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Jahn Teigen

Jahn Teigen at the 1978 contest, said to be the most famous "nul pointer" of all

"Nul Points" is considered to be the most famous phenomenon of the Eurovision Song Contest. The term refers to an entry (or entries) that fails to earn a single point. It is often preceded by the words "the dreaded", as it is the one score that every country is determined to avoid getting.

To date, there have been 41 victims of the score of "Nul Points", with 4 entries failing to get a single point in the semi-finals and 37 in the grand final. 18 other entries got zero points on one half of the split vote system (12 in the Grand Final, 6 in the semi-finals).

Belgium was the first ever country to receive "Nul Points" in 1962. The most unfortunate victims are Norway and Austria, having each scored "Nul Points" 4 times. If the semi-finals are counted, Switzerland has also received "Nul Points" on 4 occasions.

From 2016 onwards, it was deemed almost impossible to attain "Nul Points" in the Grand Final due to the new voting system. Despite this, the United Kingdom received "Nul Points" in 2021.

Grand Final[]

Year Country Artist Song Notes
1962 Flag of Belgium Belgium Fud Leclerc Ton nom First victim due to being early in the running order, and also the first time one of the founding seven countries receives "Nul Points".
Flag of Spain Spain Victor Balaguer Llámame First time that a country that is now part of the Big Five receives "Nul Points".
Flag of Austria Austria Eleonore Schwarz Nur in der Wiener Luft Austria's first "Nul Points".
Flag of The Netherlands The Netherlands De Spelbrekers Katinka The Netherlands' first "Nul Points".
1963 Flag of The Netherlands The Netherlands Annie Palmen Een speeldoos First time a country received "Nul Points" in consecutive years, and the first time a country gets "Nul Points" twice.
Flag of Norway Norway Anita Thallaug Solhverv Norway's first "Nul Points".
Flag of Finland Finland Laila Halme Muistojeni laulu Finland's first "Nul Points".
Flag of Sweden Sweden Monica Zetterlund En gång i Stockholm Sweden's first "Nul Points". This marks one of only two occasions in which Sweden finishes last.
1964 Flag of Germany Germany Nora Nova Man gewöhnt sich so schnell an das Schöne Germany's first "Nul Points". This marks the third consecutive year that four entries received "Nul Points".
Flag of Portugal Portugal António Calvário Oração First time a debut entry receives "Nul Points", and by extension, Portugal's first "Nul Points".
Flag of Yugoslavia Yugoslavia Sabahudin Kurt Život je sklopio krug Yugoslavia's first "Nul Points", and marks the only time they finished in last.
Flag of Switzerland Switzerland Anita Traversi I miei pensieri Switzerland's first "Nul Points". Marks the first time a previous performer receives "Nul Points".
1965 Flag of Spain Spain Conchita Bautista ¡Qué bueno, qué bueno! Marks the fourth consecutive year that four entries received "Nul Points".
Flag of Germany Germany Ulla Wiesner Paradies, wo bist du?
Flag of Belgium Belgium Lize Marke Als het weer lente is
Flag of Finland Finland Viktor Klimenko Aurinko laskee länteen
1966 Flag of Monaco Monaco Téréza Bien plus fort Monaco's first, and only "Nul Points". Marks the first year since 1961 that less than four countries received "Nul Points".
Flag of Italy Italy Domenico Modugno Dio, come ti amo Italy's first "Nul Points", and marks the first time Italy finishes last.
1967 Flag of Switzerland Switzerland Géraldine Gaulier Quel cœur vas-tu briser?
1970 Flag of Luxembourg Luxembourg David Alexandre Winter Je suis tombé du ciel Luxembourg's first and only "Nul Points". Marks the last time an entrant received "Nul Points" on the older, pre-"Douze Points" voting system.
1978 Flag of Norway Norway Jahn Teigen Mil Etter Mil Marks the first time an entry received "Nul Points" in the "Douze Points" scoring system. Ironically, the song became a huge hit in Norway, dubbing Teigen the most famous "nul pointer" of all time.
1981 Flag of Norway Norway Finn Kalvik Aldri i livet
1982 Flag of Finland Finland Kojo Nuku pommiin Second year in a row and the third time in 4 years a Nordic country receives "Nul Points".
1983 Flag of Spain Spain Remedios Amaya ¿Quién maneja mi barca? First time in the new voting system where multiple entries receive "Nul Points", and the first time since 1966.
Flag of Turkey Türkiye Çetin Alp & The Short Waves Opera Türkiye's first "Nul Points"
1987 Flag of Turkey Türkiye Seyyal Taner & Locomotif Şarkım Sevgi Üstüne
1988 Flag of Austria Austria Wilfried Scheutz Lisa, Mona Lisa
1989 Flag of Iceland Iceland Daníel Ágúst Haraldsson Það sem enginn sér Iceland's first "Nul Points".
1991 Flag of Austria Austria Thomas Forstner Venedig im Regen Austria receives "Nul Points" for the second time in 3 years. The artist finished in the top 5 only 2 years prior.
1994 Flag of Lithuania Lithuania Ovidijus Vyšniauskas Lopšinė mylimai Second time a country's debut receives "Nul Points".
1997 Flag of Norway Norway Tor Endresen San Francisco Most recent time a Nordic country has received "Nul Points", with Norway achieving the feat for a record fourth time.
Flag of Portugal Portugal Célia Lawson Antes do adeus The first time since 1983 that two countries received "Nul Points".
1998 Flag of Switzerland Switzerland Gunvor Guggisberg Lass' ihn
2003 Flag of United Kingdom United Kingdom Jemini Cry Baby The UK's first "Nul Points", and marks the first time the UK finishes last. It is the first English-language song to receive "Nul Points". The duo was extensively mocked by British media, leading to their split.
2015 Flag of Austria Austria The Makemakes I Am Yours First time since 2003 that a country received "Nul Points" in the final and became the first host entry to receive "Nul Points". This marks the fourth Austrian entry to receive "Nul Points", tying Norway's record set in 1997.
Flag of Germany Germany Ann Sophie Black Smoke Germany's first "Nul Points" since 1965. It is also the first time since 1997 that two countries received "Nul Points".
2021 Flag of United Kingdom United Kingdom James Newman Embers First time an entry receives "Nul Points" under the split-vote scoring system, failing to receive a single point from the televote and jury vote.

