The Sanremo Festival's recent edition has been overshadowed by disappointing streaming numbers, with no tracks reaching over one million listens on Spotify Italy following their debut. This alarming statistic, while it may initially appear as a minor fluctuation, signals a notable and sharp decline in popularity compared to past years. Sanremo, which had evolved beyond just a television spectacle, had become a digital amplification hub, transforming songs into immediate and viral sensations, but this year, that momentum has stalled.

The most streamed song of the 2026 edition, 'Male necessario' performed by Fedez and Marco Masini, only managed to reach 992,000 streams on its first full day of tracking. Other contenders, such as 'Tu mi piaci tanto' by Sayf and 'Prima che' by Nayt, also failed to break the symbolic one million mark. While these numbers might seem significant in isolation, they are inadequate when compared to previous Sanremo festivals, where songs would routinely achieve viral status in the wake of the event.

This decline raises questions about the underlying factors contributing to the Sanremo brand’s diminishing influence in the digital music space. As the festival adapts to changing listening habits and a more competitive music landscape, the implications of these streaming failures are considerable, potentially affecting the artists' reach and the cultural impact of future festivals. The apparent misalignment between traditional viewership and modern streaming success marks a crucial moment for Sanremo as it contemplates its role in the current music ecosystem.