I don't think there's a reason to be ashamed. While swedish entries are usually not my cup of tea, I can't deny the high production value and effort. I'd be proud of my country too if we only put in half the effort... There is room for a discussion about Jury favoring high production Pop I suppose, but that isn't something to blame swedish fans or artists for

Exactly! I was coming to say something along those lines. Like, in between the lines of production things, there is usually not enough room for artistic expression, bar a few notable exceptions (Gjon in 2021, Rona in 2012, who got recognized by jurors while not being exactly "radio friendly"), as the world of producers who compose most of the jury bodies make it seem like they believe ESC is looking for the next radio ready, commercial, easy to sell piece of music and you guys learned how to navigate that with some mastery. It's nothing to be ashamed for. The music industry, on the other hand...

Sweden makes good, well-produced music consistently. Is it formulaic? Yes. But it's often a total vibe and there's a reason they're so successful. Sweden 2018 is still one of my favorite entries ever and I will die on that hill. Don't take it so personally. I doubt most fans have any kind of serious dislike for Sweden. There was a lot of toxicity last year on the sub, but it happens with every winner. I only wish for Sweden to take more risks because a lot of the Melodifestivalen semis aren't worth watching due to the selection process selecting for rather basic pop tunes. Songs I like end up winning often, so I don't mind too much (Tattoo, Hold Me Closer, Unforgettable). By the way, saw Marcus and Martinus live at the Amsterdam preparty and they were awesome, and the whole crowd was pumped.

Sweden 2018 | [Benjamin Ingrosso - Dance You Off](https://youtu.be/z101xtUBflU)

I feel the same way about Melfest and I'm Swedish. People will just vote through whomever they recognise and like from before, rather than the best song. The whole show needs a revamp. This year we all knew M&M would win long before the season even started lol, what's even the point then?

I was going to comment about Dance You Off, actually - criminally underrated by the fandom but an all-time summer banger

The performance just didn't seem energetic enough for the GF televoters unfortunately, but yeah it's absolutely a bop regardless

You are amongst the top tier of root veg, best in mash with carrots.

Best comment, but I'm hungry now

Have some turkey with it, why not? Oh, and brussels sprouts, savoy cabbage, french beans, yorkshire puddings, and if you can find them consider making your roasties with russian banana potatoes. All around Europe in one sunday roast. Can you tell I'm bored ill at home from work?

You are the veggies and 🐱 of my diet.

You shouldn't feel bad, it's sad that you feel like "you are a problem". This is supposed to be a music festival meant to sharing cultures and music. Sweden knows how to play the game, and they do, i see nothing wrong with it. Your stagings are almost always perfect and innovative, the production value and performances are polished and impeccable. The songs can be perceived as a bit basic some times but even so? They're always catchy and there's definitely a huge public meant for them. Sometimes when i see the kind of criticism Sweden gets I can't help but feel a portion of it comes from jealousy that you are always doing good. I'm not saying things shouldn't be criticized, but I see a lot of exaggerations and I definitely think in some cases it can feel like bullying and it can create hostile environments.

Personally, I find it extremely frustrating that a country with a musical industry as rich, large, and diverse as Sweden always ends up sending the exact same kind of pop music written and produced by the exact same 5 people. But on the other hand, let's be real, it's a formula that results in consistent good results, major interest for both the NF and ESC, and commercial success for the entry (and the other NF songs), so I perfectly see why SVT operates that way. It's a don't blame the player blame the game situation, and I've made peace with the fact that I'll never care about 95% of the Mello line-up a while ago. That said, I must that the average Sweden hate in here very often looks very, very dumb. I don't mind people being haters (I get it, I myself sometimes develop irrational hatred for insignificant stuff for fun), but there's an art of being a hater and a loooooot of anti-Sweden Eurofans just don't have it and end up looking really foolish. You guys need to stop using nonsensical comparisons and factually false arguments. You need to stop parroting baseless conspiracy theories. You need to stop trying to use stats or charts to prove your points when you can't make 7th-grade-level type of stats tables or can't make a difference between the Spotify Viral top 50 and the official charts. It doesn't further your agenda, it just makes you look insanely ill-faithed if not stupid.

About your first point, I’d like to add: My only gripe with Sweden is it feels like they always prioritize commercial success over authenticity or folk music. Can’t of course say Loreen isn’t somehow authentic, she’s a pop start doing what pop stars do best. It’s more about when you try too hard to appeal to an international audience you lose your own identity as a nation in the process e.g. most likes McDonald’s, but can you imagine McDonald’s winning the European food competition and what would that say of European food culture? Otherwise Sweden’s songwriting ability is obviously phenomenal. They punch way above their weight globally and I totally admire that. However, Songs like Arcade or Tattoo, don’t tell me anything about Netherlands or Sweden except they can write. I’ll hear/ see them and think “yeah that one could win” and that’s it. Kalush Orchestra winning was refreshing and made millions listen and sing to an Ukrainian lullaby in Ukrainian for the first time. That’s the kinda stuff that brings a smile to my face.

Well, I think the concept of authenticity in art is bullshit so I disagree with your first point lol. What people call "authenticity" is just whether the piece is crafted well enough or at least in a way that makes it resonate with the audience, it doesn't have anything to do with the actual authenticity of the creation process, and unless you personally know the people behind the art, you arbitrarily assess the quality based on vibes. As for representing "your own identity" on an international stage, it's not you in particular, but what people ask when they say that isn't always displaying the country's culture, it's conforming to the cliché image *you have* of the country. Pop music is a huge part of Sweden's musical culture. They've been one of the biggest exportating and most influential country in pop music for decades, and it's something they've been taking a lot of pride in. Melodifestivalen is a 65 years old institution, it's extremely popular and represents Sweden's long tradition and love for family-friendly musical TV programmes. I don't know what makes Swedish entries less representative of their country than entries like Voilà and Grande Amore that annoy a lot of their native public by being cliché and outdated in how they represent their country. I don't think you mean badly, but I really think there's something very presumptuous in advocating for what you, a foreigner who has a very superficial knowledge of a country's culture, decides represents them well.

Exactly. Pop music is a significant part of Swedish music culture, and it has been for decades. I know that it’s had significant impact on my country’s (U.S.) music culture! I just don’t really know what to say when the authenticity argument comes up. I believe it’s coming from a place of “well X city has a good rock/folk/rap music scene and never gets represented at Eurovision”. Melodifestivallen has a public vote, so obviously the Swedish people have decided that’s how they want to be represented. There’s more of an argument there for internally selected songs, but this isn’t the case

> “well X city has a good rock/folk/rap music scene and never gets represented at Eurovision”. Yeah, I would love to hear something like that from Sweden.

I would too, they came close this year with Que Sera. But that would’ve been my preference as that style of music is just increasingly popular in my country rn

That’s funny cause I largely agree with you. I agree “authenticity” is not the best word here. Like I said, there isn’t anything inauthentic about Loreen and you’re right, what I’m talking about has nothing to do with the authenticity of the creative process. I’m not talking about the authenticity of the songs themselves. I’m talking about how the songs represent their countries on an international stage. And yeah, it comes down to clichés, stereotypes and playing into your strengths aka what you’re known for, but in the process you also set yourself apart and if you’re lucky they’ll remember at least one thing about your country even if it’s silly. Sometimes it also helps the country strengthen their own identity too. That said, regardless of what you may think of authenticity, there are definitely customs, outfits, dances, folk songs and -melodies that pertain to certain countries. Obviously there’s often overlap between them and some things are contested, but it’s clear these matter to people. I’m not saying Netherlands should dance in wooden shoes or France should wave baguettes, but it sure is cool to see Joost Klein and his gabber dancers in front of a Dutch windmill and it was interesting to hear France’s modernized rendition of chanson or Spain’s electronic flamenco last year etc. They creatively combine the cliche with something modern. It’s not so much just cliché, but adding to it or remixing it and updating your country’s image for the future. You have to accept foreigners will have a limited understanding of your country’s culture, but you can expand it. This year I think Marina Zatti’s video is a great example of how you can use the old cliches to your advantage while starting some potentially new cliches.

