It's more than 60 years since the1956 debut of the Eurovision Song Contest and, inevitably, its first voting controversy, the one constant down the years. Then, just seven countries took part, over the decades it has expanded to 42, with 26 making it to last night's final. Once again it attracted the eyes and ears of people all around Europe and indeed beyond, reluctantly or not. Over 200 million people watched, and judged, the events in Kiev as contestants laid it all out in an effort to win your votes. We look back here at some of the more memorable performances – for whatever reason – in the competition’s long and fabled history. From the outrageously camp to the mind-bogglingly bizarre, we count down from nul to douze points.

Nul

Jemini, “Cry Baby” – UK 2003

It couldn’t be anyone else, could it? Cry we did, as in Riga this Liverpool pop duo, Gemma Abbey and Chris Cromby (Gem and I, get it?) gave the country gave its lowest ever point total in our long Eurovision history. The famous “nul points” was handed to the couple after an off-key, overly-cheesy, at times cringe-worthy performance. Though it wasn’t first act to fail to gain any points, the fact that there were more countries to gain points from than ever before doesn’t reflect well. You might generously attribute some of the voting to a backlash over the Iraq War, though watching it back it’s pretty clear that this was a non-starter from the beginning. It has since gone down in British Eurovision folklore, with unsuccessful entrants now being safe in the knowledge that they can always fall back on the mantra “at least we did better than Jemini”.

Un

Peter, Sue and Marc, “Djambo Djambo” – Switzerland 1976

In 1979 the Swiss put forward a group that would become prolific Eurovision contestants, entering four times in 71, 76, 79 and 81, each time in a different language. This performance in The Hague, their second attempt, is certainly their most memorable of their four outings. The song was a ballad about a sad clown wishing for a return to his former glory under the big top. The singer, Sue Schell, was accompanied by an actual sad clown playing a barrel organ, with the act given added Eurovision-classic bonus points for clumsily switching to an acoustic guitar for the chorus. Fans of anything cringey will enjoy the awkward close-ups of the two’s interactions. Still, they did well enough to finish in fourth place and convince the Swiss people to let them have a couple more goes but they couldn’t convince the rest of Europe to allow them to climb any higher.

Deux

Verka Serduchka, “Dancing Lasha Tumbai” – Ukraine 2007

A controversial entry in its own country as many Ukrainians didn’t appreciate being represented by a drag act. Europe, however, enjoyed Verka’s act enough that it managed to score second place in Helsinki. Notable for the sparkling silver and gold numbers worn by Verka and her backing dancers, including the number 69 on the back of the lead singer’s jacket (the backing dancers had 18’s on their back, a reference to their position in the final). The title of the song itself was said to have come from a Mongolian phrase for “milkshake” or “whipped cream”, though this was later debunked. It does, however, have a phonetic resemblance to “Russia Goodbye” in the singer’s native language (worth noting that Ukraine’s Orange Revolution against state corruption, particularly in favour of the pro-Russian president, occurred a few years prior), though this was probably not intentional…probably.

Trois

Dustin the Turkey, “Irelande Douze Pointe” – Ireland 2008

Ireland is the most successful country in Eurvision history, winning seven times. In 2008, though, their chosen act couldn’t make it past the semi-finals. Rather than selecting one their many pop stars, the Irish decided to enter a television personality known as Dustin the Turkey, a talking turkey puppet. I know what you’re thinking, it’s hard to see why they didn’t do well (it featured a puppeteer hiding in a shopping trolley for goodness sake) but it only managed to finish 15 out of 19 in the semis, meaning that we all missed out on seeing the little Turkey on the big stage. The tune took a few satirical swipes at the likes of Bono, the judges and the entire Eastern Bloc, which might not have been the best choice while performing in Belgrade. This might go some ways to explaining why Jedward was selected two years in a row.

Quatre

Stephane & 3G, “We Don’t Wanna Put In” – Georgia 2009

Another swipe at the great Russian bear, this. A year after the Russian-Georgian conflict, this not-so-subtly titled track was unsurprisingly rejected given Eurovision’s strict non-political, non-partisan policy. In case you missed it, Put In (sung as “poot een”) sounded a lot like the name of a certain Russian President. The move to select the song was especially brazen given that Moscow was the host city that year. The Georgian selectors refused to change the lyrics or title as they felt that the Eurovision authorities were giving in to Russian pressure and subsequently withdrew from the contest. This was the second year in a row that the group was selected to represent Georgia, as they finished a very respectable fourth the previous year. It’s just a shame that they weren’t able to try and top it, they would have certainly gained some points from sympathetic neighbours.

