Sanremo is unique in the world, there is no similar event and, at the very least, it holds the primacy of being, in order of time, the first event of its kind. Begun at the start of the fifties, it was a radio broadcast, the Festival was a real competition among songs and singers taking part performed various songs, for example in '52, the year "Vola Colomba" won, Nilla Pizzi performed three songs and resulted the winner of the first three positions.

Towards the end of the fifties and the beginning of the sixties Sanremo started to launch those who would remain, still today, the symbol of Italian music abroad. Modugno, winner in '58 with the universal "Nel blu dipinto di blu", Claudio Villa, crown bearer of Italian style singing, and a whole new generation of performers among which such names as (but there is really to little space to name them all) Bobby Solo, Toni Renis, Sergio Endrigo, Iva Zanicchi, Gigliola Cinquetti and Toni Dallara.

The Seventies are those of social contestation and strikes, so Celentano wins singing, with his wife, what some have defined as the anthem of strike-breakers, "Chi non lavora non fa l'amore" (who doesn't work doesn't make love) once more proving great disinformation.'71 sees the birth of new stars like Nada, winner in that year with "Il cuore è uno zingaro", or the Ricchi e Poveri, still among the most highly acclaimed today, in Italy as well as in Europe.

Between the 70s and the 80s, Sanremo endures a time of crisis, casts are ever poorer and despite the Rai's efforts to adapt, and for two years the Festival was presented by Claudio Cecchetto, young at the time, only halfway through the eighties does the stage see the consecration of new young artists such as Eros Ramazzotti, Enrico Ruggeri and above all Vasco Rossi.

The Nineties are the years of Giorgia, Irene Grandi, Jovanotti, Gianluca Grignani and Marco Masini, but especially the years of the opening to young bands inspired by English music. Great international names take part, an example for all Ray Charles.

Among presenters who alternated on the stage we see, besides the ever present Pippo Baudo, Mike Buongiorno, Daniele Piombi, Johnny Dorelli, Andrea Giordana, Piero Chiambretti, Raffaella Carrà, Raimondo Vianello and Fabio Fazio who presented the last editions of the end of the century once in the company of Dulbecco and a second one with Luciano Pavarotti.

Therefore let us put the remote control in a drawer and enjoy this further musical overdose, hoping to see new stars of show business born.

February.2002