# Eurovision Song Contest 2011
The Eurovision Song Contest 2011 was the 56th edition of the annual song competition organized by the [European Broadcasting Union](https://www.edgepedia.org/european-broadcasting-union) (EBU), held at the Espirit Arena (Düsseldorf Arena) in [Düsseldorf](https://www.edgepedia.org/dusseldorf), Germany, and won by the Azerbaijani duo Ell & Nikki with the song "Running Scared" on 221 points.[1](https://www.eurovision.com/eurovision-song-contest/dusseldorf-2011/) • [2](https://www.eurovision.com/eurovision-song-contest/dusseldorf-2011/dusseldorf-2011-grand-final/) It was the first Contest held in a reunified Germany; [West Germany](https://www.edgepedia.org/west-germany) had previously hosted in 1957 and 1983.[1](https://www.eurovision.com/eurovision-song-contest/dusseldorf-2011/)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Edition and venue | 56th Contest, Düsseldorf Arena (Espirit Arena), Düsseldorf, Germany[1](https://www.eurovision.com/eurovision-song-contest/dusseldorf-2011/) |
| Show dates | First Semi-Final 10 May, Second Semi-Final 12 May, Grand Final 14 May 2011[1](https://www.eurovision.com/eurovision-song-contest/dusseldorf-2011/) |
| Participants | 43 countries took part; 25 competed in the Grand Final[3](https://www.ebu.ch/news/2011/azerbaijan-wins-56th-eurovision) • [4](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7GELpb-1JtU) |
| Winner | Azerbaijan, Ell & Nikki, "Running Scared", 221 points, running order 19[2](https://www.eurovision.com/eurovision-song-contest/dusseldorf-2011/dusseldorf-2011-grand-final/) |
| Runners-up | Italy 189 points (Raphael Gualazzi, "Madness of Love"); Sweden 185 points (Eric Saade, "Popular")[2](https://www.eurovision.com/eurovision-song-contest/dusseldorf-2011/dusseldorf-2011-grand-final/) |
| Hosts | Anke Engelke, Judith Rakers, and Stefan Raab[1](https://www.eurovision.com/eurovision-song-contest/dusseldorf-2011/) |
| Voting system | 50% televote and 50% five-member national jury, each awarding 12, 10, and 8 down to 1 points to its top ten[5](https://eurovisionworld.com/esc/voting-systems-in-eurovision-history) |
## Host city and background
Germany earned hosting rights through defending champion [Lena Meyer-Landrut](https://www.edgepedia.org/lena-meyer-landrut)'s victory in Oslo in 2010, and Düsseldorf emerged as the host city from an open selection process in which several cities competed.[4](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7GELpb-1JtU) The shows were presented by the comedian Anke Engelke, television anchor Judith Rakers, and entertainer Stefan Raab, who had also been part of Lena's winning team in 2010; Ralf Quibeldey and Thomas Schreiber served as executive producers with Jon Ola Sand as executive supervisor.[1](https://www.eurovision.com/eurovision-song-contest/dusseldorf-2011/)
**Italy's return** was the edition's biggest participation story. Italy came back after a 13-year absence and joined France, Germany, Spain, and the United Kingdom as the fifth member of the so-called Big Five, the group of countries that automatically qualify for the Grand Final because their broadcasters are the largest financial contributors.[4](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7GELpb-1JtU) • [6](https://www.ebu.ch/files/live/sites/ebu/files/Events/Communication/Press%20kit%2060th%20anniversary%20ESC.pdf) The return proved immediately successful: Raphael Gualazzi's "Madness of Love" finished second overall.[2](https://www.eurovision.com/eurovision-song-contest/dusseldorf-2011/dusseldorf-2011-grand-final/)
## Grand Final result
The Grand Final on Saturday 14 May 2011 was decided in front of a live audience of more than 30,000 spectators at the Düsseldorf Arena.[3](https://www.ebu.ch/news/2011/azerbaijan-wins-56th-eurovision) Azerbaijan's Ell & Nikki, performing 19th, won with 221 points, the country's first victory, which meant the 2012 Contest would move to the most eastern location in the competition's history.[2](https://www.eurovision.com/eurovision-song-contest/dusseldorf-2011/dusseldorf-2011-grand-final/) • [4](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7GELpb-1JtU)
The top ten of the final scoreboard:
| Place | Country | Artist | Song | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Azerbaijan | Ell & Nikki | Running Scared | 221 |
| 2 | Italy | Raphael Gualazzi | Madness of Love | 189 |
| 3 | Sweden | Eric Saade | Popular | 185 |
| 4 | Ukraine | Mika Newton | Angel | 159 |
| 5 | Denmark | A Friend In London | New Tomorrow | 134 |
| 6 | Bosnia & Herzegovina | Dino Merlin | Love In Rewind | 125 |
| 7 | Greece | Loucas Yiorkas feat. Stereo Mike | Watch My Dance | 120 |