Cinq

Dschinghis Khan, “Dschinghis Khan” – West Germany 1979

A German pop group formed for the purpose of competing in the 1979 competition in Jerusalem, their jovially camp song about the legendary Mongolian Emperor is something for all Eurovision fans to behold. Singing some memorable lyrics about the Mongol warrior’s famed exploits (“And each woman, that he liked/He took into his tent/They said, a woman who did not love him/Did not exist anywhere in the world/He fathered seven children in one night") all while a tall man in a panto-like Genghis Khan costume danced around energetically, only stopping to seduce the swooning female singers, it’s a true Eurovision classic. Disappointingly it only came fourth, though quite fitting as Genghis Khan never really had any great success in incorporating Jerusalem into his empire. Always a staple of any Eurovision compilation, and has done surprisingly well in charts around the world (it even achieved gold certification in Japan in 2014).

Six

Urban Trad, “Sanomi” – Belgium 2003

One of the most unfortunate runners up in the contests history, the Belgians just missed out on first place in Riga, falling short of winning by just two points. The song may well be remembered for the bizarre decision to sing in a made up language, prompting the famous line from host Terry Wogan “They’ve got four languages in Belgium and they’re singing in an imaginary one, the very essence of the Euro.” Interestingly enough, the folk band was forced to drop one of its singers months before the finals due to apparent far-right views she held in the past. Despite vigorous denials the groups hands were forced by the Belgian security services. An investigation later found that the accusations had been exaggerated, though it was too late for her to take part in the competition.

Sept

Buranovskiye Babushki, “Party for Everyone” – Russia 2012

What’s not to love about a bunch of grannies singing about their daily routine? Coming from a small village called Buranovo halfway between the Volga and Urals in Russia, the group of six old ladies, known as the Russian grannies (their name translates to "Buranovo grannies"), managed to come second in the 2012 contest in Azerbaijan. This was their second attempt at Eurovision glorgy after failing to get selected in 2010. The band had actually been active since 1968 and, unfortunately, two of the group had to sit out of the competition due to a rule stating that only six people can perform at a time. Singing mostly in their native Udmurt language, about such things as lighting the oven or kneading dough, they had a songwriter write the English chorus separately. The group spent the money raised from their success on building a new church in their village.

Huit

LT United, “We Are the Winners” – Lithuania 2006

Perhaps a tad presumptuously titled, this effort only made it to sixth in the 2006 contest in Athens, which was still the country’s best ever finish. The group was made up of six Lithuanian musicians and television stars, brought together specifically for the competition, and the song was about their inevitable win, telling the audience to vote for them, the winners. Unbelievably, some members of the audience didn't appreciate the apparently cocky nature of the song and the act received boos on the night from the live audience. They did, however, give us some great Eurovision moments. You might remember this act for one of the group shouting "we are the winners" through a megaphone or, possibly, you remember it for a Harry Hill look-a-like breaking into a maniacal arm-flailing dance halfway through the performance. A favourite for any connoisseurs of the madness that Eurovision tends to throw up.

Neuf

Conchita Wurst, “Rise Like a Phoenix” – Austria 2014

Although it was preceded by the transgender Dana International winning in 1998, the visual of drag queen Conchita Wurst (real name Thomas Neuwirth) performing in a spectacular long dress and a full beard was something to behold. Again, this wasn’t the first time this act tried her hand at Eurovision, coming second in the Austrian selection contest in 2012. Singing an operatic James Bond-esque number, it was a glamorous effort full of gold, smoke and flames from the former reality show contestant and boy band member. Despite several countries threatening not to show the performance, it went ahead unedited and won the competition in Copenhagen, receiving full points from thirteen countries. Conchita went on to become an LGBT icon after her win, receiving invitations to perform at various Pride parades as well as the European Parliament and the Vienna United Nations office.

