The Netherlands participated in the Eurovision Song Contest 2014 with the song "Calm After the Storm", written by Ilse DeLange, JB Meijers, Rob Crosby, Matthew Crosby and Jake Etheridge. The song was performed by The Common Linnets, a duo consisting of DeLange and Waylon, two well-known and popular Dutch artists, and formed by DeLange as a platform for Dutch artists to create country, Americana, and bluegrass music. In November 2013 the Dutch broadcaster AVROTROS announced that they had internally selected The Common Linnets to represent the Netherlands at the 2014 contest in Copenhagen, Denmark, with their song first presented to the public in March 2014.

In the weeks leading up to the contest, the Netherlands was considered by the bookmakers to be one of the countries most likely to qualify for the final. In the first of two Eurovision semi-finals "Calm After the Storm" came first of the sixteen participating countries, securing its place among the twenty-five other countries in the final. In the Netherlands fifty-fifth Eurovision appearance on 10 May, "Calm After the Storm" finished in second place, receiving 238 points and full marks from eight countries. This was the Netherlands best finish in the contest since 1975.

After the show, the song went on to chart in several European countries, reaching number one in Belgium, Iceland and the Netherlands, as well as reaching the top ten in several other countries. The group's self-titled début album, released in May 2014, was also a success in the Netherlands and in other countries. The success of The Common Linnets in the contest was met with wide praise, with many commenting that their triumph was a boost to the musicality and credibility of the contest.

Prior to the 2014 contest, the Netherlands had participated in the Eurovision Song Contest fifty-four times since its début as one of seven countries to take part in 1956. Since then, the country has won the contest four times: in 1957 with the song "Net als toen" performed by Corry Brokken; in 1959 with the song "'n Beetje" performed by Teddy Scholten; in 1969 as one of four countries to tie for first place with "De troubadour" performed by Lenny Kuhr; and in 1975 with "Ding-a-Dong" performed by the group Teach-In. Following the introduction of semi-finals for 2004, the Netherlands had been featured in only two finals. The Netherlands' least successful result has been last place, which they have achieved on five occasions, most recently in the 2011. The Netherlands has also received nul points on two occasions; in the 1962 and 1963 contests.

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