I was there for a year in 2002. Most of what was playing was influenced by the British top 40 or the wonderful experimental stuff (some of it) broadcast on the English MTV channel. It's always been that way, each summer I'd spend in Italy through my childhood. There was one song constantly played by the Chemical Brothers which seemed like a 10 second sound clip looped for 5 minutes. AH! It was agonizing... especially when like you mentioned, everywhere you go it's those 10 hit songs that are repeated everywhere.

As for Italian music playing, Articolo 31, a great Italian hiphop group played, and Tiziano Ferro was very popular.
Regular english radio play consisted of Anastazia, Pink, and Linkin Park. (Both grps made it big in Europe and Canada before hitting the U.S., which has always been the trend). They're 'ahead' in fashion and music, but not movie releases. The issue I have with music in Italy, other than the national hold a few songs have everywhere you go, is the fact that the same song will be a hit for a very very long time, wearing out any interest in the music (at least for me).

Bananarama's Cruel Summer was awesome when it came out... I think in 1986 or thereabouts:) Talk about holding on to a hit for a long time...