OGAE_Second_Chance_Contest
The OGAE Second Chance Contest is an annual competition organized by OGAE, the international fan club network dedicated to the Eurovision Song Contest (ESC), designed to give a "second chance" to songs that competed in national ESC selection processes but failed to win or qualify for the international final.[1][2] Established in 1987, the contest emerged as a way for Eurovision enthusiasts to celebrate and promote overlooked entries from public national selections involving at least two songs, fostering greater appreciation for the diverse music and artists in the ESC ecosystem.[2][3] Over its nearly four-decade history, it has grown into a key fan-driven event parallel to the ESC, with participating OGAE branches—typically around 20 to 25 per edition—each submitting one eligible song from their country's recent national final.[4][3] The format mirrors aspects of the Eurovision Song Contest, featuring a visual presentation of entries often compiled into a recap video, followed by voting from OGAE clubs and sometimes guest juries, who award points on a 12-10-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1 scale to their top ten songs.[4][2] The winning song is announced during a grand final event hosted by a rotating OGAE branch, as seen in the 2025 edition organized by OGAE Italy in Florence.[4][5] Eligibility strictly requires songs to be original entries from public national selections that did not advance to represent their country at Eurovision, emphasizing promotion of performers, composers, and lyricists who might otherwise be forgotten.[1] Sweden holds the record for the most victories with 19 wins as of 2025, including four in the last six years (2020, 2022, 2023, and 2025), underscoring the country's strong presence in both national selections and fan voting.[2][4] Notable past winners include Italy's Annalisa in 2018 with "Il mondo prima di te," which set a points record at the time, and retrospective editions dating back to 1970 that have highlighted classics like ABBA's 1973 entry "Ring Ring."[3] The 2025 contest, marking its 39th edition, was won by Sweden's Klara Hammarström with "On and On and On," earning 348 points from 25 participating countries and reinforcing the event's role in spotlighting high-caliber tracks like those from Melodifestivalen or Italy's Sanremo Music Festival.[4][2]Overview
Purpose and organization
The OGAE Second Chance Contest is an annual fan-voted event organized by OGAE International, designed to give a "second chance" to songs from national selections for the Eurovision Song Contest that failed to qualify for the final or were not selected as the country's entry.[1][6] This contest highlights tracks from public national preselection processes, ensuring they receive additional visibility among Eurovision enthusiasts.[7] The primary objective is to promote the music, performers, authors of music, and lyricists involved in these national selections, fostering appreciation for overlooked talent within the Eurovision community.[1][7] OGAE International, the global fan organization dedicated to the Eurovision Song Contest, oversees the event through its network of national branches.[8] Participation is restricted to fully paid-up active or associate member clubs, with each eligible branch nominating one song from its country's public selection process that meets specific criteria, such as originating from a transparent contest with at least two competing entries.[6] Coordination is handled by a designated Contest Coordinator appointed by the OGAE International Bureau, who maintains the rules, sets operational guidelines, and resolves any disputes with final authority.[6] The coordinator announces the timeline by the end of March each year and appoints a host club—typically the previous year's winner—to manage logistics.[6] The standard schedule includes entry announcements in July, a voting period from 1 July to 31 August, and results revealed no later than 30 September, allowing for a structured progression that aligns with post-Eurovision fan engagement.[7][9]Relation to Eurovision Song Contest