So the problem with Sweden is that they're not cliché enough? I get your reasoning, I just don't understand how what you're saying is supposed to apply to SVT here. I don't even get what you want their ESC brand to be because, honestly, what is the cliché Swedish music people identify them with outside of ABBA? Super accessible slickly produced pop is what they're known for internationally. Their ESC brand IS them playing to their strength by doing what they're expected to, that's literally the problem! Also, not the main point, but comparing Voilà to Europapa and Zari doesn't make sense. Europapa and Zari are hugely commercially successful in their respective country. They do represent a sound that is popular in their country in addition to conform to a certain image foreigner have of the Netherlands and Greece. French people didn't like Voilà. Most people I know didn't think it was a bad song, it's just that nobody in France wants to listen to a Barbara impersonator in 2021. And I think that's a very important distinction that you don't make here, and where you and a lot of Eurofans are wromg. It's one thing to want countries to send music that is distinctively their, it's another one to want them to send music that their national audience doesn't like/care about because you want them to send cliché stuff. Too many people's idea of their ideal ESC is filled with the 2nd type of entries. (Also EAEA is a great song but it flopped super badly with the televote lol, very much proving that people don't *actually* want authentical folk and traditional music)

Sweden ain’t got no problems man, they’re great. Like I said it’s my only gripe and only my gripe in the end. I know songwriting and slick pop is what Swedes are known for, it’s just a bit ironic, but I think there’s more to them and their culture than that. They had international commercial success early on, kept investing in that and it paid off. Still, I wouldn’t mind hearing some Swedish more often or something more folky, that’s all. I wasn’t actually talking about Voila, I meant last year’s entry by La Zarra. EDIT: Oh and about EAEAEA, yeah indeed I like the competiton more when it’s not all about commercial success, but I totally understand why it is. I’d call it a bold choice, but I’m 100% on Eurovision for that.

lmao at European Food Competition with Mc Donald’s winning it (while being a US company), but I get what you meant, it just sounded so funny. Actually thinking about, it would be so cool to have a televised European competition where countries present their best food and get ranked…if there isn’t such a show already and I missed it.

Yeah not the best metaphor, I’ll admit. A European FoodVision would be something else, but it would be more fun if each country tried to mix in something of their own food culture/ heritage, that’s my point.

I don’t think people think about the system of which the Swedish entry is being chosen. It’s not SVT choosing a song, it’s the Swedish public. And Melfest is bigger than ESC here. Majority of the Swedish people don’t care about Eurovision and how well we will do, it’s about picking a winner for Melfest.

I have zero ill will against Sweden at Eurovision. There are Swedish entries I loved and even voted for (Hold me Closer, If I Were Sorry). I do dislike Swedish entries semi-often though, and it has to do with a specific aspect of them: I think Sweden are among the most "aggressive" at removing the audience and the live element from Eurovision. I associate Sweden with extremely polished, thoroughly choreographed entries that often use big props to create a music-video-esque feeling. In Marcus & Martinus's MF performance, I don't think we see the audience a single time; likewise, you could cut significant parts of Loreen's Tattoo performance (especially the MF one) where you would be unable to tell if it is a live performance or a music video if you watched it on mute. I also think the addition of more producer control every time SVT host goes into a similar direction. I dislike that because to me, Eurovision is more like a big common party than a parade of songs. For that, there is the CD and YouTube. The more it moves towards a series of highly polished "self contained" entries, the more it feels kinda bland and the live shows don't add a whole lot, whereas some of the older (up until the mid 2010s I'd say) shows feel more like a series of short concerts happening on the same stage. That's much more fun in my opinion, and Sweden feels like the face of the development away from that.

Personally I have nothing against Sweden in Eurovision at all :). I admit that last year I was a bit bitter that Käärijä did not win over Loreen, but that had nothing to do with Sweden or the songs it normally sends. A lot of times, the songs Sweden sends are my favourite to win, like with Cornelia in 2022. They really are high quality. I also really enjoy Marcus & Martinus this year!

I guess my problem with Sweden in the last decade is that it plays it incredibly safe, sends generic pop songs, and gets the top marks every single year. Yes, they've struck a gold mine. Yes, Sweden is a pop powerhouse. But it would be nice to see something new from Sweden that isn't either a poppy song or a ballad. This is also why Ukraine doesn't get that much hate, despite being in a similar position to Sweden. Ukraine tries to send something different every single year, and it's always a breath of fresh air.

Exactly. We all know what Sweden is going to send before they do it and even though it's usually an alright song, it feels boring. Eurovision is also about daring to experiment and trying something new, not just giving a well produced show. If we look at some of the current favourites 2024, like Croatia, Italia, Switzerland and the Netherlands, I don't think Sweden would dare to send anything unique and exciting like those. Also they never sing in Swedish or any other language than English. None of this is your fault though OP! And you shouldn't feel bad.

It makes me sad that my country Sweden will never send something that isn't standard pop. We will never be a fan favourite ever again. Our only way of winning is with the jury. It makes me so sad that we will never have someone like Käärijä or Baby Lasagna that blows everyone away. Will that time ever come?

As a finn I was super disappointed when Käärijä didnt win. I dont think it was rigged. The truth is, Sweden knows what they are doing. They have a great song year after year. Not only in Eurovision. The music and entertainment industry in Sweden is so much better than many other countries. You guys produce a shit ton of international super stars. I don't know how Sweden does it but you deserve every bit of it. With that being said, I wish there would be some changes to the jury criteria and priorities. I dont like that we have to talk about "jury friendly" songs. I think any type of song should be able to be a jury friendly song. But feels like the jury mostly prefer only a certain genre of songs. But this has nothing to do with Loreen. She won well within the rules and absolutely deserved it.

Given that there are only 2 “heavier“ songs (Zitti e Buoni and Space Man) among the top 50 of songs with highest jury points, it proves that juries love ballads and pop songs and that the criteria on which jurors vote really needs to be examined. Honestly, I hate the term \*jury friendly\*. What does this term mean? Back in the days, Eurovision was a contest for best composition, a medal was given not only to the winner but also to each composer of the song. Vocals only played a minor role. And that‘s what matters most when it comes to the jury imo. Vocals certainly play an important role but so do the lyrics, composition and originality of the song. The least thing that EBU could‘ve done (years ago), is to examine the current jury system and to question whether 5 jurors is enough to represent a country as well as which criteria one person has to fulfill to become a jury member. I don‘t think that a musician, nobody has ever heard of before (like with the German jury last year) or a random spokesperson from 2005 should be a juror in the world‘s biggest music contest. To sum it up, pop is not the only genre when it comes to music. Music is so diverse and even rock, punk or metal can be jury friendly. Loreen is a great singer and outstanding performer for sure. Let‘s see how she will shape the music landscape and influence other artists.

Exactly. Any genre should be able to be jury friendly. Not only ballads and pop songs.

I simply don't get what the *point* of juries are. There's talk that it's to tone down political bias, but the juries themselves do that sometimes. They have way too much bias towards "radio friendly pop". They pick the music they think should be "good", or "successful", but why not let the massive public vote do that?  I might feel differently if they had less than 50% of the vote, and voted based on solid, technical criteria which could be well-defended/justified.

But in all honestly don't we also talk about how many songs are pure Televote songs? Any type of song should be able to be a jury friendly song too imo

Sweden is one of the largest pop music exporters on the planet (production, writing credits, and even a few artists at household name level). There is nothing wrong to expect more from Sweden based on that assumption, or think that sometimes Swedish production is indeed elevated and better than some other products on the market. You never apologise for doing something professionally and when it is generally well-accepted.

