2026 Targhe Tenco: the finalists' shortlists revealed

by Claudio Fabretti

29-06-2026

The shortlists for the 2026 Targhe Tenco have been announced, the award established in 1984 that honours the best Italian singer-songwriter records released between 1 June 2025 and 31 May 2026. Today marks the start of the second and decisive round of voting: the jury, made up of journalists and experts, will now choose the winners, to be announced at the end of the runoff, running until 7 July.

In the running for the Award for Best Album Overall are Caparezza with “Orbit Orbit“, Madame with “Disenchantment“, Andrea Laszlo De Simone with “A Very Long Shadow“, Erica Boschiero with “Un posto sulla Terra” and Mauro Ermanno Giovanardi with “E poi scegliere con cura le parole“.

In the Best Album in Dialect category are Carmen Consoli with “Amuri Luci“, Roberto Colella with “Ce Sta Sempe Na Via”, Daniele Sepe with “40N 14E”, Francesca Incudine with “Radica” and Chiara Raggi with “Zénta”.

Selected for Best Debut Album are Frankly with “Bitte Leben“, Sara Gioielli with “Gioielli Neri”, Piji with “Sta Registrando Audio…”, Santamarea with “Anime Storte” and Satantango with their self-titled “Satantango“.

The shortlist for Best Interpreter Album includes Tosca with “Feminae”, Avincola with “Avincola Canta Carella”, Gnut & Alessandro D’Alessandro with “Dduje Paravise”, Olden with “Fanigliulo, L’Artista” and P.A.O. with “Le Radici E La Luna”.

Due to a tie, there are six finalists this year for Best Single Song: “Anni Zero” by Mauro Ermanno Giovanardi, “How annoying!” by Ditonellapiaga, “Palestina, Terra di dolore” by Moni Ovadia, Giovanna Famulari and Michele Gazich, “Primavera” by Tosca, “Quello che deve essere sarà” by Emma Nolde and “Straniero” by Bianca D’Aponte.

For Best Project Album, an award given to the producer, the selected works are “80 Buon Compleanno Ivan (Live In Teramo)”, “Buon Compleanno Elvis Covered”, “Il Segreto Di Penelope” by Collettivo SBAM, “Noi, Piero” by Collettivo Jambona and “PIGRI – Teramo Suona Ivan”.

The 2026 Premio Tenco will take place from 22 to 24 October at the Teatro Ariston in Sanremo. The historic festival, now past its fiftieth anniversary, will as usual also present the Premio Tenco Lifetime Achievement Award, given to artists who have made a significant contribution to international singer-songwriter music, along with the Premio Tenco for Cultural Promoters and the Premio Yorum, organised together with Amnesty International Italy to honour artists committed to defending human rights and freedom of expression.
Season ticket pre-sales are already open, while single-night tickets will also be available starting 1 July.

Below are the shortlists (in the case of Best Single Song there are 6 songs this year instead of 5 due to a tie), listed alphabetically, of the finalists for the 2026 Targhe Tenco, divided into the 6 categories.

BEST ALBUM OVERALL

A Place on Earth – ERICA BOSCHIERO
Orbit Orbit – CAPAREZZA
A Very Long Shadow – ANDREA LASZLO DE SIMONE
And Then Choosing Words Carefully – MAURO ERMANNO GIOVANARDI
Disenchantment – MADAME

BEST ALBUM IN DIALECT (or minority language spoken in Italy)

Ce Sta Sempe Na Via – ROBERTO COLELLA
Amuri luci – CARMEN CONSOLI
Radica – FRANCESCA INCUDINE
Zénta – CHIARA RAGGI
40N 14E – DANIELE SEPE / Capitan Capitone & i Fratelli della Costa

BEST DEBUT ALBUM (first full-length album by the artist, songwriter or band)

Bitte Leben – FRANCAMENTE
Gioielli Neri – SARA GIOIELLI
Sta registrando audio… – PIJI
Anime storte – SANTAMAREA
Satantango – SATANTANGO

BEST ALBUM BY A PERFORMER (COVER ARTIST)

Avincola canta Carella – AVINCOLA
Dduje paravise – GNUT & ALESSANDRO D’ALESSANDRO
Fanigliulo, l’artista – OLDEN
Le radici e la luna – P.A.O.
Feminae – TOSCA

BEST SINGLE SONG* (the award goes to the song's writers)
*6 tracks instead of 5 due to a tie

Year Zero – MAURO ERMANNO GIOVANARDI
How Annoying! – DITONELLAPIAGA
Palestine, Land of Sorrow – MONI OVADIA, GIOVANNA FAMULARI, MICHELE GAZICH
Spring – TOSCA
What Must Be Will Be – EMMA NOLDE
Stranger – BIANCA D’APONTE

BEST CONCEPT ALBUM (the award goes to the concept album's producer)

80 Buon compleanno Ivan (live in Teramo)
Buon compleanno Elvis Covered
Il segreto di Penelope – Collettivo S.B.A.M.
Noi, Piero – Collettivo Jambona
PIGRI – Teramo suona Ivan