Is There Hard Rock and Heavy Metal at Eurovision? While Eurovision is best known for powerhouse ballads, over-the-top performances, and sugary pop hooks, hard rock and heavy metal occasionally crash the party — and steal the spotlight.
For those unfamiliar, the Eurovision Song Contest is one of the world’s largest music competitions, held annually since 1956 and featuring countries primarily from Europe. Each participating nation sends an artist to perform an original song live, with the winner chosen by a combination of jury and public votes. The event is hosted each year by the previous winner’s country.
Ever since the game-changing victory of Finnish monsters Lordi in 2006 with “Hard Rock Hallelujah” — which shattered expectations of what “fits” at Eurovision — several rock and metal acts have stepped into the limelight. Some even reached major success, like Måneskin, who won in 2021 with the explosive “Zitti e buoni” and went on to become global rock stars with over 20 million monthly listeners on Spotify.
In this article, we highlight bands from across Europe — Finland, Germany, Iceland, Hungary, Estonia, Switzerland, Italy, Norway, the Czech Republic — and showcase the diversity of rock and metal subgenres they brought to the Eurovision stage: glam, nu metal, power metal, post-hardcore, hard rock, even industrial.
If your taste leans more towards indie and alternative rock, check out our companion article featuring 15 rock bands at Eurovision.
1. Lordi – “Hard Rock Hallelujah” (Finland, 2006)
🎧 574K monthly Spotify listeners | 🗣 Performed in English
You can’t talk about metal at Eurovision without starting with Lordi — Finland’s most beloved monsters.
Led by the imposing Mr. Lordi, the band shook the stage in 2006 with a fiery, theatrical performance of Hard Rock Hallelujah. Clad in monster masks, pyrotechnics, and a chorus that won’t quit, they looked like something out of a horror flick… and they won! Lordi’s victory was the first ever for a heavy band at Eurovision.
The song, performed in English, became an instant anthem and even set a Guinness World Record when 80,000 fans sang it together in Helsinki.
Nearly two decades later, Lordi is still going strong, releasing new albums — their latest, Limited Deadition, dropped in 2025 — while staying true to their signature monstrous style.
2. Lord of the Lost – “Blood & Glitter” (Germany, 2023)
🎧 325K monthly Spotify listeners | 🗣 Performed in English
With a name that screams gothic drama, Lord of the Lost represented Germany in 2023 with Blood & Glitter, a blend of glam rock flair and industrial metal punch — delivered with glitter, leather, and pure attitude.
Founded by Chris Harms as a solo project, the band has grown into a powerhouse of the German alternative rock scene.
While they didn’t score high in the contest, the band’s bold look and genre-bending sound earned them global recognition and slots at some of the world’s top metal festivals.
3. Teräsbetoni – “Missä miehet ratsastaa” (Finland, 2008)
🎧 47K monthly Spotify listeners | 🗣 Performed in Finnish
From the same country that brought Lordi comes another heavy contender. In 2008, Teräsbetoni hit the stage with Missä miehet ratsastaa (“Where the Men Ride”), a battle hymn steeped in power metal bravado.
With lyrics exalting warriors and an epic sound, they didn’t score big, but their performance remains one of Eurovision’s few power metal entries.
The band’s name literally means “reinforced concrete” — a perfect match for their crushing sound.
4. Måneskin – “Zitti e buoni” (Italy, 2021)
🎧 20M monthly Spotify listeners | 🗣 Performed in Italian
Italy’s Måneskin became a global sensation after winning Eurovision 2021 with Zitti e buoni, sung entirely in Italian and delivered with electric charisma.
Formed by four Roman teens, the band had already found national fame via X Factor, but their victory in Rotterdam launched them onto the global stage.
Blending glam and garage rock, Måneskin broke a 30-year Italian dry spell at Eurovision and brought fresh rebellion to the contest. Since then, they’ve climbed the charts, headlined major festivals, and become one of the world’s biggest rock acts — a rare feat for Eurovision alumni.
5. AWS – “Viszlát nyár” (Hungary, 2018)
🎧 55K monthly Spotify listeners | 🗣 Performed in Hungarian
With a raw mix of post-hardcore and alternative metal, Hungary’s AWS lit up the Eurovision 2018 stage with Viszlát nyár(“Goodbye, Summer”) — a fierce, emotional farewell to a loved one.
Sung entirely in Hungarian, the song stood out sharply from the contest’s pop-heavy lineup with its screamed vocals and pounding guitars.
Tragically, frontman Örs Siklósi passed away from leukemia in 2021 at age 29. The band recently introduced a new singer, and they continue to be remembered for their heartfelt, cathartic performance.
6. Wig Wam – “In My Dreams” (Norway, 2005)
🎧 293K monthly Spotify listeners | 🗣 Performed in English
Blending 80s glam with Eurovision flair, Norway’s Wig Wam brought glitter, guitar solos, and a sing-along hook with In My Dreams in 2005.
They finished in 9th place, winning over rock fans with their slogan: “Rock is the new schlager.”
Known for their flashy outfits and tongue-in-cheek lyrics, Wig Wam took a break but returned in 2019 — and in 2022, they enjoyed a resurgence thanks to their music being featured in HBO’s Peacemaker, introducing glam metal to a new generation.
7. Vanilla Ninja – “Cool Vibes” (Switzerland, 2005)
🎧 79K monthly Spotify listeners | 🗣 Performed in English
Though they’re from Estonia, Vanilla Ninja represented Switzerland in 2005 with the haunting and melodic Cool Vibes, landing 8th in the final.
With gothic aesthetics and a sound influenced by alternative and pop rock, they became stars in countries like Germany and Austria — and in Estonia, they were so popular they inspired their own lines of ice cream and snacks.
Despite lineup changes over the years, Vanilla Ninja remains one of the most iconic all-female bands to grace the Eurovision stage.
8. Eiríkur Hauksson – “Valentine Lost” (Iceland, 2007)
🎧 8K monthly Spotify listeners | 🗣 Performed in English
Icelandic rock veteran Eiríkur Hauksson is a revered name in Nordic metal and has represented Iceland at Eurovision twice.
He was part of Iceland’s Eurovision debut in 1986, and returned in 2007 with Valentine Lost, a melancholic power ballad originally written in Icelandic but performed in English for broader appeal.
Though he didn’t reach the final, Hauksson remains one of Eurovision’s few true heavy metal voices.
9. Kabát – “Malá dáma” (Czech Republic, 2007)
🎧 484K monthly Spotify listeners | 🗣 Performed in Czech
When the Czech Republic made its Eurovision debut in 2007, it went in heavy with hard rock veterans Kabát, performing Malá dáma (“Little Lady”) in their native language.
Though they placed last in the semifinal, Kabát was already a massive act back home, with a loyal fanbase, numerous awards, and induction into the Czech Rock Hall of Fame (Beatová síň slávy).
Their songs range from humor to social commentary, showing that local rock can shine — even on a global stage.
10. Blind Channel – “Dark Side” (Finland, 2021)
🎧 428K monthly Spotify listeners | 🗣 Performed in English
Finnish nu metal band Blind Channel brought high-energy rebellion to Eurovision 2021 with Dark Side — a fierce anthem packed with heavy riffs and angst.
They finished 6th and became a favorite among younger viewers. The performance was also memorable for a cheeky protest: the band painted their middle fingers red after being banned from flipping the bird onstage.
In 2024, Blind Channel announced an indefinite hiatus, but their Eurovision moment lives on.
Listen to our Spotify playlist: “Metal at Eurovision”
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