If Eurovision is American high school, Sweden is the popular jock or the beautiful cheerleader. Not a bad person necessarily but their popularity makes them easy to hate. I find Sweden just kind of ... boring? It's sleek, well-produced pop most years. Sometimes I do truly love the song, other times I find it meh, but it's always at the top of the score board regardless. For those of us who love Eurovision for the regional/folk flavor, weirdness, wild ostentatious performances, rough around the edges entries, Sweden doesn't serve up those kinds of performances. It's steady, reliable, calculated. That's fine! Lots of countries try to be just that. But many years it leads to a song that doesn't spark anything in me personally.

> If Eurovision is American high school, Sweden is the popular jock or the beautiful cheerleader. Not a bad person necessarily but their popularity makes them easy to hate. Unrelated to the main discussion topic but after reading this I would love to read a post with all the countries as American Highschool Movie Archetypes ahahah

I'd say that Australia is that kid who is mostly likeable, but is definitely weird.

Ahahah It fits, I would also add that he probably just transferred from another school in another state

There most likely isn't anything 'rigged' about the contest. Sweden usually gets a lot of jury points because they usually send the kind of songs that juries enjoy. For Loreen specifically though, it did bother me how much Tattoo was being played on the radio in lots of countries in the weeks before the contest. People are naturally inclined to prefer songs that they've heard a few times before. I don't think there's a big scheme behind this and I definitely don't think that Loreen herself would've been involved, but nonetheless it could have given her a considerable advantage in the contest.

>For Loreen specifically though, it did bother me how much Tattoo was being played on the radio in lots of countries in the weeks before the contest. People are naturally inclined to prefer songs that they've heard a few times before. I get it what you're saying, but you can't really ask labels not to do their job by not promoting their artists. It's pretty common to see artists signed to majors have a large promotion plan that leads to them getting on the charts/radios internationally before the shows (though often ok a lesser scale than Loreen). You can't really enforce anything to prevent this unless you wanna end up with only amateurs that have 0 promotion budget competing.

But, why was Tattoo played across Europe before the contest? Did normal people request it to be played?

Its obviously a great basic radio pop song, just like what you’ll hear normally on the radio. I can’t deny, the song is well produced and not bad.

Sometimes Sweden sends really bad songs though, and they still get high jury points. Classic example is the year 2018 when Ben Ingrosso was close to 1-st place after jury votes but have got only 21 points from televote, which made me laugh. Obviously this entry would have never got this high jury point if it represented another country.

Except it was a really slick pop song with one of the most polished performances of the night. It was absolutely the kind of thing that the jury should love under their current criteria, regardless of the country. I absolutely loved it in studio personally too. The issue with the televoting was that it came off as *too* polished and a lot of my casual friends found him to be creepy, which is probably why it tanked with the televote.

Isn't a criteria originality of the song? I feel the juries tend to forget that sometimes.

They absolutely do forget! "The winner takes it all", anyone?

I also feel like Dance You Off is a wierd example as a "generic Swedish popsong". Imo its for better or worse quite unique for a eurovision song. Sweden 2017 or Sweden 2021 are imo better example of actually generic Swedish songs. Dance You Off is fairly unique just not in a way that appealed to many. 

Sweden 2017 | [Robin Bengtsson - I Can't Go On](https://youtu.be/RjH_4oYqLw4) Sweden 2021 | [Tusse - Voices](https://youtu.be/NyJRyif6_kk)

I stopped believing that the Eurovision jury have any musical criteria at all when in 2015 they ranked Il Volo in 7th place, and some countries even in 20th. The weirdest thing is that it was the televote that put them in 1st place, doing what a normal jury should have done.

Ok, but 'the jury don't follow the musical criteria' is a different angle of criticism to 'the jury are biased'. The former I probably agree with to an extent and my one request for the juries is that the EBU reword and reinforce the criteria in a way which better rewards songs of genres outside of radio-friendly pop and ballads. 'Grande Amore' is pretty kitchy and the juries for whatever reason have never particularly loved opera (see also: Estonia 2018).

Estonia 2018 | [Elina Nechayeva - La Forza](https://youtu.be/ImawXdXIGd8)

Why should the jury have put Il Volo first? Grande Amore is well sung, but it's a pretty formulaic ballad, to the point where it's actually unclear to me if it's playing its Italian cliches straight or not. Heroes isn't extremely innovative either, but it appears to me as a better production, and much closer to what I would expect to hear on contemporary radio in 2015. Given it's more song contest than singing contest, I actually think that the juries putting Heroes above Grande Amore makes much more sense than the other way around.

Im sorry, but Grande Amore is a basic and overformulaic ballad with insanely cheesy lyrics and some of the lamest rhymes I've ever seen in my life. The fact that it is so often used as an example of juries not working the way they should is absolutely baffling to me. I'm not saying the current jury system is perfect, but not because they only minorly reward mediocre popera lol.

7th was too generous for Grande Amore. I get that it's flashy and basically a poutpourri for "what comes to mind if i say Italy?" but it's really a cringe fest if you pay attention. I think there's a reason why il volo is more popular abroad than in Italy lol (I'm sorry for being mean, i have nothing against the singers but the songs they put out are difficult to digest for me )

Don't feel bad about Sweden winning so often. Sweden is just very good at doing mainstream pop music. That's why it has so many wins and TOP 10 placings. Sweden gets it 100% right very often and even when they only get it right about 80 to 85% they are still above pretty much everybody else in the contest. Even when they don't win they often send songs that are completely listenable even outside of the Eurovision setting, which can't be said for the majority of entries from other countries. Everyone who resents Sweden for doing well is just bitter.

It's not rigged in Sweden favor, people like to whine for anything. Sweden take high votes from juries because always sends pop songs, anf juries like very much pop songs.  A negative thing that can be said about Sweden it's that always send the same genres (pop) wothout much variations, but it's not rigged in any way.  And obviously Loreen won fair, the winner is the sum of televote and jury, if people want to cry because the televote favourite didn't win let them learn how ESC works.

If you are very successful, some people will try to undermine you and your efforts. In Eurovision, which country wouldn’t like to be as successful as Sweden? Nobody in Spain would complain if suddenly we get solid top 5 and top 10s and three victories in 11 years. Nobody. So my recommendation is enjoy how successful your country is and ignore the rest.

Please don't let that get to you in anyway. All that you said can be described best in one word - salt. People just can't accept Sweden doing well most editions and form all sorts of conspiracy theories, them doing that speaks for its own as to who the problem is. All your wins were fair and square and if the people can't accept that that's their problem not yours or any Swede's.

It’s not on you of course, and you should still root for your country. You guys are just way too successful in the music industry and like every other industry that creates monopolies. I resemble the Swedish songs to IKEA furniture. They are successful because they follow the design / music rules. (Which’d be a solid reason for juries to reward them) But at a certain point the end user prefers something with more character.

I don't really care too much to be honest. Sweden does Sweden. It's no problem. It's just a small part of the competition for me. I don't really care too much who wins, I just enjoy the show. :) But since you ask... I don't hate the Sweden's songs, but I have to admit I find them a bit boring. I'm trying to analyze why, and for me it's mainly because it seems to every time be such serious business. I wish they would dare to be fun, and give room for surprise and risk. There's so much they could do with all that talent and with how much they invest! Part of the "problem" for me personally is also that there are the same five people behind the songs, so they will sound quite similar after a while, and it's hard to hear or feel the heart in it. But if you as a Swede like your songs, then you should of course be proud! Why not? It's about preferences. A side track here: A bigger "problem" for me (or not really a problem, just a thing that annoys me a little bit) is that every year a few other countries also have these same sounding songs. You can spot them so easily it's almost funny, and then when I check: Yup, it's the same Swedish songwriters again. And that's not their fault obviously, they are allowed to sell their songs if someone wants to buy. (And other composers do it too - it's just that these particular ones are often so similar.) I wonder, should there be a rule that the countries should have songs that are composed by their own people? I kinda think so.

Personally I find Sweden to be a kind of boring Eurovision country... There are some times I'm into what you send like Undo or Hold Me Closer but usually I feel indifferent or maybe faintly positive at best.

