My band plays Italian pop-rock from the 2000s What happened to the Italian bands of the mid-beginning of the millennium? We asked them

These were the years when YouTube was taking its first steps, Facebook was starting to gain traction, but nothing could beat MSN. The real hits played on MTV, specifically on TRL. It was the era of Tokio Hotel, Avril Lavigne, and the Jonas Brothers. Italian pop boasted names like Nek and Tiziano Ferro. In teenagers’ bedrooms, posters of High School Musical or The O.C. stars appeared on the walls, carefully torn from the centerfolds of the latest issue of Cioè. Burned CDs filled with Nelly Furtado, Elisa, and the soundtrack of Patito Feo (were you Divinas or Populares?) were the norm. Movie theaters were packed with adaptations of Federico Moccia’s novels and with Twilight, which sparked one of the first real fan wars: Team Edward or Team Jacob? We sat down with someone who was more or less a constant presence back then; talking about both the 2000s and the present, here’s what the Italian pop-rock stars of the 2000s told nss G-Club.

Interview with Lost: the years of Stand By and the present

"In the 2000s we spent every Saturday and Sunday in the rehearsal room, because that’s how we liked to spend our time, we weren’t interested in going out, we were kind of losers, outsiders," recall Roberto Visentin and Walter Fontana, two of the three members of Lost, a band formed in high school that captured the hearts of many teenagers between 2005 and 2010 with songs like Stand By and Sopra il mondo. "Looking back, we’d probably encourage ourselves to keep going, because the most important thing in life is doing what you love, because that’s what keeps you young, and being an outsider doesn’t mean you can’t find your identity," says Walter. "We wouldn’t change a thing," confirms Roberto. "The song that fans have kept closest to their hearts is probably Stand By, because it was the one that pushed us into the mainstream and everyone remembers it when we play it live. As for my personal favorite," says Walter, "it’s definitely Sulla mia pelle, because I got the chance to collaborate with Joel Madden, one of my idols. A little fun fact: the melody came to us while listening to the intro of Poker Face by Lady Gaga, and from there we built the verse."

Lost also appeared on the soundtrack of Una canzone per te, a 2010 film starring Michela Quattrociocche. In the scene where they appear, they perform L’applauso del cielo. "It was amazing to put ourselves to the test, to see what it means to shoot a film. We remember spending ten hours waiting to shoot the scene, we didn’t expect the process to be so long in cinema. We still have friends who text us 'You’re on Italia 1' whenever the movie airs," they tell us. Now Una canzone per te is available on Prime Video, in case anyone wants to rewatch it. And what about Lost today? "In 2024 we released an album with a new sound and we’ve just dropped a single, Come vetri in gola. We’re thrilled with the feedback we’re getting, because it was quite a drastic change. We’re gaining lots of new fans. We’re very happy, we’re doing what we loved when we were teenagers but couldn’t do back then because we didn’t have the skills. Now, with 20 years of experience behind us, we can play and experiment with music."

Interview with Zero Assoluto: Simply Back

"From an artistic point of view, the 2000s were definitely the time when we found our identity." That’s how Thomas De Gasperi and Matteo Maffucci, aka Zero Assoluto, recall those years. "Sometimes I wonder how we even survived them, because they were truly intense years, we were caught in an incredible whirlwind. We had fun and lived a lifelong friendship. Even the songs carried messages that felt natural to us, so finding that people could relate to them… for us, it was never about making music to be successful or to show off. It was exactly what we wanted to write and what we truly felt."

Zero Assoluto were also a key part of Federico Moccia’s films, playing an important role especially in the Sorry If I Call You Love saga. "Federica is someone I’ve known my whole life. We always promised each other that sooner or later we’d manage to work together. So, when the chance came, we jumped at it right away." Which song has remained most in the fans’ hearts, and which in Matteo’s and Thomas’s? "It’s hard to say. At our concerts there are about ten songs that really stuck with people, so it’s very difficult to pick one. I’d say Mezz’ora, because to me that’s the track that made us professional musicians," says Matteo. "Mezz’ora and Semplicemente for me too," adds Thomas, although: "Once a song is released, it takes on a life of its own, you can’t decide which one people will love the most or listen to the most." Speaking about the present instead: "The summer tour is going really well," says Matteo. "We had a 7-8 year break, focusing on our communication agencies, but actually the fans’ affection has only grown. At our concerts you now see teenagers as well as people our age, and that’s when you realize how much music can connect generations. In 2026 we’ll be playing arenas." Will there be a new album? Thomas explains: "I feel like the need for that has faded, because nowadays songs come before albums, consumption has changed." "But maybe one day we’ll make a record," Matteo adds. "In the meantime, we’ve released quite a lot of new songs." Is there something Zero Assoluto haven’t done yet but would like to try? They have no doubts: "Concerts abroad—we’d love to play in Europe, in America. We did London and it was an amazing show."

