Will a mid-tempo song ever win again?

[Fluke]

It seems nowadays, there are only two kinds of winning songs: uptempo, or big power ballad. Though Portugal 2017 wasn't a "power" ballad at all, it's the one exception and the point stands, that no winner since UK 1997 has been mid-tempo. Denmark 2000 could be considered on the edge too, but either way that's pretty much before the start of the current era.

Curiously there's also a pattern since 2008 of a ballad winning every third year-2011,2014,2017,which means the next winner should be uptempo and then a ballad after that.

But back on topic, why do you think mid-tempo songs are not competitive? They also seldom get fans really excited - Austria this year for example, got a rather unexpected first place from juries, but televoters and ESC fans didn't care that much for it. Why is it, and do you think it will stay this way for the next years? Is there a way for mid-tempo songs to stand out more in the contest, that hasn't been done enough?

 

[GRE]

 

[Himan]

The answer is yes, though you may put the Ukraine song in another category than love shine a light.

 

[midnightsun]

I consider 2011 and 2013 mid-tempo-songs, so yes, probably chances but they lower each year. You have to have a mainstream ie generic dance pop song to win (because that's what the public likes - considering the viewers are more and more of a younger age) OR something really outstanding and special, like Jamala, Salvador, Netta or Conchita (I love the song itself but she won because of the message!). I don't expect a mid-tempo-song or a classic ballad to win the next years.

And if you look at the past winners - we've had a few classic ballads back then, but apart from them, the winner has always had something special, there was almost never a basic mid-tempo-song winning.