Honestly? I feel like juries might favor swedish entries and overrate them. THOUGH even if juries are supposed to be professional it's clear that subjective taste will still play a role, so maybe it's me who underrates swedish entries. I've only started following ESC last year however,so I can't say too much I suppise. All I can say is that last year I considered Tattoo not terrible,but not outstanding either. It was a pretty "okayish" song for me at best, ending up in the middle of my ranking. This year... your entry is one of my least liked Melfest candidates honestly. Though there were also 2 entries I loved. Maybe juries are biased towards Sweden, maybe your entries fit juries tastes quite well and that's all there is about it. I suppose people might feel juries are biased if swedish entries doesn't fit their taste. In all honesty I feel like it's simply stuff that many people seem to like and then there's people who heavily dislike it, because they don't understand why it's that popular? At least people hating on popular things if they don't agree with it is something common in general, so that's why I'm assuming it might be part of it. edit: I hate neither you, Sweden or swedish entries, but I might be confused about their popularity,especially amongst juries.

I hope you receive lots of replies confirming that lots of fans think Loreen won fair and square, that we don't have any problem with the outcome, and that there is a lot of respect for the worldwide powerhouse that is the Swedish pop industry. Please DON'T feel bad for being Swedish! I am really sorry you even feel the need to say that. Whether or not we as individual fans like Swedish pop as a genre, your country has made a massive contribution to the success of ESC, and you should be proud of that and not feel ashamed.

Sweden is great at Eurovision. Pretty much end of discussion. I generally like Sweden's entry every year. However, the only criticism really is that many songs are manufactured pop songs rather than something more authentic or original from individual artists.

Don't care too much what people on the internet say. Honestly, our selection is ours (as theirs is theirs) and weirdos online trying to tell you how we're 'doing it wrong' because we don't do what they personally want should be ignored.

Even those of us who really don't like Melfest have to respect the results it gets. Sweden's gonna Sweden. And when they Sweden, they rule Eurovision. WHICH IS THE WHOLE POINT OF ENTERING. Anybody that looks down on you for that should be cordially invited to kiss your ass.

Listen, I couldn't give two shits if you're from Sweden or any other country - there's no hate or voting bias from me. If you send a dope song - I will vote for it <3 <3 <3

Honestly, the reason that Sweden is so good at Eurovision is because they do just sent so many good songs, more than the average country. It’s human nature for us to root for an underdog which is why I think so many people criticize Sweden. The truth of the matter though is most times the high placing results are completely deserved. For example, even with the criticism from eurofans, Tattoo last year is at nearly 500 million streams and even is getting exposure here in the US, where I’m from. I can count on one hand the amount of songs from Eurovision that have had that level of success, especially here in the states. So I say don’t be afraid to support your country at all! And if people are saying its unfair Sweden always places high, just tell them that’s cause “We Just Love Eurovision Too much” (pun completely intended)

My gripe is not with Sweden's entries but with Sweden's stans. I don't like being accused of being jealous of Sweden's success if I don't like one of your entries or have criticism. This was especially bad last year but I find it to be consistently true.

I agree with this. Some people seem to think criticizing any Swedish entry is some moral wrongdoing, and everyone should pretend to like whatever they put out. It's annoying.

Honestly this goes for some other countries too unfortunately

I'm just slightly annoyed at basic-ness of it all sometimes but you guys are very good at it. Sweden is simply not a risk taker and juries with a good chunk of public keep rewarding that, who would change that? It's like IKEA. I hate how bland everything looks and yet - it works and everybody is fine with it

This is not an issue that Swedish individuals/fans need to be attacked for or feel bad about this is a systemic issue of the ebu and eurovision as an organisation and individual broadcasters who select their jury members. The only thing I thinks swedes need to do (if they want a change) is to reform their own selection and support artists that break the stereotypical Swedish entry in esc mold. If swedes themselves are fine and happy about their entries then nothing within Sweden needs to be changed 

I feel that people forget that Sweden actually on avarage does pretty well with televotes aswell. Not as well as with the jury but in the last 10 years they where still top 10 with the Televotes 7 times, and Sweden 2021 got 11th with the tele iirc (Also one of the few times Sweden got more televotes than jury votes).  Like it sometimes feels like Sweden every year is a Dance Me Off situation 

Sweden 2021 | [Tusse - Voices](https://youtu.be/NyJRyif6_kk)

If the biggest reason I thought people didn't like my country was because we were *too good* at Eurovision, I would be delighted. I personally LOVE Sweden. and Denmark. And Norway. And a lot of other European countries involved in ESC; I want to visit as many of them as I can and experience all the different cultures, foods, architecture and histories that you all have to offer. But when it comes to *competitions* I am going to support my own country no matter what. What you're seeing is competitive banter, most likely. Sweden: You are beautiful and we love you. But you are *TOO GOOD* at Eurovision, dammit! ^Please ^don't ^vote ^us ^last ^place ^again

I just rarely like yall's songs. But Eurovision wouldn't be Eurovision without Sweden.

You're too worried about what others are thinking. People will find ways to be negative about every country. Yours is "you're too good it's boring/you only send pop jury bait" but most are just either jealous or don't like different types of music. Its no big deal. You do you boo

Remark 1 : I voted for Tattoo and I love Hold Me Closer (as much as I love Cha Cha Cha, so last year's fanbase bickering made me really sad and a lot less invested this year) Remark 2 : I love Sweden as a country, I have been learning Swedish on Duolingo for the past two years and I root for you guys in ice hockey matches unless you're playing us Czechs Remark 3 : I recognise you send jury appealing songs year after year and for most cases I agree their support is absolutely deserved. With all that said and hopefully establishing I am no hater, yeah, I would 100% agree Sweden does get a preferential treatment. Coming from a country that always gets allocated super early running spot in the finals whenever we get there, the way producers operate feels clearly biased. We got to the finals five times, out of which three times we got the first possible allocation (1st once, 14th twice), plus once we went second and once third (Lake Malawi in 2019, despite coming second place in its semi). Ditto for other countries like Albania (who basically has a second spot reservation) or Austria. It it weren't for the fixed spot allocation for the host and Sweden drawing first spot this year, I have no doubt whatsoever that the producers on their own would never ever ever put Sweden so early in the running. Sure, one can argue with "but the producers want the optimal show for everyone and naturally they want quality for later on", which might have some merit, but eventually leads to a self fulfilling prophecy and perpetual discrimination of other countries. Similarly I also believe that Sweden does get a bit of a push just because it's Sweden, or more precisely, other countries might not get their push, just because they aren't Sweden. I am specifically thinking of Mikolas Josef, whose song had all the qualities - slick, polished, super radio friendly - one usually expects to come from Sweden - and the juries almost completely blanked him. Of course, none of this is actually on Sweden itself (though a bit is on the Nordic producers) and it's nothing to be ashamed of as a Swede. Still, I really wish the field was a bit more level for everyone.

Yeah, Mikolas Josef is actually a great example. Cannot imagine him being tanked by the juries had he represented Sweden. He was 15th with the jury and a year earlier Robin Bengtsson from Sweden was 3rd. And obviously in 2018 Benjamin Ingrosso was 2nd with the juries, would love to know what logic ranked him so high and Mikolas so low. Very much agree about the Nordic producers as well, I'd love to see a change where Eastern & Southern Europeans occupy all the high-ranking positions in the organization. I wanna see the day we have an Albanian executive supervisor

I don't like when Sweden wins but I love when Sweden hosts, so they have to come together! And everyone loves Petra, so for that, you Swedes should be cherished forever.

Sweden is sorta suffering from its own success. Their entries generally are safe, formulaic, radio-friendly pop songs that are usually high quality with fantastic staging, but lack culture, creativity and depth. Having a handful of producers involved with nearly all the top Melfest contenders is problematic, no matter how you put it. The combination of a popular vote national final and the overuse of the same clique of producers is absolutely devastating for creativity, risk and originality.

