Sopot International Song Festival

The Sopot International Song Festival or Sopot Festival (later called Sopot Music Festival Grand Prix, Sopot Top of the Top Festival from 2012–13 and Polsat Sopot Festival in 2014) is an annual international song contest held in Sopot, Poland.<ref>"Sopot Summer Capital", Polish Cultures</ref> It is the biggest Polish music festival altogether with the National Festival of Polish Song in Opole, and one of the biggest song contests in Europe. Over the years, Elton John, Gloria Gaynor, Demis Roussos, Alla Pugacheva, Scorpions, Anastacia, Maryla Rodowicz, In-Grid and other popular performers from around the world performed at the festival.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite AV media</ref><ref>Template:Cite AV media</ref><ref>Template:Cite AV media</ref><ref>Template:Cite AV media</ref><ref>Template:Cite AV media</ref>

The contest was organised and transmitted live by the public Polish Television (TVP) between 1994 and 2004. The following year, the concert was broadcast by the private media station TVN for the first time and remained on TVN until 2009. From 2012 to 2014, the concert was broadcast and organised by Polsat. It was later cancelled by the broadcaster.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The 2015 festival was not televised, however it returned in 2017 on TVN.

Origins and history

Foundation and early years

Forest Opera in Sopot (2007)

The first International Song Festival in Sopot was in 1961. The festival was organized by musician and composer Władysław Szpilman, then working as the head of Polish Radio's music department.<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Additional organizational support came from Szymon Zakrzewski from Polish Artists Management (PAGART). The first three festivals (1961–1963) were held at the Gdansk Shipyard hall after which the festival moved to the Forest Opera. Through most of its history, the main prize has been the Amber Nightingale trophy.

Replacement by Intervision

Between 1977 and 1980 it was replaced by the Intervision Song Contest, which was still held in Sopot. Unlike the Eurovision Song Contest, the Sopot International Music Festival often changed its formulas to pick a winner and offered many different contests for its participants. For example, at the 4th Intervision Song Festival (held in Sopot August 20–23, 1980) two competitions were effective: one for artists representing television companies, the other for those representing record companies. In the first the jury considered the artistic merits of the songs entered; while in the second, it judged the performers' interpretation."<ref>Template:Cite magazine Template:In lang</ref>

The festival has always been open to non-European acts, and countries like Cuba, Dominican Republic, Mongolia, New Zealand, Nigeria, Peru, South Africa and many others have been represented in this event.

The contest lost popularity in Poland and abroad in the 1980s, declining further during the 1990s, and the rather unconvincing organisations by TVP made the authorities of Sopot give the organization of the 2005 Sopot International Song Festival to a private TV channel, TVN.

Since 1999, there was no contest. TVP chose to invite well-known artists instead, featuring the likes of Whitney Houston, Tina Turner, The Corrs, Lionel Richie, UB40, Ricky Martin and Simply Red to perform. In 2005, TVN brought the international competition back, taking over from TVP, and in 2006 invited Elton John and Katie Melua. The Sopot International Song Festival is usually considered bigger than the Benidorm International Song Festival because of its ability to attract star performers.

Revival

Stage for the Sopot Top Of The Top Festival 2013

In 2010 and 2011, the festival did not take place due to renovation of the Forest Opera. Since 2012, it is called Sopot Top Of The Top Festival and is broadcast annually by Polsat. In 2014, the name was changed to Polsat Sopot Festival. In 2015, Polsat decided not to organize the festival. However, the city authorities decided to organize a one-day festival in Sopot this year, but without a television broadcast.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

In 2016, the concert did not take place due to the lack of a television partner, which initially was to be TVP.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> After a year of break, the decision was made to restore the festival. Since 2017, it has been organized and broadcast by TVN again.

The festival also provided opportunity to listen to international stars. In the past, it featured Charles Aznavour, Demis Roussos, Boney M, Gloria Gaynor, Petula Clark, Johnny Cash, Chuck Berry, Shirley Bassey, Village People, Kool and the Gang, Vanessa Mae, Sabrina, C.C.Catch, Annie Lennox, Paul Young, Marillion, Scorpions, Alphaville, Kim Wilde, Bonnie Tyler, Jimmy Somerville, Erasure, Belinda Carlisle, Vaya Con Dios, Chris Rea, Bryan Adams, Tanita Tikaram, La Toya Jackson, Rick Astley, Shakin’ Stevens, Londonbeat, Bad Boys Blue, Technotronic. Kajagoogoo, Limahl, Goran Bregovic, Norah Jones, Anastacia, Maryla Rodowicz, Ricky Martin, In-Grid, Alla Pugacheva and many others.

