Over-the-top costumes, silly phrases twisted to make catchy hooks, and a backdrop that is not always taken seriously can cause a lot of Eurovision hopefuls to be lumped (or perhaps dismissed) into the category of “joke entries.” We’ll explore some examples and try to “get it” in terms of what might be happening under the hood of these songs. Chris Molanphy from Slate’s Hit Parade will join us to help with analyzing the novelty of Eurovision entries.

The EuroWhat? Podcast is available wherever you get your podcasts. Find your podcast app to subscribe here.

Comments, questions, and episode topic suggestions are always welcome. You can shoot us an email or reach out on Bluesky @eurowhat.bsky.social.

If you would like to help financially support the show, we are hosting the EuroWhat AV Club over on Patreon! We have a slew of bonus episodes with deep dives on Eurovision-adjacent topics.

Special Guest: Chris Molanphy.

Support The EuroWhat? Podcast: Eurovision News & Reviews

Links:

• Eurovision Novelty Songs - YouTube
• Hit Parade: How novelty and comedy songs topped the charts before memes.
• Old Town Road | Books Gateway | Duke University Press
• Why Is This Song No. 1?
• Kyle Gordon - Planet of the Bass (feat. DJ Crazy Times & Ms. Biljana Electronica) [Official Video] - YouTube