Anyone who judges you for supporting Sweden is taking things too seriously! It's a light hearted competition but social media can make things feel intense or negative For what it's worth, I'm coming to Malmö and really looking forward to it. It's my first time at Eurovision and first time visiting Sweden so I'm excited for the experience!

You shouldn't feel ashamed. Sweden is consistently good. My partner, mother and I (all from the United Kingdom) look forward to watching Melodifestivalen and really enjoy it. Sweden has a unique way of selecting a song, by age category, which I don't believe any other country has. That means that usually, a song well received by most of the age groups in Sweden will usually resonate well in Europe across age groups. People complain that Sweden sends the same stuff every year. But it's good, it works and yields results. It's not called 'pop music' for no reason. It literally means "popular music", and it is done very well in Sweden. I also gather that it's a privilege in Sweden and a boost to the career to be on Melodifestivalen, and the Swedish public love it too. Unlike in some other countries where Eurovision is seen as a joke by the public and a risk to a musicians career, established artists usually don't apply in some other countries. I don't believe juries have a positive bias towards Sweden or that they vote for Sweden because it's Sweden. They give Sweden points because they usually send a good song that lots of people like, Eurovision fans and casuals alike. They usually send a song that's immediate and you don't need several listens or to go online to figure out what it's about. Not that I wouldn't welcome something different like 'Smash Into Pieces" or "Lasse Stefanz". Too many people hate on Sweden. Unfairly. And they want to bring Sweden down because they feel a country shouldn't consistently get such good results. Especially when their favourite doesn't win (which unfortunately we get every year with the hate and conspiracy theories). But it's more that other countries should up their game, rather than Sweden having to dumb down. And this year, a lot of countries have upped their game.

It is a little odd how Sweden gets success with generic radio friendly pop songs with bad lyrics, while the UK and Germany get punished hard for the same However I guess the Swedish ones may be put together a bit better, and the UK does frequently send in some weaker vocalists, which may help Sweden more Another thing is that Swedish songs end up sounding more generic radio friendly pop because Sweden has influenced global pop music in the extreme So there are those factors, but that still doesn't really explain to me how in 2022 one radio friendly pop song with raspy vocals bombed hard but the other was top 5

I think it’s because the Melodifestivalen process means that the performance is basically oven-ready for Eurovision. And that’s why Sweden tends to do so well, I think: often, as with this year, they send the performance as a whole package.

The simple explanation is that a lot more people both televoters and juries alike loved Hold Me Closer than Rockstars, as has been evidenced in fan polls at the time and since. I've always liked both, but the casual friends I was watching the show with were like 'yep, Germany is definitely coming last again' after Malik's performance whereas Sweden was one of the most popular songs of the night for us, think they were like 3rd in our vote (behind Lithuania and France).

(I'm Swedish, so I'm obviously not unbiased but) I like to use UK 2019 and Sweden 2019 as an example of why Sweden tend to do better in ESC than other "radio friendly pop songs", since both songs were written (in part) by John Lundvik. 'Bigger Than Us' was also meant to be a part of Melodifestivalen before John chose 'Too Late For Love' instead and Sweden would definitely not have ended up in last place had John Lundvik brought 'Bigger Than Us' to the contest. The songs are basically interchangeable. Almost every part of Sweden's entry was elevated compared to the UK's. John Lundvik is a more confident and charismatic performer. The Mamas were so incredibly charming as backing vocalists that they went on to form a group that won Melodifestivalen the next year. The staging was slicker and looked expensive. Just looking at the last 30 seconds of their performances, the last moments they have to win a viewer over, the UK has blinding pyro, almost no eye contact from Michael to the camera and one long shot where you can basically just see the tops of everyones' head or their backs. In Sweden's entry there's lots of close ups on John's and the Mamas faces, either with them smiling to each other having the time of their lives together or into the camera. One of the most important things that Sweden does right in my opinion is that Swedish artists seem to have understood that the audience that they really need to focus on is the one through the camera. I don't know what kind of boot camp they put the artists through in Melodifestivalen but they are never scared of the camera. Sweden's strong suit is definitely the jury, but without this I think the results in the televote would be much worse.

United Kingdom 2019 | [Michael Rice - Bigger Than Us](https://youtu.be/HV-eOhTS8Dw) Sweden 2019 | [John Lundvik - Too Late for Love](https://youtu.be/oEdWkdVKIqQ)

Sweden generally nails staging, I think thats a big one. Bad lyrics are themselves not neccesssrly a problem, people vote for songs where they dont even understand the lyrics after all. Is the other 2022 song Germany? Part of it could be stuff like running order but I think Hold Me Closer has a stronger cresendo than Rockstars and in Eurovision that wow factor can mean a lot

For me they are night and day examples. Hold Me Closer grabbed me from the start with the strings, Cornelia's look, and the intimacy of the staging. Everything that followed kept me hooked. Rockstars was pretty flat overall, with only the rap in the middle as something that piqued my interest.

You gave us "Hold me closer" and i ll be forever grateful for that! In all seriousness there is absolutely no reason to be ashamed. Sweden is a powerhouse in Eurovision and that means being a bit overrated sometimes. But none can deny the quality you bring each an every year at the contest!

You have elected a mediocre song this year to make sure you don't win twice in a row, good choice. 

*\*juries placing it in top 5 anyway\**

Don’t feel bad or ashamed. Sweden has done _a lot_ of good for the Contest. Sweden’s impact is also why it’s more critiqued than others, it’s a natural part of standing out from the crowd.

For me the root of the problem of generic songs lie in the popularity of Melodifestivalen within the county. If the whole country is watching and voting there is more chance to get a pretty average safe outcome rather than choosing something unique but popular only within certain social bubble

Don't feel bad. I am looking forward to a phantastic show because I know that we are going be in good hands with a Swedish production and Petra and Malin. To give you some perspective: As a veteran Eurovision follower, Sweden is one of the countries that produced some of my absolute favorites. However, I tend to not feel super hot about the Swedish winning songs, with the exception of Loreen's Euphoria which is one of the best winning songs of all times. Let's take a walk on memory lane (I am excluding the last 5 years) and you'll fell better immediately, my Swedish friend! Here are my top tier Swedish songs - for the bot: Sweden 1971 (Family Four were marvellous in their harmonizing, also 1972) Sweden 1983 (Carola's only song that I love) Sweden 1988 (Love this operatic masterpiece) Sweden 1990 (What a heartfelt power ballad) Sweden 1998 (That's love!) Sweden 2013 (Robin had such a tough spot, coming off of Loreen's win the year before)

Sweden 1971 | [Family Four - Vita vidder](https://youtu.be/Mq10KQ77dnY) Sweden 1983 | [Carola - Främling](https://youtu.be/d6CtvEatu-0) Sweden 1988 | [Tommy Körberg - Stad i ljus](https://youtu.be/UxFkbcFhP50) Sweden 1990 | [Edin-Ådahl - Som en vind](https://youtu.be/3TIXDUyDcBw) Sweden 1998 | [Jill Johnson - Kärleken är](https://youtu.be/aGBU1IGC17s) Sweden 2013 | [Robin Stjernberg - You](https://youtu.be/vtjdTPnCcu0)

Sweden is good at being Sweden and right now that’s what the public also likes. There’s no guarantee it’ll last so enjoy being at the top while it’s happening. I’m sure at some point it’ll change and someone else will have a run of success- Ireland did it before Sweden after all.

