Yahoo! UK & Ireland Answers blog

 This weekend sees a clash of musical titans with the arrival of the Eurovision Song Contest finale. Ten countries will go head to head to in a bid to be crowned the musical champions of Europe.

Throughout Europe the event has become a annual institution that takes in the weird and the wonderful; the serious and the shameful. Since 1956 when the competition first launched, the tradition of Eurovision has seen artists aiming to prove that they have what it takes to achieve world wide success.

Given the boost of winning, the artists will be attempting to emulate the accomplishment of the world’s biggest selling acts. For instance the achievement of Bing Crosby’s White Christmas, which Eric found, through Yahoo! Answers, to be the worlds top selling single when he asked the question “does anybody know the song that has sold the most copies in musical history?”

Recent entrants from Britain have been presented as some what of a joke with the artists being famously overlooked by the judges. Two years ago the UK was saved from the humiliation of receiving zero points by gaining automatic qualification. However this year the UK’s shining light comes in the form of Scooch with their catchy, if a little Steps-esque, number ‘Flying the Flag for You’. According to the experts the song provides the UK’s best chance in years. Can the group take on the success of past winners such as Sandi Shaw, Brotherhood of Man, Lulu, Bucks Fizz and Katrina and the Waves?

Zzzgrammargirlzzz asked the question on Answers, “which country has won the most Eurovision song contests?”, and while the UK may have five titles under their belts the leaders (and Wogan favourites) are Ireland with seven victories in the contest. With Terry present on the night – a tradition integral to the competition in itself – will his support be enough to spur Irish entrants Devish onto their eight win?

All of the acts, weather they are brilliant or appalling, believe that their nation’s song has all of the elements to make up a great piece of popular music. But what is it that makes up a classic piece of song writing? Ceasareor posed the question to the community “what do you think is more important in a song lyrics or melody?”. ElfRuler was on hand to provide some helpful advice and pointed out that “the lyrics and melody of a song are married together” to create the perfect composition. Let’s just hope that the entrants on Saturday have been given the same advice.

While the Eurovision competition may be an object of ridicule in some quarters, it is all performed in the name of fun – political bias from the judges aside. It also provides a chance to witness live the music that is coming out of each of the countries that takes part. Moesha m wanted to know what the future trends in music held in store, and this is the perfect way to find out across Europe.

So whatever your opinion may be on the event, the Eurovision song contest this Saturday will certainly be entertaining, even if none of the acts take your fancy the intercontinental banter between the judges is always sure to throw up a few laughs. Who knows, watch it and you just might catch the next big thing. Stranger things have happened: the Cheeky Girls anyone?

– Yahoo! UK & Ireland Answers team