Music of France

In France, music comes in many different styles and sounds. The country has a rich history in classical music, with many famous composers who loved expressing their feelings through music. Folk and popular music in France often use a style called the chanson, and there is also a special kind of performance called cabaret that mixes singing, dancing, and theater.

France made a very important mark in music history. The oldest music recordings we can still listen to today were created there. A man named Édouard-Léon Scott de Martinville invented a machine called the phonautograph in 1857, which was the first device able to capture sound. This helped change how we share and enjoy music forever.

Today, France is one of the biggest music markets in the world. Many artists from the country are known all over the world, especially those who perform in styles like nouvelle chanson and electronic music. The music from France continues to inspire people everywhere.

Classical music

Main articles: Music history of France and French classical music

French music history goes back to the 10th century with early styles like organum. During the Middle Ages, troubadours sang songs of adventure and love in Occitan, while trouvères did the same in Northern France. By the end of the 12th century, a new style of song called the motet appeared, often performed by traveling musicians.

In the Renaissance, Burgundy became a center for music in Europe. The Baroque period brought famous composers like Jean-Baptiste Lully and Jean Philippe Rameau, who helped shape French opera. Opera began in France with works like Akébar roi du Mogol in 1646, and Lully created a special kind of French opera called tragédie lyrique. Famous operas include Georges Bizet's Carmen.

The Romantic era produced great composers such as Hector Berlioz, Georges Bizet, Gabriel Fauré, Maurice Ravel, and Claude Debussy, who changed music in France and around the world. The 20th century saw new styles like neo-classical music and spectral music, with composers like Olivier Messiaen and Pierre Boulez leading the way.

Lakmé - Duo des Fleurs

Lakmé by Léo Delibes, performed by Natalie Dessay and the Orchestre national du Capitole de Toulouse.

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Gymnopedie No.1

Gymnopédie No.1 by Erik Satie, performed by Agathe Laforge.

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Pavane pour une infante défunte

Pavane pour une infante défunte by Maurice Ravel, performed by Thérèse Dussaut

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Folk music

Main article: French folk music

Traditional music in France has lasted especially well in faraway places like the island of Corsica and the mountains of Auvergne. It is also strong in regions with proud traditions, such as the Basques and the Bretons. Often, these old styles were brought back to life in recent years for tourists. These groups, called groupes folkloriques, usually play music from the early 1900s and use instruments like the piano accordion.

Paris

Main article: History of music in Paris

In 1900 in Paris, a new kind of dance music called "Valse musette" began. It grew from a style called Bal-musette, also known as the "French Waltz". Famous accordion players of this style included Aimable, Émile Vacher, Marcel Azzola, Yvette Horner, and André Verchuren. Yann Tiersen also became well-known for his music for the film Amélie (soundtrack) from the Montmartre area.

West France

Main articles: Music of Aquitaine and Music of Gascony

The western part of France includes areas like Pays de Nantes, Vendée, Anjou, Maine, and the Poitou-Charentes region. Old traditions of singing ballads, dance songs, and playing the fiddle are still alive, especially in Poitou and Vendée. A person named Jérôme Bujeaud collected many of these songs and dances, and his work from 1866 is still important today. Recently, others like John Wright and Claude Ribouillault have helped keep these traditions alive.

In the Marais Breton area of Vendée, a special kind of bagpipe called veuze is popular. A maker and player named Thierry Bertrand has helped bring it back. Traditional singers from this area include Pierre Burgaud.

Special dances from West France include the courante, also called maraichine, and the bal saintongeais. Another dance style called bourrées was noted in the 1800s. Circle dances with calls and responses are also common in West France and in places like Gascony, Normandy, and Brittany.

Well-known modern folk musicians from this area include Christian Pacher and Claude Ribouillault from Poitou, and the group La Marienne from Vendée.