| 8 | Ireland | Jedward | Lipstick | 119 |
| 9 | Georgia | Eldrine | One More Day | 110 |
| 10 | Germany | Lena | Taken By A Stranger | 107 |
The pre-contest favorites had mixed evenings. The United Kingdom's Blue, performing "I Can", finished 11th with 100 points, just outside the top ten, while Ireland's duo Jedward reached 8th with "Lipstick".[2](https://www.eurovision.com/eurovision-song-contest/dusseldorf-2011/dusseldorf-2011-grand-final/) • [7](https://www.theguardian.com/media/2011/may/16/eurovision-song-contest-tv-ratings) Defending champion Germany, with Lena's "Taken By A Stranger", placed 10th on 107 points.[2](https://www.eurovision.com/eurovision-song-contest/dusseldorf-2011/dusseldorf-2011-grand-final/)
## Voting system
The 2011 Contest used the 50/50 system in force from 2009 to 2012: in each participating country, televoting was combined with the vote of a five-member professional jury, each side converted into a ranking of its top ten songs and awarded 12, 10, 8, 7, and so on down to 1 point, for a total of 58 points per country.[5](https://eurovisionworld.com/esc/voting-systems-in-eurovision-history) • [8](https://www.eurovision.com/newsroom/rules-of-the-contest/) [Professional](https://www.edgepedia.org/professional) juries determined 50% of the results in both Semi-Finals and the Final.[3](https://www.ebu.ch/news/2011/azerbaijan-wins-56th-eurovision) Under this system only the top ten of each jury and televote mattered; the full-ranking method introduced in 2013 came later.[5](https://eurovisionworld.com/esc/voting-systems-in-eurovision-history)
Azerbaijan's winning total was built broadly rather than on blocs alone: it received 12 points from Türkiye, Malta, and Russia, 10 points from five countries including Croatia, Romania, Ukraine, Moldova, and [San Marino](https://www.edgepedia.org/san-marino), and 8 points from ten countries including Iceland, Austria, Cyprus, Portugal, and Bosnia & [Herzegovina](https://www.edgepedia.org/herzegovina).[2](https://www.eurovision.com/eurovision-song-contest/dusseldorf-2011/dusseldorf-2011-grand-final/)
## Television audience
In the United Kingdom, the Grand Final drew the program's biggest BBC1 audience for at least a decade. The broadcast averaged 9.5 million viewers, a 40.4% audience share between 8pm and 11.30pm on Saturday, with a five-minute peak of 12.93 million viewers, a 64.4% share, from 11.15pm as the result approached.[7](https://www.theguardian.com/media/2011/may/16/eurovision-song-contest-tv-ratings)
## Aftermath
Azerbaijan's first victory took the Contest east for 2012, the furthest-east host location in the competition's history at that time.[4](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7GELpb-1JtU) The Düsseldorf edition is also remembered for consolidating the Big Five arrangement in its modern five-country form, with Italy's automatic Grand Final place dating from this Contest.[6](https://www.ebu.ch/files/live/sites/ebu/files/Events/Communication/Press%20kit%2060th%20anniversary%20ESC.pdf) • [9](https://www.eurovision.de/geschichte/Alle-Infos-zum-Eurovision-Song-Contest%2Cesc3098.html)
## References
1. [Düsseldorf 2011, Eurovision Song Contest](https://www.eurovision.com/eurovision-song-contest/dusseldorf-2011/)
2. [Grand Final scoreboard, Düsseldorf 2011, Eurovision Song Contest](https://www.eurovision.com/eurovision-song-contest/dusseldorf-2011/dusseldorf-2011-grand-final/)
3. [Azerbaijan wins 56th Eurovision Song Contest, EBU](https://www.ebu.ch/news/2011/azerbaijan-wins-56th-eurovision)
4. [Eurovision Song Contest 2011 - Grand Final - Full Show, official YouTube description](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7GELpb-1JtU)
5. [Eurovision voting rules, EurovisionWorld](https://eurovisionworld.com/esc/voting-systems-in-eurovision-history)
6. [EBU press kit, 60th anniversary of the Eurovision Song Contest](https://www.ebu.ch/files/live/sites/ebu/files/Events/Communication/Press%20kit%2060th%20anniversary%20ESC.pdf)
7. [Eurovision: nearly 13m support Blue, The Guardian, 16 May 2011](https://www.theguardian.com/media/2011/may/16/eurovision-song-contest-tv-ratings)
8. [Rules of the Contest, Eurovision Song Contest](https://www.eurovision.com/newsroom/rules-of-the-contest/)
9. [Alle Infos zum Eurovision Song Contest, eurovision.de](https://www.eurovision.de/geschichte/Alle-Infos-zum-Eurovision-Song-Contest%2Cesc3098.html)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Music › Music institutions and events › Music festivals › Named music festivals › European named festivals › German and Benelux festivals*
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