As 2016 fades into distant memory, broadcasters across the continent (and beyond) are beginning their preparations in earnest for the journey to Kyiv just four months from now.
Over the next ten weeks or so, 42 Eurovision Song Contest entries for 2017 will be selected and released to the public via the usual mix of national finals and internal selections - in addition to a likely revamp of the sole entry we've already heard from Albania.
For fans, this means silly season is well underway, and here at ESC Insight we'll be covering it all in our trademark forensic detail.
Here are some highlights from the past seven days...
Lithuania settles in for the long-haul
On Saturday 7th January, Lithuania officially kick-started national final season with the first round of their marathon
Eurovizijos" dainų konkurso nacionalinė atranka (Literally: National Selection for the Eurovision Song Contest - snappy!).
The process involves an intimidating 51 songs being (very) slowly narrowed down over a number of weeks before a winner is finally confirmed in a grand final on Saturday 11th March.
Familiar faces include the Baltic state's 2009 representative
Sasha Song and 2014 entrant
Vilija Matačiūnaitė, while songwriting credits can be found from Latvia's
Aminata Savadogo and UK Fame Academy winner David Sneddon, who has penned hits for the likes of Lana Del Rey, Hurts and Morten Harket in the past.
Qualifiers from the first heat included Sasha Song with '
Never Felt Like This Before', Paula Valentaitė, who topped the televote with '
Let U Go', and former Amberlife singer Edgaras Lubys, who placed first in the combined jury/televote with '
Could It Be'.
Will any of these songs be Lithuania's next Eurovision entry? There's just nine weeks of whittling to plough through until we find out!
Demy and Stereo Soul to duke it out for Greece?
If there's any country in Europe that could use something to celebrate in 2017, it's probably Greece. A bona-fide Eurovision powerhouse in the 00s, their recent efforts have seen them languishing at the tail-end of the leaderboard, culminating in their first ever non-qualification in 2016.
This year, broadcaster ERT are reportedly hoping to reverse their fortunes by working closely with local record labels, resulting in pop singer
Demy and X Factor Greece finalists
Stereo Soul being invited to submit potential entries for a four-song, two-act national final.
Last time Eurovision was hosted in Ukraine, Greece walked away with the whole thing. The only question is how on earth the financially crippled nation would afford to host it if history goes on to repeat itself?
Melodifestivalen running order puts Loreen in pole position
The running order for Sweden's Melodifestivalen was announced today, offering plenty of fuel for speculation on who the expected frontrunners might be.
In line with expectations, the closing spot in the fourth semi final went to Loreen, returning to the contest for the first time since her victory in 2012 with Euphoria. This slot is traditionally reserved for the artist considered most likely to win the competition, and has previously been occupied by Måns Zelmerlöw, Carola and Charlotte Perrelli in their respective winning years.
Other acts given apparently favourable draws include rising teen star
Benjamin Ingrosso and popular boyband
The Fooo Conspiracy, who will close the second and third semi finals respectively. Interestingly, the first semi final will be closed not by returning stars Ace Wilder or Charlotte Perrelli, but by relatively little-known contest debutant
Nano, suggesting that he could be something of a dark horse.
Other notable artists appearing at this year's Melodifestivalen include Roger Pontare, who won the contest and went on to represent Sweden at Eurovision in
1994 &
2000, Krista Siegfrids, who represented Finland in 2013 with '
Marry Me', and singer/songwriter Owe Thörnqvist, who at 87 will be the oldest artist ever to compete in the contest.
