ABBA arrived in Brighton on April 3 and started rehearsals and promotional work.

Rehearsals started early in the day with a final full dress rehearsal mid afternoon.

The competition was held on Saturday 6 April 1974 in the Brighton Dome.

ABBA won with 24 points!

Luxembourg had won both the 1972 and 1973 Eurovision Song Contest's but for financial reasons had declined to host their second contest in a row in 1974. The United Kingdom broadcaster BBC stepped in and took the contest to the seaside resort of Brighton, the venue being The Dome.

Katie Boyle returned as host for the fourth time, having presented the 1960, 1963 and 1968 contests already. A total of 17 countries participated in 1974.

1974 Facts & Figures

ABBA had previously been unsuccessful in trying to represent Sweden in the 1973 contest, missing out in the Swedish national final with Ring Ring ending in third place. Ring Ring would go on to become a hit in many countries.
A new voting system was introduced, 10 jury members in each country each gave their favourite song 1 point. Even recently, upon a visit to London, the ABBA members still made reference jokingly to the fact that the United Kingdom jury didn't award them any points!.
France withdrew their entry La Vie A Vingt-Cinq Ans by Dani, as the French president, Georges Pompidou, died in the week of the contest and Dani had to be content with watching the show from the audience.
Greece made their debut in the competition with Marinella finishing in 11th place with Krassi, Thalassa Ke T'agori Mou
Olivia Newton-John, the United Kingdom participant would go on to achieve huge worldwide success for her role in the musical Grease later in the 1970's
The 1974 interval act featured the childrens television characters The Wombles.