Sanremo Music Festival

The Sanremo Music Festival (Festival della canzone italiana) is Italy's most prestigious annual song contest, held at the Teatro Ariston in Sanremo since 1951 and organized by RAI (Radiotelevisione Italiana). The 76th edition took place from February 24 to 28, 2026, hosted by Carlo Conti and Laura Pausini. Sal Da Vinci won with "Per sempre sì" and will represent Italy at the Eurovision Song Contest 2026 in Vienna. The festival features 30 competing acts across five nights of televised performances.

How the Sanremo Music Festival Works

The festival runs across five consecutive nights at the Teatro Ariston, typically in late February:

1. Big Artists Section (Campioni): 30 established artists perform original, unreleased Italian songs. Each night uses a different voting method to rank the performers. Nights 1 through 4 feature partial voting (some nights use only the radio jury, others the press jury, others the televote). Night 5 combines all three.

2. Newcomers Section (Giovani): 4 emerging artists compete in a separate contest. For 2026, the newcomers were selected through a superfinal held on December 14, 2025. Nicolò Filippucci won the Newcomers section with "Laguna."

3. Cover Night (Night 4): Big Artists perform covers of classic Italian or international songs. This night does not count toward the final ranking but is judged separately for a Best Cover award.

4. Superfinal (Night 5): The top 5 acts from the combined rankings of Nights 1, 2, 3, and 5 advance to the Superfinal. A fresh round of voting from all three bodies (radio jury 33%, press jury 33%, televote 34%) determines the winner.

The winner receives the right of first refusal to represent Italy at the Eurovision Song Contest. If the winner declines, RAI appoints another participant. In 2025, winner Olly declined and second-placed Lucio Corsi went to Eurovision instead.

Real-World Example: Sanremo 2026

The 76th Sanremo Music Festival ran from February 24 to 28, 2026. Carlo Conti served as both host and artistic director, alongside singer Laura Pausini. Each night featured guest co-hosts including Can Yaman, Achille Lauro, Irina Shayk, Bianca Balti, and Nino Frassica.

The Superfinal came down to five acts. Sal Da Vinci won with 22.17% of the combined vote for "Per sempre sì." Sayf placed second with 21.88% for "Tu mi piaci tanto," winning the televote with 26.41% but losing on the jury votes. Ditonellapiaga finished third with 20.57%, followed by Arisa (18.93%) and Fedez and Marco Masini (16.45%).

Sal Da Vinci, born Salvatore Michael Sorrentino in New York in 1969, competed at Sanremo for the second time after an unsuccessful 2009 attempt. At a press conference following his win, he confirmed he will represent Italy at the 70th Eurovision Song Contest on May 16, 2026, in Vienna, Austria.

Why It Matters for Independent Artists

Sanremo is one of the few major European music competitions where unknown artists can share a stage with established stars. The Newcomers section provides a national television platform to emerging talent. Nicolò Filippucci, the 2026 Newcomers winner, was selected through a December superfinal and performed at the main festival alongside Italy's biggest acts.

The festival also serves as Italy's Eurovision selection mechanism. Winning or placing highly at Sanremo can launch an international career. Maneskin won Sanremo in 2021 with "Zitti e buoni" and went on to win Eurovision, achieving global chart success.

For independent Italian artists, the path to Sanremo runs through RAI's artistic director and industry relationships. Submitting songs through a publisher or label increases your chances of selection. Use our Streaming Royalty Calculator to track your commercial performance, which can strengthen your case for selection. Check the Sanremo Festival website for submission guidelines and eligibility requirements.

Related Resources

• Streaming Royalty Calculator - Track streaming performance that can support Sanremo selection
• Target Streams Calculator - Set streaming goals before festival submissions
• 21 Ways Musicians Can Earn Income - Build revenue alongside festival participation
• When and How to Hire a Music Manager - A manager can coordinate Sanremo and Eurovision campaigns
• Performance Rights Organizations - Italian PRO SIAE collects royalties for Sanremo songwriters