Participating in the Sanremo Festival is already a victory in itself. It is not a banal and sad consolation, but the truth. It is also true that there are songs that would have deserved higher places in the ranking. Unfairly not on the podium or, in some cases, unfairly not winners. What are they?

Those who participate in the Sanremo Festival have a considerable return (including economic). First of all we talk about visibility. To be clear: in 2025 the event was seen by an average of 12,047,000 viewers, equal to a 66.38% share and with very high peaks. Impressive numbers. A whole series of events are linked to participation in the Sanremo Festival: the album, its promotion, the tour and so on. In short: a rather large machine moves (other than “they’re just songs”). Having made this necessary premise clear, the fact remains that the Sanremo Festival is, basically, a competition.

With the various gnawing annexes. Of the fans, but not only. Of the musicians of the orchestra (remember when they threw the scores in the air? It was 2010). But also music critics and journalists, including myself. Here are three cases – in the last 15 years – that have been sensational.

“La Cura Per Me” by Giorgia off the podium

The most recent is, needless to say, that of Giorgia. The Roman singer-songwriter – the most beautiful voice of the current Italian musical panorama, do we want to say that? – returns to the Ariston stage with “La Cura Per Me”. You know that stage very well. In 1993 he took part in the competition for the first time (Youth section) and immediately triumphed with “Nasceremo”. Thus he had access to Nuove Proposte where, the following year, he participated with “E poi”. She finishes seventh. Cold shower. He immediately makes up for it and wins with “Come saprei”. In ’96, third place with the beautiful “Strano il mio destiny”, while in 2001 silver medal with another great success: “Di sole e d’azzurro” (first place for Elisa with “Luce: tramonti a nord est”). Then a long break until he returns in 2023 with a song that is not very Sanremo, entitled “Parole dette male”. Two years later, in fact, “La Cura Per Me”.

The song – written by Giorgia, Blanco and Michele Zocca – is a great return (later contained in the album “G”). An intense ballad, with a rousing chorus. Modern but which does not betray Giorgia’s history and style. If anything it renews it. Today, one year after the Festival, it is among the most loved songs of the event and, it can be said with certainty, one of the most loved of the singer-songwriter’s entire repertoire.

Over 400,000 copies sold, 67.5 million streams on Spotify. A miserable sixth place in Sanremo. “Miser” not because the positioning isn’t good (out of 30 songs, not bad), but because it would have deserved much, much more. Instead Olly won with “Balorda Nostalgia”, a song which – according to the numbers – actually had a great success (here the copies are 600,000, and the streams double that of “La Cura Per Me”). A song much appreciated especially by young people. But I didn’t agree with the verdict. Giorgia deserved more. If not the victory, at least the silver medal. And instead off the podium.

“Infinite Times” by Lorenzo Fragola

A step back. Sanremo Festival 2016. Carlo Conti hosts. Next to him are: Gabriel Garko, Madalina Ghenea and Virginia Raffaele. The first 3 songs on the podium are: “Un giorno mi dirai” by Stadio, “No degree of separation” by Francesca Michielin and “Via da qui” by Giovanni Caccamo and Deborah Iurato. Without taking anything away from Stadio and their great career, there is a song that would have deserved much more (besides that of Michielin herself). And it is “Infinite times” by Lorenzo Fragola. Born in 1995, winner of the eighth edition of X Factor, Fragola has – among his special characteristics – a strong sensitivity. In “Infinite Volte” it all emerged. Over 50,000 copies sold, the song ranked 5th place. A good result, but certainly not entirely fair. A romantic, nostalgic, melancholic ballad. Absolutely “Sanremo”, among other things.

This time too: if not victory, at least the podium should have been granted to him. Maybe instead of “Get away from here”; not that it wasn’t a good piece, but it didn’t have the same character as “Infinite Volte”. From that moment – due to personal vicissitudes but also due to choices of the artistic director on duty – Fragola has never returned to the Ariston stage. Too bad, it would be nice to be able to listen to it again there soon.

“The night” by Arisa

Back again: Sanremo Festival 2012. Gianni Morandi hosts together with Rocco Papaleo and Ivana Mrazova. This time the artistic direction is entrusted to Gianmarco Mazzi (current undersecretary of state of the Ministry of Culture in the Meloni government). The podium is all female: Emma first with “Non è l’Inferno”, Arisa second with “La notte” and Noemi third with “Sono solo parole”. We will return to Noemi very shortly, because hers is a “special” case. But it is Arisa’s second place that we want to focus on. The Lucanian artist is doing well with the orchestra’s votes, less so with televoting where Emma is unattainable.

For the press room, Noemi must win. For televoting, however, Emma (49.63% of votes). Thus “Non è l’Inferno” is the winning song of the Festival. It is not surprising given that the Apulian singer (who was actually born in Florence, did you know?) had recently triumphed at Friendsthe talent show hosted by Maria De Filippi in which the connection with the public is a main ingredient. The song is in Emma’s perfect ‘shout out’ style. Written by Francesco Silvestre dei Modà, it focuses on the difficult social and working conditions in Italy. 2 times platinum but, certainly, not one of Emma’s best songs (there are some less ‘famous’ ones that are small pearls. An example? “Intervallo”, listen to it). A great shame, however, for Arisa. Which, in fact, sells more with “La Notte” which remains – in her case yes – one of her most beautiful songs ever. He will do it again with “Controvento” a few years later (not because the song was better but because nothing else stood out among the other songs).

The Noemi “case”.

Finally the Noemi chapter. Roman, born in 1982, her real name is Veronica Scoppelliti. Also a former X Factor, some TV programs, tours, the radio (also as a presenter) and 8 times at the Sanremo Festival. She has never won, although she came close. In 2012, in fact, Noemi brought one of her most incisive songs ever to the Ariston stage: “Sono solo parole”. Double platinum, the author is Fabrizio Moro (not exactly the first to happen). Two years earlier she had come fourth with “Per tutto la vita”, another wonderful song by Noemi.

His powerful, scratchy and unique voice has never managed to gain due recognition on the stage of the Ariston Theatre. Yet he performed some beautiful songs – which didn’t even come close to the podium. Any examples? “Never stop looking for me”, in 2018. But also “If you fall in love you die”, the beautiful ballad presented last year. An unfair 13th place.

Why, then, every year does it place itself in positions that don’t do it justice? big question. Trying to summarize. On the one hand there is a timbre so recognizable that, despite quality songs, it can always appear stylistically the same. As if something very different was needed for a victory. In short: the surprise effect – after years of career and with such a distinctive voice – is more difficult to achieve. And then stronger competitors in terms of televoting. Some data: during the last evening of last year, Noemi was in ninth place for the radio, and also for the press room. For televoting, however, 21st.

In the end, rankings remain rankings. A verdict yes, but perhaps a temporary one, reversed in the following months. True successes are then measured over time, in the ability to excite even after years. Yet, despite everything, a bit of bitterness remains for those missed victories. For those songs that really deserved more.

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