The EBU has released their annual Brand Impact Report on the outcome of the Eurovision Song Contest. This provides the public with an overview of how well the contest performed as an entertainment show, and a wide variety of stats.
Stats and figures
The headline figure is that the Eurovision Song Contest is now, by the EBU’s metrics, the most ‘familiar’ non-sporting global event on Earth. This is measured in terms of recognition and puts it ahead of every television event with the exception of the Olympics and the football World Cup.
In addition, the contest also can boast about its 162 million viewers, a statistic released last month, €795 million in ad revenue, and 500,000 unique visitors to host city Liverpool. Of those 162 million viewers, a large number were 15-24 taking up over 50% of market share. They also boast record online engagement with the Eurovision Song Contest on digital platforms.
A cultural dimension is also measured, with the songs from the contest streamed over 808 million times and 5 of them appearing on Billboard Global Charts, those being ‘Tattoo’, ‘Cha Cha Cha’, ‘Queen Of Kings’, ‘Unicorn’ and ‘Due Vite’. 46% of entries were in a language other than English, with 18 languages represented overall. The gender ratio was 41% female, 51% male and 8% mixed, a ratio far less male-dominated than the music industry overall.
How this compares to past Eurovisions
The large numbers give the impression that 2023 was one of the most successful Eurovision Song Contests ever. In general, the chart performance of songs and the overperformance of Liverpool as a host city, would seem to reflect that. The 162 million viewing figure is not the record, which is held by Eurovision 2016 with 204 million viewers. It is however an increase of 1 million from 2022 – with a drop from 2021 (183 million) explained as the exclusion of Russia and Belarus from the figures, along with the lack of audience figures from Ukraine. In comparable markets however, 2022 outperformed 2021.
The online dimension takes statistics from platforms such as Tik Tok, Instagram, Facebook and Twitter. Of note is that videos were watched 540 million times, nearly double the figures seen in 2022. Tik Tok provides a very significant platform increase here, up 40% year-on-year.
The successes on the music front, the long-lasting chart performance, and the huge impact on streaming services speak to the contest showing longer-term success as a cultural force, as well as being, in their words, ‘a platform for diversity and inclusion’.
The statistics of increased visitors to Liverpool and increased commercial activity also mentioned in this report will be surely welcomed by future host cities.
