2024-05-07 20:42:11
Should Germany continue to take part in the Eurovision Song Contest, even if the rankings are underground? But of course!
Now let’s put some butter on the fish: The rankings of the German ESC participants have been pretty underground in recent years – not to mention singer Michael Schulte’s fourth place in 2018. Several last places, occasionally a second to last place.
This inevitably leads to discussions: Should Germany continue to take part in Europe’s largest music competition in the future? After all, participation last year cost almost half a million euros. Most other countries pay significantly less – and regularly score more points than Germany. But that shouldn’t really matter. Germany must continue to be part of the Eurovision Song Contest spectacle – even if the rankings are pitiful.
No preliminary decision for the NDR
However, a lot has to change for this to happen. First of all, the NDR should no longer host a preliminary decision. He’s been doing this almost non-stop since 1996 – and uses the toilet with great regularity. This was followed by candidates whose songs were immediately forgotten after the last notes of their contributions had faded away. And accordingly it was often said: “Zero Points for Germany” – and rightly so.
The slightly outdated public broadcaster should be replaced by music editorial teams that regularly feature artists who are in tune with the times in their shows. The ProSieben heads Joko and Klaas are ideal for this, as is the ZDF magazine Royale with Jan Böhmermann, whose editorial team proves time and again that their music contributions can be surprising and high quality.
A collaboration between private television and a public broadcaster was already successful in 2010, when Stefan Raab and NDR sent Lena Meyer-Landrut to the competition in Oslo – and brought victory to Germany.
German artists deserve to participate in the ESC
The German music landscape is interesting and diverse beyond the radio mainstream. No matter whether rap, metal or punk – there are many artists who could represent Germany with interesting contributions at the ESC. They deserve to be elevated to the very big European level.
To do this, however, the organizer of a preliminary decision would have to show courage. An artist like Paula Hartmann would certainly have a chance on the international ESC stage with her interesting mix of pop and hard rap beats. Kora Winter play a mixture of hardcore punk, rock and rap, with which they can also rock the big stages.
Simply to give these artists the chance to compete internationally with others, Germany should remain part of the Eurovision Song Contest. What is around 500,000 euros that Germany spent on participation last year? Tax money is being wasted on a larger scale for other projects.
Nobody likes sore losers!
In conclusion, Germany should not be seen as a sore loser. The eternal debate about an end to German participation allows for exactly this interpretation: you lose a few years at the ESC, the howling is loud and withdrawal from the competition is discussed. Only bad losers think like that!
Instead, Germany should return to the strong artists mentioned above and, after a likely lower place in 2024, attack the ESC victory in 2025 with creativity, enthusiasm for the competition and a better attitude! In this respect, the answer to the question of whether Germany should continue to take part in the ESC can only be: Yes, of course!