The OGAE Second Chance Contest aligns closely with the Eurovision Song Contest (ESC) calendar, taking place annually in the summer and early autumn following the national selection processes for the previous ESC edition but prior to the subsequent year's event. This timing allows it to feature songs that participated in those selections without advancing to represent their countries at the ESC, providing a platform during the off-season between contests.[7] Entries in the contest must originate from televised public national selections intended for the relevant year's ESC, requiring a minimum of two competing songs in an open and transparent process, excluding internal or closed selections where songs were not publicly revealed before the winner's announcement. This criterion ensures that participating tracks are genuine runners-up or non-qualifiers from processes like Sweden's Melodifestivalen or Italy's Sanremo Music Festival, mirroring the competitive structure of ESC national finals.[7] Unlike the official ESC, which is organized by the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) and features only national winners in a commercial, broadcast event, the OGAE Second Chance Contest is entirely fan-driven and non-commercial, coordinated by OGAE fan clubs without any EBU affiliation. It employs similar visual elements to the ESC, such as music videos or live performance clips submitted by participating clubs, to promote the songs under fair use principles for artistic support.[1] The contest highlights overlooked talent from these national selections, often spotlighting strong entries that narrowly missed ESC qualification and gained subsequent recognition. For instance, Sweden's Klara Hammarström won the 2025 edition with "On and On and On," earning 348 points from 25 participating countries; the track from Melodifestivalen had finished fourth in the national final, demonstrating how the event can elevate performers from prominent selections like Sanremo, where Italy's overlooked songs have also competed and drawn international fan attention.[2][4][10]History
Inception and early contests (1987–1990s)
The OGAE Second Chance Contest originated in 1987 as a fan-driven initiative organized by the international Eurovision fan club OGAE, initially under the name "Europe's Favourite." It was founded by four participating branches—those from the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, and the United Kingdom—to provide a platform for songs that had competed in national Eurovision selections but failed to qualify for the main contest.[11][12] In its early format, participating OGAE branches submitted entries from their country's national final; the inaugural edition featured two entries per branch, while subsequent years typically saw one entry per branch, and voting was conducted through national juries composed of club members who awarded points in a Eurovision-style system to their preferred songs. The inaugural edition, held in Huizen, Netherlands, featured these eight entries, with Sweden's Arja Saijonmaa winning via her song "Högt över havet," establishing an early pattern of Swedish dominance. Subsequent years saw modest growth, with participation remaining limited to under 10 countries through much of the 1990s, focusing on a simple poll-based system without visual elements.[11][12][13] Key developments in the late 1980s and 1990s included the introduction of guest juries in 1993 from non-participating OGAE clubs such as those in France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Luxembourg, and Spain, which broadened the voting pool and added diversity to the process. By the mid-1990s, the contest shifted to a more formalized Eurovision-style voting mechanism, where juries ranked all entries to distribute points, enhancing fairness and engagement among the growing but still modest number of participants. Early winners highlighted the contest's Nordic and Western European focus, with Sweden securing victories in 1987, 1988 (Lena Philipsson's "Om igen"), and 1990 (Carola's "Mitt i ett äventyr"), alongside Denmark's win in 1989 by Lecia Jönsson with "Landet Camelot."[11][12]Expansion and format changes (2000s–present)
In the 2000s, the OGAE Second Chance Contest experienced steady growth in participation, expanding from 21 competing branches in 2000 to 24 by 2005, reflecting the broader proliferation of OGAE fan clubs across Europe and beyond.[14][15] By the 2010s, this number had increased further, with up to 22 countries participating in editions such as 2011, driven by the inclusion of new OGAE branches from emerging Eurovision nations like Croatia, Estonia, and Turkey.[16] This expansion paralleled the overall growth of OGAE International, which now encompasses 42 active member clubs worldwide, enabling more diverse representation in the contest. A significant format change occurred at the turn of the millennium, with the introduction in 1999 of a rule restricting entries to songs exclusively from televised national finals, a policy that carried into the 2000s and aimed to standardize selections and enhance visibility for high-profile non-winners.[7] This eligibility criterion was further refined in subsequent rulebooks to emphasize open, transparent national selection processes involving at least two competing songs, ensuring the contest's focus on genuine Eurovision runners-up.