergmann Eiðsson Did not participate [49]
2003 Gísli Marteinn Baldursson Eva María Jónsdóttir [50][51]
2004 Sjónvarpið (all shows) Rás 2 (all shows) Sigrún Ósk Kristjánsdóttir [is] [52][53]
2005 Ragnhildur Steinunn Jónsdóttir [54][55]
2006 Rás 1 (semi-final)
Rás 2 (final)		 Sigmar Guðmundsson [is] [56][57]
2007 Rás 2 (semi-final) [58][59]
2008 Rás 2 (all shows) Brynja Þorgeirsdóttir [is] [60][61][62]
2009 Þóra Tómasdóttir [63][64][65][66]
2010 Jóhanna Guðrún Jónsdóttir [67][68][69]
2011 RÚV (all shows) No radio broadcast Hrafnhildur Halldórsdóttir Ragnhildur Steinunn Jónsdóttir [70][71]
2012 Matthías Matthíasson [72][73]
2013 Rás 2 (semi-final, final) Felix Bergsson [is] María Sigrún Hilmarsdóttir [74][75][76]
2014 Rás 2 (all shows) Benedikt Valsson [77][78][79]
2015 Sigríður Halldórsdóttir [80][81][82][83]
2016 Rás 2 (final) Gísli Marteinn Baldursson Unnsteinn Manuel Stefánsson [84][85][86][87]
2017 Rás 2 (semi-final, final) Björgvin Halldórsson [88][89][90][91]
2018 Edda Sif Pálsdóttir [92][93][94]
2019 RÚV (all shows)[g]
RÚV 2 (all shows)[h]
ruv.is (all shows)[i]		 Unknown Gísli Marteinn Baldursson (Icelandic)
Unknown (English)		 Jóhannes Haukur Jóhannesson [95][96]
2020 Not announced before contest was cancelled
2021 RÚV (all shows)[g]
RÚV 2 (all shows)[j]
ruv.is (all shows)[i]		 Rás 2 (semi-final, final) Gísli Marteinn Baldursson (Icelandic)
Alex Elliott (English)		 Hannes Óli Ágústsson[k] [97][98][99][100][101]
2022 RÚV (all shows)[g]
RÚV 2 (all shows)[l]		 Gísli Marteinn Baldursson Árný Fjóla Ásmundsdóttir [102][103][104][105]
2023 Einar Stefánsson [106][107][108][109]
2024 Gunna Dís Emilsdóttir Friðrik Ómar Hjörleifsson [110][111][112][113]

Other shows

[edit]

Show Channel Commentator Ref.
Songs of Europe Sjónvarpið Björn Baldurson [114]
Congratulations: 50 Years of the Eurovision Song Contest Sjónvarpið, Rás 2 Unknown [115]
Eurovision Song Contest’s Greatest Hits RÚV [116]
Eurovision: Europe Shine a Light [117]

[edit]

The 2020 Netflix comedy film Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga depicts Will Ferrell and Rachel McAdams as a fictional duo from Iceland competing in Eurovision. Hannes Óli Ágústsson, who plays Olaf Yohansson in the film, reprised the role for the voting segment of the 2021 contest final, in which he presented the points on behalf of the Icelandic jury.[101]

Iceland’s average distribution of the given points (2010-2016)

# 2010 2010 SF1 2011 2011 SF1 2012 2012 SF1 2013 2013 SF2 2014 2014 SF1 2015 2015 SF2 2016 2016 * 2016 SF1 2016 SF1 * Total Partici-
pations		 Average
1 Netherlands X X X X X X 8 X 12 12 X X 12 6 12 10 72 7 10,29
2 Denmark 12 X 12 X 5 8 12 X 8 X X X X X X X 57 6 9,50
3 Sweden X X 7 X 12 X 4 X 7 10 12 12 6 12 X X 82 9 9,11
4 Australia X X X X X X X X X X 8 X 10 8 X X 26 3 8,67
5 Norway X X 10 1 X 10 12 1 X 10 10 X X X X 54 8 6,75
6 Finland X 6 10 12 X 7 7 5 X X X X X 2 49 9 5,44
7 Slovakia X 5 X X X X X X X X X X X X X X 5 1 5,00
8 Russia 1 3 7 6 1 X 2 3 X 8 7 10 12 60 14 4,29
9 Belgium 10 12 X X X X X 4 X 3 3 X X 32 8 4,00
10 Azerbaijan 4 X 8 8 X 7 8 1 2 1 3 7 49 14 3,50
11 Cyprus X X X 8 12 X X X X 5 1 5 31 9 3,44
12 Austria X X X X 1 X X 10 X X 1 2 4 8 26 8 3,25
13 Switzerland X X 6 X 2 X 5 X X 1 X X X X 19 6 3,17
14 Romania 5 X X 4 6 10 X X X X X X 25 8 3,13
15 Ireland X 4 X 4 10 X X X X X X X X 18 6 3,00
16 Croatia X X X 1 X X X X X X X X 7 7 15 5 3,00
17 Latvia X X X X X 3 X 6 7 7 X X 23 8 2,88
18 Malta X 4 X X 5 6 X X 4 6 4 29 11 2,64
19 France 6 X X 6 X 2 X X X 2 5 X X 21 8 2,63
20 Hungary X X 5 7 6 8 X 2 6 34 13 2,62
21 Albania 7 10 X 3 X X X X X X X 20 8 2,50
22 Poland X X X X X X 3 X 3 10 X X 16 7 2,29
23 Estonia X 2 X 10 X X X 5 1 X X X 18 8 2,25
24 Israel X X X X X 1 X X 5 8 X X 14 7 2,00
25 Slovenia X X X X X X X X 2 6 X X X X 8 4 2,00
26 Greece 8 8 5 2 X X X X 23 12 1,92
27 Czech Republic X X X X X X X X X X X 8 8 5 1,60
28 Portugal 1 7 X X X X X X X X X X X 8 5 1,60
29 Armenia X X 4 X X 2 3 X 5 3 17 11 1,55
30 Serbia 3 5 3 X X X X X X X X 11 8 1,38
31 Italy X X 3 X X X X 6 X X X 9 7 1,29
32 Lithuania X X 2 X X X X 4 4 X X 10 8 1,25
33 Ukraine X X X 3 X 7 X X X X 10 8 1,25
34 Germany 3 X 6 X X X X X X X 9 8 1,13
35 United Kingdom X 2 X X X 4 X X X X 6 8 0,75
36 Georgia 2 X X X 4 X X X X X 6 8 0,75
37 San Marino X X X X X 4 X X X 1 5 8 0,63
38 North Macedonia X 1 X X X X X X X X X X X X 1 3 0,33
39 Spain X X 2 X X X X X X 2 8 0,25

