Museum Monday Week Twelve: Record Breaking Winners

In 2016 a new voting format was introduced meaning that separate sets of points were given for the votes of the juries and the public. This meant that double the amount of points were available meaning that the winner of the 2016 Eurovision Song Contest would be likely to set a new record. Ukraine's Jamala did just that and won the contest with a total of 534 points, beating the previous record set by Norway's Alexander Rybak in 2009 who won with a total of 387 points. Until Jamala's victory, the top three largest scores had come from Scandinavian artists.   

Winners in their own words

Måns Zelmerlöw (2015) 365 points 

This is the biggest thing that ever happened to me. I'm so proud, I'm so happy.

Loreen (2012) 372 points

This feels unreal. It's going to sink in in a couple of hours. I'm happy, we've been working so hard for this.

Alexander Rybak (2009) 387 points

The first Eurovision experience for everybody will always be the best. If I didn't win Eurovision, I'd still be happy that I had the courage to compete.

Despite Jamala's huge score in 2016, Sweden's Loreen still holds the record for most 12 points, receiving the top score from 18 countries in Baku in 2012. 

Other Eurovision related world records include:



Most successful Eurovision country

Ireland were unfortunately knocked out at the semi-final stage of this year's competition but can still take heart from being the nation to have won the competition the most, having been victorious on seven occasions. Their first win came in 1970 with Dana singing All Kinds Of Everything and most recently, Eimear Quinn took the trophy in 1996 with The Voice.



Least successful Eurovision country

Norway has the dubious honour of being the least successful Eurovision country of all time - having finished last 11 times and scoring 'nil points' on four separate occasions.



Oldest male Eurovision Song Contest entrant

Back in 2012, the UK's hopes were pinned on veteran singer Engelbert Humperdinck.



At the age of 76 years 24 days, Humperdinck, who is most fondly remembered for his million-selling 1967 single Release Me, set a record for being the oldest male Eurovision Song Contest entrant.



Oldest Eurovision contest winner

Representing Denmark in 2000, The Olsen Brothers (Jørgen and Niels), who won with 195 points the Eurovision Song Contest singing Fly On The Wings Of Love, at the age of 49 and 45 respectively.



Highest paid dancer

Undoubtedly the interval act to make the biggest impact in the competition was Riverdance back in 1994. Led by dancer, Michael Flatley, the 7-minute performance received a standing ovation at the Point Theatre, Dublin and went on to become an international phenomenon. Following its success, Flatley went on to set a record as the world's highest paid dancer earning $1.6 million (£1 million) a week for his show Lord of the Dance at the peak of the show's success



Highest annual earnings ever for a female pop star

Eurovision Song Contest winner Celine Dion set a record for highest annual earnings ever for a female pop star after making an estimated $56 million (£33.5 million) back in 1998, a record subsequently beaten by Madonna who made $125 million (£82 million) in 2013.