Pesnya goda (Russian: Песня года), meaning Song of the Year, is an annual televised music festival and gala in Russia, honoring standout songs from the previous year. The event began in the Soviet period, and prior to the dissolution of the USSR also included songs in languages other than Russian.
First held in 1971, it became the main event of the year for Soviet singers and musical groups. Pesnya goda is traditionally recorded in December and aired on television in early January, as part of the New Year's festivities. Programme One (later Channel One Russia) was the official broadcaster through 2004; the festival is now broadcast on Russia 1.
History
In many ways, the history of Pesnya goda mirrored the history of the former Soviet Union. The songs selected for the initial festivals were strictly censored and required to be consistent with the social norms established by the Communist Party.[citation needed] The performers were all conservatory graduates in good standing with pristine reputations and conservative looks; the same case fell also for the VIAs whose songs were also featured.[citation needed] Over time as Soviet society became more liberal and in the 1980s during the era of perestroika, the festival began to include a broader range of musical styles, song lyrics, and performers.[citation needed] In 1971 and 1972 it aired in black and white and via videotape; starting 1973, the program was prerecorded in color, and today is shot in digital video and high definition.
In the 1990s, after the collapse of the Soviet Union, the Pesnya goda festival was reborn in 1993 and became part of the new society's New Year's tradition, providing an escape from the harsh socioeconomic realities of life in Russia in the 1990s. In the 2000s, the festival became a television extravaganza featuring the most commercially successful and popular artists of Russian pop and rock music.[citation needed] In 2021, the festival's 50th anniversary, Pesnya goda held a special golden jubilee event.[citation needed]
All performers included in the televised final of the festival are considered "winners" and referred to as such in the media. The two performers that have received the most inclusions in Pesnya goda are Lev Leshchenko, who appeared in 49 finals (each year from 1971 to 2023, except for 1989, 2005, and 2007), and Sofia Rotaru, who was in 47 festival each year from 1973 to 2021, except for 2002. Other artists that have been perennial Pesnya goda winners include Iosif Kobzon (41 times), Valery Leontiev, Valentina Tolkunova, Edita Piekha, Laima Vaikule, Igor Nikolayev, Irina Allegrova and Alla Pugacheva. The first rap song featured in the festival came in 2019, with the rap performance of Russian pop-singer Egor Kreed (with popular singer Philip Kirkorov).[citation needed]
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