They were inaugurated in 1971 for the contest in Dublin, Ireland, and have been provided by the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) to all participating countries ever since.
Broadcasters either submit a performance of the given song – usually taken from their local national final – or a music video of the entry, specifically filmed for the purpose.
In 1971, the Belgian preview video featured singers Nicole & Hugo who were forced to withdraw days before the Eurovision final due to illness, being replaced by Jacques Raymond and Lily Castel.
[3] In the same year, the French entry was broadcast by all the nations showing the previews, even though the song was withdrawn from the Eurovision final itself.
Those that were included: Portugal, Turkey, Switzerland, Ireland, United Kingdom (the host country), Cyprus, Finland, Yugoslavia and Spain.
For the Eurovision Song Contest 1990 Grand Final, at the end of the video postcard introducing each song, the animated EuroCat (that year's contest mascot) appeared on screen to click a cartoon camera; the resulting photograph being a still of the artist captured from their respective preview video, but represented in monochrome rather than colour.
San Marino broadcaster SMtv televised the previews for the first time in 2012, showing the videos in multiple programmes in the run up to the contest on a rotating basis, hosted by John Kennedy O'Connor.
[5] SM Rtv revived the previews in 2022, hosted by commentator Lia Fiorio, under the title "Countdown to Eurovision", returning for a second series in 2023.
The preview shows have been hosted by a variety of presenters over the years; including Cliff Richard, Terry Wogan, Gloria Hunniford, Ken Bruce and Lorraine Kelly.
Generally, but by no means always, the songs were broadcast in the order they would appear in the contest, with the UK entry saved until the end.
In 1983, the UK preview video consisted of the group Sweet Dreams in speed boats off the coast of Dover, Southern England, with the engine noise of the vessels included in the soundtrack, partially obscuring the song itself.
The 1994 preview show, which would be the last for eight years, was renamed Tips For Le Top and included analysis by "swingometer" expert Peter Snow who gave out the odds on victory for each act with only two minutes of each song broadcast.