Dix

Bucks Fizz, “Making Your Mind Up” – UK 1981

One of the few Eurovision acts to maintain their success after winning, Bucks Fizz went on to become one of the top-selling groups of the eighties, performing well in several countries around the world. Most famous for the moment halfway through the performance when band members Bobby G and Mike Nolan pulled the skirts off of female singer Jay Aston and Cheryl Baker to reveal…shorter skirts. It might seem tame now, but at the time it was seen as a mini sensation. Despite poor vocals, the catchy song and dance routine was good enough for a British win that year in Dublin, with the song and its performance is still remembered as a Eurovision classic. The song later achieved number one status in the UK and seven other European countries. The band has since gone through several members, and even a split into two competing groups.

Onze

Lordi, “Hard Rock Hallelujah” – Finland 2006

The only Finnish entry to win Eurovision, as well as the only hard rock act, the demonically-dressed group surprised everyone when they won in Athens with a then record point total. It was also the first time any nation had managed to win both the semi-final and the final. Their performance was helped by the spectacular costumes and make-up, each band member having their own unique character and get-up, and culminated in the lead singer, Mr. Lordi, unfurling his giant batwings, it was certainly a spectacular effort from the band who have since had a public square in Mr. Lordi’s home town named after them, their own brand of cola as well as their own stamps from the Finnish national postal service. The win inspired another Wogan line that sums up the comeptition: “Every year I expect it to be less foolish, and every year it is more so.”

Douze

Abba, “Waterloo” – Sweden 1974

My, my! Brighton was the place where, in 1974, four young Swede’s would make their first steps to becoming one of the most successful recording acts in history when they made their big breakthrough by winning the Eurovision Song Contest with their now classic hit. The 1974 competition was the group’s third attempt, after writing a song in ’72 and performing in ’73, with both attempts failing to qualify. Seeing off their competitors (including one Olivia Newton John, representing the UK) with apparent ease, “Waterloo” went on hit number one in ten different countries, though strangely enough not in their home country of Sweden. Going from strength to strength, the band went on to become undoubtedly the most successful act in Eurovision history, and the song was even awarded as the greatest in the show’s history on the competition’s 50th anniversary in 2005.

has once again attracted the eyes and ears of people all around Europe and indeed beyond. Over 200 million people watched, and judged, last night’s events in Kiev as contestants from 26 countries laid it all out in an effort to win your votes. Whether it's your favourite thing or you're secret pleasure, whether you dance along or watch through splayed fingers, everybody loves a bit of Eurovision, even if they won't admit it. The performances, the costumes, the commentary, there's something for everyone. We look back here at some of the more memorable performances in the competition’s long and fabled history. From the outrageously camp to the mind-bogglingly bizarre, we count down from nul to douze points.

Nul

Jemini. Cry Baby – UK 2003

It couldn’t be anyone else, could it? Cry we did, as in Riga this Liverpool pop duo, Gemma Abbey and Chris Cromby (Gem and I, get it?) gave the country its lowest ever point total in our long Eurovision history. The famous “nul points” was handed to the couple after an off-key, overly-cheesy, at times cringeworthy performance. Though it wasn’t first act to fail to gain any points, the fact that there were more countries to gain points from than ever before doesn’t reflect well. You might generously attribute some of the voting to a backlash over the Iraq War which had started two months previously, though watching it back it’s pretty clear that this was a non-starter from the beginning. It has since gone down in British Eurovision folklore, with unsuccessful entrants now being safe in the knowledge that they can always fall back on the mantra “at least we did better than Jemini”.

Un

Peter, Sue and Marc. Djambo Djambo – Switzerland 1976

In 1979 the Swiss put forward a group that would become prolific Eurovision contestants, entering four times in 71, 76, 79 and 81, each time in a different language. This performance in The Hague, their second attempt, is certainly their most memorable of their outings. The song was a ballad about a sad clown wishing for a return to his former glory under the big top. The singer, Sue Schell, was accompanied by an actual sad clown playing a barrel organ, with the act given added Eurovision-classic bonus points for clumsily switching to an acoustic guitar for the chorus. Fans of anything cringey will enjoy the awkward close-ups of the interaction between singer and clown (decide which is which!). Still, they did well enough to finish in fourth place and convince the Swiss people to let them have a couple more goes, but they couldn’t convince the rest of Europe to allow them to climb any higher.