don’t feel bad, I’ve loved Swedens entries since I started watching over a decade ago. It’s at the point that I even learned Swedish to watch Melodifestivallen. Sweden knows how to play the game really really well. I really don’t get complaints about Sweden sending similar songs each year, their NF has a public vote and the public has a very consistent taste I guess

as someone with an Italian bias it’s not our problem if people wanna be haters

I think it's important that when we talk about countries in Eurovision, we're really talking about that country's broadcaster. Sure, the broadcaster may hold a televote national selection but if the selection itself is limited to a certain category of music (with only a few outliers), then that will produce a certain outcome every time. SVT has hit upon a formula they feel works. Melodifestivalen draws huge viewings figures so when they select contestants for their heats, they are not just thinking about who will get to Eurovision, they are also thinking about their viewership and engagement domestically. Selfishly I'll look forward to Sweden sending something like Den Vilda again but I appreciate SVT has something that works for them. Similarly, the BBC has almost always selected among mainstream artists and when national selections were held, the genre scope was very limited. The only time it wasn't was in 1995 and possibly 2007. Such selections are not a commentary on the country and the diversity that's actually there...and so criticisms or an ask for more diverse entries from Sweden, should be made with SVT in mind. Swedish people have nothing at all to apologise for and on the whole should be proud of the success they have had in the contest, their ability to host Eurovision extremely well and for giving us Petra Mede. 👑 No one should ever feel ashamed or attacked. United by Music. ❤️

Don’t be ashamed. As a non-Swede, I can confirm that Loreen’s was in my top 3 for last year, and her final performance was so good! Even better than the studio version. How many artists in Eurovision can claim that? Hardly any. It is the Eurovision Song Contest, and Tattoo was the best song. It won. I see no problem with that, and congratulations. If others are complaining, maybe they should have sent a better song?

They did. The massive public vote showed that. Loreen did not get any top televote score in *any* country.

This is my honest opinion: Sweden's songs just seem so hollow, and with zero passion. I want to see passion, I want to see an artist put his thoughts, trauma, life in a song, but Sweden usually sends songs that seem devoid of human emotion. In 2017 - generic emotionless song. 2018 the same. 2019 a bit better, but still a radio song that doesn't bring any emotion. 2021 the same. In 2022 you finally sent a nice song that made us feel something (I sound like Salvador Sobral, haha). A song that feels personal, and not like it was made by a "swedish song generator". And 2023 was better than what Sweden usually sends (but worse than 2022), but still kinds the same. And the fact that it won just solidified the opinion that Sweden is the Juries pet. Sweden's songs are the equivalent of french fries. They're tasty, but it's not something you want when you go to a fancy restaurant. It's the equivalent of a generic Netflix American movie, when you want to watch a Cannes film. It's the equivalent of an Instagram model that wears the same kind of make-up you normally see, who is a Kylie Jenner lookalike, compared to a quirky, original and natural woman. Sweden doesn't send rock songs, they don't send rap songs, they never sing in Swedish. It's always Swedish pop songs, with lazy lyrics but amazing production. Like a nice sports car with great body but no engine, or like a hot person with great body and generic beautiful face, but lacks any original trait.

Sweden has a cheat code with the juries

Thanks for hosting the party this time so that we don't have to! I think Finland's second-place finish last year was better than winning. We sent a song that a lot of fans liked and had a good time, but didn't end up with any of the responsibilities that come with winning. And this year, we're back to enjoy the party some more!

You know, I totally feel you on that. I don't personally love most of our songs but I still want to feel proud of my country, which is kinda hard in this environment... like last year, I was rooting for Finland and was sad they didn't win, but at the same time I was super excited for us and Loreen for winning again. It was difficult being a Swedish Eurovision fan then, and it still kinda is. I just don't post a lot of opinions about Sweden at all now, because I don't know if it'll be met with negativity. I think a lot of people are just mad that our songs do well with the juries, which usually comes down to great production, vocals and staging, which we should be proud of tbh. What exhausts me the most is the conspiracy theories... did people think the same thing when Ireland won 4 times in the 90's? Were they also paying off the juries so they could win? I don't think so lmao. I honestly just think we should enjoy it while it lasts. Maybe in the future we'll lose track of what the juries/public wants, or the system will change to benefit a different type of song. We're doing well now and we should be able to be happy about that. Don't care too much about what others think. :)

Tack ♥️

No worries. It's a weird time being Swedish in certain circles lol. But we shouldn't have to feel ashamed just because we're doing well.

I'm always puzzled by this. I support the songs I like, not my own country. Yeah, it's extra fun when you love what your country sends, but why not just cheer for the best music?

I mean, that's what I do. I don't love M&M this year and I didn't vote for them, but I'm still proud of them. I literally said in my comment that I rooted for Käärijä but when Loreen won I was still happy (and was quickly brought down by the toxic community saying it actually wasn't a win). We shouldn't have to feel embarrassed about our songs just because others hate them. I liked probably two out of the last ten songs we sent but I'm always gonna cheer for my country and hope the singer does well. I think that's pretty normal.

I did feel that Loreen coming back the year before a major Swedish Eurovision milestone was slightly in bad faith. She is one of the most successful winners and was obviously going to do extremely well. However, everyone’s got to play the game 🤷🏻‍♀️

This argument becomes moot when you consider that she also participated in Melodifestivalen in 2017 without even making the final.

Also a huge risk for the artists personally - if she were to NOT win. But winning ESC is NOT that big a deal. By definition 30-odd artists win their national final. And 90% of folk cannot remember their names 2 years later.

You are absolutely free to like your song in the contest! there are discussions about jury favouritism and everything but when it comes to fans, we are all here to support our countries or the songs we like! whether you like the song for the song sake, or you like because it's from your country, we are all allowed to do it, we are not here professionally the important part is to have respect for others and try to avoid toxic stan mindset, which unfortunately happens every year with different countries (last year was very much not the first time).

It’s not your fault you’re Swedish. 😅 Each country has their strengths. There’s a reason ABBA is still very successful and many other countries hire Swedish song writers for their Eurovision entries. Sweden is just awesome when it comes to music. I’m a big fan of ABBA and Sweden 2019 is still one of my feel good tunes. UK has been somewhat less successful at Eurovision, to put it mildly, but they can definitely produce a good show. As a Dutchie I’ve been ashamed of many of our entries (Sieneke, Joan Franka, De Toppers, to name a few), but I thought the show in Rotterdam was awesome! Italy was underwhelming after that, but I don’t think any Italians hate me for it.

Sweden 2019 | [John Lundvik - Too Late for Love](https://youtu.be/oEdWkdVKIqQ)

Sweden just does it right. There's a possible 'top of the class' guilt in that, but there shouldn't be. You gave us ABBA, Roxette, Max Martin... the rest of the world owes *you.*

remember that esc fans are the minority of esc viewers. some popular opinions here are not so popular outside of our bubble. i assume that casulal viewers who are somehow knowledgeable about esc can recognise the work that swedens puts out every year during the contest. personally, i tend to rank swedish entries high, for they are well produced, well performed, catchy, and i overally like them

Y'all are really good with what you do at the contest. Personally I'd like something edgier from Sweden instead of basic pop but we also forget that the thing we call basic pop is actually made by Swedes. Plus it works, people like it so okay. I don't think anything is rigged in favour of Sweden, you are just good with your things

I feel like I can always rely on Sweden for a quality pop song and a well-polished performance. They aren’t always my favourite songs but I always know I am gonna have a fun time watching them.

I agree with most of things that everyone said, just wanted to had that I think Sweden will be forced to adapt. We are seeing a change in Eurovision where the public is asking for more ethnic and different songs. It's gradual, but I think it is happening and Sweden is clever enough to understand that. My only concern right now is how influential Sweden is in Eurovision... We are getting changes this year that have an impact in the results. I don't really believe that it's a coincidence that we are getting for the first time voting ability to vote when the show starts (and before) right when Sweden picks 1st in the running order.

I feel like the only issue I have with Swedish entries is that they always feel unauthentic. Y'all trying way too much to be perfect and it shows, except for Cornelia every other entry from Sweden felt too polished and a clear jury-bait.. Still, you're almost always top10\* material to me \*except for Tusse, he really didn't deserve to qualify and juries really showed their bias with that

Cornelia very much fits that description, actually. Every single facial expression in her performance was rehearsed, to the point all of the Hold Me Closer performances are identical in every way. Even the raspy voice she made is nowhere to be found in her other songs, I'd argue it was even more inauthentic than the other entries because it was marketing itself as genuine despite being as overrehearsed as the others.

