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| Super Pippo |
The man is of course Pippo Baudo. Born Giuseppe Raimondo Vittorio Baudo June 1936 in Sicily near Catania and died in Rome on August 16, 2025 at the age of 89. He studied law and became a lawyer but entertaining world was what he wanted to do and he started working as an actor, comedian, singer and pianist in the 1950's. He first appeared in tv in 1959 and got his big breakthrough in 1966 presenting the musical show Settevoci. Since then he was hosting various top programs throughout his career besides becoming a huge talent scout.
Baudo's first Sanremo happened in 1968. Among the guests acts in Louis Armstrong who wasn't quite aware that he was in competition and was to sing only one song instead launching into a concert. Baudo interrupts his attempt to perform something else and leads him backstage so that the competition could go on.... The year is already filled with classics: La voce del silenzio by Dionne Warwick and Tony Del Monaco, Deborah by Fausto Leali, Marisa Sannia with Casa bianca and the winner Sergio Endrigo with Canzone per te.
It took awhile but Baudo returns in 1984 and starts an incredible string of success. He invents the Newcomers section (that will have various names and systems in the future). And the winner is none other than Eros Ramazzotti with Terra promessa, a future global star. Fiordaliso launched another international success with Non voglio mica la luna while Al Banoe Romina Power win with Ci sarà. Among international guests Queen. On the negative side Sanremo goes playback....
He's back in 1985. Still in playbacl. Ricchi e Poveri win with Se m'innamoro followed by future Mexican superstar Luis Miguel and Noi, ragazzi di oggi before Gigliola Cinquetti and Chiamalo amore. Eros Ramazzotti is back with another big hit Una storia importante and Matia Bazar with classic Souvenir. Future global super star Zucchero placed 21st with Donne.... Among international guests Duran Duran.
Baudo's next festival is 1987 and Sanremo goes from three to four nights and live vocals return. The final night closes at 3.43 am. Whitney Houston is among the guests and her All at once is such a success she has to sing it twice in a row. Zarrillo wins Newsomers with La notte dei pensieri, another kick start for a huge career. The winners are a trio made of already big stars: Gianni Morandi, Umberto Tozzi and Enrico Ruggeri with Si puó dare di più who beat Toto Cutugno's Figli to yet another 2nd place for him. Al Bano e Romina Power are 3rd with Nostalgia canaglia, Fausto Leali 4th with Io amo, Peppino Di Capri 5th with Il sognatore - all Eurovision names at some point. And this festival remains the one with the biggest share to this day: 68,95%.
Baudo is back at it in 1992 and launched Dopofestival (Afterfestival, kind of talk show after the night's show where artists, press and the rest can comment, fight, critic and talk about everything) Luca Barbarossa wins with Portami a ballare, followed my Mia Martini and classic Gli uomini non cambiano and Paolo Vallesi with La forza della vita. He introduced the eliminations for the Big. Newcomer winners are Aleandro Baldi with Francesca Alotta and Non amarmi, a huge success and also Alessandro Canino's Brutta become a huge success despite placing only 6th. Among guests Annie Lennox with Why. And Matia Bazar returned to Sanremo with a new singer Laura Valente or Angelina Mango's mom.
The year after in 1993 and the newcomers section picked up by Baudo is pure gold: Nek (with a very controversial song In te, about abortion), Gerardina Trovato with Non ho piú la mia città and Laura Pausini who wins narrowly with La solitudine and starts a huge international success story that continues to this day. Enrico Ruggeri wins with Mistero (and goes to Eurovision)
In 1994 Baudo becomes Mr Sanremo for real being the host and artistic director choosing not only the artists but the songs (and often suggesting modifications or making changes to better them as he had often done already before, or even suggesting artists to pick another song that the one they had intended to, and usually hitting the jackpot). Newcomers winner is Andrea Bocelli with Il mare calmo della sera, who needs no presentation but among the newcomers is also certain Giorgia with E poi....another one Pippo can shout out he has invented. Aleandro Baldi returns and wins the main category this time with Passerà, while late Giorgio Faletti is second with controversial yet fantastic Signor Tenente. Laura Pausini is third with Strani amori - her second and last appearance in competition. Zarrillo launches his evergreen Cinque giorni (5th). Among guests Elton John. With RuPaul.
1995 the legendary Sanremo jingle Perche Sanremo è Sanremo was launched. Baudo stops an attempt of suicide inside the Teatro Ariston. The legendary blonde & brunette hostesses was launched in form of Finnish born Anna Falchi causing some commotion and Claudia Koll. Madonna presents Take a bow. The Newcomers present names like Daniele Silvesti, Gianluca Grignani, Gigi Finizio, all destined to a bright future while accapella group Neri per Caso wins with Le ragazze. The top-5 among big was Fiorello (yes, the presenter comedian next to Amadeus) with Finalmente tu, Andrea Bocelli with global hit Con te partirò, Eurodisco queen Spagna debuting in Italian with Gente come noi, Gianni Morandi with Barbara Cola and In amore while Giorgia wins with a song written by Eros Ramazzotti, Come saprei. She also wins the critic's award and most every other awards available and starts a huge career that continues to this day. If only she went to Eurovision.....
1996 among the Newcomers Baudo had found names like Carmen Consoli, Marina Rei, a certain Jalisse and the eventual winner Syria. Among the Big Zarrillo, Paola Turci, Amedeo Minghi, Al Bano, Massimo Di Cataldo and again Spagna. Giorgia was back and placed third with fantastic Strano il mio destino behind one of the most legendary and gimmicky Sanremo entries ever, Elio e le storie tese's La terra dei cachi. The winner was Ron with Tosca singing Vorrei incontrarti fra cent'anni.
In 2002 a certain Anna Tatangelo wins Newcomers with Doppiamente fragili while the runner up, late Valentina Giovagnini left a mark and is still remembered and loved. Among the Big Daniele Silvestri, Gianluca Grignani, Enrigo Ruggeri while Matia Bazar wins with Messaggio d'amore ahead of debuting in Italian Eurodance queen Alexia with Dimmi come.
2003 among Necomers we have Albanese Elsa Lila, a familiar name from FiK in years to come but the winner is fantastic Dolcenera with Siamo tutti là fuori before only 12-year-old Alina, the youngest ever. Among the Big we have Bobby Solo, Eiffel 65, Anna Oxa, Lisa but most of all late Giuni Russo with Morirò d'amore and indeed she died soon after, way too soon, Sergio Cammariere was 3rd with Tutto quello che un uomo, Alex Britti 2nd with 7000 caffe while previous Eurodisco star Alexia singing in Italian won with Per dire di no, after placing 2nd the year before.
In 2007 after disastrous 2004 when the record labels refused to send their artists to the festival, chaotic 2005 and flop 2006 Baudo was called back to save the festival and he sure did. Fabrizio Moro won the Newcomers while among the Big we have Paolo Meneguzzi with fabulous Musica (6th), Mango with Chissà se nevice (5th, dueting with wife Laura Valente and they are of course Angelina Mango's parents) while Simone Cristicchi wins with Ti regalerò una rosa, certainly a new music genre for Sanremo winners!
In 2008 the Newcomers selection didn't leave a lasting mark and was won by Sonohra and L'amore. The Big was won by Giò di Tonno and Lola Ponce with a Gianna Nannini written Colpo di fulmine that didn't leave a lasting mark either. Other names were Paolo Meneguzzi, Toto Cutugno, Fabrizio Moro, Mietta, Anna Tatangelo, Amedeo Minghi, Eugenio Bennato among others with many good songs but none has become a real evergreen I'm afraid.
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