1. Skip to content
  2. Skip to main menu
  3. Skip to more DW sites

Eurovision 2013

Helen WhittleMay 16, 2013

The grand finale of the Eurovision Song Contest took place in the Swedish city of Malmö on May 18. Here's our round-up of social media sites for fans to follow the ESC action.

https://p.dw.com/p/18ZJw
Eurovision Song Contest 2013

It's that time of year again - the mammoth, colorful and, yes, wacky final of the Eurovision Song Contest took place in Malmö on Saturday (18.05.2013). The official ESC website encourages fans "join the family" on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, Google+, Instagram and VK (Eds. "In Touch") and odnoklassniki for Russian speakers.

With details on the history of the contest, the site has bios of all the entrants, YouTube clips of all the songs, and profiles of each country's performance history at Eurovision over the years. It also includes a fan shop and a Eurovision app, as well as all the latest news and the obligatory helping of PR for the host nation.

British-German singer Cascada
Germany's Eurovision hopeful Cascada will hoping for as many "12 points" as possibleImage: picture-alliance/dpa

A legendary donkey and a pumpkin

Facebook users may also want to check out the official English language Eurovision Song Contest page on "Europe's Favorite TV Show." There you can find candid behind-the-scenes photographs of the preparations and video clips, but it's all rather tame compared to last year's feed which featured some Slovenian rock action, a legendary Montenegrin donkey and a sculpted pumpkin. Still, over 582,000 Facebook fans can't be wrong.

For tweeters there's the official ESC @eurovision Twitter page page where you can tweet your views and catch up on all the latest #eurovision news and information. Then there's also the official ESC YouTube page for the contest, with over 1,000 archive clips and all the latest ESC video content.

The good, the bad and the unlikely

Aside from the official ESC social media offerings, there are a plethora of "superfan" sites across the web following the craziness that is Eurovision.

For the self-confessed Eurovision superfan website 12points, the ESC is a year-round event. Their "E-Daily" news section has the low-down on the latest ESC conspiracy theories, predictions and irreverent gossip. For those traveling to Malmö this year, 12points also runs the Euro Fan Café talk shows where die-hard fans can get up-close and personal with the performers.

Contestants celebrate after qualifying for the final round after the first semi-final of the Eurovision Song Contest 2013
Eurovision 2013: Celebrating the good, the bad and the unlikelyImage: Getty Images/Ragnar Singsaas

Eurovision Apocalypse

The Eurovision Apocalypse site features "the good, the bad and the unlikely from the continent's greatest song contest" as well as a generous helping of wry commentary. Gems include a clip of Georgia's not so subtle poke at their Russian neighbors, Gay Stalin's (a.k.a. Anri Jokhadze) 2009 entry "I Want You Back" and San Marino's original 2012 entry "Facebook Uh Oh Oh," which was the subject of a cease and desist order requiring them to remove all references to the trademarked name of Facebook. No fear, the site also has a clip of the remixed version entitled "The Social Network Song (OH OH - Uh - OH OH)."

For more serious ESC observers, the ESC Insight unofficial Eurovision Song Contest website aims to provide an "in-depth editorial, discussion and commentary" magazine approach to the Eurovision "ecosystem." There you can download the ESC Insight's Unofficial Guide to the Eurovision Song Contest 2013 e-book. There are podcasts, interviews, links and a juke box jury offering their views.

The ESC Buzz site also has a handy overview of all the latest and greatest from Eurovision, including newsfeeds from all the major websites covering the event.

Predictions, facts and gossip with attitude

ESC 2011 Eurovision Song Contest fans
Some Swedes take Eurovision very seriously indeedImage: DW/R. Macías-Reyes

Australia's multilingual SBS (Special Broadcasting Service) has a site dedicated to the Aussies' love of Eurovision. It features a handy guide to hosting a great Eurovision party with advice on what to wear, eat and interesting conversation starters like "What's all the fuss ABBA-out?" Follow their updates, including news, views, a guide to the ESC's "unofficial judging criteria," and backstage banter on the website or join the fun on Twitter @SBSEurovision.

One of the more colorful fan sites is wiwibloggs.com, which describes itself as "Eurovision 2013 news, polls and predictions - with attitude!" Wiwi Bloggs (née William Lee Adams) is an American journalist and Eurovision superfan living in London. For those looking for a regular fix of Eurovision gossip, you can follow Wiwi on Twitter @wiwibloggs.

Montenegro's Who See feat. Nina Zizic perform during the first semi-final of the Eurovision Song Contest at the Malmö Opera Hall
Montenegro's Who See feat. Nina Zizic performing during the first ESC semi-finalImage: Reuters/Janerik Henriksson

Anarcho-punk and experimental jazz

Eurocovers is, in their own words, "a celebration of the highest form of praise for the Eurovision song: The Cover Version," where "anything goes." Here you'll find a glut of covers of current and former Eurovision songs in a variety of languages, from anarcho-punk to experimental jazz. Log on and have your say on the musical rarities, because at Eurocovers "comments are welcome."

DW keeps you informed

As part of the ESC festivities, intrepid reporter and official www.eurovision.tv editor Jakov Leon will be DW's special guest on our Pulse radio show on May 21 to talk about all the outrageous action. You can send your questions for Jakov and check out all the latest ESC news via our Twitter site @dw_culture and the DW Facebook page. We look forward to hearing from you!