ITALY: AMADEUS & FIORELLO LEFT SANREMO. WHAT NOW?

The hugely successful and polar duo has left Sanremo after five years. Whoever follows them has to face a similar situation as UMK2024 artists had to do post-Käärijä. Nothing is good enough. Artic director and host Amadeus and co-host Fiorello, after celebrating Angelina Mango's victory on stage walked out of Teatro Ariston hand in hand, stepped into their Cinderella carriage with horses and drove to sunset, or as it was Sanremo final night to dawn.

All that after scoring a record breaking 90,7% share in the viewing figures as nearly 9 million Italians were still clued to their tv-screens to see them off. Earlier in the evening they reached 18,259 million and 85% share at 01.56 when the Top-5 super finalists were announced. How can you beat that?

And it's not only the viewing figures but his five years have also been hugely popular in charts as all those chart toppers, multi platinum selling singles prove. Mahmood winning in 2019 was a shock and a start of something new in the music business in Italy, and Amadeus managed to build on that bringing more and more young, lesser known artists to the stage, those who may have been big on streaming but the wider audience had no idea who they are. Lazza and Geolier good example of that. Those who do sell records and are played in radios and not just show up every year to the contest without having a real career going on elsewhere (I'm talking about you Mello). Amadeus' winner have all finished in Top-6 at Eurovision, winning it, too. And yet some people in Italy would still have a separate selection for that... You did send songs that didn't win Sanremo after your comeback and how did that go? Hmmm... let me remind you: 21st and 16th. 

Let's have a look back at his five years.

In 2020 he did it for the first time. Scoring a average share of 54,78%, best since 1999. Fiorello was there to support and help his friend, as was Tiziano Ferro and a string of co-hosts every night. Diodato won, followed by Francesco Gabbani and Pinguini Tattici Nucleari who have continued to grow ever since. Mahmood co-wrote Elodie's entry with Dardust who also did Rancore. Leo Gassman won Newcomers. Among that year's controversies accusations of sexism for both Amadeus and Junior Cally.

The songs got certified for 16 platinum/multiplatinum and 2 gold disc: Diodato e Pinguini Tattici Nucleari  (x3), Francesco Gabbani, Achille Lauro, Elettra lamborghini and Fasma (x2), Elodie and Levante (x1) and Le Vibrazioni e Piero Pelù earned gold disc. 

In 2021, the odd year: postboned to March and held without public in Teatro Ariston and very strickt rules for everything thanks to the global pandemic. Fiorello was there again, as was Achille Lauro. Elodie was one of the co-hosts. Naomi Campbell was supposed to co-host as well but due to pandemic could not arrive. Gaudiano won among the Newcomers. Måneskin was second to Francesca Michielin and Fedez before the superfinal were they beat them to 2nd place. Ermal Meta was third. Irama was put in quarantine and could't perform live, luckily he managed to do rehearsals and footage from that was used. In the end he finished 5th.

The viewing figures were down to 46,24% with a peak of 79% when the winner was announced. But things were already changing: more and more younger generations watched the show, and the online and social media interactions exploded. The songs sold 28 platinum/multiplatinum worth, plus 5 times gold. The best seller was 4th placed Colapesce Dimartino (x5) with Måneskin (x5), followed by Madame (x4), Michielin & Fedez, and Irama (x3), Coma_cose and Annalisa (x2), Willie Peyote, Fasma, La Rappresentante di Lista and Noemi (x1). Gold discs went to Ermal Meta, Aiello, Arisa, Gaia and Fulminacci. 

In 2022 it was more or less back to normal, even if with masks. This time he scored an average share of 58%, the best since 1997, thus beating his own record two years earlier. Mahmood was back with Blanco, the Lazza or Geolier of the moment) and they swept to victory easily. Previous winners Elisa and Gianni Morandi were 2nd and 3rd. Tananai came last but became the phenomenon of the year. 

The songs sold 38 times platinum/multiplatinum plus additional 4 times gold. Only six songs were left without certification. Winners Mahmood & Blanco sold 7 x platinum followed by Dargen D'Amico (x6), Sangiovanni (x5), Irama and La Rappresentante di Lista (x4), Rkomi (x3), Elisa and Tananai (x2). Gianni Morandi, Ditonellapiega & Retttore, Matteo Romano, Achille Lauro, Noemi, Emma and AKA7even (x1) and gold disc went to Michele Bravi, Ana Mena, Fabrizio Moro and Highsnob & Hu. 

In 2023 Amadeus was back and for two years. His share rocketed to 62,96, highest since 1995! Gianni Morandi was his co-host along with several others for one night only.Marco Mengoni the superstar decided to take part and easily won every night he performed in, including covers and scoring over 45% of the votes in the super final of five. Fiorello was back as a guest, as were Depeche Mode, Achille Lauro and Zelenskyi was supposed to be on video message but in the end managed only to send a letter. He was busy fighting Russians. 

Blanca caused an outrage and chaos by destroying the flowers on stage during his performance as a reigning winner. He has problems with his in-ear and lost it. Version one. It was all planned and part of the performance. Version two. He was fined and his career kinda went down the toilet for a few months. Also, Amadeus and Chiara Ferragni were fined for advertising Instagram as they got a bit excited showcasing how it's done and how the IG they started for Amadeus live on stage had zillions of followers within minutes.... Oh dear. Someone even reported Fedez and Rosa Chemical for kissing live on tv before 11pm. After investication the case was dropped. Only in Italy.

The song sold 37 times platinum/multiplatinum and 7 times gold. Only six songs didn't get metal on their wall. Lazza did best (x7), followed by Marco Mengoni and Mr.Rain (x5), Tananai (x4), Madame (x3), Rosa Chemical, Elodie and Mara Sattei (x2), Colapesce Dimartino, Ultimo, Coma_cose, Paola & Chiara, Ariete, Olly and Gianmaria (x1). Gold went to Levante, Giorgia, Articolo 31, LDA, Colla Zio, Leo Gassman and Modà. 

And here we are in 2024. A record number of songs (30) and highly successful and well done co-hosts Marco Mengoni, Giorgia, Teresa Mannino, Lorella Cuccarini and of course Fiorello. Each very different but each did a fantastic job outdoing most every host in the long history of useless and not so funny co-hosts of yesteryears. And it was a success: 65,44% share! With peak of 89,60% (8.765.000) when announcing the winner. That's how you go out with a bang!

Other guests included Eurovision 1964 winner Gigliola Cinquetti, global star Eros Ramazzotti who started it all here in Sanremo in 1984, John Travolta with a number he wished no one will ever see again, Jalisse who managed to get to the stage after 27 years (and 27 entries sent and never accepted), Russell Crowe. 

Sanremo got its first female winner since 2014 when Angelina Mango danced to victory, even falling down the stairs on stage but that didn't stop her. The 30 songs entered the Italian Spotify charts in the 30 first places lead by Geolier, Annalisa, Mahmood and Angelina Mango. After few days Mahmood is taking over despite placing only 6th and is already #36 in the Global charts followed by Geolier #44, Angelina Mango #66, Annalisa #73, Ghali #134 and Irama #144. Itb seems 5-6 entries will go straight to platinum by the end of this week.

After her victory Angelina became the female artist in Italy with the most daily streams ever with 1.671.693. She took the title from Annalisa who scored it the day after the songs were published. 

So, who'll do the horos next year? Will the artistic director and main host still be the same person? How it will be? Could it be Amadeus is back after all after these viewing figures and Rai is willing to give him whatever he wants to make him do it? Time will tell.

Until then.....