Semi-Finals[]

Year Country Singer(s) Song Notes
2004 Flag of Switzerland Switzerland Piero and the MusicStars Celebrate First entry to receive Nul Points in the semi-finals.
2009 Flag of Czech Republic Czechia Gipsy.cz Aven Romale Czechia's first brush with "Nul Points" prompted them to take a leave of absence from the competition, not returning until 2015.
2023 Flag of Romania Romania Theodor Andrei D.G.T. (Off and On) Romania's first brush with "Nul Points" marked the first instance of "Nul Points" since the semi-finals in 2009.
Flag of San Marino San Marino Piqued Jacks Like an Animal San Marino's first and currently only brush with "Nul Points".

50:50 split[]

Grand Final[]

  • Echo (You and I) (France 2012): 85 points from the jury ("Nul Points" in the televote)
  • I Am Yours (Austria 2015): 40 points from the jury ("Nul Points" in the televote).
  • I Stand (Czech Republic 2016): 41 points from the jury ("Nul Points" in the televote)
  • Running on Air (Austria 2017): 93 points from the jury ("Nul Points" in the televote)
  • Do It For Your Lover (Spain 2017): 5 points from the Portuguese televote ("Nul Points" with the jury)
  • Sister (Germany 2019): 32 points from the jury ("Nul Points" in the televote)
  • Home (Israel 2019): 35 points from the televote ("Nul Points" with the jury)
  • I Don't Feel Hate (Germany 2021): 3 points from the jury ("Nul Points" in the televote)
  • Voy a quedarme (Spain 2021): 6 points from the jury ("Nul Points" in the televote)
  • Birth of a New Age (Netherlands 2021): 11 points from the jury ("Nul Points" in the televote)
  • Boys Do Cry (Switzerland 2022): 78 points from the jury ("Nul Points" in the televote)
  • Rockstars (Germany 2022): 6 points from the televote ("Nul Points" with the jury)

Semi-Finals[]

  • Breathlessly (Malta 2017): 55 points from the jury ("Nul Points" in the televote)
  • Spirit of the Night (San Marino 2017): 1 point from the German televote ("Nul Points" from the jury)
  • Our Choice (Iceland 2018): 15 points from the jury ("Nul Points" in the televote)
  • Limits (Austria 2019): 21 points from the jury ("Nul Points" in the televote)
  • Omaga (Czech Republic 2021): 23 points from the jury ("Nul Points" in the televote)
  • Fade to Black (Azerbaijan 2022): 96 points from the jury ("Nul Points" in the televote)
The_best_of_the_"worst"._When_you_get_points_at_the_Eurovision_Song_Contest

The best of the "worst". When you get points at the Eurovision Song Contest

Trivia[]

  • Nul Points.net is a Eurovision news and archival site
  • Nul Points was also the title of a 1993 documentary by the BBC about the contest.
  • "Fade to Black" is the first song to get "Nul Points" on one side of the split vote in the semifinal and still manage to qualify for the final.


