Eurovision Song Contest 2012 - listen to the 16 finalists announced so far

Listen to 16 of the finalists ahead of Eurovision final on Sat 16 May

It's Eurovision Song Contest time. The epic, pan-European assault on the senses that everyone loves to ridicule is screening at 8pm this Saturday. It's every European country's annual opportunity to take out their historic and current grievances through the medium of voting about pop music. And it offers us viewers a chance for a good night of shouting at the TV before becoming embarrassed at how bad our European geography is.

Will you still be enthusiastic at the 26th entry? Will this be Greece's year? Or does the heavy cost of hosting the contest make a Greek win the worst possible outcome?

Below are the 16 songs already in the final. 10 more finalists will be announced, following the result of the semi final on Thu 24 May. Countries competing are: Belarus, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Estonia, Macedonia, Georgia, Lithuania, Malta, Norway, Portugal, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Sweden, The Netherlands, Turkey and Ukraine.

Eurovision facts 2012

United Kingdom's Engelbert Humperdinck was set to be the oldest entrant in the history of the contest, until it was announced that Natalya Pugachyova, who was already 76, would represent Russia as part of the band Buranovskiye Babushki. Humperdinck will be the oldest male singer.

This is the second Eurovision final for Jedward, the first being in 2011, but also the second for Iceland's Jonsi, who also performed in 2004.

Eurovision 2012 finalists

United Kingdom
Engelbert Humperdinck - "Love Will Set You Free"

Hungary
Compact Disco -"Sound of Our Hearts"

Albania
Rona Nishliu - "Suus"3

Russia
Buranovskiye Babushki - "Party for Everybody"

Iceland
Gréta Salóme & Jónsi - "Never Forget"

Cyprus
Ivi Adamou - "La La Love"

France
Anggun - "Echo (You and I)"

Italy
Nina Zilli - "L'amore è femmina (Out of Love)"

Azerbaijan (host)
Sabina Babayeva - "When the Music Dies"

Romania
Mandinga - "Zaleilah"

Denmark
Soluna Samay - "Should've Known Better"

Greece
Eleftheria Eleftheriou - "Aphrodisiac"

Spain
Pastora Soler - "Quédate conmigo"

Germany
Roman Lob - "Standing Still"

Ireland
Jedward - "Waterline"

Moldova
Pasha Parfeny - "Lăutar"