# Eurovision, Israel and the politics of pop music

Page: https://stenobird.com/podcast/7am-529740/eurovision-israel-and-the-politics-of-pop-music
Text version: https://stenobird.com/podcast/7am-529740/eurovision-israel-and-the-politics-of-pop-music.md
Podcast: [7am](https://stenobird.com/podcast/7am-529740)
Published: 2026-05-17T19:00:00+00:00
Episode link: https://omny.fm/shows/7am/eurovision-israel-and-the-politics-of-pop-music
Audio file: https://p.podderapp.com/2544644999/traffic.omny.fm/d/clips/2fb3740d-3436-44af-8cc0-a91900716aa5/62723a1f-3e96-4fc4-882c-b25e0181da4d/c291a794-f660-4c9b-9fa1-b44d0042d01f/audio.mp3?utm_source=Podcast&in_playlist=70f29d90-2a63-48aa-bf8f-b25e0181da70
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JSON: https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/7am-529740/episodes/eurovision-israel-and-the-politics-of-pop-music
Duration seconds: 1007

## Resource

Over the weekend, Eurovision got a feel-good ending. Bulgaria won the contest for the very first time with their infectious song Bangaranga. And Australia came close - with Delta Goodrem placing 4th. But the controversy over Israel didn’t go away. Israeli singer Noam Bettan finished second, after getting a huge huge public vote – despite protests outside the contest, boycotts from five countries, and warnings over the Israeli broadcaster KAN running a campaign telling people to vote ten times. Eurovision insists it’s a non-political contest... but over the past three years, Israel’s place in it  has exposed how political that stage can be – and how useful it can be for a government trying to shape how the world sees it. Today, author of Eurovision!: A History of Modern Europe Through the World’s Greatest Song Contest, Chris West, on the boycott, the vote, and how Israel turned the world’s biggest song contest into a soft-power campaign.   If you enjoy 7am , the best way you can support us is by making a contribution at 7ampodcast.com.au/support .   And Eurovision audio is courtesy of SBS.   Socials: Stay in touch with us on Instagram Guest: Author of Eurovision!: A History of Modern Europe Through the World's Greatest Song Contest , Chris West. Photo:  EPA/HANNIBAL HANSCHKE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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## Transcript

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