[6] The shift to the digital era began in the mid-2000s with the adoption of online voting platforms, allowing OGAE branches to submit votes electronically rather than solely through postal or in-person methods, which streamlined the process for an increasingly global membership.[15] By 2010, results announcements were broadcast via live internet streams, marking a full transition to digital dissemination and boosting accessibility for fans worldwide.[16] In the 2020s, rulebooks formalized copyright guidelines, requiring clubs to adhere to fair use principles for promotional materials like video entries, thereby addressing legal concerns in an era of widespread online sharing.[6] Recent developments have emphasized procedural stability amid external challenges, including the COVID-19 pandemic, during which the contest maintained its annual schedule without interruption from 2020 onward, adapting through virtual voting and remote result reveals.[17] The 2021 rulebook update mandated a minimum 30-day voting period for the Second Chance Contest, extending from July 1 to August 31 with results by September 30, to ensure thorough member engagement and fairness.[18] Participation reached 25 clubs in the 2025 edition, hosted by OGAE Italy, highlighting continued expansion with debuts like Luxembourg, while upholding core rules on entry formats and scoring.[9]Format and rules
Eligibility criteria
The eligibility criteria for the OGAE Second Chance Contest ensure that participating songs are drawn exclusively from the non-winning entries of national selections for the Eurovision Song Contest (ESC), promoting transparency and fan engagement with public processes. Songs must originate from an open, public national selection process for the relevant year's ESC, involving at least two competing entries, and must not have been selected or disqualified for the ESC itself.[7] Furthermore, these songs cannot have previously participated in the ESC.[6] Participation is limited to official OGAE International active or associate member clubs from countries that took part in the ESC, with each eligible branch submitting one entry selected internally by its members from their nation's qualifying national final.[7] Clubs from countries without a public national selection process may vote as guest juries but cannot submit entries, while OGAE Rest of the World can nominate songs from nations lacking a dedicated club.[18] In cases like Germany, multiple clubs must consolidate into a single entry and unified vote.[6] Exclusions apply to songs from internal or closed selections by broadcasters, such as those directly chosen without public competition, as well as entries from non-ESC years or non-televised processes not publicly revealed before the winner's announcement.[7] Remixes or altered versions are prohibited; submissions must use the original performance recording from the national selection, preferably a live video, or an official clip if unavailable, with host club approval for alternatives like audio.[18] Regarding copyright and fair use, all participating clubs and the organizing club must adhere to applicable laws and regulations, utilizing publicly available clips solely for promotional purposes on a fair use basis without requiring new recordings.[7] This approach supports artist promotion while respecting intellectual property rights.[6]Voting and scoring system
The voting in the OGAE Second Chance Contest is restricted to member clubs of OGAE, ensuring participation from qualified fan branches.[18] Each participating OGAE branch and guest jury submits votes for their top 10 favorite entries, awarding points in the standard Eurovision format of 12, 10, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, and 1; branches are prohibited from voting for their own entry to maintain impartiality.[18] Votes are cast via online ballots during the designated window from July 1 to August 31 each year.[7] Guest juries, including OGAE clubs from countries without an eligible entry such as those lacking a public national selection process that year or Rest of the World, have contributed to the voting since 1993 to broaden representation.[19] The winner is determined by summing all points received across votes, with rankings based on these totals. In the event of a tie for first place, the entry receiving the most 12-point votes prevails, following established Eurovision tie-breaking procedures; other ties result in shared positions.[18] Results are to be announced no later than September 30 according to the rules, hosted by a rotating OGAE branch either virtually through a results video or in-person, including a complete breakdown of points from all voters, though the 2025 edition was revealed on October 4.[18][2]Special editions
