French Pop Music Guide: 4 Notable French Pop Artists

French pop is an umbrella term for various forms of popular music sung in the French language by French artists. Like English-language pop, French pop music may embrace artists from different subgenres, including French rock bands, New Wave and punk groups, and even rappers and soul and reggae performers.

Regardless of the source, French pop music follows the style of most pop songs, with a memorable verse-chorus structure, strong melodic hooks, and a simple but solid rhythm section. Some forms of French pop are unique, including the poetic, cabaret-inspired chanson, and yé-yé, a woman-dominated genre inspired by American rock music.

The history of French pop begins in the late nineteenth century on the cabaret circuit.

• Origins: Chanson is the earliest form of French pop. Built on a lyrical structure that emulated spoken French rather than English, it originated in the cafés and cabarets of Paris during the late nineteenth century. It peaked in the years before and after World War II. Legendary French singers, such as Edith Piaf, gained stardom with romantic chanson songs like “La Vie en Rose” (1947).
• First wave: Postwar French pop folded elements of English-language orchestral pop and folk into the chanson genre. The most recognizable figure of 1950s French pop was Belgium-born singer-songwriter Jacques Brel. Brel’s witty, theatrical lyrics for songs like “Quand on n’a que l’amour” (“When You Only Have Love”) earned him international fans, including Frank Sinatra, and later, David Bowie.
• Rock française: During the 1960s, Brel’s form of chanson remained popular, but British and American rock and pop also wielded enormous influence over French music. A handful of French singers, like Johnny Hallyday and Jacques Dutronc, embraced the wild abandon associated with American rock.
• Yé-yé: Others musicians pioneered a new style called yé-yé, influenced by the Beatles and featuring polished production and a danceable beat. Sylvie Vartan (“Tous mes copains”), France Gall (“Laisse tomber les filles”), and Françoise Hardy (“Comment te dire adieu”) all scored major hits on the Francophone market with this style.
• Gainsbourg: Singer-songwriter Serge Gainsbourg emerged during the yé-yé period, becoming one of the most popular and controversial French musicians of the 1960s and ‘70s. Gainsbourg worked with some of the most popular singers of the 1960s, including Sylvie Vartan, actress Brigitte Bardot, and actress Jane Birkin, with whom he recorded the scandalous number one single “Je t’aime… moi non plus” in 1969.
• The 1970s and ‘80s: Although French pop took a backseat to rock and disco during the 1970s and 1980s, many major French pop singers emerged during this period, including Joe Dassin, Claude François, and Michel Sardou. Vanessa Paradis (“Joe le taxi”) and Mylène Farmer (“Pourvu qu’elles soient douces”) had the biggest hits of the ‘80s.
• The 1990s and beyond: French pop embraced a wide array of subgenres during the 1990s and 2000s. Hip-hop gained a following thanks to French rappers like Gims (formerly Maître Gims), Soprano, and Greek-born Diam's. Reggae broke through French pop with Sinsemilia and Tryo (“Toi et moi”), while Belgian Stromae brought club beats into pop tracks. However, traditional pop continued its hold on the French charts thanks to Céline Dion, Julien Doré, and Carla Bruni.

Several characteristics define the sound of French pop. They include:

1. 1. Lyrics: French pop song lyrics are often literate, witty, thoughtful, and highly emotional. They lend themselves to wordplay, along with unabashed romanticism and nostalgia. Many French songs also address socially conscious themes. Notable examples include Jean Ferrat’s anti-war song “Maria;” “Marine” by Diam's, about divisive politician Marine Le Pen; and “Paris sera toujours Paris,” released by Maurice Chevalier during the Nazi occupation of Paris.
2. 2. Vocals: French pop singers echo the lyrical content of their songs with stirring, emotional vocals and full-throated, heartfelt performances. Even New Wave artist Plastic Bertrand sang his parodic “Ça plane pour moi,” which gently mocked punk rock, with genuine urgency and commitment.
3. 3. Sound: French pop in all its forms is highly polished, with bright, clear vocals and instrumentation. Traditional subgenres like chanson may feature orchestral accompaniment. More modern tracks employ pop-rock arrangements anchored by keyboards, programming, and strings.

If you want to learn more about the range of French pop, listen to these critically acclaimed artists.

1. 1. Charles Aznavour: French-Armenian singer-songwriter, actor, and cultural ambassador Charles Aznavour was one of France’s best-selling performers and a respected figure in music history. He sold nearly 200 million records during his seven-decade career and wrote more than 1,000 songs, some of which music greats Frank Sinatra, Bob Dylan, and Andrea Bocelli later recorded. Named entertainer of the century in 1998, Aznavour died in 2018 at the age of 94.
2. 2. Françoise Hardy: Singer Françoise Hardy rose to fame in the 1960s as part of the yé-yé scene but soon distinguished herself from the pop-minded pack by writing much of her own thoughtful and melancholy material. She also recorded in London, using many of the country’s top musicians and producers of the period, and enjoyed a second career as an actor and fashion model. Hardy recorded sporadically throughout the 1990s and 2000s, proclaiming each release to be her last until 2020, when she retired from singing due to health issues.
3. 3. Yelle: The French electropop duo Yelle writes and records danceable synthpop that has generated fans on both sides of the Atlantic. They drew attention by releasing a version of their cheeky debut single, “Je veux te voir,” which playfully mocked rapper Cuizinier of the group TTC on social media in 2005. Yelle released their first album, Pop Up, in 2007, followed by an American tour that included a stop at the Coachella music festival. Yelle has released three additional studio albums, including L’Ère du Verseau (2020).
4. 4. Zaz: Born Isabelle Geffroy, singer-songwriter Zaz freely mixes jazz, blues, pop, and soul in her critically acclaimed recordings. After performing in jazz combos and as a backing singer, Zaz issued her self-titled debut album in 2010. The album’s lead single, “Je veux,” broke into the Top 40 in charts across Europe in 2012. Subsequent albums earned World Music nominations and opportunities to record with major artists like Kelly Clarkson, who invited her to duet on the 2020 single “I Dare You.”

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