Globally beloved Swedish supergroup ABBA launched their incredibly successful music career after winning the 1974 Eurovision Song Contest.
At the competition that took place in Brighton, the band had sung Waterloo, a love song with historic references and become the first to bring home the coveted Eurovision trophy.
The following year, the contest had been held at their home country’s capital, Stockholm, welcoming 19 competitors including Turkey, which made its debut.
Flashforward to the 2023 contest, Sweden’s Loreen became the first-ever woman two win Eurovision twice with her song Tattoo. The first time she won was back in 2012 with her chart-topping hit Euphoria.
Her win means that Sweden will be the host of the 2024 competition, which touchingly coincides with the 50th anniversary of ABBA’s win.
The last time Loreen won, the nation had held the following year’s event in Malmo, a city famous for its historic architecture, open-air bars, lush parks and more.
To date, Sweden has hosted the fan-favourite event six times. Those were in 1975, 1985, 1992, 2000, 2013, and 2016. So, the Scandinavian nation is no stranger to throwing a great party.
In fact, with their latest trophy, the country has caught up to the most successful nation in terms of Eurovision wins. Until this year, Ireland led the leaderboard with 7 wins. So, really, Sweden is a pro when it comes to Eurovision festivities.
While we won’t know which city the 2024 competition will take place in, if previous years are anything to go by, Stockholm, Malmo and Gothenburg are likely options.
Another thing that will make next year’s contest special will be Luxembourg’s return. After sitting it out for the past 30 years since 1993, the country has revealed that it wants to join in on the fun again. Others that have confirmed their attendance so far include Cyprus, Denmark, Finland, Malta, Norway, and Spain.
