Analysis following this year's Sanremo festival indicates that the average number of plays for competition songs on streaming platforms has fallen by one-third. The song "Ossessione" by Samurai Jay enjoys the greatest popularity domestically, dominating the charts. Sal Da Vinci's song "Per sempre sì" proved to be the most popular among listeners outside Italy. In physical and digital sales, the tracks by Federico Lucia and the duo Zucchero and Francesco De Gregori lead the way. Sal Da Vinci's music video gathered the most views on YouTube. The data comes from reports by Spotify and Apple Music platforms and the FIMI charts, with the latest information from March 2026.

33% Decline in Listenership

Following the Sanremo 2026 festival, an average decline of about one-third was recorded in the number of plays for competition songs on streaming platforms compared to previous editions. The data indicates a general trend of reduced interest in recordings from the contest.

Samurai Jay Leads Domestically

The song "Ossessione" by the performer using the pseudonym Samurai Jay became the most-played festival track in Italy, topping the official charts and Spotify rankings.

Da Vinci Popular Abroad

Sal Da Vinci's song "Per sempre sì" ranked first among songs from Sanremo 2026 in terms of plays outside Italy, according to Spotify data. Its music video is also the most popular on YouTube.

Leaders in Physical Sales

In physical and digital sales (of singles and albums), the tracks by Federico Lucia (Fedez) and the duo Zucchero and Francesco De Gregori lead, according to data published by Adnkronos.

A summary of this year's Italian Song Festival in Sanremo points to a decline in the popularity of competition recordings on streaming platforms and highlights new leaders in listenership. According to data gathered after the event concluded, the average number of plays for competition songs on services like Spotify or Apple Music fell by about 33% compared to previous years. The news outlet Tgcom24 reported the decline on March 2, citing preliminary data from the platforms. The Festival di Sanremo, held continuously since 1951 (except for a break in 1956), is the most important and oldest music festival in Italy. Its winners often represent Italy in the Eurovision Song Contest, and the festival itself has a huge impact on the Italian music market and charts. Despite the overall decline, clear leaders in listenership have emerged. In Italy, the song "Ossessione" performed by the artist using the pseudonym Samurai Jay enjoys the greatest popularity. According to data published by ANSA and Il Fatto Quotidiano on March 3, this track has dominated domestic play charts on Spotify and secured a high position on the official FIMI sales chart. „È una prova folle di come il pubblico si sia connesso con le vere emozioni del brano.” (It's crazy proof of how the audience connected with the true emotions of the track.) — Samurai Jay In an international context, the song "Per sempre sì" performed by Sal Da Vinci stands out. It has become the most-played song from Sanremo 2026 outside of Italy, garnering the highest number of plays among foreign listeners on Spotify. The video clip for this song is also the most popular visual material from the festival on YouTube. Meanwhile, in physical and digital sales rankings (covering singles and albums), the tracks by Federico Lucia, known as Fedez, and the duo Zucchero and Francesco De Gregori lead. This data, provided by the Adnkronos agency on March 4, indicates a slightly different popularity trend among consumers who purchase music, as opposed to users of streaming platforms.

Mentioned People

  • Samurai Jay — Italian performer whose song "Ossessione" became the most-played track from Sanremo 2026 in Italy.
  • Sal Da Vinci — Italian singer whose song "Per sempre sì" is the most popular song from Sanremo 2026 abroad.
  • Federico Lucia (Fedez) — Italian rapper and singer whose track is one of the leaders in physical and digital sales following the Sanremo 2026 festival.
  • Zucchero — Italian singer and composer who, in a duo with Francesco De Gregori, is a leader in physical sales after Sanremo 2026.
  • Francesco De Gregori — Italian singer-songwriter who, in a duo with Zucchero, is a leader in physical sales after Sanremo 2026.