Eurovision Song Contest 1974#Participants

{{Short description|International song competition}}

{{good article}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2021}}

{{Infobox song contest

| name = Eurovision Song Contest

| year = 1974

| logo = ESC 1974 logo.png

| final = {{start date|1974|04|06|df=y}}

| venue = The Dome
Brighton, United Kingdom

| presenters = Katie Boyle

| musdirector = Ronnie Hazlehurst

| director = Michael Hurll

| scrutineer = Clifford Brown

| exproducer = Bill Cotton

| host = British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC)

| entries = 17

| debut = {{Esc|Greece|1970}}

| return = None

| nonreturn = {{Esc|France}}

| vote = Ten-member juries in each country; each member gave one vote to their favourite song

| winner = {{Esc|Sweden|y=1974}}
"Waterloo"

| Map NoSemis = Y

}}

The Eurovision Song Contest 1974 was the 19th edition of the Eurovision Song Contest, held on 6 April 1974 in the Dome in Brighton, United Kingdom. Organised by the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) and host broadcaster the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC), and presented by Katie Boyle, this was the fifth time that the contest was staged in the United Kingdom.

Although {{esccnty|Luxembourg|y=1973}} had won the {{escyr|1973||1973 contest}} with the song "{{lang|fr|Tu te reconnaîtras|i=unset}}" by Anne-Marie David, making {{lang|fr|Compagnie Luxembourgeoise de Télédiffusion|i=unset}} (CLT) the presumptive host for 1974, the broadcaster opted not to organise the event as it had staged the contest in 1973, following {{esccnty|Luxembourg|y=1972|t=their win}} in {{escyr|1972}}. As {{esccnty|Spain|y=1973}} had placed second the previous year {{lang|es|Televisión Española|i=unset}} (TVE) was approached, however the Spanish broadcaster also declined the opportunity to stage the contest. The Israel Broadcasting Authority (IBA), and the British broadcasters the BBC and ITV, all subsequently made bids to stage the contest, with the BBC ultimately winning out. This was the fourth time that the BBC had staged the contest after another broadcaster declined the opportunity, having done so previously in {{escyr|1960}}, {{escyr|1963}}, and 1972.

Entries representing eighteen countries were submitted for the contest, with {{esccnty|Greece|y=1974}} making its first appearance. However, {{esccnty|France|y=1974}} ultimately did not participate as the contest coincided with the death of French president Georges Pompidou, and with a national day of mourning scheduled for the date of the contest the French broadcaster, {{lang|fr|Office de Radiodiffusion Télévision Française|i=unset}} (ORTF), deemed participating in the event to be inappropriate. The voting system used between {{escyr|1971}} and 1973 was scrapped, and was replaced by the system last used in {{escyr|1970}}, with ten people in each country awarding one vote to their favourite song.

The winner was {{esccnty|Sweden|y=1974}}, with the song "Waterloo", composed by Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus, written by Stig Anderson and performed by ABBA. {{esccnty|Italy|y=1974}} and the {{esccnty|Netherlands|y=1974}} placed second and third respectively, followed by a three-way tie for fourth place between Luxembourg, {{esccnty|Monaco|y=1974}} and the United Kingdom. It was Sweden's first contest win. After previous success within European markets with "Ring Ring", with which ABBA had attempted to represent {{esccnty|Sweden|y=1973|t=Sweden in 1973}}, "Waterloo" gave the group their first global hit, and their Eurovision win was a launching point for ABBA to become one of the world's best-selling music artists. Olivia Newton-John, who represented the United Kingdom at this event, would also go on to achieve worldwide success in the years following the contest.

Location

File:Brighton Dome - geograph.org.uk - 4388776.jpg, Brighton – host venue of the 1974 contest]]

The 1974 contest was held in Brighton, United Kingdom. It was the fifth time that the United Kingdom had hosted the contest, having previously done so in {{escyr|1960}}, {{escyr|1963}}, {{escyr|1968}}, and {{escyr|1972}}.{{Cite web |title=United Kingdom – Participation history |url=https://eurovision.tv/country/united-kingdom |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220620171644/https://eurovision.tv/country/united-kingdom |archive-date=20 June 2022 |access-date=3 April 2024 |publisher=European Broadcasting Union (EBU)}} The selected venue was the Dome, completed in 1805 and originally built for the Prince Regent as stables and a riding school for his personal use. Sold by Queen Victoria in 1850, the stables were converted into a concert hall and assembly rooms in 1867, and the riding school into a market for corn merchants in 1868.{{Cite web |title=Brighton 1974 |url=https://eurovision.tv/event/brighton-1974 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220531192314/https://eurovision.tv/event/brighton-1974 |archive-date=31 May 2022 |access-date=3 April 2024 |publisher=European Broadcasting Union (EBU)}}{{Cite web |title=Heritage Stories – Architecture |url=https://brightondome.org/heritage-stories/heritage-stories-architecture/ |access-date=3 April 2024 |publisher=Brighton Dome |language=en}} The concert hall could normally seat up to 2,102 people, but for the contest some seating was removed for the commentator booths and technical equipment, leaving space for an audience of just over 1,000 people.{{sfn|Roxburgh|2014|pp=142–148}}

Among the other venues considered to stage the event by the BBC were the Royal Opera House and Royal Albert Hall in London, the latter of which had previously staged the 1968 contest. Both venues proved to be unavailable however, with the broadcaster then looking outside of the capital for potential venues. The Dome was then ultimately selected, and this choice was announced publicly by the BBC and EBU in July 1973.{{sfn|Roxburgh|2014|pp=142–148}}

= Host selection =

The {{escyr|1973||1973 contest}} was won by {{esccnty|Luxembourg|y=1973}}, represented by {{lang|fr|Compagnie Luxembourgeoise de Télédiffusion|i=unset}} (CLT), with the song "Tu te reconnaîtras" performed by Anne-Marie David, which according to Eurovision tradition made CLT the presumptive host of the 1974 contest.{{Cite web |title=Luxembourg 1973 |url=https://eurovision.tv/event/luxembourg-1973 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220531031318/https://eurovision.tv/event/luxembourg-1973 |archive-date=31 May 2022 |access-date=3 April 2024 |publisher=European Broadcasting Union (EBU)}} The broadcaster had staged the event on three previous occasions, in {{escyr|1962}}, {{escyr|1966}}, and 1973, each time in Luxembourg City.{{Cite web |title=Luxembourg – Participation history |url=https://eurovision.tv/country/luxembourg |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220531112855/https://eurovision.tv/country/luxembourg |archive-date=31 May 2022 |access-date=3 April 2024 |publisher=European Broadcasting Union (EBU)}} As CLT had hosted the event the previous year, it declined the opportunity to stage the event for a second consecutive year due to the financial strain such an undertaking would entail.{{sfn|Roxburgh|2014|pp=142–148}} {{esccnty|Spain|y=1973}}, which had come second in 1973, was also considered as a potential host for the event, however {{lang|es|Televisión Española|i=unset}} (TVE) also turned down the opportunity to stage the 1974 contest; TVE had previously hosted the event in {{escyr|1969}}.{{sfn|Roxburgh|2014|pp=142–148}}{{Cite web |title=Spain – Participation history |url=https://eurovision.tv/country/spain |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220607213612/https://eurovision.tv/country/spain |archive-date=7 June 2022 |access-date=3 April 2024 |publisher=European Broadcasting Union (EBU)}}

The European Broadcasting Union (EBU) originally asked the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC), as the participating broadcaster which came third the previous year, not to make an offer at this initial stage in order to determine if other participating broadcasters were willing to stage the event.{{sfn|Roxburgh|2014|pp=142–148}} Of the four previous events held by the BBC three of these had been staged in place of the previous year's winning broadcaster, specifically the 1960, 1963, and 1972 events.{{cite web |last1=Robichaud |first1=David |title=7 times the Eurovision Song Contest was not hosted by the winning country |url=https://eurovisionary.com/7-times-eurovision-song-contest-not-hosted-winning-country/ |publisher=EuroVisionary |access-date=14 May 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200922211216/https://eurovisionary.com/7-times-eurovision-song-contest-not-hosted-winning-country/ |archive-date=22 September 2020 |date=14 May 2016 |url-status=live}} Two offers were subsequently made, from the Israel Broadcasting Authority (IBA) and from the BBC's commercial rival ITV. Concerns were raised about the prospect of hosting the event in Israel; they had just joined the contest in 1973 and it was felt some countries would not be prepared to accept an Israeli-held contest.{{sfn|Roxburgh|2014|pp=142–148}}{{Cite web |title=Israel – Participation history |url=https://eurovision.tv/country/israel |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220605123901/https://eurovision.tv/country/israel |archive-date=5 June 2022 |access-date=3 April 2024 |publisher=European Broadcasting Union (EBU)}} Israel was also some distance geographically from the core of Western European nations which participated in the event at this time, and IBA still lagged behind many European broadcasters from a technological perspective. A successful ITV bid would have effectively barred the BBC from participating, as only one entry from a given country can participate in the event, resulting in the BBC submitting a counter-offer which the EBU accepted on 7 June 1973.{{sfn|Roxburgh|2014|pp=142–148}}

Participants

{{further|List of countries in the Eurovision Song Contest}}

{{interlanguage link info|section=yes}}

{{ESC 1974 participants}}

File:Gigliola Cinquetti (1966).jpg (pictured in 1966) who had won the contest for {{esccnty|Italy|y=1964|t=Italy in 1964}}, participated again this year.]]

Broadcasters from a total of eighteen countries submitted entries to compete in this edition of the contest, comprising all seventeen countries which had participated in 1973, and {{esccnty|Greece}}, which was making its first appearance in the contest.{{sfn|Roxburgh|2014|pp=142–148}} Turkish broadcaster, the Turkish Radio and Television Corporation (TRT), had also expressed an interest in competing but it had been too late in submitting its request to the EBU and was subsequently informed that, as the scoreboard with space for eighteen countries had already been constructed, its planned entry would not have been possible.{{sfn|Roxburgh|2014|pp=142–148}} Ultimately, however, only seventeen participating entries were performed at the contest, as French broadcaster, {{lang|fr|Office de Radiodiffusion Télévision Française|i=unset}} (ORTF), made the decision to withdraw from the event due to the death of French president Georges Pompidou on 2 April. With the state memorial service and a national day of mourning scheduled to be held on the same day as the contest, it was deemed by ORTF that competing in and broadcasting the contest would be inappropriate. France would have been represented by the song "{{lang|fr|La Vie à vingt-cinq ans|i=unset}}", written by Christine Fontaine and to have been performed by Dani, with Jean-Claude Petit scheduled to conduct the orchestra during the performance.{{sfn|Roxburgh|2014|pp=149–161}}

