Israel became the third nation to retain its title, and the first one not to defend it. This was because the date of the 1980 contest coincided with its Holocaust Remembrance Day, and therefore they did not participate in that contest.
Italy's "Raggio di Luna" by band Matia Bazar became the first song in the Eurovision Song Contest history not to use the live orchestra at all. All the instruments were either prerecorded or performed live by the band. This was 20 years before the complete abolition of the live orchestra in the 1999 edition of the contest, which incidentally was also produced in Israel.
After all songs were performed, the Shalom 79 dance troupe danced the interval act show.
Before each song a postcard with presented depicting the country, and relived by mimes of the Yoram Boker ensemble.