Brittany

Main article: Music of Brittany

The folk music of Brittany has strong Celtic roots and has seen a lot of revival. This is partly because of the city of Lorient, home to France's biggest music festival: the Festival Interceltique de Lorient.

Breton music history started with the book Barzaz-Breizh in 1839. It was collected by Hersart de la Villemarqué and helped keep Breton traditions alive.

Groups of musicians called Sonneurs, with a bombard and a biniou (bagpipe), often play at celebrations called festoù-noz, like the famous Printemps de Chateauneuf. Their music is fast dance music, and there is an older style of singing called kan ha diskan.

A popular kind of Breton band is the bagad pipe band. These bands play with instruments like the biniou and bombard, along with drums. Modern bands include Kevrenn Alre Bagad and Bagad Kemper.

Alan Stivell is a very important musician who helped bring Celtic music to a wide audience. After his album in 1971, Breton and other Celtic music became popular around the world. With Dan Ar Braz, he made an album in 1974 that started a new style called folk-rock. This led to more stars like Malicorne in later years.

Efforts to keep the music of Upper Brittany alive include work by singers like Bertran Ôbrée and groups like Ôbrée Alie. Upper Brittany songs are in French or Gallo.

Today, Breton folk music includes harp players like Anne-Marie Jan and singers like Kristen Nikolas, Andrea Ar Gouilh, and Yann-Fanch Kemener. Instrument bands have been very successful, such as Gwerz, Bleizi Ruz, Strobinell, Sonerien Du, and Tud.

Central France

Main articles: Music of Auvergne, Music of Limousin, and Music of Burgundy

Central France includes regions like Auvergne, Limousin, Morvan, Nivernais, Bourbonnais, and Berry. These places have many traditional instruments, especially bagpipes and the hurdy-gurdy. They also have a dance called bourrée. Each area in Central France is different. For example, the bourrée dance can have two kinds of rhythms. In the south, it is usually played with bagpipes and hurdy-gurdy, while in the north, there are very skilled players.

Bagpipe and Hurdy-gurdy

Main articles: Hurdy-gurdy and Bagpipe

The hurdy-gurdy, also called vielle-à-roue, is like a mechanical violin. It has keys instead of a fingerboard and a wheel that moves to play the strings. It also has a moveable bridge, extra drone strings, and sometimes strings that add extra sound.

Bagpipes come in many forms in France. The cabrette and grande cornemuse from Auvergne and Berry are well-known. These have been around since at least the 1600s. Famous bagpipe players include Bernard Blanc, Frédéric Paris, and Philippe Prieur, as well as Jean Blanchard from La Grande Bande de Cornemuses and Quintette de Cornemuses. Frédéric Paris is also in the Duo Chabenat-Paris, which mixes different musical styles. Bands like La Bamboche and Le Grand Rouge helped bring back Central France’s music in the 1970s folk revival. The St. Chartier festival near Châteauroux is an important event for music from Auvergne and Limousin.

Regions like Morvan and Nivernais have their own stars, such as Faubourg de Boignard and Les Ménétriers du Morvan. In Nivernais, a collector named Achille Millien was well-known in the early 1900s.

South France

Basque Country

Main article: Basque music

The music from the French Basque Country has roots in the Pyrenees mountains. Traditional instruments include the ttun-ttun and xirula, which are like a tabor and pipe pair, especially in the area of Soule.

Musicians like Mixel Etxekopar and Jean Mixel Bedaxagar are important for keeping Basque music alive. Others, like Benat Achiary, add new ideas to the music. These musicians build on older traditions collected by people like Etxahun Iruri, where poets called bertsolaris were important. Today, younger people are working to keep this tradition alive.

Basque music today includes many kinds, from choral music to modern bands. It is also known for beautiful voices.

Corsica

Main article: Music of Corsica

Corsican polyphonic singing is very special. It is usually done by three men and has strong harmonies. The songs can be about everyday life or deeper meanings. Modern groups include Canta u Populu Corsu, I Muvrini, Tavagna, and Chjami Aghjalesi. Some of these groups are linked to Corsican nationalism.

