Report Card: Australia at Eurovision in the 2020s

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With five Eurovision Song Contests completed this decade, how is each nation faring?

In an ongoing series, the Aussievision team will rate the performance of each Eurovision nation in alphabetical order.

We’ll look back at their results from 2021 to 2025, their qualification record, give our team’s rating, and see how they stack up against other countries.

Australia's Eurovision results of the 2020s

• 2021: Montaigne – Technicolour: 14th in Semi-Final 1 (did not qualify)

• 2022: Sheldon Riley – Not the Same: 15th in the Grand Final

• 2023: Voyager – Promise: 9th in the Grand Final

• 2024: Electric Fields – One Milkali (One Blood) : 11th in Semi-Final 1 (did not qualify)

• 2025: Go-Jo – Milkshake Man: 11th in Semi-Final 2 (did not qualify)

• Top 10s: 20%

• Qualifications: 40%

Team rating of Australia: 45.4%

We asked the Aussievision team to rate Australia Eurovision 2020s entries on a scale of 1 (lowest) to 10 (highest).

This gave us an average overall score from the 13 contributors who voted. We then converted that into a percentage.

Australia's score was: 45.4%

The scores ranged from 3/10 to 6/10 with six team members scoring 5/10.

Team comments

Being a country with one of the largest exported music industries in the contest, our entries of late have not come close to reflecting the rich scene we have. We're also too pigeon-holed into pop and need to diversify. ~ Saskia

After a great run in the 2010s it was inevitable that we will have to experience a NQ at Eurovision. But three within five years is not something we would have expected. Though I have to say all the artists did an amazing job and have left us with iconic entries. But maybe it’s time we go back to the polished pop songs and give them a go again. ~ Kyriakos

I think Australia has been somewhat unlucky the last two years, and I also think the removal of the jury vote in the semifinals has massively handicapped us to a degree where expectations probably need to be adjusted for the foreseeable future. However, it's also difficult to avoid the conclusion that something might need to change in how we approach the contest if we want to turn things around. We're picking the right artists, with good songs - but it feels like we are chasing other people's trends rather than trying to drive forward our own. Voyager is the bright spot in an otherwise rather depressing run. ~ Craig

This is a tough one, kinda like scolding your naughty labrador pup for eating your favourite shoes. Yes, there is variety here, but the 100% televote really hurts us. Why does noone love us? Special mention to the greatest thing we have ever sent to Eurovision - Voyager, who NAILED THE BRIEF IN SO MANY WAYS. ~ Hayley

A 40% qualification record is just not good enough for a nation the size of Australia with the music industry we have. Voyager's Top 10 is a highlight and Sheldon's result was solid. We have also been very unlucky, missing out on the Grand Final in 11th place twice. However, for a country like Australia, we should be advancing further. Our approach appears to lack any cohesive direction at the moment. Let's hope 2026 is when we can turn things around

If it wasn't for Voyager's top 10, damn this would look bad. Go-Jo deserved better though.

Another band, or a female artist with a powerful, polished pop song is needed in 2026 to turn this around. ~ Kiel

It has been quite a dismal start to the decade for us. 40% qualification rate is quite poor not just for a country our size, but also given the fact we were the eighth largest exporter of music globally last year (we were even higher than Sweden!). One top 10 placing is good, but look closer and you will realise Australia has scored an underwhelming total of 23 points in the tele-vote of the Eurovision Grand Final. I do concede that Australia may always struggle to do well, especially in the tele-vote, due to prejudice about whether we should be in the contest and our lack of disapora or neighbourly support. However we seriously need a re-think to better our fortunes in this contest, particularly in the tele-vote. Starting I think by selecting artists who are not just unique and engaging, but can actually deliver strong live vocals. ~ Sam

Australia has been unfortunate in the last two years because of its two back-to-back 11th place finishes. The one thing that solidifies Australia's place in 2020s Eurovision, at the moment, was Voyager. ~ John Christian

Updated rankings:

Here’s how the leaderboard looks so far in our 2020s Report Card series:

1st: Armenia - 70.8%

2nd: Albania - 67.5%

3rd: Australia - 45.4%

We'll see how they rank against other nations in the coming days and weeks.

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