The Conference of Presidents of Major Italian American Organizations (COPOMIAO) has initiated an advocacy effort supporting Francis, whose immensely popular ballads were once ubiquitous on radio and are now garnering billions of views on TikTok.

CLEVELAND, July 19, 2025 — As the country reflects on Connie Francis‘s legacy, a pervasive and incredulous question becomes more prominent: Where are the female artists? Apparently, everywhere except the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.

“The Rock Hall has consistently drawn criticism for its insufficient representation of early female pop vocalists and girl groups — many of whom, including Connie Francis, established the groundwork for pop and rock music during the 1950s and 1960s,” stated COPOMIAO President Basil Russo. “A compelling argument can be made for her induction, given her significant cultural impact and groundbreaking achievements as an early female pop icon. Madonna — who followed Francis in both Italian American background and chart success — was inducted in 2008. Francis’s current exclusion seems indefensible.”

Her notable achievements include:

• Over 200 million records sold globally
• The first woman to reach number one on the Billboard Hot 100 chart
• The highest-selling female artist of the 1960s
• Her music has accumulated 27 billion TikTok views (and continues to grow)
• Achieved 53 hits on the Billboard Hot 100 chart

Francis, recognized as the voice of her generation, achieved prominence during an era when female artists were typically expected to perform, not to trailblaze. Born Concetta Rosa Maria Franconero in Newark, N.J., to Italian immigrant parents, she was fluent in Italian and performing at local gatherings by the age of four. Following years of persistent participation in talent competitions and television appearances, she made a significant breakthrough in 1958 with “Who’s Sorry Now?”

COPOMIAO is mobilizing public support to champion the recognition Connie Francis is due.

Subsequently, she established herself as a pioneer: becoming the first woman to hit No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 with “Everybody’s Somebody’s Fool,” and also the first to headline extensive tours across Europe, Asia, and the Middle East.

Her recordings spanned more than a dozen languages, she featured in Hollywood musicals, and even performed as an opening act for the Queen of England. By the mid-1960s, Francis had risen to become a universally recognized name and an emblem of Italian American heritage.

ABOUT COPOMIAO

Established in NYC in 1975, the Conference of Presidents of Major Italian American Organizations () functions as a nationwide alliance comprising 74 cultural, educational, fraternal, and anti-defamation organizations dedicated to promoting Italian American culture.

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SOURCE The Conference of Presidents of Major Italian American Organizations