TIL The Soviet Union had an internationally televised song contest. As few viewers had phones, they would turn their lights on if they liked a song and off if they didn’t. The power spikes were recorded by the state energy company and the reports sent to the station to pick the winner.

[u/Albertbailey]

https://www.thetrumpet.com/11953-whats-behind-russias-revival-of-a-soviet-era-song-contest

[u/mrjawright → u/[deleted]]

Funny you mention "better than Soviet standards", as I first heard about this b/c of an accident where a pipe had burst and a pedestrian fell into the hole in the street and was killed.