The history of Canzone Napoletana is fully tied to the cultural and musical development of Naples, a city known for its lively traditions and culture. The starting point of what we call today Canzone Napoletana can be identified in the early 19th century, and developed through the following two centuries to become not only a popular genre of its own, but also the inspiration for contemporary musica leggera italiana.

As said, the roots of traditional Neapolitan music can be traced back to the early 19th century, more specifically the 1830s, around the time of the Festa di Piedigrotta, a major music festival held annually in Naples. The event became an important platform for local songwriters and street performers, known as posteggiatori, who would gather to perform their compositions in front of the Festa’s public.