The winners of the competitions were announced today, Thursday 9 July Tenco 2026 license platesthe recognition that since 1984 has rewarded the best songwriting records of the year. After the ballot that started with the announcement of the five finalists, this edition's register is led by Caparezza with Orbit Orbit (BMG), Best album ever. Next to him, the clearest plaque goes to Carmen ConsoliWhile Emma Noldeleft out of the Sanremo 2026 Bigs, takes the Best Single Song.
The final ballot marked a record participation: 245 voters, the highest number ever reached by the event. And the numbers themselves tell the story of the edition more than the list of names. In the queen category, Caparezza won with 57 votes against the 56 of Andrea Laszlo De Simone and his A very long shadow. Only one vote difference. For the rapper from Molfetta it is the second success in the most prestigious section after that of 2014 with Museica. Orbit Orbit, the comic book album which in 2025 was the best-selling album in physical format in Italy, arrives at the plate while Caparezza is on tour at summer festivals four years after his last tour.
The speech is different in dialect, where Carmen Consoli obtained the widest consensus of the entire session: 137 preferences for Amuri Lights (Narciso Records / ADA Music Italy), very far from the pursuers. It is the widest gap among all six categories. The first album of a trilogy entirely in Sicilian, Arabic, Greek and Latin, the album is a project that the singer wanted outside of any algorithmic logic.
All the winners of the 2026 Tenco Plaques
Below are the six awarded works, with the label and the votes obtained in the ballot.
| Category | Winning work | Votes |
|---|---|---|
| Best album ever | Orbit Orbit – Caparezza (BMG) | 57 |
| Best album in dialect | Amuri Luci – Carmen Consoli (Narciso Records / ADA Music Italy) | 137 |
| Best First Album | It's recording audio… – Piji (Azzurra Music) | 81 |
| Best Performer Album | Avincola sings Carella – Avincola (TotoSound / Akkasamia) | 96 |
| Best Single Song | What must be will be – Emma Nolde (Carosello Records) | 54 |
| Best project album | 80 Happy Birthday Ivan (live in Teramo) – prod. Filippo Graziani | 70 |
Emma Nolde, the revenge after Sanremo
The Best Single Song rewards the authors of the song and went to What must be will be (Carosello Records) by Emma Nolde with 54 votes. For the Tuscan singer-songwriter, born in 2000, it comes a few months after her exclusion from the Bigs of Sanremo 2026, which Carlo Conti himself had defined as one of his regrets, speaking in the press conference about a “very strong piece”. Today, critics award her the plaque. His debut Toccaterra had already been a finalist as a first work, and NUOVOSPAZIOTEMPO was in the running for the overall album.
In the other sections, Best First Film went to Piji with He's recording audio… (81 votes), the Best ad performer Bind it with his tribute to Enzo Carella (96), and the Best Project Album at 80 Happy Birthday Ivan (live in Teramo), produced by Filippo Graziani in memory of his father Ivan (70).
The 2026 Tenco Plaques category by category: all the votes
Below is the complete detail of the finalists in each section, in order of preferences obtained.
Best album ever
Caparezza wins with Orbit Orbit (BMG) and 57 votes. The other finalists are Andrea Laszlo De Simone with A very long shadow (56), Madame with Disincanto (46), Mauro Ermanno Giovanardi with And then choose carefully the words (46) and Erica Boschiero with A place on earth (39).
Best album in dialect
Carmen Consoli wins with Amuri Luci (Narciso Records / ADA Music Italy) and 137 votes. Followed by Daniele Sepe with Capitan Capitone & i Fratelli della Costa for 40N 14E (30), Francesca Incudine with Radica (29), Roberto Colella with Ce Sta Sempe Na Via (26) and Chiara Raggi with Zénta (18).
Best First Album
Piji wins with He's recording audio… (Azzurra Music) and 81 votes. The other finalists are Francamente with Bitte Leben (43), Santamarea with Anime storte (42), Satantango with Satantango (37) and Sara Gioielli with Gioielli Neri (23).
Best Performer Album
The plaque goes to Avincola with Avincola canta Carella (TotoSound / Akkasamia) and 96 votes. Followed by Tosca with Feminae (59), Gnut & Alessandro D'Alessandro with Dduje paravise (51), Olden with Fanigliulo, the artist (29) and PAO with The Roots and the Moon (6).
Best Single Song
Emma Nolde wins with What must be will be (Carosello Records) and 54 votes. The other finalists are Ditonellapiaga with Che annoyance! (46), Mauro Ermanno Giovanardi with Anni Zero (44), Bianca d'Aponte with Straniero (36), Moni Ovadia with Giovanna Famulari and Michele Gazich for Palestine, land of pain (36) and Tosca with Primavera (23).
Best project album
The prize, awarded to the producer, goes to 80 Happy Birthday Ivan (live in Teramo) (Officine Pan Idler Tommy, distributed by Sony Music Italy) produced by Filippo Graziani, with 70 votes. Followed by Noi, Piero from the Jambona Collective (45), PIGRI – Teramo plays Ivan (44), Penelope's secret from the SBAM Collective (31) and Happy Birthday Elvis Covered (17).
The 2026 Tenco Prize in October in Sanremo
The plaques will be delivered during the Tenco Award 2026scheduled for 22, 23 and 24 October at the Ariston Theater in Sanremo. The event, which has exceeded fifty years, will also award the Tenco Lifetime Achievement Award, the Tenco Award to the Cultural Operator and the Yorum Award, established with Amnesty International Italy for artists who fight for human rights and freedom of expression around the world.
Pre-sales of season tickets and tickets for individual evenings are available online on clubtenco.it and at the Ariston Theater box office. For the first time there is a 15% discount on the subscription reserved for under 25s, valid only for purchases at the box office.