Corsican instruments include the caramusa (a kind of bagpipe), cetera (a 16-string lute), mandulina (mandolin), pifana (a type of gemshorn), and urganettu (a diatonic accordion).

Popular music

Main article: French popular music

The 20th century was a big time for French music, especially the Cabaret style. Famous stars like Yvette Guilbert, Édith Piaf, Charles Trenet, Maurice Chevalier, and Tino Rossi helped make it popular. This style lasted into the 1930s.

From the 1950s to the 1960s, Chanson Française became very popular. Artists such as Juliette Gréco, Mireille Mathieu, Georges Brassens, and Jacques Brel were big names. During this time, the Yéyé style also grew, with artists like Sheila, Claude François, and Johnny Hallyday.

In the 1970s, music changed with disco, rock, and electronic sounds. Artists like Michel Sardou and Daft Punk mixed French music with new styles. By the 1990s, French pop was successful around the world, thanks to groups like Daft Punk and Air.

Cabaret

Main articles: Cabaret, Café concert, and Café-théâtre

Cabaret is a fun French entertainment style that mixes singing, dancing, comedy, and shows. People usually sit at tables while watching. The first cabaret opened in 1881 in Montmartre, Paris, called Le Chat Noir. The famous Moulin Rouge building, with its big red windmill, opened in 1889. Other famous cabarets include Folies Bergère and Le Lido.

Cancan

Main articles: Cancan and Quadrille

The Cancan is a lively dance that started in Paris around 1830. Dancers wear special costumes and do high kicks and fun moves. The dance is often linked to a tune called the Infernal Galop from Orpheus in the Underworld by Jacques Offenbach.

Chanson

Main article: Chanson

Chanson Française is a popular style of French music. Famous singers include Édith Piaf, Juliette Gréco, Mireille Mathieu, and Jacques Brel. Over the years, many new artists kept this style alive.

Musette

Main articles: Bal-musette, Java (dance), and Guinguette

Musette is a French music and dance style that became popular in Paris in the 1880s. It uses the accordion as the main instrument. Émile Vacher was a big star of this style. In 2001, the musette style became very popular around the world because of the music in the movie Amélie.

French Musette

Mado by Émile Vacher

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Yéyé

Main article: Yéyé

Yéyé is a music style from France in the early 1960s. It started from a radio show called Salut les copains. Famous Yéyé stars include Johnny Hallyday, France Gall, Sheila, and Françoise Hardy.

Contemporary music

Nouvelle Chanson

Main article: Nouvelle Chanson

Jazz

Main article: French jazz

Pop

Main article: French pop

The popular music in France, often called Variété, includes famous singers like Vanessa Paradis, Patricia Kaas, and Jean-Jacques Goldman. Big stars like Mylène Farmer inspired many newer pop and rock musicians.

Recent TV music shows have helped new pop stars like Nolwenn Leroy and Shy'm become famous. Popular rock bands include Niagara and Indochine.

Rock

Main article: French rock

Rock music became popular in France in the 1960s with artists like Johnny Hallyday. Over the years, many different kinds of rock grew in France, including psychedelic rock and folk-rock.

French rock keeps changing, mixing many styles. Bands like Phoenix and Air have brought French rock to fans around the world.

Progressive Rock

France was a big place for Progressive rock in the 1970s. Many loved bands like Ange and Magma, which created its own style called Zeuhl music.

Eighties Rock (1980)

In the 1980s, many new rock styles appeared in France, like pub rock and punk rock. Bands such as Les Rita Mitsouko became very popular across Europe.

Metal

French heavy metal bands include Gojira, Dagoba, and Anorexia Nervosa. There are also many black metal bands in France, like Deathspell Omega and Alcest.

Electronic

Main article: French electronic music

Electronic music became very popular in France, with artists like Jean Michel Jarre. Groups such as Air, Daft Punk, and Justice have found big audiences around the world.