Deux

Verka Serduchka. Dancing Lasha Tumbai – Ukraine 2007

A controversial entry in its own country as many Ukrainians didn’t appreciate being represented by a drag act. Europe, however, enjoyed Verka’s act enough that it managed to score second place in Helsinki. Notable for the sparkling silver and gold numbers worn by Verka and her backing dancers, including the number 69 on the back of the lead singer’s jacket (no dirty sniggers! and the backing dancers had 18s on their back, a reference to their position in the final). The title of the song itself was said to have come from a Mongolian phrase for “milkshake” or “whipped cream”, though this was later debunked. It does, however, have a phonetic resemblance to “Russia Goodbye” in the singer’s native language (worth noting that Ukraine’s Orange Revolution against state corruption, particularly in favour of the pro-Russian president, occurred a few years prior), though this was probably not intentional…probably.

Trois

Dustin the Turkey. Irelande Douze Pointe – Ireland 2008

Ireland is the most successful country in Eurovision history, winning seven times. In 2008, though, their chosen act couldn’t make it past the semi-finals. Rather than selecting one of their many pop stars, the Irish decided to enter a television personality known as Dustin the Turkey, a talking turkey puppet. I know what you’re thinking, it’s hard to see why they didn’t do well (it featured a puppeteer hiding in a shopping trolley for goodness sake) but it only managed to finish 15 out of 19 in the semis, meaning that we all missed out on seeing the little turkey on the big stage. The tune took a few satirical swipes at the likes of Bono, the judges and the entire Eastern Bloc, which might not have been the best choice while performing in Belgrade. And might go some ways to explaining why Jedward was selected two years in a row.

Quatre

Stephane & 3G. We Don’t Wanna Put In – Georgia 2009

Another swipe at the great Russian bear, this. A year after the Russian-Georgian conflict, this not-so-subtly titled track was unsurprisingly rejected given Eurovision’s strict non-political, non-partisan policy. In case you missed it, Put In (sung as “poot een”) sounded a lot like the name of a certain Russian President. The move to select the song was especially brazen given that Moscow was the host city that year. The Georgian selectors refused to change the lyrics or title as they felt that the Eurovision authorities were giving in to Russian pressure and subsequently withdrew from the contest. This was the second year in a row that the group was selected to represent Georgia, finishing a very respectable fourth the previous year. It’s just a shame that they weren’t able to try and top it as they would have certainly gained some points from sympathetic neighbours not enamoured of the Russian bear.

Cinq

Dschinghis Khan. Dschinghis Khan – West Germany 1979

A German pop group formed for the purpose of competing in the 1979 competition in Jerusalem, their jovially camp song about the legendary Mongolian Emperor is something for all Eurovision fans to behold. Singing some memorable lyrics about the Mongol warrior’s famed exploits (“And each woman, that he liked/He took into his tent/They said, a woman who did not love him/Did not exist anywhere in the world/He fathered seven children in one night") all while a tall man in a panto-like Genghis Khan costume danced around energetically, only stopping to seduce the swooning female singers. It’s a true Eurovision classic. Disappointingly it only came fourth, though quite fitting as Genghis Khan never really had any great success in incorporating Jerusalem into his empire. Always a staple of any Eurovision compilation, it has done surprisingly well in charts around the world (it even achieved gold certification in Japan in 2014).

Six

Urban Trad. Sanomi – Belgium 2003

One of the most unfortunate runners-up in the contest's history, the Belgians just missed out on first place in Riga, falling short of winning by just two points. The song may well be remembered for the bizarre decision to sing in a made-up language, prompting the famous line from host Terry Wogan “They’ve got four languages in Belgium and they’re singing in an imaginary one, the very essence of the Euro.” Interestingly enough, the folk band was forced to drop one of its singers months before the finals due to apparent far-right views she held in the past. Despite vigorous denials the groups hands were forced by the Belgian security services. An investigation later found that the accusations had been exaggerated, though it was too late for her to take part in the competition.

