Switzerland was one of the seven countries competing in the very first Eurovision Song Contest in 1956 and the country has competed in 62 Contests to date.
It has won the Contest twice: the very first edition in 1956 and in 1988 with the latter victory provided by Canadian singer Céline Dion , who would go on to become one of the biggest-selling artists of all-time. The entry also beat the United Kingdom 's entry by a single point in one of the closest finishes in the Contest's history.
They did not compete in 1999, 2001 and 2003 and since the semi finals were introduced in 2004, the country has failed to reach the final ten times. In the 21st century it has only reached the Top 10 three times when the girlband Vanilla Ninja finished in 8th place in 2005 and again when Luca Hänni finished in 4th place in 2019 . In 2021 , Gjon's Tears finished 3rd - the best placing since the 1993 Contest in Millstreet. Additionally, in winning the second semifinal, Gjon set the new record for Switzerland's best showing in the semifinals.
The country made its first and only appearance at the Junior Eurovision Song Contest 2004 in Lillehammer, finishing in 16th place. Following this, the country decided to withdraw due to the cost of participating.
Participants [ ]
Eurovision Song Contest [ ]
Year
Performer(s)
Song
Language
Translation
Position
Points
Semi
Points
1956
Lys Assia
"Das alte Karussell "
German
The old carousel
N/A
Host country
"Refrain "
French
-
1
N/A
1957
"L'enfant que j'étais "
French
The child that I was
8
5
No semi-finals
1958
"Giorgio "
German, Italian
-
2
24
1959
Christa Williams
"Irgendwoher "
German
From somewhere
4
14
1960
Anita Traversi
"Cielo e terra "
Italian
Heaven and earth
8
5
1961
Franca di Rienzo
"Nous aurons demain "
French
We'll Have Tomorrow
3
16
1962
Jean Philippe
"Le retour "
The return
10
2
1963
Esther Ofarim
"T'en va pas "
Don't Go
2
40
1964
Anita Traversi
"I miei pensieri "
Italian
My thoughts
13
0
1965
Yovanna
"Non, à jamais sans toi "
French
No, never without you
8
8
1966
Madeleine Pascal
"Ne vois-tu pas? "
Don't you see?
6
12
1967
Géraldine
"Quel cœur vas-tu briser? "
Which heart are you going to break?
17
0
1968
Gianni Mascolo
"Guardando il sole "
Italian
Looking into the sun
13
2
1969
Paola del Medico
"Bonjour, Bonjour "
German, French
Good day, Good day
5
13
1970
Henri Dès
"Retour "
French
Return
4
8
1971
Peter, Sue & Marc
"Les illusions de nos vingt ans "
The illusions of our twenties
12
78
1972
Véronique Müller
"C'est la chanson de mon amour "
This is the song of my love
8
88
1973
Patrick Juvet
"Je vais me marier, Marie "
I'm getting married, Mary
12
79
1974
Piera Martell
"Mein Ruf nach Dir "
German
My call for you
14
3
1975
Simone Drexel
"Mikado "
-
6
77
1976
Peter, Sue & Marc
"Djambo, Djambo "
English
-
4
91
1977
Pepe Lienhard Band
"Swiss Lady "
German
-
6
71
1978
Carole Vinci
"Vivre "
French
To live
9
65
1979
Peter, Sue & Marc & Pfuri, Gorps & Kniri
"Trödler und Co "
German
Dawdler and Co
10
60
1980
Paola
"Cinéma "
French
Cinema
4
104
1981
Peter, Sue & Marc
"Io senza te "
Italian
Me without you
4
121
1982
Arlette Zola
"Amour on t'aime "
French
Love, we love you
3
97
1983
Mariella Farré
"Io così non ci sto "
Italian
I don't like it this way
15
28
1984
Rainy Day
"Welche Farbe hat der Sonnenschein? "
German
What colour is the sunshine?
16
30
1985
Mariella Farré & Pino Gasparini
"Piano, piano "
-
12
39
1986
Daniela Simmons
"Pas pour moi "
French
Not for me
2
140
1987
Carol Rich
"Moitié, moitié "
Half and half
17
26
1988
Céline Dion
"Ne partez pas sans moi "
Don't leave without me
1
137
1989
Furbaz
"Viver senza tei "
Romansh
To live without you
13
47
Host country
1990
Egon Egemann
"Musik klingt in die Welt hinaus "
German
Music resounds in the world
11
51
No semi-finals
1991
Sandra Simó
"Canzone per te "
Italian
A song for you
5
118
1992
Daisy Auvray
"Mister Music Man "
French
-
15
32
1993
Annie Cotton
"Moi, tout simplement "
-
3
148
Kvalifikacija za Millstreet
1994
Duilio
"Sto pregando "
Italian
I'm praying
19
15
No semi-finals
Did not participate in 1995
1996
Kathy Leander
"Mon cœur l'aime "
French
My Heart Loves Him
16
22
8
67
1997
Barbara Berta
"Dentro di me "
Italian
Inside of me
22
5
No semi-finals
1998
Gunvor
"Lass ihn "
German
Let him
25
0
Did not participate in 1999
2000
Jane Bogaert
"La vita cos'è? "
Italian
What is life?
20
14
No semi-finals
Did not participate in 2001
2002
Francine Jordi
"Dans le jardin de mon âme "
French
In the garden of my soul
22
15
No semi-finals
Did not participate in 2003
2004
Piero & The MusicStars
"Celebrate "
English
-
Failed to qualify
22
0
2005
Vanilla Ninja
"Cool Vibes "
-
8
128
8
114
2006
six4one
"If We All Give a Little "
-
16
30
Top 11 Previous Year
2007
DJ BoBo
"Vampires Are Alive "
-
Failed to qualify
20
40
2008
Paolo Meneguzzi
"Era stupendo "
Italian
It was wonderful
13
47
2009
Lovebugs
"The Highest Heights "
English
-
14
15
2010
Michael von der Heide
"Il pleut de l'or "
French
It's raining gold
17
2
2011
Anna Rossinelli
"In Love for a While "
English
-
25
19
10
55
2012
Sinplus
"Unbreakable "
-
Failed to qualify
11
45
2013
Takasa
"You and Me "
-
13
41
2014
Sebalter
"Hunter of Stars "
-
13
64
4
92
2015
Mélanie René
"Time to Shine "
-
Failed to qualify
17
4
2016
Rykka
"The Last of Our Kind "
-
18
28
2017
Timebelle
"Apollo "
-
12
97
2018
Zibbz
"Stones "
-
13
86
2019
Luca Hänni
"She Got Me "
-
4
364
4
232
2020
Gjon's Tears
"Répondez-moi "
French
Answer Me
Cancelled
2021
"Tout l'Univers "
The whole universe
3
432
1
291
2022
Marius Bear
"Boys Do Cry "
English
-
17
78
9
118
2023
Remo Forrer
"Watergun "
-
20
92
7
97
2024
Nemo
"The Code "
-
Junior Eurovision Song Contest [ ]
Junior Eurovision Song Contest