I think its time to debate this. There has been some thoughts thrown around this, but it would be interesting to read your views since some people think success is totally random.

We all known that the songs performing before and after a song can affect the result, for examples having 2 ballads in a row may be a problem as one might eclipse the other. As for WHEN a country performs, I think it does affect the result (usually), since those songs are fresh on everyone's mind, and have a bigger impact. Its not a random thing that even during the live draws, the countries that had an early draw got an "aaaaw" from the crowd, and the ones with a late draw had the performers all hyper. Even the comentators mentioned how its tough to perform early on.

 

What do you think?

I think it has a huge effect, a typical televoter might see a song at the start and think 'oh I must vote for that' but have the same feeling 3 or 4 more times during the show, by which time those later songs are more prominent in the mind of the voter with the earlier one all but a distant memory

 

having said that, if the song is really strong enough to demolish the competition, it can do from any position in the draw I would say

 

I do think performing last greatly helped out Maria Haukaas Storeng last year...had she been 5th or 6th, I don't think it would have been as well remembered, but as it was it was the best show closer I've ever seen...by the same standard, had Yohanna been drawn where Waldo's People had been, I reckon we'd be seeing her in the top five...as it is, I see 8th-13th for her now

I think Andrea Demirovic for Montenegro would have easily made it to Saturday had she been drawn at the end. Being first cost her dearly.

It very obviously does - hence why 2nd position does quite badly most of the time. However, a fantastic song will do well most of the time, even if performing in a bad position - what it does make the difference with is positions. Israel would've come top 5 probably last year had they gone where Russia did etc.

 

Contrary to other views, I think going on first is actually as good as going on in the late-middle...

In all fairness, most of the songs that have performed in 2nd place in the Final have been crap, so I think it's just a myth that if you perform second you won't do well. For example, Tie Break - 'Du Bist' (Austria 2004) was awful. Javine - 'Touch My Fire' (UK 2005) wasn't going to do well either way. Arsenium - 'Loca' (Moldova 2006) was just plain sickening. D'NASH - 'I Love You Mi Vida' (Spain 2007) was bland. Andy - 'Even If' (UK 2008) was hideous. :heehee:

If Sirusho had been where Russia was for Armenia last year, I think it would have been a neck and neck battle between her and Dima.

Yeah, maybe if it was just three countries performing it wouldn't matter, but with 18-25 countries, I start to forget countries by the end.

 

It very obviously does - hence why 2nd position does quite badly most of the time. However, a fantastic song will do well most of the time, even if performing in a bad position - what it does make the difference with is positions. Israel would've come top 5 probably last year had they gone where Russia did etc.

Israel are having bad luck for the second year :snif:

 

This just has a HUGE effect - the performing positions. Various examples can be observed. Serbia would've finished only low Top 15 had they been drawn not that away from the beginning. Also, in 2007 they would've won the contest too but the victory wouldn't have been that amazing. The same for Lordi.

 

Poor Israel/Portugal is all i can say now :snif:

I don't think so really.......last year in semi 1 many countries near the end qualified whereas in semi 2 there was more qualifiers from earlier positions then late (or at least more balanced)

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eurovision_Song_Contest_2008

 

I'd also like to mention that last year both songs performing 2nd qualified so it's not really a disaster position.

As I said, a great song and performance will qualify/do well from wherever (let's not forget Turkey 2003 :P), but I do think it can make the difference when it comes to qualification...

Still, 2 points lead isn't really that great tbh. And the majority of Top 10 songs are near the end of the participating order anyway.

Yeah, you just have to look at last year's final to see how positions affect it...and only the $h!t songs (read: Denmark and Spain) epicfailed, along with France :cry:

Don't remind me of France :drama: Knowing Patricia's 2nd in Final is so hard to accept!

I know :drama: I hope the jury vote will allow it to score decently, but it has no chance to win :snif:

Ok, who remembers the songs performed at the start before Norway?

Serbia was kinda unforgettable :kink:

Serbia was kinda unforgettable :kink:

 

 

Haha... imagine them with a bag full of fake money that is pointed at the jury as it was on our national competition and you see why they won ( oh pain. oh the agony)

 

Anyway i don't think it matters so much are you performing first or last, we do have highlights while voting after all and 3 times over and over, and if someone is voting i don't really think they are waiting for the finals to see the songs. :wacko:

Serbia was kinda unforgettable :kink:

Poland was fucking immense! <33333333333333333333333333333