Among the participating artists were a number of acts which had competed in the Eurovision Song Contest in previous years: {{esccnty|Italy|y=1974}}'s Gigliola Cinquetti had previously won the contest for {{esccnty|Italy|y=1964|t=Italy in 1964}} with the song "{{lang|it|Non ho l'età|i=unset}}"; Romuald, representing {{esccnty|Monaco|y=1974}}, had previously represented both {{esccnty|Monaco|y=1964|t=Monaco in 1964}} and {{esccnty|Luxembourg|y=1969|t=Luxembourg in 1969}}; and {{esccnty|Norway}}'s Bendik Singers, supporting Anne-Karine Strøm at this event, had represented {{esccnty|Norway|y=1973|t=Norway in 1973}}, with Strøm having also been a member of the group in that contest.{{sfn|Roxburgh|2014|pp=149–161}}{{Cite web |date=4 May 2022 |title=Sì! Gigliola Cinquetti returns to the Eurovision Grand Final |url=https://eurovision.tv/story/gigliola-cinquetti-returning-to-eurovision |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220504184000/https://eurovision.tv/story/gigliola-cinquetti-returning-to-eurovision |archive-date=4 May 2022 |access-date=3 April 2024 |publisher=European Broadcasting Union (EBU)}}{{Cite web |date=21 March 2014 |title=Recalling the Copenhagen contest of 50 years ago |url=https://eurovision.tv/story/recalling-the-copenhagen-contest-of-50-years-ago |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170822100253/https://eurovision.tv/story/recalling-the-copenhagen-contest-of-50-years-ago |archive-date=22 August 2017 |access-date=3 April 2024 |publisher=European Broadcasting Union (EBU)}}{{Cite web |last=Sanabria-Rangel |first=Álvaro |date=10 April 2021 |title=Eurovision 1976: Norway's Anne-Karine Strøm in focus |url=https://eurovisionary.com/eurovision-1976-norways-anne-karine-strom-in-focus/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210410143236/https://eurovisionary.com/eurovision-1976-norways-anne-karine-strom-in-focus/ |archive-date=10 April 2021 |access-date=3 April 2024 |publisher=EuroVisionary}}

{{sticky header}}

class="wikitable plainrowheaders sticky-header"
+ Eurovision Song Contest 1974 participants{{sfn|Roxburgh|2014|pp=149–161}}{{Cite web |title=Brighton 1974 – Participants |url=https://eurovision.tv/event/brighton-1974/participants |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230205022240/https://eurovision.tv/event/brighton-1974/participants |archive-date=5 February 2023 |access-date=6 July 2023 |publisher=European Broadcasting Union (EBU)}}
scope="col" | Country

! scope="col" | Broadcaster

! scope="col" | Artist

! scope="col" | Song

! scope="col" | Language

! scope="col" | Songwriter(s)

! scope="col" | Conductor

scope="row" | {{Esc|Belgium}}

| RTB

| Jacques Hustin

| "{{lang|fr|Fleur de liberté|i=unset}}"

| French

| {{hlist|{{ill|Frank Gérald|fr|lt=Franck F. Gérald}}|Jacques Hustin}}

| Pierre Chiffre

scope="row" | {{Esc|Finland}}

| YLE

| Carita

| "Keep Me Warm"

| English

| {{hlist|Eero Koivistoinen|Frank Robson}}

| Ossi Runne

scope="row" | {{Esc|Germany}}

| HR{{efn|On behalf of the German public broadcasting consortium ARD{{Cite web |title=Alle deutschen ESC-Acts und ihre Titel |trans-title=All German ESC acts and their songs |url=https://www.eurovision.de/teilnehmer/vorentscheid386_glossaryPage-25.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230612084259/https://www.eurovision.de/teilnehmer/vorentscheid386_glossaryPage-25.html |archive-date=12 June 2023 |access-date=12 June 2023 |publisher=ARD |language=de}}}}

| Cindy and Bert

| "{{lang|de|Die Sommermelodie|i=unset}}"

| German

| {{hlist|Kurt Feltz|{{ill|Werner Scharfenberger|de}}}}

| Werner Scharfenberger

scope="row" | {{Esc|Greece|1970}}

| EIRT

| Marinella

| "{{lang|el-latn|Krassi, thalassa ke t' agori mou|i=unset}}"
({{lang|el|Κρασί, θάλασσα και τ' αγόρι μου}})

| Greek

| {{hlist|Giorgos Katsaros|Pythagoras}}

| Giorgos Katsaros

scope="row" | {{Esc|Ireland}}

| RTÉ

| Tina Reynolds

| "Cross Your Heart"

| English

| Paul Lyttle

| Colman Pearce

scope="row" | {{Esc|Israel}}

| IBA

| Poogy

| "{{lang|he-latn|Natati La Khaiai|i=unset}}" ({{lang|he|נתתי לה חיי}})

| Hebrew

| {{hlist|{{ill|Alon Oleartchik|he|אלון אולארצ'יק}}|Danny Sanderson}}

| Yonatan Rechter

scope="row" | {{Esc|Italy}}

| RAI

| Gigliola Cinquetti

| "{{lang|it||i=unset}}"

| Italian

| {{hlist|Corrado Conti|Daniele Pace|Mario Panzeri|Lorenzo Pilat}}

| {{ill|Gianfranco Monaldi|it}}

scope="row" | {{Esc|Luxembourg}}

| CLT

| Ireen Sheer

| "Bye Bye I Love You"

| French

| {{hlist|Humbert Ibach|Michael Kunze|Ralph Siegel}}

| Charles Blackwell

scope="row" | {{Esc|Monaco}}

| TMC

| Romuald

| "{{lang|fr|Celui qui reste et celui qui s'en va|i=unset}}"

| French

| {{hlist|Jean-Pierre Bourtayre|{{ill|Michel Jourdan (songwriter)|fr|Michel Jourdan (auteur-compositeur)|lt=Michel Jourdan}}}}

| Raymond Donnez

scope="row" | {{Esc|Netherlands}}

| NOS

| Mouth and MacNeal

| "I See a Star"

| English

| {{hlist|Gerrit den Braber|Hans van Hemert}}

| Harry van Hoof

scope="row" | {{Esc|Norway}}

| NRK

| Anne-Karine and the Bendik Singers

| "The First Day of Love"

| English

| {{hlist|Philip Kruse|Frode Thingnæs}}

| Frode Thingnæs

scope="row" | {{Esc|Portugal}}

| RTP

| Paulo de Carvalho

| "{{lang|pt|E depois do adeus|i=unset}}"

| Portuguese

| {{hlist|José Calvário|{{ill|José Niza|pt}}}}

| José Calvário

scope="row" | {{Esc|Spain|1945}}

| TVE

| Peret

| "{{lang|es|Canta y sé feliz|i=unset}}"

| Spanish

| Pedro Pubill Calaf

| Rafael Ibarbia

scope="row" | {{Esc|Sweden}}

| SR

| ABBA

| "Waterloo"

| English

| {{hlist|Stig Anderson|Benny Andersson|Björn Ulvaeus}}

| Sven-Olof Walldoff

scope="row" | {{Esc|Switzerland}}

| SRG SSR

| Piera Martell

| "{{lang|de|Mein Ruf nach dir|i=unset}}"

| German

| Pepe Ederer

| Pepe Ederer

scope="row" | {{Esc|United Kingdom}}

| BBC

| Olivia Newton-John

| "Long Live Love"

| English

| {{hlist|Valerie Avon|Harold Spiro}}

| Nick Ingman

scope="row" | {{Esc|Yugoslavia}}

| JRT

| {{lang|sh-latn|Korni Grupa|i=unset}}

| "{{lang|sh-latn|Generacija|i=unset}} '42" ({{lang|sh|Генерација}} '42)

| Serbo-Croatian

| Kornelije Kovač

| {{ill|Zvonimir Skerl|sh}}

Production and format

The Eurovision Song Contest 1974 was produced by the BBC. Bill Cotton served as executive producer, Michael Hurll served as producer and director, John Burrowes served as designer, and Ronnie Hazlehurst served as musical director, leading the BBC Concert Orchestra.{{sfn|Roxburgh|2014|p=164}} A separate musical director could be appointed by each participating broadcaster to lead the orchestra during their performance, with the host musical director also available to conduct for those which did not appoint their own conductor.{{sfn|Roxburgh|2014|pp=149–161}} On behalf of the EBU, the event was overseen by Clifford Brown as scrutineer.{{sfn|Roxburgh|2014|p=164}}{{cite web |title=The Organisers behind the Eurovision Song Contest |url=https://eurovision.tv/about/organisers |publisher=European Broadcasting Union (EBU) |access-date=31 October 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240925231140/https://eurovision.tv/about/organisers |archive-date=25 September 2024 |url-status=live}}{{sfn|O'Connor|2010|p=210}}

Each participating broadcaster submitted one song, which was required to be no longer than three minutes in duration.{{Cite web |date=18 May 2019 |title=How it works |url=https://eurovision.tv/about/how-it-works |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220531032850/https://eurovision.tv/about/how-it-works |archive-date=31 May 2022 |access-date=4 April 2024 |publisher=European Broadcasting Union (EBU) |language=en-gb}}{{Cite web |date=31 October 2018 |title=The Rules of the Contest |url=https://eurovision.tv/about/rules |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221004011300/https://eurovision.tv/about/rules |archive-date=4 October 2022 |access-date=24 October 2023 |publisher=European Broadcasting Union (EBU)}} As with the previous year's event, artists were able to perform in any language, and not necessarily that of the country they represented.{{sfn|Roxburgh|2014|pp=113–116}} A maximum of six performers were allowed on stage during each country's performance. Each entry could utilise all or part of the live orchestra and could use instrumental-only backing tracks, however any backing tracks used could only include the sound of instruments featured on stage being mimed by the performers.{{Cite web |title=Dublin 1971 |url=https://eurovision.tv/event/dublin-1971 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220531032406/https://eurovision.tv/event/dublin-1971 |archive-date=31 May 2022 |access-date=3 April 2024 |publisher=European Broadcasting Union (EBU)}}{{sfn|Roxburgh|2014|pp=51–53}}

Rehearsals in the contest venue began on Tuesday 2 April, involving technical rehearsals with the production team, the orchestra, and tests of the voting system and scoreboard. This was followed by rehearsals with the competing acts over subsequent days. The first rehearsals for all countries were held over two days on 3 and 4 April, with each participating act having a 50-minute slot on stage to perform through their entry with the orchestra without their stage costumes. A second round of rehearsals, this time in costume, was held for all acts on 5 April, with each country given 20 minutes on stage, followed that evening by a complete run-through of the whole show, including dummy voting. Further technical rehearsals were held on the morning of 6 April, and a second full dress rehearsal was held that afternoon; this rehearsal was also recorded for use as a back-up in case technical failure meant the contest could not go ahead as planned.{{sfn|Roxburgh|2014|pp=142–148}}

Security in Brighton was tight in the lead-up to, and during, the contest, due to the threat of actions by Irish republican militants.{{sfn|Roxburgh|2014|pp=142–148}}{{sfn|West|2020|pp=87–90|loc="1974"}} There was an increased police presence, and tanks could be seen in the streets of Brighton during the week of the contest.{{sfn|Roxburgh|2014|pp=142–148}}{{cite news |last1=Nicholls-Lee |first1=Deborah |title=Abba won Eurovision Song Contest in Brighton 50 years ago today |url=https://www.theargus.co.uk/news/24233417.abba-won-eurovision-song-contest-brighton-50-years-ago-today/ |access-date=11 April 2024 |work=The Argus |date=6 April 2024}} The contest presenter Katie Boyle also recalled being ferried in bulletproof coaches between the hotel and the contest venue, each time taking a different route.{{sfn|Roxburgh|2014|pp=142–148}}

= Voting procedure =

{{further|Voting at the Eurovision Song Contest}}

Due in part to the closeness of the voting in the previous year's contest, a new voting system was planned to be introduced for this event, which incorporated elements from the two previous voting systems used in the contest: each participating broadcaster would assemble a jury comprising ten members, which would be based in their own country, with each member awarding between one and five votes for each song, with no abstentions allowed and without the option to vote for their own country's entry. This would have resulted in each country potentially awarding a maximum of 50 votes and a minimum of 10 votes to any other country's song; with eighteen planned participating countries, this would have meant that the highest possible score any country could have received was 850, and the lowest possible score was 170. In case of a tie between two or more countries for first place, these acts would have performed again and each country not involved in the tie would have had one vote each to determine the winner. A lottery element to the voting, in order to add greater suspense, was also devised: the order of the voting would have been determined on stage during the voting segment, with cards being drawn at random to decide the order in which countries would vote.{{sfn|Roxburgh|2014|pp=142–148}}

During rehearsals however, it quickly became apparent to the organisers that they had misjudged how long it would take to conduct this new voting system, as well as mounting concerns that any issues with totalling the scores live could exacerbate the problems. Although a computerised system to calculate each country's total had been investigated, this was rejected for cost reasons. Ultimately the contest's executive producer Bill Cotton took the unilateral decision to abandon the proposed voting system and, given the jury structure of ten people had already been established and jury members had most likely already been recruited by the broadcasters, determined that the only alternative was to revert to the scoring system last used in {{escyr|1970}}: each of the ten jury members had one vote to award to their favourite song. The lottery aspect of the voting system was, however, retained, although due to timing and sound quality reasons this draw was held before the contest by the EBU's scrutineer Clifford Brown.{{sfn|Roxburgh|2014|pp=142–148}}

Contest overview<span class="anchor" id="Results"></span><span class="anchor" id="Participants and results"></span>

File:Een portret van het duo, Bestanddeelnr 926-8394.jpg were considered among the favourites to win the contest.]]

