"Moves between the Eurovision stage to the political stage . Never has it been placed in its international context as in this truly inventive new book." -- EuropeNow "Vuletic goes beneath the bubblegum to reveal surprising machinations." -- Foreign Affairs "As a scholarly study in international cooperation and competition, this book is exemplary." -- Times Higher Education "Dean Vuletic's book is an important intervention . Comprehensive in its coverage, it will become a go-to book for any scholar who is interested in the song contest and its history." -- H-Soz-Kult "It is the recognition of such value in song-no less in Eurovision song-that makes Dean Vuletic's rich history of the Eurovision Song Contest very important reading indeed." -- German Studies Review "Vuletic ascribes the Eurovision Song Contest an important role in the history of post-war Europe .
Comprehensive in its coverage, it will become a go-to book for any scholar who is interested in the song contest and its history." -- H-Net "The book presents a well-researched and exhaustive historical account of organisational and political matters in relation to the Eurovision Song contest, as well as an in-depth analysis of its cultural significance in a European perspective . The book as a whole constitutes a significant and valuable contribution to the understanding the interplay of popular music, media and cultural policy in post-World War II Europe." -- Popular Music "[A] survey of the ESC, and a well-researched one. Vuletic makes extensive use of archival materials of the Council of Europe, International Telecommunications Union, EBU and OIRT . [An] important and essential book." -- Music Reference Services Quarterly "A fascinating insight into the history of Eurovision. It is accessibly written, draws on a wealth of archival material, and adds much to our understanding of European culture in the postwar period.
" -- Robert James, Senior Lecturer in History, University of Portsmouth, UK "This is a terrific addition to the literature on music and international relations. Analyzing the history of what has become the biggest forum of collective voting in Europe, Dean Vuletic shows the janus-headed nature of the Eurovision Song Contest - a competition both apolitical and political at the same time. A must-read addition for students of musicology, international relations and history, and, really, anyone trying to understand the confusing attraction of Europe's largest music show." -- Jessica Gienow-Hecht, Chair of the Department of History, John F. Kennedy Institute for North American Studies, Freie Universität Berlin, Germany "Overturning familiar assumptions about this "apolitical" celebration of pan-European values, Vuletic brings us a much-needed serious and thorough historical account of the Eurovision Song Contest from its founding in the mid-1950s to the present-day paradox of this "international event with national limitations". A crucial read for anyone interested in the song contest's deeper history and significance." -- Ivan Raykoff, Associate Professor of Music, The New School, USA.