Eurovision’s Best Guitar Moments

DISTORTED GUITARS AND METAL MECHANICS OCCASIONALLY UPSET THE EXPECTED POP PARADE. HERE ARE SOME OF OUR FAVOURITES...

2005 Wig Wam – Inmydreams (Norway)

Finishing in a creditable ninth place, the 80s glam-metal style Inmydreams is a truly epic offering.

2006 Lordi – Hardrockhallelujah (Finland)

With a legendary win in 2006, the Gwar-like metallers opened the door for Eurovision to embrace hard rock.

2007 Kabát – Maládáma (Czech Republic)

Scoring only one point in the semi-final, Kabát’s track is probably just too good for Eurovision.

2008 Teräsbetoni – Missämiehetratsastaa (Finland)

The Finish power-metallers rocked up the 2008 contest, complete with Viljo Rantanen’s blazing solo.

2011 Alexander Rybak and Keep Of Kalessin – Thedivineland

(interval performance)

Folk-pop violin and melodic death metal seem an unlikely combination, but this remains one of the most metal performances ever seen at Eurovision.

2011 Eldrine – Onemoreday (Georgia)

There’s an Evanescence vibe here in both the lead vocals and those chugging powerchords. Rock is the new normal at Eurovision.

2012 Max Jason Mai – Don’tcloseyoureyes (Slovakia) Neither the cool guitar riff nor Max’s soaring vocals could take this metal ballad into the final. He came last in his semi-final.

2018 AWS – Viszlátnyár (Hungary)

AWS deliver earnest ‘real’ rock that highlights political issues of the day. Though as far from Euro-pop as it’s possible to be, AWS still scored 93 points in the final.