Nul Points
Artists
Fud LeclercVictor BalaguerEleonore SchwarzDe SpelbrekersAnnie PalmenAnita ThallaugLaila HalmeMonica ZetterlundNora NovaAntónio CalvárioSabahudin KurtAnita TraversiConchita BautistaUlla WiesnerLize MarkeViktor KlimenkoTérézaDomenico ModugnoGéraldine GaulierDavid Alexandre WinterJahn TeigenFinn KalvikKojoRemedios AmayaÇetin Alp & The Short WavesSeyyal Taner & LocomotifWilfried ScheutzDaníel Ágúst HaraldssonThomas ForstnerOvidijus VyšniauskasTor EndresenCélia LawsonGunvor GuggisbergJeminiPiero and the MusicStarsGipsy.czThe MakemakesAnn SophieJames NewmanTheodor AndreiPiqued Jacks
Songs
Ton nomLlámameNur in der Wiener LuftKatinkaEen speeldoosSolhvervMuistojeni lauluEn gång i StockholmMan gewöhnt sich so schnell an das SchöneOraçãoŽivot je sklopio krugI miei pensieri¡Qué bueno, qué bueno!Paradies, wo bist du?Als het weer lente isAurinko laskee länteenBien plus fortDio, come ti amoQuel cœur vas-tu briser?Je suis tombé du cielMil etter milAldri i livetNuku pommiin¿Quién maneja mi barca?OperaŞarkım Sevgi ÜstüneLisa, Mona LisaÞað sem enginn sérVenedig im RegenLopšinė mylimaiSan FranciscoAntes do adeusLass' ihnCry BabyCelebrateAven RomaleI Am YoursBlack SmokeEmbersD.G.T. (Off and On)Like an Animal
Eurovision Song Contest
Editions
195619571958195919601961196219631964196519661967196819691970197119721973197419751976197719781979198019811982198319841985198619871988198919901991199219931994199519961997199819992000200120022003200420052006200720082009201020112012201320142015201620172018201920202021202220232024
Countries
AlbaniaAndorraArmeniaAustraliaAustriaAzerbaijanBelarusBelgiumBosnia and HerzegovinaBulgariaCroatiaCyprusCzechiaDenmarkEstoniaFinlandFranceGeorgiaGermanyGreeceHungaryIcelandIrelandIsraelItalyLatviaLithuaniaLuxembourgMaltaMoldovaMonacoMontenegroMoroccoThe NetherlandsNorth MacedoniaNorwayPolandPortugalRomaniaRussiaSan MarinoSerbiaSerbia and MontenegroSlovakiaSloveniaSpainSwedenSwitzerlandTurkeyUnited KingdomUkraineYugoslavia
Winning Songs
RefrainNet Als ToenDors, mon amourEen beetjeTom PillibiNous les amoureuxUn premier amourDanseviseNon ho l'etàPoupée de Cire, Poupée de SonMerci, ChériePuppet on a StringLa, La, LaBoom Bang-a-BangVivo CantandoUn jour, un enfantDe TroubadourAll Kinds of EverythingUn banc, un arbre, une rueAprès ToiTu Te ReconnaîtrasWaterlooDing-a-DongSave Your Kisses For MeL'Oiseau et l'enfantA-Ba-Ni-BiHallelujahWhat's Another YearMaking Your Mind UpEin bißchen FriedenSi la vie est cadeauDiggiloo DiggileyLa Det SwingeJ'aime La VieHold Me NowNe Partez Pas Sans MoiRock MeInsieme: 1992Fångad av en stormvindWhy Me?In Your EyesRock 'n' Roll KidsNocturneThe VoiceLove Shine a LightDivaTake Me To Your HeavenFly on the Wings of LoveEverybodyI WannaEveryway That I CanWild DancesMy Number OneHard Rock HallelujahMolitvaBelieveFairytaleSatelliteRunning ScaredEuphoriaOnly TeardropsRise Like a PhoenixHeroes1944Amar pelos doisToyArcadeZitti e buoniStefaniaTattoo
Specials
Congratulations: 50 Years of the Eurovision Song ContestEurovision's Greatest HitsEurope Shine a Light
Aspects of Eurovision
CommentatorEuroClubEurovision VillageExecutive SupervisorFlag ParadeGrand PrixGreen RoomHead of DelegationInterval ActNational FinalNational JuryOfficial RulesOpening CeremonyPre-PartiesPre-Song PostcardsReference GroupRest of the World VoteRunning Order DrawSemi-FinalsScoreboardSpokespersonTelevotingVoting Systems
Miscellaneous
Big FiveCurse of 43Curse of Number TwoCurse of GreenDouze Points!ESCRadio AwardsESC Top 250Eurovision AgainEurovision National BroadcastersEurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire SagaFounding SevenLGBT visibilityLynda WoodruffMarcel Bezençon AwardsNul PointsOGAERecordsStand-insThe Reorder BoardTie SituationTop Scoring SongsVoting DiasporaWinner's CurseWithdrawn SongsYou're a Vision Award
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