Azerbaijan got the right to host the 2012 edition of the Eurovision Song Contest after winning the previous 2011 edition with the song "Running Scared" performed by Ell and Nikki.
The winner was Sweden with the song "Euphoria", performed by Loreen and written by Thomas G:son and Peter Boström. Russia, Serbia, host country Azerbaijan and Albania rounded out the top five.
Azerbaijan, as well as the largest city on the Caspian Sea and of the Caucasus region, was named the host city for the contest, with the venue being the Baku Crystal Hall, built a few months prior to the contest on the city's coastline.