Competition overview and winners

Amber Nightingale Award

This list includes only winners of the most prestigious contests within the Sopot Music Festival. Sometimes one contest has overshadowed another with time. Grand Prix de disque was the most prestigious award between 1974 and 1976 and the Intervision Song Contest during 1977–80. Since the 1980s, the main prize of the festival is the Amber Nightingale award.

The festival has also given prizes for Best Interpretation in the 1960s, and Winner Of The Polish Day on and off from the 1960s to the 1980s.<ref name=pesnya/>

Year	Date	Country	Performer	Song(s)
1961–1973: Price for the Masterpiece<ref name=pesnya/>
1961	25–27 August	Template:SUI	Jo Rolland	"Nous Deux"
1962	6–8 July	Template:Flag	Jeanne Yovanna	"Ti Krima"
1963	15–18 August	Template:Flag	Tamara Miansarova	"Пусть всегда будет солнце!" (ex-aequo)
		Template:FRA	Template:Ill	"Toi et ton sourire" (ex-aequo)
1964	6–12 August	Template:Flag	Nadia Constantopoulou	"S'efharisto kardia mou"
1965	5–8 August	Template:CAN	Monique Leyrac	"Mon pays"
1966	25–28 August	Template:USA	Lana Cantrell	"I'm all smiles"
1967	17–20 August	Template:Flag	Template:Ill	"Po prostu jestem"
1968	22–25 August	Template:Flag	Urszula Sipińska	"Po ten kwiat czerwony"
1969	21–24 August	Template:SUI	Henri Dès	"Maria Consuelo"
1970	27–30 August	Template:CAN	Robert Charlebois	"Ordinaire"
1971	26–29 August	Template:GBR	Samantha Jones	"He Moves Me"
1972	23–26 August	Template:Flag	Lev Leschchenko	"Я не был с ним знаком" (ex-aequo)
		Template:Flag	Template:Ill	"Do zakochania jeden krok" (ex-aequo)
1973	21–25 August	Template:GBR	Tony Craig	"Can You Feel It" and "Song of Skaldowie"
1974–1976: Grand Prix de disque<ref name=pesnya/>
1974	21–24 August	Template:FIN	Marion Rung	"Uskon lauluun"
1975	20–23 August	Template:GBR	Glen Weston	"I Still Love You"
1976	24–29 August	Template:Flag	Irina Ponarovskaya	"Мольба"
1977–1980: Intervision Song Contest<ref name=pesnya/>
1977	24–27 August	Template:Flag	Helena Vondráčková	"Malovaný džbánku"
1978	23–26 August	Template:Flag	Alla Pugacheva	"Всё могут короли"
1979	22–25 August	Template:Flag	Czesław Niemen	"Nim przyjdzie wiosna"
1980	20–23 August	Template:FIN	Marion Rung	"Hyvästi yö"<ref>Interviisut Punatähdet</ref>
colspan="5" Template:N/a
1984–1987: Sopot Music Festival Grand Prix<ref name=pesnya/>
1984	15–18 August	Template:POL	Template:Ill	"Blue Box"
1985	21–24 August	Template:SWE	Herreys	"Summer Party"
1986	20–23 August	Template:USA	Mara Getz	"Hero Of My Heart"
1987	19–22 August	Template:Flag	Double Take	"Rockola"
1988–1990: Golden Disc<ref name=pesnya/>
1988	20–23 August	Template:USA	Kenny James	"The Magic In You"
1989	16–19 August	Template:NOR	Dance with a Stranger	"By"
1990	15–18 August	Template:POL	Template:Ill	"Zły chłopak" and "Trust Me At Once"
1991–1993: Sopot Music Festival Grand Prix<ref name=pesnya/>
1991	22–25 August	Template:LAT	New Moon	"Ice"
1992	27–30 August	Template:AUT	Sisqó	Template:Unknown
1993	26–28 August	Template:LIT	Arina	"Rain Is Coming Down"
1994–2004: Sopot Music Festival Grand Prix (with TVP)<ref name=pesnya/>
1994	26–27 August	Template:POL	Varius Manx	"Zanim zrozumiesz"
1995	25–26 August	Template:POL	Kasia Kowalska	"Jak rzecz" and "A to co mam"
1996	22–24 August	colspan="3" Template:N/a
1997	22–23 August	Template:NED	Total Touch	"Somebody Else's Lover"
1998	21–22 August	Template:ITA	Alex Baroni	"Male che fa male"
1999	20–22 August	Template:POL	Template:Ill	"Lawa"
2000	18–19 August	Template:CZE	Helena Vondráčková	"Veselé Vánoce a šťastný nový rok"
2001	24–25 August	Template:BEL	Natacha Atlas	"Ayeshteni"
2002	23–24 August	Template:POL	Irena Santor	"Jeszcze kochasz mnie”
2003	22–23 August	Template:POL	Skaldowie	"Hymn o miłości"
2004	20–21 August	colspan="3" Template:N/a
2005–2011: Sopot Music Festival Grand Prix (with TVN)
2005	2–4 September	Template:POL	Andrzej Piaseczny	"Z głębi duszy" (all-Polish contest)
2006	1–3 September	Template:GBR	Mattafix	"Big City Life"
2007	31 August – 2 September	Template:POL	Feel	"A gdy już jest ciemno"
2008	23–24 August	Template:SWE	Oh Laura	"Release Me"<ref name=pesnya>Międzynarodowy Festiwal Piosenki Polskiej- Sopot Festival «Песня года» site</ref>
2009	22–23 August	Template:AUS	Gabriella Cilmi	"Sweet About Me"<ref>Sopot Festival 2009 - porażka polskiej piosenki? Wirtualna Polska: Muzyka</ref>
colspan="5" Template:N/a
2012–2013: Sopot Top Of The Top Festival (with Polsat)
2012	24–25 August	Template:SWE	Eric Saade	"Hotter Than Fire"
2013	23–24 August	Template:FRA	Imany	"You Will Never Know"
2014: Polsat Sopot Festival
2014	22–23 August	Template:POL	Ewa Farna	"Cicho"
2015: Sopot Festival
2015	21 August	colspan="3" Template:N/a
colspan="5" Template:N/a
Since 2017: Top of the Top Sopot Festival (with TVN)
2017	18–20 August	colspan="3" Template:N/a
2018	14–16 August	Template:ROU	Mihail	"Who You Are"<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
2019	13–15 August	Template:SWE	Frans	"If I Were Sorry"<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
colspan="5" Template:N/a
2021	17–20 August	Template:POL	Dawid Kwiatkowski	"Bez Ciebie"<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
2022	16–19 August	Template:POL	Michał Szpak	"24 na 7"<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
2023	21–24 August	Template:POL	Kwiat Jabłoni	"Od nowa"<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
2024	19–22 August	Template:POL	Template:Ill	"Template:Ill"<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Winners by country

