1996 PRE-SELECTION
The pre-selection was held on March 20th-21st. There were 29 countries competing to join Norway at the ESC and the top 22 qualified. The qualifiers were chosen by the votes of 30 juries (one in each of the participating countries plus one in Norway), with 8 members on each jury. The jurors listened to an audio cassette of the 29 songs at least 3 times (over 2 days).
| 1 | Austria | Weil's dr guat got | 'Cause you feel good | George Nussbaumer | 80 |
6th |
Q |
| 2 | Belgium | Liefde is een kaartspel | Love is like a cardgame | Lisa del Bo | 45 |
12th= |
Q |
| 3 | Bosnia | Za našu ljubav | For our love | Amila Glamocak | 29 |
21st |
Q |
| 4 | Croatia | Sveta ljubav | Holy love | Maja Blagdan | 30 |
19th= |
Q |
| 5 | Cyprus | Mono gia mas | Only for us | Constantinos | 42 |
15th= |
Q |
| 6 | Denmark | Kun med dig | Only with you | Dorthe Andersen & Martin Loft | 22 |
25th |
- |
| 7 | Estonia | Kaelakee hääl | Sound of necklace | Maarja-Liis Ilus & Ivo Linna | 106 |
5th |
Q |
| 8 | Finland | Niin kaunis on taivas | The sky is so beautiful | Jasmine | 26 |
22nd= |
Q |
| 9 | France | Diwanit bugale | Let the children be born | Dan Ar Braz & L'héritage des Celtes | 55 |
11th |
Q |
| 10 | Germany | Planet of blue | Planet of blue | Leon | 24 |
24th |
- |
| 11 | Greece | Emis forame to himona anixiatika | We turn winter into spring | Marianna Efstratiou | 45 |
12th= |
Q |
| 12 | Hungary | Fortuna | Fortuna | Gjon Delhusa | 26 |
22nd= |
- |
| 13 | Iceland | Sjúbídú | Shoobedoo | Anna Mjöll | 59 |
10th |
Q |
| 14 | Ireland | The voice | The voice | Eimear Quinn | 198 |
2nd |
Q |
| 15 | Israel | Shalom olam | Hello world | Galit Bell | 12 |
28th |
- |
| 16 | Macedonia | Samo ti | Only you | Kaliopi Gril | 14 |
26th= |
- |
| 17 | Malta | In a woman's heart | In a woman's heart | Miriam Christine | 138 |
4th |
Q |
| 18 | Netherlands | De eerste keer | The first time | Maxine & Franklin Brown | 63 |
9th |
Q |
| 19 | Poland | Chce znac swój grzech | I want to know my sin | Kasia Kowalska | 42 |
15th= |
Q |
| 20 | Portugal | O meu coração não tem cor | My heart has no colour | Lúcia Moniz | 32 |
18th |
Q |
| 21 | Romania | Ruga pentru pacea lumii | Peaceful prayer for people | Monica Anghel & Sincron | 11 |
29th |
- |
| 22 | Russia | Ja, eto ja | Me, it's me | Andrej Kosinskij | 14 |
26th= |
- |
| 23 | Slovakia | Kým nás máš | 'Till you have us | Marcel Palonder | 38 |
17th |
Q |
| 24 | Slovenia | Dan najlepših sanj | Day of the most beautiful dreams | Regina | 30 |
19th= |
Q |
| 25 | Spain | Ay, qué deseo | Oh, what a desire | Antonio Carbonell | 43 |
14th |
Q |
| 26 | Sweden | Den vilda | The wild one | One More Time | 227 |
1st |
Q |
| 27 | Switzerland | Mon coeur l'aime | My heart love him | Kathy Leander | 67 |
8th |
Q |
| 28 | Turkey | Besinci mevsim | The 5th season | Sebnem Paker | 69 |
7th |
Q |
| 29 | UK | Just a little bit | Just a little bit | Gina G | 153 |
3rd |
Q |
Although Finland & Hungary scored the same number of points, Finland qualified for the ESC as they had a higher top vote.