🔵 2008 Eurovision Song Contest from Belgrade/Serbis: 1. Semifinal (German commentary by Peter Urban)

finals on 20 and 22 May, and a final on 24 May 2008. The three live shows were presented by Serbian television presenter Jovana Janković and musician Željko Joksimović.

Forty-three countries participated in the contest, the highest ever number of participants in the contest beating the record of forty-two set the year before. Azerbaijan and San Marino participated for the first time, while Austria did not participate, mainly due to questions on the semi-final organisation as well as the politicization of the contest.

The winner was Russia with the song "Believe", performed by Dima Bilan who wrote it with Jim Beanz. Ukraine, Greece, Armenia and Norway rounded out the top five. Armenia achieved their best result to date this year. Of the "Big Four" countries Spain placed the highest, finishing sixteenth, while the United Kingdom ended up in last place for the second time in their Eurovision history, after 2003.

The official website, eurovision.tv, streamed national finals for this year's contest live on ESCTV for the first time. Furthermore, for the first time the winner has been awarded the perpetual glass microphone trophy of the Eurovision Song Contest. The trophy is a handmade piece of sandblasted glass in the shape of a 1950s microphone.

Eligibility for potential participation in the Eurovision Song Contest requires a national broadcaster with active EBU membership capable of receiving the contest via the Eurovision network and broadcasting it live nationwide. The EBU issued an invitation to participate in the contest to all active members. On 21 December 2007, the EBU confirmed that 43 countries would be present in Belgrade. San Marino, as well as the newest EBU member, Azerbaijan, made its debut at the 2008 contest. Austria did not compete; its broadcaster, ORF, said "we've already seen in 2007 that it's not the quality of the song, but the country of origin that determines the decision."

Automatic grand finalists Germany and Spain exercised voting rights at the first semi-final. France, the United Kingdom and Serbia exercised voting rights at the second semi-final. Spain and France each broadcast only the semi-final in which they participated; Germany, Serbia and the UK screened both semi-finals (with Germany broadcasting on a delay). It was announced that the EBU had approved the plan of hosting two semi-finals in 2008.

The first semi-final was held on 20 May 2008. Germany and Spain voted in this semi-final.

Results of the first semi-final of the Eurovision Song Contest 2008 R/O Country Artist Song Points Place
1 Montenegro Stefan Filipović "Zauvijek volim te" 23 14
2 Israel Boaz "The Fire in Your Eyes" 104 5
3 Estonia Kreisiraadio "Leto svet" 8 18
4 Moldova Geta Burlacu "A Century of Love" 36 12
5 San Marino Miodio "Complice" 5 19
6 Belgium Ishtar "O Julissi" 16 17
7 Azerbaijan Elnur and Samir "Day After Day" 96 6
8 Slovenia Rebeka Dremelj "Vrag naj vzame" 36 11
9 Norway Maria "Hold On Be Strong" 106 4
10 Poland Isis Gee "For Life" 42 10 ‡
11 Ireland Dustin the Turkey "Irelande Douze Pointe" 22 15
12 Andorra Gisela "Casanova" 22 16
13 Bosnia and Herzegovina Laka "Pokušaj" 72 9
14 Armenia Sirusho "Qélé, Qélé" 139 2
15 Netherlands Hind "Your Heart Belongs to Me" 27 13
16 Finland Teräsbetoni "Missä miehet ratsastaa" 79 8
17 Romania Nico and Vlad "Pe-o margine de lume" 94 7
18 Russia Dima Bilan "Believe" 135 3
19 Greece Kalomira "Secret Combination" 156 1