Eurovision Song Contest vs American Song Contest 2025
Eurovision, the annual song contest organized and broadcast by the European Broadcasting Union, will take place in Switzerland from May 13th to May 17th. This will be a massive show where 37 countries compete to decide who will get the prize and the rank of the best song on the continent. Despite the overall high level of hype, the song contest became controversial over the years, especially due to political messages, viral performances, and the return of well-known performers. For example, the audience was stunned by the performance of the Kalush Orchestra band from Ukraine in 2022. Despite the difficult situation in the country due to the Russian full-scale invasion, artists stepped on the stage and delivered an outstanding performance, winning the 2022 contest. It's not the first time Ukraine has shocked the world, as Jamala won the 2016 contest with her song "1944," outperforming other contestants and pushing the brand of Ukraine in Europe.
Despite high recognition worldwide, people often forget that Eurovision is a European contest. What about the United States? This country is hosting various music festivals across the country, allowing musicians from different genres to express themselves and satisfy fans. Are there any national song contests? Yes, the analog of the Eurovision in America is called the American Song Contest, but it has significant differences. In our article, you'll discover more about how these contests differ and why we shouldn't match them 100%.
Eurovision: History, Key Points, and Rules
Eurovision, which is not only a show but also a solid song contest, has a long history. Started in 1956, the contest faced multiple changes due to geopolitical changes and the will to create a solid multicultural connection. For example, in 1999, organizers lifted the language rule, allowing countries to perform in any language. Before that, they had to sing using only national languages, and now, many representatives still choose to sing in English.
There are also requirements for the song. It should last no longer than 3 minutes, and it must be original, not having been commercially released before September 1st of the year preceding the contest. Moreover, the vocals must be performed live on stage without pre-recordings. There could only be 6 performers on stage at once, including dancers, singers, etc.
Special rules also apply to those who participate and qualify for Eurovision. The so-called Big Five (Germany, UK, Spain, Italy, and France) automatically qualify for the Grand Final. Other participants must go through the semi-finals and get enough votes. The host country also advances to the grand final, separating from other participants.
In order to extend the number of participants and make the Eurovision more recognizable, organizers invite countries that are not geographically in Europe. Israel, Azerbaijan, Armenia, Georgia, and Cyprus are invited. Moreover, Australia was invited in 2015 and still participates in the annual competition.
Over the past years, Eurovision has become more recognizable due to streaming and social media activity. Thousands of users launched live broadcasting, supporting their countries. It makes a significant impact, attracting people who were not interested in the song contest before.
Voting and Judging
Since 2016, the voting system has changed. It was decided to make a dual voting system, allowing public televoters to vote alongside professional juries, as both sides have a 50% impact on the result. Professionals rank their top 10 songs before the semifinals and finals, while televoters share their sympathies via SMS voting or via the official Eurovision app. The voting becomes available after the last performance, and everyone has 15 minutes to make a decision.
You can vote for anyone except your own country.
In 2023, the voting system changed, as viewers from non-participating countries were allowed to share their sympathies, creating a collective vote for the "Rest of the World."
Over the years, the world saw different winners of the contest, and not all of them had the sympathies of the audience. However, some non-winning competitors got fans’ recognition, like the Ukrainian Melovin and the Czech Mikolas Josef, as they both performed at the 2018 Eurovision.
The Melovin’s performance in the Grand Final was considered underrated because they got only 26th place after jury’s votes and 7th after the fans’ vote.
American Song Contest: A Copycat or Something New?
The American Song Contest was launched in 2022 as a US national alternative to Eurovision. The EBU approved it as an official adaptation, and NBC became an official broadcaster of the contest. The idea is to gather participants from all states, areas, and Washington, D.C., as they compete by presenting original songs.
The first show, hosted by the winner of American Idol, Kelly Clarkson, and the icon of hip hop, Snoop Dogg, gathered artists with different levels of recognition and experience. For example, the representative of the state of Michigan was only 16 years old. The show was divided into 5 segments with 11 performances in each of them (one will have 12). At the end of each performance, one participant selected by the jury will qualify for the semifinals, while public voters select three other artists. 22 representatives compete in two semifinals. After that, the 10 best artists advanced to the final to decide who would win the contest.
While representing various music styles and creating a special atmosphere for each performance, the first season of the American Song Contest didn’t become a mind-blowing show like the Eurovision at its peak.
Despite the desire to create a unique music contest with an American identity, the impressions were mixed. Some artists weren't prepared to perform on the big stage because they weren't gathering more than a couple of thousand fans in small arenas. Moreover, some artists delivered mixed performances. Christian Pagán, a representative from Puerto Rico, sang his song in English and Spanish.
As it's known for now, the 2025 edition of American Song Contest wasn't confirmed. Organizers are not confirming that the show will happen. Still, American fans can enjoy the Eurovision Song Contest via NBC, Peacock, and streaming service.
Is it reasonable to compare it to Eurovision?
The American Song Contest was good to represent the lesser-known areas of the United States, but its symbolism to the music worldwide is less impactful compared to the Eurovision. The American show got around 14 million viewers in total over all episodes, while the 2022 Eurovision got approximately 161 million viewers across 34 broadcasting markets. The European song contest has a long history and creates an authentic atmosphere. Each show is special due to the way it's organized. For example, the 2017 Eurovision contest, held in Ukraine, was opened by Monatik with one of his most famous songs, Spinning. It wasn't just a hip hop segment but a wonderful visual performance, showing Ukrainian traditions and identity.
Monatik delivered a solid performance, combining Ukrainian traditional style and European aesthetics. Moreover, the song “Spinning” fitted the show perfectly.
As it is now, Eurovision is a more impactful and more recognizable music contest compared to the American Song Contest. Why is the comparison relevant? It's about continental representation turned into a televised music show. Both shows enable public voting and have approximately the same structure (main stage, semifinals, and finals). Still, Eurovision has the upper hand because the winner hosts the show next year. It means that whoever wins the Eurovision 2025 in Switzerland will prepare the stage for the show in 2026.
Who is hosting Eurovision 2025?
Is American Song Contest better than Eurovision?
Who won the Eurovision Song Contest in 2024?
Can the same artist present the country at Eurovision?
Who will represent Ukraine at Eurovision 2025?
How do countries choose representatives for the Eurovision?
How long should the song be to perform at the Eurovision?
Samantha Keaton
Curious how Eurovision manages to keep audiences engaged year after year. Maybe the U.S. version needed more drama?
Curious how Eurovision manages to keep audiences engaged year after year. Maybe the U.S. version needed more drama?