The Thessaloniki Song Festival , originally the Greek Song Festival was a Greek

Greece

Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....

 song festival hosted between 1959–1997 and 2005–2008. The host city of the event was initially Athens

Athens

Athens , is the capital and largest city of Greece. Athens dominates the Attica region and is one of the world's oldest cities, as its recorded history spans around 3,400 years. Classical Athens was a powerful city-state...

 (1959–1961) but the contest was later moved to Thessaloniki

Thessaloniki

Thessaloniki , historically also known as Thessalonica, Salonika or Salonica, is the second-largest city in Greece and the capital of the region of Central Macedonia as well as the capital of the Decentralized Administration of Macedonia and Thrace...

, from which it got its name.

The festival was usually hosted at the Alexandreio Melathron in Thessaloniki.

History

The three initial contests held in Athens were marked by the participation of important Greek musicians such as Manos Hatzidakis and Mikis Theodorakis

Mikis Theodorakis

Mikis Theodorakis is one of the most renowned Greek songwriters and composers. Internationally, he is probably best known for his songs and for his scores for the films Zorba the Greek , Z , and Serpico .Politically, he identified with the left until the late 1980s; in 1989, he ran as an...

, who won first prize two times and one time respectively. The first time the contest took place in Thessaloniki in 1962, it was organized by the Thessaloniki International Trade Fair, in partnership with the Greek Music Association, at the stadium of the city's YMCA

YMCA

The Young Men's Christian Association is a worldwide organization of more than 45 million members from 125 national federations affiliated through the World Alliance of YMCAs...

. The first contest in Thessaloniki also marked the start of Alkis Steas' career as presenter of the show from 1962 until 1980. The first song to win the Thessaloniki Song Festival was "Alysides" by Kaiti Belinda.

In 1965 the Greek Music Association stopped supporting the event and was replaced by Greece's national broadcaster, the Hellenic Broadcasting Corporation. Additionally, 1965 also saw the introduction of a committee of judges responsible for determining the winning songs, which in previous years were selected through public voting. At the time the contest was dominated by Greek New Wave in music.

The festival of 1972 was marked by two important events. First was the fact that popular Greek singer Tolis Voskopoulos

Tolis Voskopoulos

Apostolos Voskopoulos is one of the legends of modern Greek music. He also starred in many films and played in the Theatre in Athens....

, who was one of the favorites to win the contest, was unable to sing once he walked on stage which resulted in him being denounced by the public. Additionally the contest was marked by a number of camouflaged anti-dictatorial songs in opposition of the Regime of the Colonels, which was in power since 1967. 1974 saw another wave of songs with hidden political messages, this time inspired by the events that followed the collapse of the Greek dictatorship. The winning song of the 1974 edition implicitely referred to Konstantinos Karamanlis, Prime Minister of Greece

Prime Minister of Greece

The Prime Minister of Greece , officially the Prime Minister of the Hellenic Republic , is the head of government of the Hellenic Republic and the leader of the Greek cabinet. The current interim Prime Minister is Lucas Papademos, a former Vice President of the European Central Bank, following...

 following the collapse of the dictatorship.

In 1977 popular Greek singer Anna Vissi

Anna Vissi

Anna Vissi , known as Anna Vishy in Cypriot Greek, is a Greek-Cypriot recording artist and actress...

 competed at the festival and won first place. 1980 saw the retirement of the festival's original host since 1962, Alkis Steas, and the participation of Cypriot Greek

Cypriot Greek

The Cypriot dialect of Modern Greek, known as Kypriaka , Cypriot Greek is spoken by 750,000 people in Cyprus and diaspora Greek Cypriots.Cypriot Greek is distinct enough that it can be classified as a distinct dialect of the Standard Greek....

 composer Manos Loizos

Manos Loïzos

Manos Loïzos was considered to be one of the most important Greek music composers of the 20th century.-Biography:...

 in the contest. In 1991 Greek pop star Sakis Rouvas

Sakis Rouvas

Anastasios "Sakis" Rouvas II , often referred to mononymously as Sakis, is a Greek musician, television and film artist, businessman, and former pole vaulter who is one of the most successful and influential entertainers of all time in Greece and Cyprus...

 took part in the contest.

The contest was discontinued in 1997 due to lack of interest, and was later brought back to life in 2005, this time as a co-operation of the Hellenic Broadcasting Corporation, the Thessaloniki International Trade Fair and the Ministry for Macedonia and Thrace

General Secretariat for Macedonia and Thrace

The General Secretariat for Macedonia and Thrace , previously the Ministry for Macedonia and Thrace is a government agency of the Hellenic Republic that is responsible for the Greek regions of Macedonia and Thrace...

. It was discontinued again in 2008.