Interview with Finley: From Diventerai una star to Carroponte

"Speaking of the 2000s, the first thing that comes to mind is the 3310 with Snake. And then MTV, TRL, my graduation in 2004 and getting my driver’s license," recalls Pedro, who together with Ka, Dani, and Ivan forms the legendary Finley. "And if we could say something to our younger selves from twenty years ago, it would probably be to believe in ourselves even more." "We already started out with big ambitions," he adds. "What set us apart from other bands was the cohesion and unity of purpose we had. We worked hard on that, because talent alone isn’t enough—you also need sacrifice and discipline. We were brave enough to dive headfirst into the music industry right away, and many times we forget the strength of our songs, our messages, and our band. Maybe we could have studied more," he concludes, before continuing like a river in full flow of insights, stories, and self-awareness. "It’s hard to say which song has stayed most in the fans’ hearts. Obviously, the most famous track in our repertoire is Diventerai una star, and it became everyone’s song. But if I had to think of the fans’ favorite, it might be Fumo e cenere, because it unites both the fans and mainstream recognition." What was it like becoming famous so young? "It was a bit of a double-edged sword. On one hand, we had youthful naivety and impulsiveness, freshness, and authenticity. At the same time, it would have been better to have a few more years under our belt to face certain dynamics with greater awareness, especially in difficult times."

In 2010, Finley were chosen by Disney to reinterpret Wouldn’t Change a Thing, a song from the soundtrack of Camp Rock 2: The Final Jam performed by Demi Lovato and Joe Jonas, creating their own version titled Per la vita che verrà. "They gave us a bit of freedom regarding the vocabulary, and it was already a track that could intersect with our third album, Fuori!, which leaned more toward pop-rock. If Disney chose us to reinterpret this song, they knew what they were getting into and that they had to find a balance with our style of production." And now? Finley had already spoken with nss G-Club a few months ago, but has anything changed since then? "We’ve always alternated between touring and studio recording. We’re planning for next year, with the summer tour wrapping up on September 13 at Carroponte in Milan, but we already have ideas for further ahead. The Carroponte show will feature many guests—Divi from Ministri, Dario from dARI, Nina Zilli, Le Bambole di Pezza, Mondo Marcio… if the audience goes home happy, then we’re happy too." And beyond that, Finley are also on the radio every day on R101. "We’ve been doing radio since 2013. It’s another one of those things we manage to do as friends, having fun, without pressure, it came naturally to us from day one." But in the end, have Finley become stars? "We’re not stars, we’re musicians and songwriters. We’ve been doing this for more than half our lives, and that’s the beauty of it, it’s kept us grounded and allowed us to keep our feet firmly on the ground. We always say there are geniuses, and then there are those who work hard. We’re the ones who work hard."

Studio 3: Forse un angelo

Looking back at the 2000s, Marco Venturini, who together with Salvatore Gabriel Valerio now forms Studio 3, describes them as "a wonderful time of success and carefree living, where everything was allowed without regrets or guilt," even if, over time, they learned that "you grow up and become adults." Speaking about their career, he says, "We are definitely satisfied, but we would have lived certain aspects more consciously," admitting that they probably "would have wanted to give more, musically speaking, even though I would relive everything the same way, but thinking about the future without that sense of omnipotence." Among the songs that have remained in the hearts of both them and the public, "Forse un angelo is definitely our anthem," while for them, "above all, Per te, a dedication to our parents." Today, while admitting that of those boys on the covers of Cioè what remains is the youthful spirit but with "a few white hairs now visible," they hint at new adventures: "We’ve been touring all summer with more than thirty dates across Italy, and surely there will be new musical surprises with the new year, also for the anniversary of Forse un angelo, but we won’t spoil anything!" A dream duet? "Giorgia."