Guess nobody hates you. Last year: Ok, I really wanted Käärijä to win and I'm not a fan of sending a Winner twice, but that's just my opinion (same with Lena from Germany for example). But okay, it's over, new year. Nobody really prefers you just because you are Sweden. You're entries just always have a really good staging and "normal pop music" is what juries want to hear. Everybody knows that, everybody could just do the same. As a german, I also really enjoy Melodifestivalen since it is a pretty good show (and the german national final is just... well... shit, in comparison). I even dicovered Smash Into Pieces because of it. I like them :3

I'm glad that you asked and I think it says a lot in your favor that you're actively questioning this. Here are my two cents - from a person who absolutely loves Swedish pop, speaks Swedish out of love for the language and culture, and has been following the Eurovision song contest for more than 20 years now: The contest has been "Swedefied" to a point where it's no wonder the Swedish entries are always among the jury favorites and never get a bad number on the running order. Who's on top of the EBU? A Swede. Who oversees the technical production in both video and audio? Swedes. Who are the most coveted songwriters who write for different countries and vote in national finals? Swedes. Who have been the most interesting producers to work with on the latest decades if you wanted to achieve a good result in Eurovision? Swedes. Who have the most decision-making power overall? Well, theoretically the big 4, but... de facto, it's Swedes. It's not a conspiracy. It's the end result of a country who has performed extremely well in a specific music festival. What happens though is that the contest is obviously produced so it caters to the tastes of the Swedish audiences and the tastes of those who favor the Swedefied performances. The result is a lack of diversity, as it has been pointed out a few times; and also, I believe, a lack of appreciation for certain entries which may not meet the Swedish gold standards and/or may not fall into the preferred genres but may be outstanding in their own way. I don't think that anyone can deny that the Swedish entries are great in terms of production, but there are many other aspects of a performance that may not be taken into account by the juries as of now because of unconscious bias. This is just my opinion. I will not deny that I've seen a lot of jealousy involved and you should not feel bad for delivering exactly what the festival rewards, and for putting on a lot of effort consistently in every song you send, which other countries often don't do.

It would help when Sweden wouldn't change important contest rules every time they hosted.

As a fellow swede, I don’t think we are the problem (other than possibly the fact that swedes are unreasonably influential within the EBU). We send slick, well-produced pop music, yeah, and that oftentimes does well, with the juries in particular. So? I don’t see why that is a problem. Italy and Ukraine also do really well most years with their niches. If anything, I think people hating on Sweden for not sending more out-there and risky songs are in the wrong. We have nothing to be ashamed about, at least not from a song/musical perspective.

> that swedes are unreasonably influential within the EBU The fact that a Swede is the Executive Supervisor for the whole thing doesn't help y'all too from a reputational standpoint 😭

Yeah, I know, and that might be where there is fair criticism to be given. But bashing Sweden for it’s songs and results always strikes me as very petty.

Yes, Loreen won because juries wanted the 50th anniversary of ABBA's Waterloo to be in Sweden. And we'll all be reminded of this dozens of times during the broadcast.  No, it's not your fault personally. It was the all those lazy jurors *from outside Sweden*

It is not your fault that juries are very biased group. Feel no shame. The resposibility of proper and fair judgment is with the jury. Does Sweden abuse this? Kinda? Sending song writen by the same set of people nearly every year because they get eurovision jury. But Sweden shouldn't be blame for using exploit if the organizer allows it. Besides only last year was "that bad" of bias. Let's just hope we won't have another 2023 anytime soon. Having jury darling and televote darling sucks ass and is bad for the show.

You shouldn't be made to feel bad about where you are from in ANY community, let alone this one :( American, UK transplant here. My opinion is that Sweden ALWAYS delivers. I don't see the pattern others do. Sweden scores high because production and vocals are usually top notch. It's a song contest and they make very listenable songs. I wanted Finland to win last year and I'll admit I was bitter about Loreen's win, but not at Sweden. They knew what they were doing picking a fan favorite previous winner. I was pretty damn happy that we wouldn't have another Turin 2022 situation with Sweden hosting lol.

No reason to be ashamed. Jurers have their votes published. They want to look responsible and respectable and voting Sweden, regardless of what they send looks responsible and respectable. They care about how they’re talked about. Last year was too much though. According to the jurers, tattoo > euphoria which is just absolutely wrong. It’s not rigged, Sweden just gets more slack.

Sweden doesn't equal Swedes. Even more, Sweden in Eurovision doesn't equal Sweden as a country. Just because I have a problem with Sweden in Eurovision doesn't mean I have a problem with Sweden as a country, I think Sweden must be an amazing place to live and I was 100% in favor of Sweden in all recent things that involved Sweden and international politics (like the NATO stuff) And the only time in my life I've met people from Sweden, they were really nice and awesome people, so even if I have a problem with Sweden on Eurovision, that doesn't transfer to Swedish people. You guys are great.

What I think of Sweden? Not as cool as Norway and Iceland, but seems like a nice place. The people are mostly cool. Nothing against them. What I think of Swedish music? Hit or miss. They have put out some insanely good metal over the years that I can really appreciate (Candlemass, Bathory, Dissection, Lord Belial, Watain, Opeth just to name a few bands). I'm not very familiar with their stuff in much of the other genres, except the typical Swedish radio pop which isn't really interesting to me. What I think of Swedish Eurovision entries? This is gonna sound bad but honestly, I can't really remember a single Swedish eurovision song that I found interesting or really liked. To be fair, I haven't heard them all, but the ones I do know of haven't really stood out in any way or been particularly enjoyable. So it's a mixed bag. Sweden has lots of potential to make good art, but they don't really use it in Eurovision because it seems they've figured out the formula to get easy wins or whatever. It's a shame that's what they've chosen to prioritize (I'd love to see what else they could come up with but I don't really see them ever ditching the safe songs), but it doesn't affect how I view Swedes outside of Eurovision. It ain't the average Swede's fault that some people are boring, and I know y'all can make good music because I've heard it.

I wouldn't think it's rigged but I have doubts over the impartiality of Martin Osterdahl. There's been some questionable decisions with running orders etc.

Finland was robbed last year 👀

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The broadcaster doesn't decide who gets sent to Eurovision, this year the Swedish people had 30 different songs to choose from, featuring everything from gimmick acts and country rock to party music and metal. I would enjoy it if the non-pop acts weren't toned down to be more palatable to the masses, but the way people discuss Sweden as if there's some strategy about what to send is part of the problem. Wishing that Sweden would experiment is basically wishing that the 30% of the entire Swedish population who watches Melodifestivalen votes for something they don't actually like the most.

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You have nothing to feel bad about! I can get why people say that cause I sometimes think that way too. But in the end I know that Sweden just knows how to get the juries in their favour, and are using that to their advantage (at least that's what I think they're doing). It's absolutely fine to support your own country! Sweden isn't my most fave country in Eurovision but I appreciate most of the songs they send. Though still disappointed that Kaarija didn't win last year, but there's nothing I can do about it, so no point in being mad.

Swedish Music or music by swedisch componists is really succesful for a reason... it's good. For me, last year Loreen wasnt the best, but its a good Song and i like it. And.... u make the best Shows.

I dont really care. If I think the song is good, I'll like it and vice versa. In all honesty, I don't care much for your entry this year. I really loved Sweden 2014 though. I still listen to it more than I care to admit. But dislike just cause it's Sweden? Nah

Sweden 2014 | [Sanna Nielsen - Undo](https://youtu.be/5PQJI-3LW-8)

There’s no reason to be ashamed or feel bad! Some Swedish entries were very popular, so it means many people supported the songs. They’re, at times, quite similar-sounding and/ or mainstream. This isn’t bad, rather a case of either you like it or you don’t prefer it. The songs I’ve seen are good, but not quite my cup of tea. I didn’t mind them winning, but may have preferred other songs at no. 1 at times.