Wins	Country	Years
18	Template:Flag	1967, 1968, 1972*, 1979, 1984, 1990, 1994, 1995, 1999, 2002, 2003, 2005, 2007, 2014, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024
4	Template:Flag	1985, 2008, 2012, 2019
	Template:Flag	1971, 1973, 1975, 2006
	Template:Flag	1963*, 1972*, 1976, 1978
3	Template:Flag	1966, 1986, 1988
2	Template:Flag	1963*, 2013
	Template:Flag	1974, 1980
	Template:Flag	1965, 1970
	Template:Flag	1961, 1969
	Template:Flag	1962, 1964
1	Template:Flag	2018
	Template:Flag	2009
	Template:Flag	2001
	Template:Flag	2000
	Template:Flag	1998
	Template:Flag	1997
	Template:Flag	1993
	Template:Flag	1992
	Template:Flag	1991
	Template:Flag	1989
	Template:Flag	1987
	Template:Flag	1977

*More than one winner at that year.

See also

• Eurovision Song Contest
• Golden Orpheus
• Intervision Song Contest
• National Festival of Polish Song in Opole
• Sanremo Music Festival
• Sopot Hit Festival

External links

• Sopot Festival website Template:In lang
• The complete list of all participants and places till 2009 Template:Webarchive Template:In lang