cantautori
what it is
Cantautori is the Italian version of the singer-songwriters in English. The word is the blend of cantante (singer) and autore (writer). The term also means all those who compose and then perform their own songs, the term in contemporary Italian refers to Italian popular singers, for example the musicians during the student protests of the 1960s and '70s, who wrote songs that have social or political relevance.
✦ start here: albums
✦ who's making it, level by level
level 3 · one step out
cult favorites and indie darlings
level 4 · further
art pop, hyperpop, and the underground
level 5 · all the way
deep experimental
✦ make cantautori a playlist
turn these 25 artists into something you can press play on.
✦ nearby genres
questions
What is cantautori?
Cantautori is the Italian version of the singer-songwriters in English. The word is the blend of cantante (singer) and autore (writer). The term also means all those who compose and then perform their own songs, the term in contemporary Italian refers to Italian popular singers, for example the musicians during the student protests of the 1960s and '70s, who wrote songs that have social or political relevance.
What are good cantautori albums to start with?
Try Questo Piccolo Grande Amore by Claudio Baglioni, Tutti I Miei Sogni by Riccardo Cocciante, Le Avventure Di Lucio Battisti E Mogol by Lucio Battisti, and The Platinum Collection by Francesco Guccini.
Who are some women making cantautori?
musicisforgirls.com/genres/cantautori/girls lists women, non-binary artists, and bands with women making cantautori, from mainstream to underground.
genre notes from last.fm listeners · artists and albums from last.fm, updated 2026-10-21