Winners

EWLINE Winners of the Thessaloniki Song Festival Year Winners First Second Third 1959 Nana Mouskouri Nana Mouskouri Nana Mouskouri , born Ioánna Moúschouri on October 13, 1934, in Chania, Crete, Greece, is a Greek singer who has sold about 300 million records worldwide in a career spanning over five decades, making her one of the best-selling music artists of all time. She was known as Nána to her friends and... Nana Mouskouri Nana Mouskouri Nana Mouskouri , born Ioánna Moúschouri on October 13, 1934, in Chania, Crete, Greece, is a Greek singer who has sold about 300 million records worldwide in a career spanning over five decades, making her one of the best-selling music artists of all time. She was known as Nána to her friends and...  & Trio Canzone Giannos Vogiatzis 1960 Nana Mouskouri Nana Mouskouri Nana Mouskouri , born Ioánna Moúschouri on October 13, 1934, in Chania, Crete, Greece, is a Greek singer who has sold about 300 million records worldwide in a career spanning over five decades, making her one of the best-selling music artists of all time. She was known as Nána to her friends and... Giovanna Mairy Lo 1961 Mairy Linda Nana Mouskouri Nana Mouskouri Nana Mouskouri , born Ioánna Moúschouri on October 13, 1934, in Chania, Crete, Greece, is a Greek singer who has sold about 300 million records worldwide in a career spanning over five decades, making her one of the best-selling music artists of all time. She was known as Nána to her friends and... Giorgos Kouroupos 1962 Kaity Belinda Nadia Konstantopoulou Giovanna 1963 Giannis Vogiatzis Tzeni Vanou Tzeni Vanou 1964 Nadia Konstantopoulou Tzeni Vanou Cleio Denardou 1965 Soula Birbili Giovanna Giovanna 1966 Cleio Denardou Zoe Kouroukli Cleio Denardou 1967 Sotos Panagopoulos Nadia Konstantopoulou Giovanna 1968 Nikos Antoniou Belinda Giovanna 1969 Dimitris Beksevanakis Giannis Vogiatzis Giannis Petropoulos 1970 Giannis Vogiatzis Tzoni Stratis Panos Kokkinos 1971 Giannis Petropoulos Cleio Denardou Panos Kokkinos 1972 Doros Georgiadis Cleio Denardou Michalis Violaris 1973 Dimitris Kontolazos The Charms Phryni 1974 Tonny Vavatsikos Michalis Violaris Aleka Kanellidou 1975 Robert Williams Dakis Lakis Tzordaneli 1976 Maria Douraki Dakis 1977 Anna Vissi Anna Vissi Anna Vissi , known as Anna Vishy in Cypriot Greek, is a Greek-Cypriot recording artist and actress... Antonis Politis Michalis Violaris 1978 Christianna Sofi Pappa Stavros Sideras 1979 Giorgos Polychroniadis Manos Giannis Dimitras 1980 Tzina Spiliotopoulou Betty Dima Eleni Dimou

EWLINE Winners of the Thessaloniki Song Festival (continued) Year Winners First Second Third 1981 Elena Dimou Charoula Ntanou Antypas Mousloumidis 1982 No awards given. 1983 Petros Karalis Dimitris Kamsaris Kostas Thomaidis 1984 Sophia Vossou Sophia Vossou Sophia Vossou is a Greek singer best known abroad for representing Greece at the Eurovision Song Contest 1991 where she placed 13th with the song "I Anixi".-Biography:... Giorgos Marantzas Notis Chasapis 1985 Christos Dalkos Fotini Vazou Dimitris Panagopoulos 1986 Nikos Miraitopoulos Kostas Pratsinakis Eleni Antoniadou 1987 Giannis Gardelis Eleni Antoniou Sotiris Daras 1988 Matoula Lambrou Eleni Michalopoulou Dimitris Nikoloudis 1989 Eleni Michalopoulou Pegki Rousoudaki Manolis Lidakis 1990 Giannis Dimitras1 1991 Anthi Tatsiouli 1992 Dimitris Nezeritis 1993 Kostas Vrettos 1994 Katerina Siapanta Marianna Kikiforou Morfo Tsaireli 1995 Soula Stavrou Makis Eleftheriou Kostas Vassiliangos 1996 Pyrovates Michalis Klontzas Evgenia Grentzelou 1997 Nikos Karagiannis Virginia Viktoros Kostas Smokovitis 2005 Stavroula Arvanitopoulou Sozos Liberopoulos Efstathia 2006 Stavros Siolas Thodoris Manolidis Myronas Stratis 2007 Komis X Irini Toumbaki Dimitra Ligopsihaki 2008 Alexandros Goudas 18 Para Tetarto Vangelis Kapsalis 1 Award later annulled as the song was not original.