Sept

Buranovskiye Babushki. Party for Everyone – Russia 2012

What’s not to love about a bunch of grannies singing about their daily routine? Coming from a small village called Buranovo halfway between the Volga and Urals in Russia, the group of six old ladies, known as the Russian grannies (their name translates to Buranovo grannies), managed to come second in the 2012 contest in Azerbaijan. This was their second attempt at Eurovision glory after failing to get selected in 2010. The band had actually been active since 1968 and, unfortunately, two of the group had to sit out of the competition due to a rule stating that only six people can perform at a time. Singing mostly in their native Udmurt language, about such things as lighting the oven or kneading dough, they had a songwriter write the English chorus separately. The group spent the money raised from their success on building a new church in their village.

Huit

LT United We Are the Winners – Lithuania 2006

Perhaps a tad presumptuously titled, this effort only made it to sixth in the 2006 contest in Athens, which was still the country’s best-ever finish. The group was made up of six Lithuanian musicians and television stars, brought together specifically for the competition, and the song was about their inevitable win, telling the audience to vote for them, the winners. Unbelievably, some members of the audience didn't appreciate the apparently cocky nature of the song and the act received boos on the night from the live audience. They did, however, give us some great Eurovision moments. You might remember this act for one of the group shouting "we are the winners" through a megaphone or, possibly, you remember it for a Harry Hill look-a-like breaking into a maniacal arm-flailing dance halfway through the performance. A favourite for any connoisseurs of the madness that Eurovision tends to throw up.

Neuf

Conchita Wurst. Rise Like a Phoenix – Austria 2014

Although it was preceded by the transgender Dana International winning in 1998, the visual of drag queen Conchita Wurst (real name Thomas Neuwirth) performing in a spectacular long dress and a full beard was something to behold. Again, this wasn’t the first time this act tried her hand at Eurovision, coming second in the Austrian selection contest in 2012. Singing an operatic James Bond-esque number, it was a glamorous effort full of gold, smoke and flames from the former reality show contestant and boy band member. Despite several countries threatening not to show the performance, it went ahead unedited and won the competition in Copenhagen, receiving full points from 13 countries. Conchita went on to become an LGBT icon after her win, receiving invitations to perform at various Pride parades as well as the European Parliament and the Vienna United Nations office.

Dix

Bucks Fizz. Making Your Mind Up – UK 1981

One of the few Eurovision acts to maintain their success after winning, Bucks Fizz went on to become one of the top-selling groups of the 80s, performing well in several countries around the world. Most famous for the moment halfway through the performance when band members Bobby G and Mike Nolan pulled long skirts from female singers Jay Aston and Cheryl Baker to reveal…shorter skirts. It might seem tame now, but at the time it was seen as a mini sensation. Despite poor vocals, the catchy song and dance routine was good enough for a British win that year in Dublin, with the song and its performance still remembered as a Eurovision classic. It later achieved number one status in the UK and seven other European countries. The band has since gone through several members, and even a split into two competing groups.

Onze

Lordi Hard Rock Hallelujah – Finland 2006

The only Finnish entry to win Eurovision, as well as the only hard rock act, the demonically-dressed group surprised everyone when they won in Athens with a then-record point total. It was also the first time any nation had managed to win both the semi-final and the final. Their performance was helped by the spectacular costumes and make-up, each band member having their own unique character and get-up, and culminated in the lead singer, Mr. Lordi, unfurling his giant bat wings. It was certainly a spectacular effort from the band who have since had a public square in Mr. Lordi’s home town (Rovaniemi) named after them, their own brand of cola as well as their own stamps from the Finnish national postal service. The win inspired another Wogan line that sums up the competition: “Every year I expect it to be less foolish, and every year it is more so.”

Douze

Abba. Waterloo – Sweden 1974

My, my! Brighton was the place where, in 1974, four young Swedes would make their first steps to becoming one of the most successful recording acts in history when they made their big breakthrough by winning the contest with their now classic hit. The 1974 competition was the group’s third attempt, after writing a song in ’72 and performing in ’73, with both attempts failing to qualify. Seeing off their competitors (including one Olivia Newton John, representing the UK) with apparent ease, Waterloo went on to hit number one in 10 different countries, though strangely enough not in their home country. Going from strength to strength, the band went on to become undoubtedly the most successful act in Eurovision history, and the song was even awarded as the greatest in the show’s history on the competition’s 50th anniversary in 2005.