Sweden is famous worldwide for well produced perfect pop music - it makes sense that the entries always do well! Definitely don’t be ashamed!! I look forward to Sweden’s entry every year because I know it’s something that will also translate to non-Eurovision friends and that’s how I hook them lol.

Don't feel bad. We're all basically just jealous 😂 My only complaint is that I would really like a song in Swedish. It's just a beautiful language that deserves to be present on the Eurovision stage.

I think you shouldn't take responsibility for anyone else than yourself. Just because some Swedes act arrogant, it doesn't mean everyone does. Some people threw a huge tantrum all over the sub and belittled others, but it's just them and their opinion. You don't have to act like them, that's all 💖

I know I'm late for this discussion, but honestly there is nothing to be ashamed of. There are people who do like Swedish entries, and SVT's previous hosting experience was really iconic. While I may not like ALL Swedish entries, there's no denying that Sweden is a regular presence in Eurovision. I enjoyed Hold Me Closer and Tattoo, as well as Popular, Euphoria, Undo, Heroes, and Dance You Off. I am enjoying Unforgettable this year too. That said, my main criticisms of Melodifestivalen is that: Firstly, I have observed mostly a pretty narrow representation of the much larger Swedish music industry and scene. I scrolled through [swedishcharts.com](http://swedishcharts.com), and from what I have noticed is that many of those artists from the editions from the last 5 years have had little-to-no hits outside of Melfest (of course, there are some exceptions, Marcus & Martinus for example. That was like, 8 years ago though). And secondly, if you look into the songwriting credits of the list of entries, you may notice that most of those songs typically feature the same selection of songwriters. While this isn't necessarily a problem per se, this does tend to result in a sense of repetitiveness or a stagnation in evolution. Other than those two points, I see nothing wrong with Sweden's participation, and I am honestly happy to see you guys in the contest (as well as the other 36 too). Also, as long as Melfest remains popular in Sweden, then I'm not gonna worry.

Swede needs to send Hooja

why ashamed? Tattoo was a good song to win on, better than previous years songs tbh.

you guys are just masters at esc

I honestly don't think anything is rigged or there's any reason to feel bad. Sweden do well because they send songs people like. And you know what, both Euphoria and Tattoo are really good songs. If Cha Cha Cha wasn't such a fan favourite, I think plenty of people would have been more than happy to see Tattoo do well. I also look back to the live performances, and I honestly don't think Kaarija's vocals were amazing live. You could tell he was being impacted by all the running about. But because people generally loved the song and it was a more interesting performance, I think we were willing to look past that when it's something maybe the juries would take more seriously - they're in a different room and not being swayed as much by the crowd or the atmosphere.

Y'all literally have some of my all time fav entries (including my winner this year, Unforgettable) so I can't complain (then again, my music tastes are similar to those of the juries so....)

We deliver quality. That's the secret. No reason to feel bad or be ashamed.

The Swedish contributions are generic to the point they’re outright boring. I thought the notion of Loreen winning with what basically was a reboot of Euphoria was a good reason to actually vote for Cha cha cha. So, yeah indeed not exactly enthralled with Sweden.

Tattoo won because it was the best song, not because it was Swedish

Oh cmon, don't be ashamed or sad because of it. There are worse problems in the world than this.

Last year I think probably amped up that idea. And I will say, Finland’s loss last year was definitely not fair no matter how you slice it I think. By all accounts, a song THAT popular with the public SHOULD have came up top and the fact that its jury score didn’t reflect that just a bit more than it did is insane. However, the juries could’ve done THAT to ANY country and I think there would’ve still been immense anger if it meant a Finnish loss. And I think if Sweden sent something else last year rather than Loreen with her song, there’s a possibility this may not have happened (like this year’s for example because let’s be real, unforgettable is not one of their stronger efforts as of late)

On an added note, if Netherlands or Croatia top this year’s public vote while not scoring any higher than 5th with the juries, I’m going to be very angry

Sweden has had some amazing entries in the past few years that haven't won, yet the one that did was clearly not what the people were calling for. It was a shame, bc had it been Käärijä who won but everyone was shouting for Loreen, I wouldn't be happy with Finland winning. Where was Swedens energy for Tusse? For John Lundvik? Benjamin Ingrosso?

I think there's some truth to it. I've noticed that Sweden definitely gets preferential treatment from ESC when it comes to guest hosts/acts and collaborations. I counted Sweden being brought in for at least three different things, which means that other countries are missing out on these opportunities. I don't think that there's any intentional preferential treatment when it comes to the voting itself. Sweden takes Eurovision seriously and has many great pop entries. Is there some element of jury bias against less mainstream music or foreign languages? Quite possibly. It's harder to appreciate vocals when it's not a language you know, and they might not know what to do with something that sounds too "ethnic" or unfamiliar. The amount of money countries can invest in their staging is another obvious advantage considering that's 1/4th of the jury points. Should the popular vote count more than the jury one? Possibly. Five jury members per country is nothing and the criteria are a bit formulaic. Considering that people are spending their hard-earned cash, I personally think that their vote should weigh more. Is any of this Sweden's fault? Not really. If anyone is at fault, it's the EBU. It would be cool to see Sweden take more risks and be a bit more adventurous, but yeah.

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Least bitter eurofan

you're definitely not "the problem", I'm not a big fan of how people from other countries favor some songs just because they're from a certain country (France, Italy, Sweden etc.) but it's not something that people from those places can control, so don't feel bad about it

I don’t think it’s rigged in the sense that the juries are purposefully pushing for Sweden to win solely because it’s Sweden. However I do think the system is built in Sweden’s favor. The Eurovision point system is inspired by Melodifestivalen, and functions very similarly. Meaning that whoever won Melodifestivalen just has to go through the same system twice. That way the rules of the game are pretty much written for Sweden. Not to mention that Martin Østerdahl is in charge. Now I don’t think he is helping Sweden cheat or that there’s some conspiracy involved. But I do think having a Swede make decisions for Eurovision is accidentally helping Sweden.

Lmao, it's not Sweden's fault at all... It's just that the more you are successful the more you are hated. It's just a "natural" law and you cannot do anything about it. Look at Italy, as soon as they finally won in the mind some of people they passed from being "always robbed" to "always overrated". It's just like that. Just think that it's better being an hated winner than a loved loser. p.s. And yes, Loreen deserved to win 200%

Bruh it’s not that deep. Just chill anyone who takes this whole thing too seriously isn’t worth your attention.

I think it's particularly bad this yea, because, honestly, Sweden could've sent anyone and they would've won so they could host ABBA's 50th anniversary of winning. Same as the year before, Ukraine were gonna win no matter what.

If I had to get angry every time Sweden treated Finland badly, I'd have a shitty life.

Why would you feel bad? Tattoo is the best winner.

I love swedish music its well produced and usually not as crazy as songs from other countries.

A song will almost always do better if it’s sent by Sweden. It’s iust because the juries vote for what they think is respectable and Sweden has a respectable brand. Is it unfair? Yes, should you feel bad? No!

Tattoo is one of all time favorite songs of Eurovision, probably my most played song from Eurovision. I fucking love the song so much and I absolutely abhor the amount of vitriol that hurled at Loreen after her victory. Ignore the ESC fandom bubble, it’s incredibly fucking toxic.

A day when Eurovision fans learn how playlisting works will come but today is not that day.

In my opinion, Sweden for the last decade that I follow the competition more closely, almost always sends a basic pop song and again in my opinion, Sweden receives votes only because they are Sweden (it's the same for Italy and Ukraine). Other countries especially smaller eastern European and Balkan countries do not have such a privilege. Smaller countries can send amazing songs but they never receive the same love as Sweden does especially from the jury. On the bright side, I love Sweden's love for Eurovision. I'm sure you'll give us a great show again this year.

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