Earlier this week the EBU announced that the Eurovision 2023 slogan “United By Music” was here to stay. Permanently and every year (including last year). Officials said the Liverpool slogan perfectly captures the Eurovision brand.
“By establishing a permanent slogan, we will have consistency in our message that music unites us all,” Executive Supervisor Martin Osterdahl said in a statement. “It’s the perfect slogan to underline our values of inclusivity, equality, universality and celebrating diversity through music.”
“United By Music” definitely captures the values of Eurovision. But is it your favourite slogan of the past two decades? Review all of them below and then vote in our poll.
You can only vote ONE time. Be sure to click the box next to every slogan you want to support before pressing submit.
Tallinn 2002: “A Modern Fairytale”
The slogan was officially introduced with the 2002 contest in Tallinn. “A Modern Fairytale” hinted at Estonia’s resurgence — from being subjected to Soviet rule to breaking free and flourishing. It also suggested the happiness and joy of a united Europe, as seen through Eurovision.
Riga 2003: “Magical Rendez-vous”
The magical rendez-vous was, of course, Eurovision itself. But it also played on Latvia’s beautiful scenery. The logo was named upes, which is Latvian for rivers, and was designed around the idea that “all rivers flow toward the sea, all songs flow toward the Eurovision Song Contest”. In the postcards, artists were seen across Latvia’s various landscapes from forests and rivers to lakes and scenic towns.
Istanbul 2004: “Under The Same Sky”
“Under the Same Sky” carried a clear message of unity and peace. At at time Turkey was hoping to accede to the European Union, organisers wanted to stress the importance of a united continent and Turkey’s role within that.
Kyiv 2005: “Awakening”
Ukraine’s hosting came with the theme “Awakening,” which celebrated a country ready to emerge onto the European stage. The postcards celebrated Ukrainian culture and heritage, while also showing its growing economy through industrial scenes. It all played into the idea of a country that was vibrant and alive.
Athens 2006: “Feel The Rhythm!”
Greece is famous as a cradle of civilisation with ancient cultural and musical traditions. “Feel The Rhythm” nodded to its unique culture, which was celebrated in postcards that highlighted its historic significance and tourism industry.
Helsinki 2007: “True Fantasy”
The 2007 theme was said to celebrate “Finnishness” and the various polarities that are associated with the country. As part of that, the visuals incorporated bright kaleidoscopic patterns formed from various symbols including exclamation marks and the letter F.
Belgrade 2008: “Confluence of Sound”
Belgrade lies at the confluence of two European rivers: the Sava and Danube. Hence “confluence of sound” was born. This was represented visually with a a treble clef, seemingly made up by two rivers in red and blue.
Moscow 2009: No slogan, theme “Fantasy Bird”
Moscow is the only host city since 2002 to do away with a slogan. Instead it simply had a fantasy bird theme.
Oslo 2010: Share the Moment
The 2010 contest in Norway’s capital Oslo took place under the slogan “Share the Moment”. And from Lena’s groundbreaking victory to the Madcon flashmob to stage invasion during Spain’s performances — lots of moments were shared on the Oslo Eurovision stage.
Düsseldorf 2011: Feel Your Heart Beat
Following Germany’s victory in Norway, the contest was organised under the slogan “Feel your heart beat!” The stage was of enormous proportions and was sonically supported by a heartbeat that created suspense and excitement. Juries and voters felt their hearts beat the most for Azerbaijan’s Ell and Nikki, who took the contest to Baku.
Baku 2012: Light Your Fire
“Light your fire!” is a slogan perfectly matching the host nation Azerbaijan, often called the “land of fire”. The theme matched the orange and yellow colour scheme, creating a fitting visual concept. And even though Loreen’s performance was dark and snowy, she took the field by storm and brought the contest back to Sweden.
Malmö 2013: We Are One
Supported with an anthem from none other than Avicii, 2013’s contest in Malmö took place under the slogan “We Are One”. The butterfly represented something small that turns into a beautiful and powerful element, taking on the well-known butterfly effect. And of course, the message of the slogan is all about unity while taking into account the diversity of all participating nations.
Copenhagen 2014: #joinus
The “#joinus” slogan for 2014’s contest in Copenhagen is featured right at the centre that year’s logo. The diamond shape was also recreated through the stage inside the B&W Hallerne. Countries from all over Europe once again joined the contest, including a very special interval performance from Australia’s Jessica Mauboy.
Vienna 2015: Building Bridges
Eurovision 2015 in Vienna was special for the entire Eurovision family as it marked the contest’s 60th anniversary. “Building Bridges” referred to both musical and cultural ways of building bridges to different cultures and people all over Europe — and even beyond, as Australia made its competitive debut at the contest.
Stockholm 2016: Come Together
The dandelion in the 2016 logo, is made up of many different elements while also showcasing strength, power and unity. “Come Together” was the slogan for 2016’s contest in Stockholm. And from memorable interval performances to Jamala winning for Ukraine, it also included a guest appearance from the US superstar Justin Timberlake.
Kyiv 2017: Celebrate Diversity
“Celebrate Diversity” sums up everything that Eurovision is about: An opportunity for people of different countries and backgrounds to unite and celebrate across three shows filled with music. The 2017 contest in Kyiv was all about celebrating the common spirit as well as our unique elements.
Lisbon 2018: All Aboard
The main emblem of 2018’s slogan “All Aboard!” is a seashell. This resonates with the maritime roots of host city Lisbon. as well as Eurovision’s fundamental values. And in keeping with the slogan, the 2018 contest welcomed aboard a record-equaling 43 countries.
Tel Aviv 2019: Dare to Dream
The 2019 slogan was “Dare to Dream”. The logo, made up of layering triangles, resembled a star. Unsurprisingly, the idea was to show that the “future stars of Tel Aviv” are coming together for Israel third hosting of the contest.
Rotterdam 2021: Open Up
“Open up” was the slogan of the Eurovision Song Contest 2020, which was cancelled because of the pandemic. Producers decided to roll it over to 2021. It was fitting, both in terms of the song contest — which brings together countries from all over Europe, the Middle East and Australia — and in terms of the city itself. Rotterdam is a diverse city known for its rich history of bringing people together. These values dovetail nicely with the spirit of the Netherlands — a country known for being progressive and forward-thinking.
Turin 2022: The Sound of Beauty
La Bellezza del Suono — the sound of beauty. That was the slogan for the Eurovision Song Contest 2022. This is how host broadcaster Rai and the EBU explained it: “Turin’s theme is a visual representation of The Sound of Beauty. In order to represent sound and its visual (and beautiful) properties, the design is based on the symmetrical structure and patterns of cymatics – the study of sound wave phenomena.”
Liverpool 2023: United by Music
Well, we know the EBU’s pick! Eurovision 2023 was hosted by the United Kingdom on behalf of Ukraine. This slogan seemed like an apolitical way to carry a very political message: Europe stands hand-in-hand with Ukraine, the winners of Eurovision 2022, as they continue to fight for freedom.
Poll: What is your favourite Eurovision slogan between 2002 and 2023?