The contest was held on 6 April 1974, beginning at 21:30 (BST) and lasting 1 hour and 49 minutes.{{sfn|Roxburgh|2014|pp=149–161}} The contest was presented by the British television presenter and actress Katie Boyle, who had previously presented the contest in 1960, 1963 and 1968. Having hosted the contest four times, Boyle holds the record for most contest appearances as a presenter {{as of|2025|lc=y}}.{{Cite web |last=Zwart |first=Josianne |date=21 March 2018 |title=Katie Boyle, iconic Eurovision Song Contest host, dies at 91 |url=https://eurovision.tv/story/katie-boyle-eurovision-song-contest-host-passed-away-at-91 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180322212543/https://eurovision.tv/story/katie-boyle-eurovision-song-contest-host-passed-away-at-91 |archive-date=22 March 2018 |access-date=3 April 2024 |publisher=European Broadcasting Union (EBU)}}{{Cite news |last=Barker |first=Dennis |date=20 March 2018 |title=Katie Boyle obituary |url=https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2018/mar/20/katie-boyle-obituary |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180320195145/https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2018/mar/20/katie-boyle-obituary |archive-date=20 March 2018 |access-date=3 April 2024 |work=The Guardian}} Following the confirmation of the eighteen planned participating countries, the draw to determine the running order (R/O) of the contest was held on 5 December 1973; prior to its withdrawal, France was scheduled to perform in fourteenth position, between the entries from {{esccnty|Ireland|y=1974}} and {{esccnty|Germany|y=1974}}.{{sfn|Roxburgh|2014|pp=142–148}}{{sfn|Roxburgh|2014|pp=149–161}}

The interval act was a pre-recorded video montage featuring the Wombles, a novelty pop band based on the children's characters of the same name, in various locations across Brighton.{{Cite AV media |title=Eurovision Song Contest 1974 |date=6 April 1974 |type=Television programme |language=en, fr |publisher=British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) |place=Brighton, United Kingdom}}{{Cite web |date=6 April 2011 |title=37 years ago today - ABBA take the title with Waterloo |url=https://eurovision.tv/story/37-years-ago-today-abba-take-the-title-with-waterloo |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180513004327/https://eurovision.tv/story/37-years-ago-today-abba-take-the-title-with-waterloo |archive-date=13 May 2018 |access-date=3 April 2024 |publisher=European Broadcasting Union (EBU)}}{{sfn|O'Connor|2010|p=217}} The medallions awarded to the winning songwriters were presented by the Director-General of the BBC and the President of the EBU, Charles Curran.{{sfn|O'Connor|2010|p=217}}

The winner was {{esccnty|Sweden|y=1974}} represented by the song "Waterloo", composed by Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus, written by Stig Anderson and performed by ABBA.{{Cite web |title=Brighton 1974 – ABBA |url=https://eurovision.tv/participant/abba |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221004011306/https://eurovision.tv/participant/abba |archive-date=4 October 2022 |access-date=3 April 2024 |publisher=European Broadcasting Union (EBU)}} It was Sweden's first contest win.{{Cite web |date=5 September 2016 |title=Milestone Moments: 1974 - The arrival of ABBA |url=https://eurovision.tv/story/milestone-moments-1974-the-arrival-of-abba |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180513061621/https://eurovision.tv/story/milestone-moments-1974-the-arrival-of-abba |archive-date=13 May 2018 |access-date=3 April 2024 |publisher=European Broadcasting Union (EBU)}}{{Cite web |title=Sweden – Participation history |url=https://eurovision.tv/country/sweden |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231127082455/https://eurovision.tv/country/sweden |archive-date=27 November 2023 |access-date=3 April 2024 |publisher=European Broadcasting Union (EBU)}}

class="sortable wikitable plainrowheaders"
+ Results of the Eurovision Song Contest 1974{{sfn|Roxburgh|2014|pp=161–163}}{{Cite web |title=Brighton 1974 – Scoreboard |url=https://eurovision.tv/event/brighton-1974/final |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210409161342/https://eurovision.tv/event/brighton-1974/final |archive-date=9 April 2021 |access-date=9 April 2021 |publisher=European Broadcasting Union (EBU)}}
scope="col" | {{abbr|R/O|Running order}}

! scope="col" | Country

! scope="col" | Artist

! scope="col" | Song

! scope="col" class="unsortable" | Votes

! scope="col" | Place

scope="row" style="text-align:center;" | 1

| {{Esc|Finland|y=1974}}

| Carita

| "Keep Me Warm"

| 4

| 13

scope="row" style="text-align:center;" | 2

| {{Esc|United Kingdom|y=1974}}

| {{sortname|Olivia|Newton-John}}

| "Long Live Love"

| 14

| 4

scope="row" style="text-align:center;" | 3

| {{Esc|Spain|1945|y=1974}}

| Peret

| "{{lang|es|Canta y sé feliz|i=unset}}"

| 10

| 9

scope="row" style="text-align:center;" | 4

| {{Esc|Norway|y=1974}}

| Anne-Karine and the Bendik Singers

| "The First Day of Love"

| 3

| 14

scope="row" style="text-align:center;" | 5

| {{Esc|Greece|1970|y=1974}}

| Marinella

| "{{lang|el-latn|Krassi, thalassa ke t' agori mou|i=unset}}"

| 7

| 11

scope="row" style="text-align:center;" | 6

| {{Esc|Israel|y=1974}}

| Poogy

| "{{lang|he-latn|Natati La Khaiai|i=unset}}"

| 11

| 7

scope="row" style="text-align:center;" | 7

| {{Esc|Yugoslavia|y=1974}}

| {{lang|sh-latn|Korni Grupa|i=unset}}

| "{{lang|sh-latn|Generacija|i=unset}} '42"

| 6

| 12

style="font-weight:bold; background:gold;"

! scope="row" style="text-align:center; font-weight:bold; background:gold;" | 8

| {{Esc|Sweden|y=1974}}

| ABBA

| "Waterloo"

| 24

| 1

scope="row" style="text-align:center;" | 9

| {{Esc|Luxembourg|y=1974}}

| {{sortname|Ireen|Sheer}}

| "Bye Bye I Love You"

| 14

| 4

scope="row" style="text-align:center;" | 10

| {{Esc|Monaco|y=1974}}

| Romuald

| "{{lang|fr|Celui qui reste et celui qui s'en va|i=unset}}"

| 14

| 4

scope="row" style="text-align:center;" | 11

| {{Esc|Belgium|y=1974}}

| {{sortname|Jacques|Hustin}}

| "{{lang|fr|Fleur de liberté|i=unset}}"

| 10

| 9

scope="row" style="text-align:center;" | 12

| {{Esc|Netherlands|y=1974}}

| Mouth and MacNeal

| "I See a Star"

| 15

| 3

scope="row" style="text-align:center;" | 13

| {{Esc|Ireland|y=1974}}

| {{sortname|Tina|Reynolds}}

| "Cross Your Heart"

| 11

| 7

scope="row" style="text-align:center;" | 14

| {{Esc|Germany|y=1974}}

| Cindy and Bert

| "{{lang|de|Die Sommermelodie|i=unset}}"

| 3

| 14

scope="row" style="text-align:center;" | 15

| {{Esc|Switzerland|y=1974}}

| {{sortname|Piera|Martell}}

| "{{lang|de|Mein Ruf nach dir|i=unset}}"

| 3

| 14

scope="row" style="text-align:center;" | 16

| {{Esc|Portugal|y=1974}}

| {{sortname|Paulo de|Carvalho}}

| "{{lang|pt|E depois do adeus|i=unset}}"

| 3

| 14

scope="row" style="text-align:center;" | 17

| {{Esc|Italy|y=1974}}

| {{sortname|Gigliola|Cinquetti}}

| "{{lang|it||i=unset}}"

| 18

| 2

= Spokespersons =

Each participating broadcaster appointed a spokesperson, connected to the contest venue via telephone lines and responsible for announcing, in English or French, the votes for its respective country.{{Cite web |date=24 May 2021 |title=Lugano to Liverpool: Broadcasting Eurovision |url=https://blog.scienceandmediamuseum.org.uk/broadcasting-eurovision/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230512185848/https://blog.scienceandmediamuseum.org.uk/broadcasting-eurovision/ |archive-date=12 May 2023 |access-date=23 October 2023 |publisher=National Science and Media Museum}} Known spokespersons at the 1974 contest are listed below.

  • {{flagu|Finland}}{{snd}}{{ill|Aarre Elo|fi}}{{sfn|Murtomäki|2007|pp=78–83}}
  • {{flagu|Ireland}}{{snd}}Brendan Balfe{{cite news |title=Tonight's television |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/evening-herald-television-radio-progra/168315346/ |access-date=18 March 2025 |work=Evening Herald |date=6 April 1974 |location=Dublin, Ireland |page=11 |via=Newspapers.com}}
  • {{flagu|Monaco}}{{snd}}Sophie Hecquet{{Cite news |date=31 March 1975 |title=Facets of Eurovision's Song Contest '75 |work=Times of Malta |location=Birkirkara, Malta |page=7}}
  • {{flagu|Sweden}}{{snd}}Sven Lindahl{{sfn|Thorsson|Verhage|2006|pp=108–109}}
  • {{flagu|United Kingdom}}{{snd}}Colin Ward-Lewis{{sfn|Roxburgh|2014|pp=161–163}}
  • {{flagu|Yugoslavia}}{{snd}}Helga Vlahović{{Cite web |date=27 February 2012 |title=Helga Vlahović: 1990 presenter has died |url=https://eurovision.tv/story/helga-vlahovic-1990-presenter-has-died |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180513005135/https://eurovision.tv/story/helga-vlahovic-1990-presenter-has-died |archive-date=13 May 2018 |access-date=28 March 2023 |publisher=European Broadcasting Union (EBU) |language=en}}

Detailed voting results<span class="anchor" id="Scoreboard"></span>

Jury voting was used to determine the votes awarded by all countries.{{sfn|Roxburgh|2014|pp=161–163}} The announcement of the results from each country was conducted in a predetermined order chosen at random, with the spokespersons announcing their country's votes in English or French in performance order.{{sfn|Roxburgh|2014|pp=142–148}} The detailed breakdown of the votes awarded by each country is listed in the tables below, with voting countries listed in the order in which they presented their votes.

