Lack of Eurovision success does not hold back songwriters

Two years in a row not qualifying for the Eurovision final, and in the same two years breaking the record of songs submitted for the national final. Lack of success is definitely not changing the songwriters’ interest in representing Denmark at the Eurovision Song Contest.

It would be easy to assume that the lack of success in recent years would affect the number of songs the broadcaster received for the national final, but in Denmark it is quite the contrary.

Anti Social Media represented Denmark at the 2015 Eurovision Song Contest. With 33 points and a 13th place in the semi-final, the country missed out on the final for the first time since 2007. That didn’t hold back songwriters as the local broadcaster DR received a record number of 982 songs for the 2016 national final, a whopping 295 more than the year before. And 110 more than the previous record of 872 songs for the 2014 contest where Denmark were to be on home field after winning the 2013 Eurovision Song Contest.

For next year’s national final, the same thing has happened. Denmark unfortunately suffered their worst ever Eurovision result this year as Soldiers of Love by Lighthouse X came second to last in the semi-final and thus weren’t even near a qualification spot. The broadcaster however once again broke the record in number of songs submitted as an impressive 1,115 songs were received for Melodi Grand Prix 2017.

Which 10 songs will end up being selected for the national final will probably not be known for quite some months, but they will on the 25th of February compete to represent Denmark at the 2017 Eurovision Song Contest. The national final will be held in Herning who last hosted in 2013 where the winner Emmelie de Forest went on to winning Eurovision with the song Only Teardrops which you can remind yourself of in the video below, this time in a acoustic version from a press conference:

Songs received for Melodi Grand Prix (Denmark):

2017: 1.115 songs
2016: 982 songs
2015: 687 songs
2014: 872 songs
2013: 692 songs
2012: 678 songs
2011: 663 songs
2010: 562 songs
2009: 684 songs
2008: 443 songs

Source: DR
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