By today about 2,35 million votes have been cast in the Spanish selection, 15 days before the process ends. Soraya, Melody and Santa Fe are currently in the lead.

After his plea, Lord Andrew Lloyd Webber and his casting team have decided on the six final acts for the UK national final Your Country Needs You.

In the first minutes of 2009, the Turkish song by Hadise was introduced.

What a year! 2008, the year of Dima Bilan's Eurovision Song Contest victory, Georgia's win at the Junior Eurovision Song Contest and Poland's success at the second ever Eurovision Dance Contest, is about to go into the history books. And 2009 - surprise! - will start with a brand new version of the world-famous Eurovision tune!

The Andorran broadcaster RTVA has disqualified one of the finalists of its national selection.

The musicals' maestro Lord Andrew Lloyd Webber has rejected the idea of writing 'some silly nonsense song' for the UK Eurovision Song Contest entry.

In many ways, the Eurovision Song Contest of 1998 in Birmingham, UK, was a remarkable one. It was the first year with mass televoting, the last running of the contest with an orchestra and language restriction. It was also the year that Italian broadcaster RAI withdrew, not to return ever since.

What could be a better day than Christmas Day, to dive into the official Eurovision Song Contest archive and start sharing photos from past runnings of the contest with you? The first binder we opened: the 1970 Eurovision Song Contest in Amsterdam, the Netherlands!

The upcoming days, millions across Europe and the world will come together with their loved ones to celebrate Christmas. Wherever you are, and whatever your plans are, we have a special message for you!

On the 27th of February, 14 acts will compete for seven slots in the final of the Croatian competition Dora 2009, which will take place the day after in Opatija. Ten composers were invited to take part directly in the final. The performers and titles of their songs will be announced at a later stage.