class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;"
+ Detailed voting results of the Eurovision Song Contest 1974{{Cite web |title=Brighton 1974 – Detailed voting results |url=https://eurovision.tv/event/brighton-1974/final/results |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210409161318/https://eurovision.tv/event/brighton-1974/final/results |archive-date=9 April 2021 |access-date=9 April 2021 |publisher=European Broadcasting Union (EBU)}}{{Cite web |title=Eurovision Song Contest 1974 – Scoreboard |url=https://eurovision.tv/page/history/by-year/contest?event=290#Scoreboard |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150924043110/http://www.eurovision.tv/page/history/by-year/contest?event=290#Scoreboard |archive-date=24 September 2015 |access-date=13 July 2021 |publisher=European Broadcasting Union (EBU)}}
colspan="2" |

! scope="col" {{vert header|nb=1|Total score}}

! scope="col" {{vert header|nb=1|Finland}}

! scope="col" {{vert header|nb=1|Luxembourg}}

! scope="col" {{vert header|nb=1|Israel}}

! scope="col" {{vert header|nb=1|Norway}}

! scope="col" {{vert header|nb=1|United Kingdom}}

! scope="col" {{vert header|nb=1|Yugoslavia}}

! scope="col" {{vert header|nb=1|Greece}}

! scope="col" {{vert header|nb=1|Ireland}}

! scope="col" {{vert header|nb=1|Germany}}

! scope="col" {{vert header|nb=1|Portugal}}

! scope="col" {{vert header|nb=1|Netherlands}}

! scope="col" {{vert header|nb=1|Sweden}}

! scope="col" {{vert header|nb=1|Spain}}

! scope="col" {{vert header|nb=1|Monaco}}

! scope="col" {{vert header|nb=1|Switzerland}}

! scope="col" {{vert header|nb=1|Belgium}}

! scope="col" {{vert header|nb=1|Italy}}

rowspan="17" {{vert header|va=middle|Contestants}}

! scope="row" style="text-align:left; background:#f2f2f2;" | Finland

| style="text-align:right; background:#f2f2f2;" | 4 || style="text-align:left; background:#aaa;" | || || 2 || || 1 || || || 1 || || || || || || || || ||

scope="row" style="text-align:left; background:#f2f2f2;" | United Kingdom

| style="text-align:right; background:#f2f2f2;" | 14 || 1 || || || || style="text-align:left; background:#aaa;" | || 4 || 1 || 1 || 2 || || || || || || 1 || 1 || 3

scope="row" style="text-align:left; background:#f2f2f2;" | Spain

| style="text-align:right; background:#f2f2f2;" | 10 || || 1 || || 2 || || || || || 1 || 2 || 1 || || style="text-align:left; background:#aaa;" | || 3 || || ||

scope="row" style="text-align:left; background:#f2f2f2;" | Norway

| style="text-align:right; background:#f2f2f2;" | 3 || || || || style="text-align:left; background:#aaa;" | || || || || || || || || 1 || || 1 || || 1 ||

scope="row" style="text-align:left; background:#f2f2f2;" | Greece

| style="text-align:right; background:#f2f2f2;" | 7 || || || || || || || style="text-align:left; background:#aaa;" | || || || 1 || 4 || 2 || || || || ||

scope="row" style="text-align:left; background:#f2f2f2;" | Israel

| style="text-align:right; background:#f2f2f2;" | 11 || || || style="text-align:left; background:#aaa;" | || || 2 || || || 1 || || 2 || 2 || 1 || || || || || 3

scope="row" style="text-align:left; background:#f2f2f2;" | Yugoslavia

| style="text-align:right; background:#f2f2f2;" | 6 || 1 || || || || || style="text-align:left; background:#aaa;" | || || || || 1 || || || 1 || || || 1 || 2

style="background:gold;"

! scope="row" style="text-align:left; font-weight:bold; background:gold;" | Sweden

| style="text-align:right; font-weight:bold;" | 24

512211213style="text-align:left; background:#aaa;" |15
scope="row" style="text-align:left; background:#f2f2f2;" | Luxembourg

| style="text-align:right; background:#f2f2f2;" | 14 || || style="text-align:left; background:#aaa;" | || 2 || || || 2 || 1 || 3 || 1 || || || || 1 || 1 || || 1 || 2

scope="row" style="text-align:left; background:#f2f2f2;" | Monaco

| style="text-align:right; background:#f2f2f2;" | 14 || || 2 || 1 || 1 || || || || 1 || 2 || 1 || || 1 || 2 || style="text-align:left; background:#aaa;" | || 1 || 2 ||

scope="row" style="text-align:left; background:#f2f2f2;" | Belgium

| style="text-align:right; background:#f2f2f2;" | 10 || || 3 || || 2 || || || 5 || || || || || || || || || style="text-align:left; background:#aaa;" | ||

scope="row" style="text-align:left; background:#f2f2f2;" | Netherlands

| style="text-align:right; background:#f2f2f2;" | 15 || 1 || || 1 || 1 || || 3 || 2 || 1 || 1 || 1 || style="text-align:left; background:#aaa;" | || 3 || || || || 1 ||

scope="row" style="text-align:left; background:#f2f2f2;" | Ireland

| style="text-align:right; background:#f2f2f2;" | 11 || || 2 || 1 || 2 || 1 || || || style="text-align:left; background:#aaa;" | || || || || 2 || 2 || 1 || || ||

scope="row" style="text-align:left; background:#f2f2f2;" | Germany

| style="text-align:right; background:#f2f2f2;" | 3 || || || || || || || 1 || || style="text-align:left; background:#aaa;" | || || || || || || 1 || 1 ||

scope="row" style="text-align:left; background:#f2f2f2;" | Switzerland

| style="text-align:right; background:#f2f2f2;" | 3 || || || || || 1 || || || || 1 || || || || || || style="text-align:left; background:#aaa;" | || 1 ||

scope="row" style="text-align:left; background:#f2f2f2;" | Portugal

| style="text-align:right; background:#f2f2f2;" | 3 || || || || || || || || || || style="text-align:left; background:#aaa;" | || || || 1 || || 2 || ||

scope="row" style="text-align:left; background:#f2f2f2;" | Italy

| style="text-align:right; background:#f2f2f2;" | 18 || 2 || 1 || 1 || || 5 || || || 1 || || 1 || || || 2 || 4 || || 1 || style="text-align:left; background:#aaa;" |

Broadcasts<span class="anchor" id="Broadcasters and commentators"></span>

Broadcasters competing in the event were required to relay the contest via its networks; non-participating EBU member broadcasters were also able to relay the contest. Broadcasters were able to send commentators to provide coverage of the contest in their own native language and to relay information about the artists and songs to their television viewers.

In addition to the participating nations, which, with the exception of Italy, all broadcast the contest live on television, the contest was also reportedly aired, live or deferred, by broadcasters in Algeria, Austria, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Czechoslovakia, France, Hungary, Japan, Jordan, Iceland, Morocco, Poland, South Korea, the Soviet Union and Tunisia. In addition to television coverage, participating broadcasters in Belgium, Finland, Germany, Ireland, Norway, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and the United Kingdom were also reported to have relayed the contest via radio.{{sfn|Roxburgh|2014|pp=142–148}} Although the script for the contest's opening remarks by Katie Boyle and the press suggested that around 500 million viewers were expected to watch and listen to the contest,{{cite news |last=West |first=Roy |title=TV preview |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/liverpool-daily-post-merseyside-ed-tv/169548494/ |access-date=4 April 2025 |work=Liverpool Daily Post |date=6 April 1974 |location=Liverpool, United Kingdom |page=7 |via=Newspapers.com}} the EBU later put the actual estimated figure for the total audience at 231 million.{{sfn|Roxburgh|2014|pp=142–148}}

Known details on the broadcasts in each country, including the specific broadcasting stations and commentators are shown in the tables below.

{{sticky header}}

class="wikitable plainrowheaders sticky-header"
+ Broadcasters and commentators in participating countries
scope="col" | Country

! scope="col" | Broadcaster

! scope="col" | Channel(s)

! scope="col" | Commentator(s)

! scope="col" | {{refh}}

scope="rowgroup" rowspan="3" | {{Flagu|Belgium}}

| rowspan="2" | RTB

| RTB

| Paule Herreman

| style="text-align:center" | {{cite news |title=TV–programma's van zaterdag 6 april 1974 |trans-title=TV programmes of Saturday 6 April 1974 |url=https://uurl.kbr.be/2255588 |url-access=registration |date=6 April 1974 |work=De Standaard |location=Brussels, Belgium |access-date=13 May 2025 |page=29 |language=nl |via={{ill|BelgicaPress|nl}}}}

RTB 1

| {{N/A

}

| style="text-align:center" | {{cite news |title=Radio- und TV-programm |trans-title=Radio and TV schedule |url=https://archiv.grenzecho.net/epaper/grenzecho-vom-05-04-1974/?viewer=true |access-date=4 November 2024 |work=Grenz-Echo and {{ill|St. Vither Zeitung|de}} |date=5 April 1974 |location=Eupen, Belgium |page=5 |language=de}}

|-

| BRT

| BRT, BRT 1

| {{ill|Herman Verelst (journalist)|nl|lt=Herman Verelst}}

| style="text-align:center" | {{cite news |title=Radio |url=https://uurl.kbr.be/2255588 |url-access=registration |date=6 April 1974 |work=De Standaard |location=Brussels, Belgium |access-date=13 May 2025 |page=32 |language=nl |via={{ill|BelgicaPress|nl}}}}{{cite news |title=Lauwe kompetitiespeer op songfestival: Een vedette wordt geboren in koninklijke paardestal |trans-title=Lukewarm competition spear at Eurovision: A star is born in a royal stable |url=https://uurl.kbr.be/2255588 |url-access=registration |date=6 April 1974 |work=De Standaard |location=Brussels, Belgium |access-date=23 May 2025 |page=5 |language=nl |via={{ill|BelgicaPress|nl}}}}

|-

! scope="rowgroup" rowspan="2" | {{Flagu|Finland}}

| rowspan="2" | YLE

| TV1, {{lang|fi|{{ill|Yleisohjelma|fi|Yleisohjelma (Suomen Yleisradio)}}|i=unset}}

| {{ill|Matti Paalosmaa|fi}}

| rowspan="2" style="text-align:center" | {{Cite news |date=6 April 1974 |title=Carita ensimmäisenä Eurovisiokilpailussa |trans-title=Carita up first in the Eurovision Song Contest |url=https://nakoislehti.hs.fi/c76f07f9-c800-481e-87ce-10a208f4d080 |url-access=subscription |access-date=23 December 2022 |work=Helsingin Sanomat |location=Helsinki, Finland |page=45 |language=fi}}{{Cite news |date=6 April 1974 |title=Radio ja TV |trans-title=Radio and TV |url=https://nakoislehti.hs.fi/c76f07f9-c800-481e-87ce-10a208f4d080 |url-access=subscription |access-date=23 December 2022 |work=Helsingin Sanomat |location=Helsinki, Finland |page=45 |language=fi}}

|-

| {{lang|fi|Ruotsinkielinen ohjelma|i=unset}}

| {{ill|Åke Grandell|fi}}

|-

! scope="row" | {{Flagu|Germany}}

| ARD

| {{lang|de|Deutsches Fernsehen|i=unset}}

| {{N/A|}}

| style="text-align:center" |

|-

! scope="row" | {{Flagu|Greece|1970}}

| EIRT

| EIRT

| {{N/A|}}

| style="text-align:center" | {{cite news |title=Τηλεόρασις |trans-title=Televisions |url=http://rg-dev.nlg.gr/viewer/BnlViewer/view/index.html?lang=el#panel:pp{{!}}issue:2c22_124{{!}}page:4 |access-date=19 January 2025 |work=Makedonia |date=6 April 1974 |location=Thessaloniki, Greece |page=3 |language=el |via=National Library of Greece}}