Dance

Main article: French touch

French house is a kind of dance music that started in the late 1990s. Artists like Daft Punk and Bob Sinclar helped make this style famous.

Disco

The Village People began with two French composers. Other famous French disco singers include Dalida and F.R. David.

Hip-Hop

Main article: French hip hop

Hip hop music came to France in the 1980s. French rappers like MC Solaar and groups such as IAM became very popular. Today, France is one of the biggest markets for hip-hop music.

Overseas music

French Polynesia

Main articles: Music of French Polynesia and Music of Tahiti

Réunion island

Main article: Music of Réunion

Séga music is a popular style that mixes African and European music. The most popular sega musicians include Ousanousava, Baster, Maxime Laope. Maloya music has a strong African element reflected in the use of slave chants and work songs. The most popular sega musicians include Danyèl Waro, Firmin Viry, Granmoun Lélé, Mars tou sèl.

Martinique and Guadeloupe

Main articles: Music of Martinique and Music of Guadeloupe

Zouk

Zouk is a fast carnival beat from the Caribbean islands of Guadeloupe and Martinique, popularized by the French Antillean band Kassav' in the 1980s. Though it lost some popularity in the 1980s, zouk remains a key style in the French Antilles today. It also became popular in Africa, Canada, and other French-speaking areas.

Bouyon

Bouyon (Boo-Yon) is a popular music style from Dominica, also known as jump up music in Guadeloupe and Martinique. The best-known band in the genre is Windward Caribbean Kulture (WCK), who started the style in 1988. Over time, many local artists have joined in and helped make bouyon more popular.

Antilles hip hop

The French Antilles hip hop is a style of hip hop music from the French departments of Guadeloupe and Martinique in the Caribbean. Usually in French and Antillean creole, this hip hop style is most popular in the French Antilles and France.

Rock In Gwada

Though not very common, French Antilles rock groups help expand Caribbean music. Groups like The Bolokos or Livestocks mix Caribbean rhythms with British or American influences. The "Rock In Gwada" collective brings together some of these groups, with its first festival held in Petit-Bourg in 2016.

International music

The French language is spoken all over the world, and many artists from different countries help make French music special.

Europe

Main articles: Music of Belgium, Music of Switzerland, Music of Monaco, and Music of Luxembourg

Belgium has produced many famous singers, like Jacques Brel, whose songs are still loved by many people. Other Belgian artists such as Salvatore Adamo, Axelle Red, Lara Fabian, Maurane, Selah Sue, Frédéric François and Annie Cordy have also become popular in France and other French-speaking places.

North America

Main articles: Music of Quebec and Music of Louisiana

Singers from Quebec, like Céline Dion, Diane Tell, Cœur de pirate, Garou, Isabelle Boulay, and Lynda Lemay, are very popular in France. Roch Voisine and Natasha St-Pier also became very famous in France with their songs. Avril Lavigne, a rock singer whose father is from France, is also well-known there. Salvatore Adamo and Charles Aznavour are also famous in America.

Asia

Anggun, a singer from Indonesia who now lives in France, is one of the most famous French-speaking artists in Asia. Her song La Neige au Sahara (Snow on the Sahara) became very popular around the world. French music is also loved in Japan, where French culture often feels very special. Some Japanese groups even use the French language in their music.

Africa

Raï music began in Algeria in the 1920s, mixing different kinds of music. Over time, it added new sounds like funk, hip hop, and rock. One famous song, Didi by Khaled, became very popular in France, Switzerland, and the Netherlands.

Music journals

Volume!

One journal that talks about popular music in France and its history is Volume!. It comes out twice a year, in May and November, and is a special kind of journal for studying modern popular music. It is put together by a group called Éditions Mélanie Seteun, which focuses on popular music. The journal has versions in both French and English. It started in 2002 with a different name, and got its current name in 2008.