Iceland’s average distribution of the received points (2010-2016)

# Country 2010 2010 SF1 2011 2011 SF1 2012 2012 SF1 2013 2013 SF2 2014 2014 SF1 2015 2015 SF2 2016 2016 * 2016 SF1 2016 SF1 * Total Partici-
pations		 Average
1 FI Finland 7 8 10 7 10 5 12 X X 4 5 X 61 16 3,81
2 NO Norway X 8 10 5 X 4 10 6 X 2 X X X 45 12 3,75
3 HU Hungary X 12 12 6 4 6 10 5 6 X 1 X 62 17 3,65
4 DK Denmark X 6 X 6 10 1 X 5 8 X X X X 36 11 3,27
5 CH Switzerland X 10 8 4 5 10 X X X X 37 13 2,85
6 ES Spain 7 2 12 4 6 7 1 3 X 2 4 X 41 17 2,41
7 DE Germany 6 X 3 X 8 12 2 X X X X 25 11 2,27
8 PT Portugal 6 4 10 X X X 1 X X X X X 15 7 2,14
9 SK Slovakia 7 X 4 X X X X X X X X X X X X 4 2 2,00
10 SE Sweden X 1 X X 6 X 4 7 2 5 X 25 15 1,67
11 GB United Kingdom X 4 7 X 2 X 4 X X X X 17 11 1,55
12 LV Latvia 2 X 5 10 5 X X X 20 13 1,54
13 EE Estonia 7 X 6 X 6 X 2 X 4 3 X 21 14 1,50
14 SM San Marino X 3 8 7 7 1 X 26 18 1,44
15 IT Italy X 5 X 1 X 7 X X X X 13 11 1,18
16 FR France 5 X X 7 8 X X 15 15 1,00
17 NL Netherlands X X X X 6 7 X X 13 14 0,93
18 RS Serbia 3 8 X X X X X X X X 8 9 0,89
19 BE Belgium 12 X 5 X 4 X X X X 9 11 0,82
20 LT Lithuania X 8 X X X 1 X X X 9 11 0,82
21 SI Slovenia X X 4 X 4 X X X X X 8 10 0,80
22 CY Cyprus X X 1 8 X X X 1 X 10 14 0,71
23 AT Austria X X 2 X 2 X X 3 3 X 10 14 0,71
24 GR Greece 8 6 5 X X X 11 16 0,69
25 PL Poland 10 4 X X X X X 2 X X X 6 9 0,67
26 CZ Czech Republic X X X X X X X X X 4 X 4 10 0,40
27 ME Montenegro X X X 5 X X 5 15 0,33
28 IL Israel X X 4 X X X X 4 12 0,33
29 UA Ukraine X X X X 3 X X X X X 3 9 0,33
30 RU Russia 8 3 1 X 1 X X 5 16 0,31
31 AZ Azerbaijan X 5 X 5 18 0,28
32 AM Armenia X 2 X X 1 X X 3 15 0,20
33 MT Malta 10 X X 3 X 3 16 0,19
34 IE Ireland X X X X 2 X X X 2 11 0,18
35 MD Moldova 10 X 2 X X X 2 15 0,13
36 BA Bosnia & Herzegovina 1 X X X X X X X X X 1 10 0,10
37 HR Croatia X X X X X X X 1 X 1 12 0,08

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