|-

! scope="rowgroup" rowspan="2" | {{Flagu|Ireland}}

| rowspan="2" | RTÉ

| RTÉ

| Mike Murphy

| style="text-align:center" | {{Cite news |date=6 April 1974 |title=Television Today |url=https://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/archive/1974/0406/Pg021.html |url-access=subscription |access-date=22 December 2022 |newspaper=The Irish Times |location=Dublin, Ireland |page=21}}{{Cite AV media |url=https://stillslibrary.rte.ie/indexplus/image/2500/030.html |title=Irish Eurovision delegation arrive home (1974) |date=7 April 1973 |last=Bedell |first=Roy |type=Photograph |place=Dublin Airport, Dublin, Ireland |access-date=22 December 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120920111525/https://stillslibrary.rte.ie/indexplus/image/2500/030.html |archive-date=20 September 2012 |via=RTÉ Libraries and Archives}}

|-

| RTÉ Radio

| {{N/A|}}

| style="text-align:center" | {{Cite news |date=6 April 1974 |title=Radio Today |url=https://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/archive/1974/0406/Pg021.html |url-access=subscription |access-date=22 December 2022 |newspaper=The Irish Times |location=Dublin, Ireland |page=21}}

|-

! scope="row" | {{Flagu|Israel}}

| IBA

| Israeli Television

| {{N/A|}}

| style="text-align:center" | {{Cite news |date=5 April 1974 |title=טלוויזיה כללית |trans-title=General television |url=https://www.nli.org.il/en/newspapers/?a=d&d=ahr19740405-01 |access-date=8 January 2023 |work=Al HaMishmar |location=Tel Aviv, Israel |page=47 |language=he |via=National Library of Israel}}

|-

! scope="row" | {{Flagu|Italy}}

| RAI

| {{lang|it|Secondo Programma TV|i=unset}},{{efn|Delayed broadcast on 6 June 1974 at 21:15 (CEST)|name="RAI"}} {{lang|it|Secondo Programma|i=unset}}{{efn|name="RAI"}}

| Rosanna Vaudetti

| style="text-align:center" | {{cite magazine |title=TV {{!}} 6 giugno {{!}} giovedi |trans-title=TV {{!}} 6 June {{!}} Thursday |url=http://www.radiocorriere.teche.rai.it/Download.aspx?data=1974{{!}}23{{!}}000{{!}}P |magazine=Radiocorriere TV |location=Turin, Italy |date=2–8 June 1974 |volume=51 |issue=23 |pages=60–61 |access-date=31 May 2024 |language=it |via=Rai Teche}}{{cite magazine |title=radio – giovedi 6 giugno |trans-title=radio – Thursday 6 June |url=http://www.radiocorriere.teche.rai.it/Download.aspx?data=1974{{!}}23{{!}}000{{!}}P |magazine=Radiocorriere TV |location=Turin, Italy |date=2–8 June 1974 |volume=51 |issue=23 |pages=62–63 |access-date=17 November 2024 |language=it |via=Rai Teche}}

|-

! scope="row" | {{Flagu|Luxembourg}}

| CLT

| {{lang|fr|RTL Télé-Luxembourg|i=unset}}

| {{N/A|}}

| style="text-align:center" | {{Cite news |date=5 April 1974 |title=Télé-programmes – samedi 6 avril |trans-title=Tele-programmes – Saturday April 6 |url=https://viewer.eluxemburgensia.lu/ark:70795/cwk0hcz5g/pages/25 |access-date=8 January 2023 |work=Luxemburger Wort |location=Luxembourg City, Luxembourg |language=de, fr |via=National Library of Luxembourg}}

|-

! scope="row" | {{Flagu|Netherlands}}

| NOS

| {{lang|nl|Nederland 2|i=unset}}

| Willem Duys

| style="text-align:center" | {{Cite news |date=6 April 1974 |title=Televisie {{!}} Radio |trans-title=Television {{!}} Radio |url=https://resolver.kb.nl/resolve?urn=ABCDDD:010849828:mpeg21:p041 |access-date=8 January 2023 |work=De Volkskrant |location=Amsterdam, Netherlands |page=41 |language=nl |via=Delpher}}{{Cite news |last=Van Dijk |first=Ale |date=6 April 1974 |title=Eurovisie songfestival volgend jaar bij ons |trans-title=Eurovision Song Contest with us next year |url=https://resolver.kb.nl/resolve?urn=ddd:010958430:mpeg21:p005 |access-date=1 July 2022 |work=Het Vrije Volk |location=Rijnmond, Netherlands |page=5 |language=nl |via=Delpher}}

|-

! scope="rowgroup" rowspan="2" | {{Flagu|Norway}}

| rowspan="2" | NRK

| {{lang|no|NRK Fjernsynet|i=unset}}

| John Andreassen

| rowspan="2" style="text-align:center" | {{Cite news |date=6 April 1974 |title=Radio • TV |url=https://www.nb.no/items/38be3a1f773b9b13d9c832d6541790d5?page=5 |access-date=2 February 2025 |work=Haugesunds Avis |location=Haugesund, Norway |page=6 |language=no |via=National Library of Norway}}

|-

| NRK{{efn|Deferred broadcast at 23:00 (CET)}}

| {{ill|Erik Heyerdahl|no}}

|-

! scope="row" rowspan="2" | {{Flagu|Portugal}}

| RTP

| {{lang|pt|I Programa|i=unset}}

| Artur Agostinho

| rowspan="2" style="text-align:center" | {{Cite news |date=6 April 1974 |title=Televisão {{!}} Rádio |trans-title=Television {{!}} Radio |url=http://casacomum.org/cc/visualizador?pasta=06819.169.26684#!26 |access-date=8 January 2023 |work=Diário de Lisboa |location=Lisbon, Portugal |page=26 |language=pt |via=Casa Comum}}{{Cite news |last=Castrim |first=Mário |date=7 April 1974 |title=Um Waterloo onde faltou Cambronne |trans-title=A Waterloo where Cambronne was missing |url=http://casacomum.org/cc/visualizador?pasta=06819.169.26685#!32 |access-date=1 July 2022 |work=Diário de Lisboa |location=Lisbon, Portugal |page=32 |language=pt |via=Casa Comum}}

|-

| ENR

| {{lang|pt|Emissora Nacional Programa 1|i=unset}}

| {{N/A|}}

|-

! scope="rowgroup" rowspan="9" | {{Flagu|Spain|1945}}

| TVE

| TVE 1

| José Luis Uribarri

| style="text-align:center" | {{Cite magazine |title=1a Cadena – Sábado |trans-title=First Channel – Saturday |url=https://prensahistorica.mcu.es/es/consulta/registro.do?id=11000960472 |access-date=25 June 2024 |magazine=Tele Pueblo |date=6 April 1974 |location=Madrid, Spain |pages=4–5 |language=es |via={{ill|Virtual Library of Historical Newspapers|es|Biblioteca Virtual de Prensa Histórica}}}}{{Cite web |last=HerGar |first=Paula |date=28 March 2018 |title=Todos los comentaristas de la historia de España en Eurovisión (y una única mujer en solitario) |trans-title=All the commentators in the history of Spain in Eurovision (and only a single woman) |url=https://los40.com/los40/2018/03/27/album/1522166894_094380.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210926203750/https://los40.com/los40/2018/03/27/album/1522166894_094380.html |archive-date=26 September 2021 |access-date=5 January 2023 |publisher=Los 40 |language=es}}

|-

| rowspan="2" | RNE

| {{lang|es|Radio Nacional|i=unset}}

| Carlos Tena

| style="text-align:center" | {{Cite news |date=6 April 1974 |title=Programas de Radio y Televisión |trans-title=Radio and Television Programmes |url=https://hemeroteca.lavanguardia.com/preview/1974/04/06/pagina-59/34240545/pdf.html |url-access=subscription |access-date=8 January 2023 |work=La Vanguardia |location=Barcelona, Spain |page=59 |language=es}}{{cite web |title=Eurovision en directo por Radio Nacional de España |trans-title=Eurovision live on Radio Nacional de España |url=https://jable.ulpgc.es/jable/el.eco.de.canarias/1974/04/05/0010.htm |work={{ill|El Eco de Canarias|es}} |location=Las Palmas, Spain |page=10 |language=es |date=5 April 1974 |access-date=10 July 2024 |via=University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria}}

|-

| {{ill|Radio Peninsular|es|lt=Radio Peninsular de Huelva}}

| {{N/A|}}

| style="text-align:center" | {{Cite news |date=6 April 1974 |title=La radio, hoy |trans-title=The radio, today |url=https://w2.diphuelva.es/portalweb/hemeroteca/odiel/1974/ABR/06/0015.pdf |access-date=9 October 2024 |work={{ill|Odiel (newspaper)|es|Odiel (periódico)|lt=Odiel}} |page=15 |location=Huelva, Spain |language=es |via=Provincial Deputation of Huelva}}

|-

| rowspan="6" | SER

| {{ill|Radio Castellón|es}}

| rowspan="6" {{N/A|}}

| style="text-align:center" | {{cite news |title=Programa de las emisoras castellonenses |trans-title=Programmes of Castellón radio stations |url=https://prensahistorica.mcu.es/es/consulta/registro.do?id=10005079665 |access-date=29 January 2025 |work={{ill|El Periódico Mediterráneo|es|lt=Mediterráneo}} |date=6 April 1974 |page=4 |location=Castellón de la Plana, Spain |language=es |via={{ill|Virtual Library of Historical Newspapers|es|Biblioteca Virtual de Prensa Histórica}}}}

|-

| {{ill|Ràdio Girona|ca|lt=Radio Girona}}

| style="text-align:center" | {{Cite news |date=6 April 1974 |title=TVE Programas |trans-title=TVE Programmes |url=https://pandora.girona.cat/viewer.vm?id=0000727235&page=3&lang=en&view=hemeroteca |access-date=23 August 2024 |work={{ill|Los Sitios|ca}} |page=3 |location=Girona, Spain |language=es |via={{ill|Girona City Hall|es|Ayuntamiento de Gerona}}}}

|-

| {{ill|Radio Murcia|es}}

| style="text-align:center" | {{Cite news |date=6 April 1974 |title=Programas de Radio |trans-title=Radio Programmes |url=https://www.archivodemurcia.es/p_pandora4/viewer.vm?id=0000493891&page=22 |access-date=3 October 2024 |work={{ill|Línea (newspaper)|es|Línea (periódico)|lt=Línea}} |page=22 |location=Murcia, Spain |language=es |via=Archivo Municipal de Murcia}}

|-

| {{ill|Radio Sevilla|es}}

| style="text-align:center" | {{Cite news |date=6 April 1974 |title=Programa de radio para hoy |trans-title=Radio schedule for today |url=https://www.abc.es/archivo/periodicos/abc-sevilla-19740406-117.html |access-date=11 October 2024 |work=ABC Sevilla |location=Seville, Spain |page=117 |language=es |url-access=subscription}}

|-

| Radio San Sebastián

| style="text-align:center" | {{Cite news |date=6 April 1974 |title=tv |url=https://w390w.gipuzkoa.net/WAS/CORP/DKPAtzokoPrentsaWEB/argitalpen/179902/data/134496000000 |access-date=23 August 2024 |work={{ill|La Voz de España|es}} |page=16 |location=San Sebastián, Spain |language=es |via={{ill|Koldo Mitxelena Cultural Center|eu|Koldo Mitxelena Kulturunea}}}}