Retrospective Second Chance Contest
The Retrospective Second Chance Contest is a special edition of the OGAE Second Chance Contest that focuses on revisiting songs from Eurovision national finals prior to 1987, providing a platform to reevaluate overlooked entries that failed to qualify for the main event.[20] Initiated in 2003 through the sechuk.com platform by an OGAE enthusiast, it operates as an annual periodic event, progressing backward through Eurovision history one year at a time, starting with 1986 songs in its inaugural edition, reaching the 1970s by the late 2010s, and by 2025 having progressed to the 1966 national finals.[20] Unlike the standard contest, it is not linked to the current Eurovision Song Contest cycle, instead emphasizing archival celebration and education about the contest's early eras, highlighting "classics" from national selections across Europe.[3] In terms of format, OGAE branches nominate one song per club from the national finals of the designated historical year, adhering to eligibility criteria similar to the main contest—entries must have been runners-up or non-qualifiers, excluding those that advanced to Eurovision.[20] Voting follows an adapted version of the standard system, with participating juries awarding points from 1 to 12 to their top selections, culminating in a results reveal that crowns a single winner for the retrospective year.[20] Thematic constraints limit submissions to the specific year under review, often drawing from 1980s and 1990s archives initially, with audiovisual materials sourced from historical records to facilitate fan engagement.[3] This structure encourages exploration of pre-2000s Eurovision heritage, fostering discussions on how national selections evolved. Key events include the 2003 launch, which featured 13 entries from 22 clubs voting on 1986 national final songs, setting the template for subsequent editions that grew to include up to 29 juries by the 2010s.[20] Notable winners exemplify its aim to spotlight legacy entries, such as Sweden's ABBA with "Ring Ring" for the 1973 retrospective (held in 2016), which underscored the contest's role in reviving iconic non-qualifiers, and the United Kingdom's Olivia Newton-John with "Have Love, Will Travel" for 1974 (held in 2017), highlighting cross-Atlantic influences in early Eurovision.[3] Other significant victories include Italy's Marcella Bella with "Montagne Verdi" for 1972 (held in 2018) and Germany's Marianne Rosenberg with "Er Gehört Zu Mir" for 1975 (held in 2014), demonstrating the contest's emphasis on overlooked continental gems.[3] By progressing through decades, these events have built a comprehensive retrospective archive, with the United Kingdom securing multiple wins (e.g., 1980, 1981, 1974) to illustrate national dominance in certain eras.[3] This edition differs fundamentally from the annual Second Chance Contest by decoupling from contemporary national finals, instead serving an archival and nostalgic purpose that educates participants on Eurovision's formative years without the pressure of real-time qualification stakes.[20]Guest Jury Hits
The Guest Jury Hits contest emerged in 2004 as a companion to the OGAE Second Chance Retro, enabling broader participation by inviting guest juries from countries without Eurovision national selections to contribute songs outside the typical non-qualifier framework.[21] This variant focuses on popular hit songs released in the retrospective year, rather than Eurovision-related entries, allowing OGAE clubs from non-participating nations to select and vote on tracks that represent their country's music heritage from that era.[22] It runs parallel to the main Retro event, with each producing its own winner, and has been held annually since inception to complement the core Second Chance structure.[21] In terms of mechanics, participating guest juries—typically OGAE fan clubs from regions like the Rest of the World or specific non-Eurovision countries—nominate one hit song per club from the designated year, ensuring no Eurovision affiliation.[22] Voting occurs among these juries using a system similar to the main contest, where each awards points (12, 10, 8, etc.) to their top preferences, culminating in a separate results reveal.[21] For instance, in the 2015 edition covering 1974, over 120 songs across genres like rock, pop, and easy listening were submitted, narrowed to 24 finalists, with Carl Douglas's "Kung Fu Fighting" emerging as the winner after jury deliberation.[21] These votes are weighted equally to foster inclusivity, integrating seamlessly with the overall Retro scoring without overriding fan club inputs from participating nations.