|-

| {{ill|Radio Valladolid|es}}

| style="text-align:center" | {{cite news |title=Radio y Television |trans-title=Radio and Television |url=https://prensahistorica.mcu.es/es/consulta/registro.do?id=11000759761 |access-date=3 December 2024 |work={{ill|Libertad (periódico)|es|lt=Libertad}}|date=6 April 1974 |page=4 |location=Valladolid, Spain |language=es |via=Virtual Library of Historical Newspapers}}

|-

! scope="rowgroup" rowspan="2" | {{Flagu|Sweden}}

| rowspan="2" | SR

| TV1

| {{ill|Johan Sandström (broadcaster)|lt=Johan Sandström|sv|Johan Sandström (TV-man)}}

| style="text-align:center" | {{cite news |title=tv programmen |trans-title=tv programmes |work=Svenska Dagbladet |date=6 April 1974 |location=Stockholm, Sweden |page=33 |language=sv}}

|-

| SR P3

| {{ill|Ursula Richter (broadcaster)|lt=Ursula Richter|sv|Ursula Richter}}

| style="text-align:center" | {{cite news |title=radioprogrammen |trans-title=radio programmes |work=Svenska Dagbladet |date=6 April 1974 |location=Stockholm, Sweden |page=33 |language=sv}}

|-

! scope="rowgroup" rowspan="6" | {{Flagu|Switzerland}}

| rowspan="6" | SRG SSR

| TV DRS

| {{ill|Theodor Haller|de|Theodor Haller (Journalist)}}

| style="text-align:center" | {{Cite news |date=7 April 1974 |title=Fernsehen – Samstag |trans-title=Television – Saturday |url=https://www.e-newspaperarchives.ch/?a=d&d=DBB19740407-01.1.53 |access-date=7 January 2023 |work=Der Bund |location=Bern, Switzerland |page=53 |language=de |via=E-newspaperarchives.ch}}

|-

| TSR

| {{ill|Georges Hardy|fr}}

| style="text-align:center" | {{Cite magazine |date=4 April 1974 |title=TV – samedi 6 avril |trans-title=TV – Saturday 6 April |url=https://www.scriptorium.ch/zoom/325775/view?page=16&p=verso&tool=info |access-date=7 January 2023 |magazine=Radio TV – Je vois tout |location=Lausanne, Switzerland |volume=52 |issue=14 |pages=30–31 |language=fr |via=Scriptorium}}

|-

| TSI

| {{N/A|}}

| style="text-align:center" | {{Cite news |date=6 April 1974 |title=Radio Televisione |trans-title=Radio Television |url=https://www.sbt.ti.ch/quotidiani-public-pdf/main_part.php?fullscreen=true&paper=gt&day=6&month=4&year=1974&page=8&papername=Gazzetta%20Ticinese&allpages=1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8 |access-date=7 January 2023 |work={{ill|Gazzetta Ticinese|it}} |location=Lugano, Switzerland |page=8 |language=it |via={{ill|Sistema bibliotecario ticinese|it}}}}

|-

| DRS 1{{efn|Delayed broadcast on 9 April 1974 at 21:30 (CET)}}

| {{ill|Max Rüeger|de}}

| style="text-align:center" | {{Cite news |date=9 April 1974 |title=Radio |url=https://www.e-newspaperarchives.ch/?a=d&d=DBB19740409-01.1.46 |access-date=7 January 2023 |work=Der Bund |location=Bern, Switzerland |page=46 |language=de |via=E-newspaperarchives.ch}}

|-

| RSR 1

| Robert Burnier

| style="text-align:center" | {{Cite magazine |date=4 April 1974 |title=Radio – samedi 6 avril |trans-title=Radio – Saturday 6 April |url=https://www.scriptorium.ch/zoom/325775/view?page=31&p=verso&tool=info |access-date=6 January 2023 |magazine=Radio TV – Je vois tout |location=Lausanne, Switzerland |volume=52 |issue=14 |pages=60–61 |language=fr |via=Scriptorium}}

|-

| Radio Monte Ceneri

| {{N/A|}}

| style="text-align:center" |

|-

! scope="rowgroup" rowspan="3" | {{Flagu|United Kingdom}}

| rowspan="2" | BBC

| BBC1

| David Vine

| style="text-align:center" | {{Cite magazine |date=6 April 1974 |title=Eurovision Song Contest 1974 – BBC1 |url=https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/d90edafc447f43eba01e46bda2ba2241 |access-date=1 July 2022 |magazine=Radio Times |location=London, United Kingdom |via=BBC Genome Project}}

|-

| BBC Radio 2{{efn|Simulcast on BBC Radio 1,{{Cite magazine |date=6 April 1974 |title=as Radio 2 – BBC Radio 1 |url=https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/4da99b39f3c74da39b634df4f05c5e26 |access-date=10 January 2023 |magazine=Radio Times |location=London, United Kingdom |via=BBC Genome Project}} BBC Radio Birmingham,{{cite news |title=Radio |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/birmingham-evening-mail-radio-programmes/168395253/ |access-date=19 March 2025 |work=The Birmingham Post |date=6 April 1974 |location=Birmingham, United Kingdom |page=63 |via=Newspapers.com}} BBC Radio Blackburn,{{cite news |title=Your full guide to this weekend's television and radio programmes |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/lancashire-telegraph-radio-programmes-fo/168386565/ |access-date=19 March 2025 |work=Lancashire Telegraph |date=6 April 1974 |location=Blackburn, United Kingdom |page=5 |via=Newspapers.com}} BBC Radio Carlisle,{{cite news |title=all your TV |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-journal-radio-programmes-for-6-april/168555729/ |access-date=22 March 2025 |work=The Journal |date=6 April 1974 |location=Newcastle upon Tyne, United Kingdom |page=6 |via=Newspapers.com}} BBC Radio Cleveland,{{cite news |title=TV & radio |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-northern-echo-north-yorkshire-ed/168555883/ |access-date=22 March 2025 |work=The Northern Echo |date=6 April 1974 |location=Birmingham, United Kingdom |page=20 |via=Newspapers.com}} BBC Radio Derby,{{cite news |title=Radio programmes |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/evening-post-radio-programmes-for-6-apri/168394249/ |access-date=19 March 2025 |work=Evening Post |date=6 April 1974 |location=Nottingham, United Kingdom |page=57 |via=Newspapers.com}} BBC Radio Humberside,{{cite news |title=Television and radio |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/grimsby-evening-telegraph-radio-programm/168397547/ |access-date=19 March 2025 |work=Grimsby Evening Telegraph |date=6 April 1974 |location=Grimsby, United Kingdom |page=3 |via=Newspapers.com}} BBC Radio Leicester, BBC Radio London,{{cite news |title=Saturday radio |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/daily-mirror-radio-programmes-for-6-apri/168374296/ |access-date=19 March 2025 |work=Daily Mirror |date=7 April 1973 |location=London, United Kingdom |page=22 |via=Newspapers.com}} BBC Radio Newcastle, BBC Radio Nottingham, BBC Radio Oxford,{{cite news |title=Your weekend TV and radio guide |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/reading-evening-post-radio-programmes-fo/168555646/ |access-date=22 March 2025 |work=Evening Post |date=6 April 1974 |location=Reading, United Kingdom |page=2 |via=Newspapers.com}} and BBC Radio Stoke.{{cite news |title=Weekend TV guide |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/evening-sentinel-radio-programmes-for-6/168397731/ |access-date=19 March 2025 |work=Evening Sentinel |date=6 April 1974 |location=Stoke-on-Trent, United Kingdom |page=2 |via=Newspapers.com}}}}

| Terry Wogan

| style="text-align:center" | {{Cite magazine |date=6 April 1974 |title=Eurovision Song Contest 1974 – BBC Radio 2 |url=https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/ed47d22dc12b49be9925c6d10e0a14b5 |access-date=1 July 2022 |magazine=Radio Times |location=London, United Kingdom |via=BBC Genome Project}}

|-

| BFBS

| BFBS Radio

| Richard Astbury

| style="text-align:center" | {{sfn|Roxburgh|2014|pp=149–161}}

|-

! scope="rowgroup" rowspan="4" | {{Flagu|Yugoslavia}}

| rowspan="4" | JRT

| {{lang|sh|TV Beograd 1|i=unset}}

| {{N/A|}}

| style="text-align:center" | {{cite news |title=Телевизија |trans-title=Television |url=https://istorijskenovine.unilib.rs/view/index.html#panel:pp{{!}}issue:UB_00064_19740406{{!}}page:20 |access-date=25 May 2024 |work=Borba |date=6 April 1974 |location=Belgrade, Yugoslavia |page=20 |language=sh-cyrl |via=Belgrade University Library}}

|-

| TV Koper-Capodistria

| {{N/A|}}

| style="text-align:center" | {{Cite news |date=6 April 1974 |title=Radio televizija |trans-title=Radio television |url=https://dlib.si/details/URN:NBN:SI:DOC-GPA8I4NF |access-date=25 October 2023 |work=Primorski dnevnik |location=Trieste, Italy |page=4 |language=sl |via=Digital Library of Slovenia}}

|-

| TV Ljubljana 1

| {{N/A|}}

| style="text-align:center" | {{cite news |title=Program {{!}} Televizija danes |trans-title=Schedule {{!}} Television today |url=https://www.dlib.si/listalnik/URN_NBN_SI_doc-F9WHWYIU/8/index.html |access-date=28 October 2024 |work=Delo |date=6 April 1974 |page=8 |language=sl |location=Ljubljana, Yugoslavia |via=Digital Library of Slovenia}}

|-

| TV Zagreb 1

| {{N/A|}}

| style="text-align:center" | {{cite news |title=Tjedni televizijski program {{!}} TV Zagreb od 6. travnja do 12. travnja |trans-title=Weekly television schedule {{!}} TV Zagreb from 6 April to 12 April |url=https://library.foi.hr/dbook/novine.php?C=20&godina=1974&broj=000013&page=011 |access-date=24 May 2024 |work=Glas Podravine |date=5 April 1974 |page=16 |language=sh |location=Koprivnica, Yugoslavia |via={{ill|Faculty of Organization and Informatics in Varaždin, University of Zagreb|hr|Fakultet organizacije i informatike u Varaždinu}}}}

|}

{{sticky header}}

class="wikitable plainrowheaders sticky-header"
+ Broadcasters and commentators in non-participating countries
scope="col" | Country

! scope="col" | Broadcaster

! scope="col" | Channel(s)

! scope="col" | Commentator(s)

! scope="col" | {{refh}}

scope="row" | {{Flagu|Austria}}

| ORF

| FS2

| Ernst Grissemann

| style="text-align:center" | {{Cite news |date=28 March 1974 |title=TV Avstrija |trans-title=TV Austria |url=https://dlib.si/details/URN:NBN:SI:doc-9FJZLEQS |access-date=2 January 2024 |work=Naš tednik |location=Klagenfurt, Austria |page=8 |language=sl |via=Digital Library of Slovenia}}{{Cite news |last=Halbhuber |first=Axel |date=22 May 2015 |title=Ein virtueller Disput der ESC-Kommentatoren |trans-title=A virtual dispute between Eurovision commentators |url=https://kurier.at/kultur/song-contest/ein-virtueller-disput-der-esc-kommentatoren/131.875.853 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150523031620/http://kurier.at/kultur/song-contest/ein-virtueller-disput-der-esc-kommentatoren/131.875.853 |archive-date=23 May 2015 |access-date=5 January 2023 |work=Kurier |language=de}}

scope="row" | {{Flagu|France}}

| ORTF

| {{lang|fr|Première Chaîne|i=unset}}{{efn|Delayed shortened broadcast on 9 April 1974 at 20:30 (CET), lasting one hour and ten minutes and featuring only the participating entries, with no postcards, voting sequence or winner's reprise, followed by the announcement of the winner by Pierre Tchernia and a pre-recorded presentation of the planned French entry, "{{lang|fr|La Vie à vingt-cinq ans|i=unset}}" by Dani.{{Cite AV media |url=http://inatheque.ina.fr/doc/TV-RADIO/DA_CPF86622545/19eme-concours-eurovision-de-la-chanson-1974?rang=291 |title=19ème Concours Eurovision de la chanson 1974 |date=9 April 1974 |type=Television broadcast |language=fr |publisher={{lang|fr|Office de Radiodiffusion Télévision Française|i=unset}} (ORTF) and British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC)|via={{lang|fr|Institut national de l'audiovisuel|i=unset}} (INA)|trans-title=19th Eurovision Song Contest 1974|access-date=27 June 2023}}}}

| Pierre Tchernia

| style="text-align:center" | {{Cite news |title=Téléprevision {{!}} mardi 9 avril |trans-title=TV forecast {{!}} Tuesday 9 April |url=https://archives-aube.fr/ark:42751/1edddd5773366a98acaa0050568bc001.fiche=arko_fiche_61d6ad5ebbd9c.moteur=arko_default_63d288b4cdd38 |access-date=12 November 2024 |work={{ill|L'Est éclair|fr}} |date=9 April 1974 |location=Saint-André-les-Vergers, France |page=13 |language=fr |via=Aube en Champagne}}

scope="row" | {{Flagu|Hungary}}

| MTV

| MTV1{{efn|Delayed broadcast on 25 May 1974 at 21:45 (CET)}}

| {{N/A

}

| style="text-align:center" | {{Cite magazine |date=20 May 1974 |title=Szombat – május 25 |trans-title=Saturday – 25 May |url=https://nemzetiarchivum.hu/news_archive/item/NEWS-QmdhcTlVcDkzdFZpUCs1RHFxdlYvTVlYQjhUSTlZUjNENm9MZm1xb1dHWT0 |access-date=15 February 2025 |magazine=Rádió– és Televízióújság |location=Budapest, Hungary |volume=19 |issue=20 |page=20 |language=hu |via=Nemzeti Archívum}}

|-

! scope="row" | {{Flagu|Iceland}}

| RÚV

| {{lang|is|Sjónvarpið|i=unset}}

| {{N/A|}}

| style="text-align:center" | {{Cite news |date=17 May 1974 |title='ABBA' með lagið "Waterloo" leggja Evrópu að fótum sér |trans-title='ABBA' with the song "Waterloo" bring Europe to its feet |url=https://timarit.is/page/3254098#page/n12/mode/2up |access-date=14 March 2023 |work=Vísir |location=Reykjavík, Iceland |page=13 |language=is |via=Timarit.is}}

|-

! scope="row" | {{Flagu|Japan|1947}}

| colspan="2" | Fuji Television{{efn|Delayed broadcast on 29 April 1974}}

| Shizue Abe and Ben Okano

| style="text-align:center" | {{Cite magazine |date=18 May 1974 |title=From the Music Capitals of the World |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=bQkEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA53 |access-date=17 May 2024 |magazine=Billboard |location=New York, NY, United States |page=53 |via=Google Books}}

|-

! scope="row" | {{Flagu|Malta}}

| MBA

| National Network

| Victor Aquilina

| style="text-align:center" | {{Cite news |date=8 April 1974 |title=Euro Song Contest – Sweden's runaway victory |work=Times of Malta |location=Birkirkara, Malta |page=7}}

|-

! scope="row" | {{Flagu|Netherlands Antilles|1959}}

| colspan="2" | {{lang|pap|Voz di Aruba|i=unset}}{{efn|Delayed broadcast on 5 May 1974 at 17:00 (ADT)}}

| {{N/A|}}

| style="text-align:center" | {{cite news |title=Boutique Carnaby ta presenta – Diadomingo 5 Mei pa 5.00 di atardi Eurovisie Festival – Atravez di PJA-10 Voz di Aruba |trans-title=Boutique Carnaby presents – Sunday 5 May at 5:00 pm Eurovision Festival – Through PJA-10 Voice of Aruba |url=https://resolver.kb.nl/resolve?urn=ddd:010460886:mpeg21:p004 |access-date=17 July 2024 |work=Amigoe di Curaçao |date=4 May 1974 |location=Willemstad, Curaçao |page=4 |language=nl, pap |via=Delpher}}

|-

! scope="row" rowspan="2" | {{Flagu|Poland|1928}}

| TP

| TP1{{efn|Delayed broadcast on 11 January 1975 at 23:15 (CET)}}

| {{N/A|}}

| style="text-align:center" | {{cite news |title=Telewizja {{!}} sobota: 11. I. |trans-title=Television {{!}} Saturday: 11/01 |url=https://www.sbc.org.pl/dlibra/publication/91595 |access-date=5 January 2025 |work=Trybuna Robotnicza |location=Katowice, Poland |date=11–12 January 1975 |page=11 |language=pl |via={{lang|pl|Śląska Biblioteka Cyfrowa|i=unset}}}}

|-

| PR

| PR1{{efn|Delayed broadcast in a shortened format on 5 May 1974 at 21:00 (CET)}}

| {{N/A|}}

| style="text-align:center" | {{cite news |title=Radio {{!}} niedziela — 5. V. |trans-title=Radio – Sunday – 05/05 |url=https://www.sbc.org.pl/publication/89709 |access-date=29 August 2024 |work=Trybuna Robotnicza |location=Katowice, Poland |date=4–5 May 1974 |page=11 |language=pl |via={{lang|pl|Śląska Biblioteka Cyfrowa|i=unset}}}}

|-

! scope="row" | {{Flagu|South Korea|1949}}

| KBS

| KBS{{efn|Delayed broadcast on 19 June 1974 at 19:45 (KST)}}

| {{N/A|}}

| style="text-align:center" | {{cite news |title=「유럽 放送가요제」 |trans-title="European Music Festival" |url=https://newslibrary.naver.com/viewer/index.naver?articleId=1974061900329208019 |access-date=3 December 2024 |work=Kyunghyang Shinmun |date=19 June 1974 |location=Seoul, South Korea |page=8 |language=ko |via=Naver}}

|-

! scope="row" | {{Flagu|Romania|1965}}

| TVR

| {{lang|ro|Programul 1|i=unset}}{{efn|Delayed broadcast on 20 April 1974 at 22:15 (EET)}}

| {{N/A|}}

| style="text-align:center" | {{cite news |title=Televiziune |trans-title=Television |url=https://digital.bibliotecaarad.ro/files/original/f33576153aaa71dd0818eb1d7fee645eada520a9.pdf |access-date=7 September 2024 |work=Flacăra roșie |date=20 April 1974 |location=Arad, Romania |language=ro |page=4 |via={{ill|Biblioteca Județeană "Alexandru D. Xenopol" Arad|ro|Biblioteca Județeană „A.D. Xenopol” din Arad}}}}

|-

! scope="row" | {{Flagu|Turkey}}

| TRT

| {{lang|tr|TRT Televizyon|i=unset}}

| {{N/A|}}

| style="text-align:center" | {{Cite news |date=6 April 1974 |title=TV |url=https://egazete.cumhuriyet.com.tr/Archive/CUMHURIYET/GAZETE_ARSIVI/1974/4/6/D85443BB-ED40-47F9-9B49-2B915251F250_3250719_7.jpeg |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230107163045/https://egazete.cumhuriyet.com.tr/Archive/CUMHURIYET/GAZETE_ARSIVI/1974/4/6/D85443BB-ED40-47F9-9B49-2B915251F250_3250719_7.jpeg |archive-date=7 January 2023 |access-date=7 January 2023 |work=Cumhuriyet |location=Istanbul, Turkey |page=7 |language=tr}}

|}

Legacy

{{Multiple image

| total_width = 400

| image1 = ABBA - TopPop 1974 5.png

| alt1 = ABBA

| image2 = Olivia Newton-John (1974).jpg

| alt2 = Olivia Newton-John

| footer = ABBA (left) and Olivia Newton-John (right) both achieved considerable worldwide success after representing {{esccnty|Sweden|y=1974}} and the {{esccnty|United Kingdom|y=1974}}, respectively, in the 1974 contest.

}}

The 1974 contest has retrospectively gained notability for a number of aspects, particularly due to the success of some of the competing acts, as well as political developments within Europe that have indirect links to this edition of the event. Two competing artists at this year's event, in particular, went on to sustained worldwide success after the contest: Sweden's ABBA and the United Kingdom's Olivia Newton-John.

The individual members of ABBA had made previous attempts to reach Eurovision, participating in Sweden's national selection, {{lang|sv|Melodifestivalen|i=unset}}, several times, both as a group and individually. Anni-Frid Lyngstad participated in Melodifestivalen 1969, placing fourth with the song "{{lang|sv|Härlig är vår jord|i=unset}}", while Benny Andersson competed in the same edition as a songwriter, placing second with the song "{{lang|sv|Hej clown|i=unset}}" performed by Jan Malmsjö. Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus subsequently competed as a songwriting partnership in 1972, penning the Lena Andersson song "{{lang|sv|Säg det med en sång|i=unset}}", which placed third. Following the formation of ABBA, the group (performing under the name "Björn & Benny, Agnetha & Anni-Frid") competed in Melodifestivalen 1973 with the song "Ring Ring", which ultimately placed third. While "Ring Ring" was popular within European markets, wider success for the group, particularly in English-speaking markets, proved elusive, and the group saw Eurovision as a launchpad for exposure among these markets, resulting in a further attempt to get to the contest in 1974.{{cite web |title=Ring Ringing in the year: ABBA's other 50th Eurovision anniversary |url=https://eurovision.tv/story/50-years-of-ring-ring |publisher=European Broadcasting Union (EBU) |access-date=9 April 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231104094619/https://eurovision.tv/story/50-years-of-ring-ring |archive-date=4 November 2023 |date=19 October 2023 |url-status=live}}{{cite news |last1=Beaumont |first1=Mark |author-link=Mark Beaumont (journalist) |title=How Abba's douze-points energy at Eurovision started a pop revolution |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/music/features/abba-eurovision-winners-sweden-waterloo-b2523893.html |access-date=9 April 2024 |work=The Independent |date=5 April 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240405125343/https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/music/features/abba-eurovision-winners-sweden-waterloo-b2523893.html |archive-date=5 April 2024 |url-status=live}} Although "Waterloo" had been written with Eurovision in mind, the group also considered submitting the song "{{lang|es|Hasta Mañana|i=unset}}" to Swedish broadcaster {{lang|sv|Sveriges Radio|i=unset}} (SR), as the latter song was felt to be more in-line with the songs that had done well in Eurovision in previous years. Ultimately, however, "Waterloo" was chosen, given it was more likely to be unlike other entries submitted, and therefore would stand out more; "{{lang|es|Hasta Mañana|i=unset}}" was also mainly sung only by Agnetha Fältskog, whereas with "Waterloo" all four members of the group could give their vocals to the song.{{cite web |title='Waterloo' at 50: Revisiting ABBA's charge to Eurovision victory in 1974 |url=https://eurovision.tv/story/waterloo-50-revisiting-abbas-charge-eurovision-victory-1974 |publisher=European Broadcasting Union (EBU) |access-date=9 April 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240405175254/https://eurovision.tv/story/waterloo-50-revisiting-abbas-charge-eurovision-victory-1974 |archive-date=5 April 2024 |date=5 April 2024 |url-status=live}}