[20] Notable instances highlight the contest's prestige within OGAE circles, particularly Italy's dominance with six victories between 1977 and 1983, including five consecutive wins and standout performances like Ricchi e Poveri's "Sarà Perché Ti Amo" in 1981, which secured 330 points and 23 maximum scores.[22] Other highlights include Sweden's 1976 win with ABBA's "Fernando," and Italy's 1980 triumph with Umberto Tozzi's "Stella Stai." In the 2014 edition, "Only Yesterday" by The Carpenters represented the Rest of the World jury and clinched victory, demonstrating the contest's appeal for global music sharing.[21] These outcomes have influenced fan discussions by spotlighting overlooked hits, often reshaping perceptions of national music legacies in Eurovision-adjacent communities. For example, the 2025 edition covering 1966 saw France win the Guest Jury Hits with an entry drawing votes from multiple guest nations.[23] The primary purpose of Guest Jury Hits is to bridge gaps in participation, predating broader Eurovision jury expansions and encouraging professional-like input from diverse OGAE branches to balance fan-driven selections with cultural representation.[24] By focusing on non-Eurovision hits, it adds a layer of fun and educational value, allowing juries to showcase influential tracks that might otherwise be absent from retrospective analyses, thereby enriching the OGAE Second Chance ecosystem without altering core eligibility rules.[20]Results and winners
List of winners
The OGAE Second Chance Contest has crowned a winner annually since its inception in 1987, featuring songs that failed to qualify from their respective national Eurovision selections. The results show is typically hosted by the OGAE branch of the previous year's winning country.[11]| Year | Winning Country | Artist | Song Title | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1987 | Sweden | Arja Saijonmaa | Högt över havet | 24 |
| 1988 | Sweden | Lena Philipsson | Om igen | 63 |
| 1989 | Denmark | Lecia Jønsson | Landet Camelot | 72 |
| 1990 | Sweden | Carola | Mitt i ett äventyr | 119 |
| 1991 | Sweden | Pernilla Wahlgren | Tvillingsjäl | 106 |
| 1992 | Norway | Wenche Myhre | Du skal få din dag i morgen | 78 |
| 1993 | Norway | Merethe Trøan | Din egen stjerne | 188 |
| 1994 | Sweden | Gladys Del Pilar | Det vackraste jag vet | 176 |
| 1995 | Sweden | Cecilia Vennersten | Det vackraste | 129 |
| 1996 | Sweden | Lotta Engberg | Juliette & Jonathan | 152 |
| 1997 | Italy | Anna Oxa | Storie | 165 |
| 1998 | Netherlands | Nurlaila | Alsof je bij me bent | 192 |
| 1999 | Turkey | Feryal Başel | Unuttuğumu Sandığım Anda | 164 |
| 2000 | Finland | Anna Eriksson | Oot voimani mun | 177 |
| 2001 | Sweden | Barbados | Allt som jag ser | 252 |
| 2002 | Spain | David Bisbal | Corazón latino | 203 |
| 2003 | Sweden | Alcazar | Not a Sinner Nor a Saint | 215 |
| 2004 | Spain | Davinia | Mi obsesión | 192 |
| 2005 | Sweden | Alcazar | Alcastar | 201 |
| 2006 | Slovenia | Saša Lendero | Mandoline | 201 |
| 2007 | Sweden | Måns Zelmerlöw | Cara Mia | 252 |
| 2008 | Sweden | Sanna Nielsen | Empty Room | 268 |
| 2009 | Denmark | Hera Björk | Someday | 257 |
| 2010 | Sweden | Timoteij | Kom | 267 |
| 2011 | Iceland | Yohanna | Nótt | 224 |
| 2012 | Spain | Pastora Soler | Tu vida es tu vida | 201 |
| 2013 | Norway | Adelén | Bombo | 151 |
| 2014 | Sweden | Helena Paparizou | Survivor | 259 |
| 2015 | Italy | Nek | Fatti avanti amore | 305 |
| 2016 | Poland | Margaret | Cool Me Down | 277 |
| 2017 | Sweden | Mariette | A Million Years | 329 |
| 2018 | Italy | Annalisa | Il mondo prima di te | 350 |
| 2019 | France | Seemone | Tous les deux | 294 |
| 2020 | Sweden | Anna Bergendahl | Kingdom Come | 344 |
| 2021 | Norway | KEiiNO | Monument | 441 |
| 2022 | Sweden | Medina | In i dimman | 316 |
| 2023 | Sweden | Marcus & Martinus | Air | 322 |
| 2024 | Italy | Annalisa | Sinceramente | 364 |
| 2025 | Sweden | Klara Hammarström | On and On and On | 348 |
Winning countries statistics
Sweden has dominated the OGAE Second Chance Contest since its inception in 1987, securing 19 victories as of the 2025 edition, far ahead of any other nation. Italy follows with 4 wins, while Norway has achieved 3. Other countries with multiple triumphs include Spain (3) and Denmark (2), with single victories for France, Poland, Slovenia, Iceland (as Rest of the World), Finland, Turkey, and the Netherlands. The full distribution of wins by country is summarized below:| Country | Number of Wins |
|---|---|
| Sweden | 19 |
| Italy | 4 |
| Norway | 3 |
| Spain | 3 |
| Denmark | 2 |
| Finland | 1 |
| France | 1 |
| Iceland (ROW) | 1 |
| Netherlands | 1 |
| Poland | 1 |
| Slovenia | 1 |
| Turkey | 1 |