Following the group's win, "Waterloo" went on to top the charts in multiple European countries, including the UK singles chart, as well as reaching the top ten in the Billboard Hot 100.{{cite news |last1=Petridis |first1=Alexis |title=Abba, cabaret and smug marionettes: the 1974 Eurovision song contest reviewed! |url=https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2024/apr/05/abba-cabaret-and-smug-marionettes-the-1974-eurovision-song-contest-reviewed |access-date=9 April 2024 |work=The Guardian |date=5 April 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240405131403/https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2024/apr/05/abba-cabaret-and-smug-marionettes-the-1974-eurovision-song-contest-reviewed |archive-date=5 April 2024 |url-status=live}} Long-term success for the group, however, did not materialise until the release of "SOS" in 1975, which allowed the group to shrug off a perception of being "one-hit wonders" and led to a string of hits through the rest of the 1970s and early 1980s, which catapulted the foursome to become one of the best-selling music groups of all time.{{cite web |title=The Official Top 20 biggest selling groups of all time revealed! |url=https://www.officialcharts.com/chart-news/the-official-top-20-biggest-selling-groups-of-all-time-revealed-__2515/ |publisher=Official Charts Company |access-date=9 April 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150302150709/http://www.officialcharts.com/chart-news/the-official-top-20-biggest-selling-groups-of-all-time-revealed-__2515 |archive-date=2 March 2015 |date=3 November 2012 |url-status=live}} ABBA's international success within the global music scene, starting from their Eurovision win, additionally led to a large growth in the accessibility of Swedish pop music worldwide, with Sweden often considered a superpower in the realm of music export and claims made by the 2000s of being the third-largest exporter of music globally, behind only the United States and the United Kingdom.{{cite news |last1=Hakelius |first1=Johan |title=Abba and engineering: How Swedish music took over the world |url=https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2024-02-22-abba-and-engineering-how-swedish-music-took-over-the-world/ |access-date=9 April 2024 |work=Daily Maverick |date=22 February 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240222203653/https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2024-02-22-abba-and-engineering-how-swedish-music-took-over-the-world/ |archive-date=22 February 2024 |url-status=live}}{{sfn|Johansson|2010}}

Olivia Newton-John was in the early stages of her career when she was approached by the BBC to represent the United Kingdom at Eurovision; she had achieved previous success in the charts in both the UK and US, particularly with country pop songs, and had been a frequent guest on the It's Cliff Richard show, fronted by two-time Eurovision entrant for the United Kingdom Cliff Richard.{{sfn|Roxburgh|2014|pp=129–140}} Newton-John had performed six songs at that year's A Song for Europe contest, with "Long Live Love" being chosen by the viewing public through postcard voting; although it was considered a favourite to win the contest, she later told the press after placing fourth that she felt the wrong song had been chosen and that she would have preferred to have performed a ballad.{{sfn|Roxburgh|2014|pp=149–161}}{{sfn|Roxburgh|2014|pp=129–140}} Newton-John subsequently achieved considerable success in the United States and global recognition after starring in the musical films Grease (1978) and Xanadu (1980).{{cite news |last1=Garrett |first1=Olivia |title=Olivia Newton-John's career highlights: Grease, Eurovision and so much more |url=https://www.cambridge-news.co.uk/news/uk-world-news/olivia-newton-johns-career-highlights-24706917 |access-date=9 April 2024 |work=Cambridgeshire Live |date=9 August 2022}}{{cite news |last1=Whitmore |first1=Greg |title=Olivia Newton-John: a life and career in pictures |url=https://www.theguardian.com/film/gallery/2022/aug/08/olivia-newton-john-a-life-and-career-in-pictures |access-date=9 April 2024 |work=The Guardian |date=8 August 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220808202214/https://www.theguardian.com/film/gallery/2022/aug/08/olivia-newton-john-a-life-and-career-in-pictures |archive-date=8 August 2022 |url-status=live}}

Following the contest, the Portuguese entry, "{{lang|pt|E depois do adeus|i=unset}}" by Paulo de Carvalho, played a large part in the launching of the Carnation Revolution, which ultimately led to the overthrow of the authoritarian {{lang|pt|Estado Novo}} regime, setting Portugal along a path towards the reestablishment of democracy and ending the country's war with its African colonies. The broadcast of the song on radio in the evening of 24 April 1974 was used as a signal to alert rebelling officers in the Portuguese army to begin the coup, which kicked off overnight following the playing of another song, "{{lang|pt|Grândola, vila morena|i=unset}}" by José Afonso, in the early hours of 25 April.{{cite news |last1=Duggins |first1=Alexi |title=Did this pop banger just trigger an armed coup? The wild revolutionary politics of Eurovision |url=https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2023/may/13/did-this-pop-banger-just-trigger-an-armed-coup-the-wild-revolutionary-politics-of-eurovision |access-date=11 April 2024 |work=The Guardian |date=13 May 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230513094616/https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2023/may/13/did-this-pop-banger-just-trigger-an-armed-coup-the-wild-revolutionary-politics-of-eurovision |archive-date=13 May 2023 |url-status=live}}{{cite web |title=Paulo de Carvalho conta a história da canção que era 'essencialmente uma canção de amor' |trans-title=Paulo de Carvalho tells the story of the song that was 'essentially a love song' |url=https://www.lisboa.pt/atualidade/noticias/detalhe/e-depois-do-adeus-a-senha-da-revolucao-explicada-por-paulo-de-carvalho |publisher=Lisbon Municipality |access-date=9 April 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210517130715/https://www.lisboa.pt/atualidade/noticias/detalhe/e-depois-do-adeus-a-senha-da-revolucao-explicada-por-paulo-de-carvalho |archive-date=17 May 2021 |language=pt |date=25 April 2021 |url-status=live}}{{cite web |last1=Freire |first1=Tiago |title=Canção do Dia – "E Depois do Adeus" – Paulo de Carvalho |trans-title=Song of the Day – "E Depois do Adeus" – Paulo de Carvalho |url=https://altamont.pt/cancao-dia-paulo-de-carvalho-e-depois-adeus/ |publisher=Altamont |access-date=9 April 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140603213133/http://altamont.pt/cancao-dia-paulo-de-carvalho-e-depois-adeus/ |archive-date=3 June 2014 |language=pt |date=25 April 2014 |url-status=live}}

The Italian broadcaster, {{lang|it|Radiotelevisione italiana|i=unset}} (RAI), did not air the contest for two months due to the content of its own entry. The contest coincided with the campaigning period for a referendum on abolishing divorce within the country, which was held a month after the contest, and there were fears that the {{esccnty|Italy|y=1974|t=Italian entry}}, "{{lang|it||i=unset}}" ("Yes") by Gigliola Cinquetti, could have been seen as an attempt to sway the result of the vote.{{sfn|Roxburgh|2014|pp=142–148}}{{sfn|O'Connor|2010|pp=56–59}} The contest was, however, available to watch in parts of northern Italy where transmissions of Swiss and Yugoslav Italian-language television were accessible.{{Cite news |first=Enersto |last=Baldo |date=6 April 1974 |title=Stasera l'Eurofestival. Lo vedremo tra un mese |trans-title=Tonight the Eurovision Song Contest. We'll see it in a month |url=http://www.archiviolastampa.it/component/option,com_lastampa/task,search/mod,libera/action,viewer/Itemid,3/page,7/articleid,1112_01_1974_0074_0007_16386311/ |access-date=30 November 2024 |work=La Stampa |location=Turin, Italy |page=7 |language=it}}{{Cite news |date=7 April 1974 |title=Il "Sì" della Cinquetti alla televisione svizzera |trans-title=Cinquetti's "Sì" on Swiss television |url=http://www.archiviolastampa.it/component/option,com_lastampa/task,search/mod,libera/action,viewer/Itemid,3/page,8/articleid,1112_01_1974_0075_0008_16386980/ |access-date=4 April 2024 |work=La Stampa |location=Turin, Italy |page=8 |language=it}} The contest was eventually broadcast on RAI on 6 June 1974, a month after the referendum.{{Cite news |date=26 May 1974 |title=Il "sì" non più proibito |trans-title='Sì' is no longer forbidden |url=http://www.archiviolastampa.it/component/option,com_lastampa/task,search/mod,libera/action,viewer/Itemid,3/page,8/articleid,0016_01_1974_0115_0008_16401046/ |access-date=4 April 2024 |work=La Stampa |location=Turin, Italy |page=8 |language=it}}

"Waterloo" was subsequently nominated in 2005 to compete in Congratulations: 50 Years of the Eurovision Song Contest, a special broadcast to determine the contest's most popular entry of its first 50 years as part of the contest's anniversary celebrations. One of 14 entries chosen to compete, "Waterloo" was ultimately declared the winner of the competition over two rounds of jury and public voting.{{cite web |title='Congratulations' – 14 songs to compete |url=http://www.eurovision.tv/english/1820.htm |publisher=European Broadcasting Union |access-date=10 June 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050828130357/http://www.eurovision.tv/english/1820.htm |archive-date=28 August 2005 |date=16 June 2005 |url-status=dead}}{{cite news |last1=Adam |first1=Karla |title=Abba's 'Waterloo' is voted best song of 50 Eurovision years |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/music/news/abba-s-waterloo-is-voted-best-song-of-50-eurovision-years-321745.html |access-date=23 December 2024 |work=The Independent |date=24 October 2005}}{{cite web |title=Results from the voting (Round 1 and 2) |url=http://www.eurovision.tv/english/2041.htm |publisher=European Broadcasting Union |access-date=1 July 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20051025005431/http://www.eurovision.tv/english/2041.htm |archive-date=25 October 2005 |url-status=dead}}

Notes and references

= Notes =

{{notelist}}

= References =

{{reflist}}

= Bibliography =

  • {{cite journal |last1=Johansson |first1=Ola |title=Beyond ABBA: The Globalization of Swedish Popular Music |journal=Focus on Geography |date=December 2010 |volume=53 |issue=4 |pages=134–141 |doi=10.1111/j.1949-8535.2010.00016.x |url=https://www.researchgate.net/publication/230546492 |access-date=9 April 2024}}
  • {{cite book |last=Murtomäki |first=Asko |title=Finland 12 points! Suomen Euroviisut |date=2007 |publisher=Teos |location=Helsinki, Finland |isbn=951-851-106-3 |language=fi}}
  • {{cite book |last=O'Connor |first=John Kennedy |author-link=John Kennedy O'Connor |title=The Eurovision Song Contest: The Official History |date=2010 |publisher=Carlton Books |location=London, United Kingdom |isbn=978-1-84732-521-1 |edition=2nd}}
  • {{Cite book |last=Roxburgh |first=Gordon |title=Songs for Europe: The United Kingdom at the Eurovision Song Contest |date=2014 |publisher=Telos Publishing |location=Prestatyn, United Kingdom |isbn=978-1-84583-093-9 |volume=Two: The 1970s}}
  • {{cite book |last1=Thorsson |first1=Leif |last2=Verhage |first2=Martin |title=Melodifestivalen genom tiderna : de svenska uttagningarna och internationella finalerna |trans-title=Melodifestivalen through the ages: the Swedish selections and international finals |date=2006 |publisher=Premium Publishing |location=Stockholm, Sweden |isbn=91-89136-29-2 |language=sv}}
  • {{cite book |last1=West |first1=Chris |author1-link=Chris West |title=Eurovision! A History of Modern Europe Through the World's Greatest Song Contest |date=April 2020 |publisher=Melville House UK |location=London, United Kingdom |isbn=978-1-911545-55-2 |edition=Updated}}