French Rock
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French rock is a form of
rock music Rock music is a broad genre of popular music that originated as " rock and roll" in the United States in the late 1940s and early 1950s, developing into a range of different styles in the mid-1960s and later, particularly in the United States an ...
produced in
France France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of Overseas France, overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic, Pacific Ocean, Pac ...
, primarily with lyrics in the
French language French ( or ) is a Romance language of the Indo-European family. It descended from the Vulgar Latin of the Roman Empire, as did all Romance languages. French evolved from Gallo-Romance, the Latin spoken in Gaul, and more specifically in Nor ...
. French rock was born as early as mid-1950s, when writer, songwriter and jazz player
Boris Vian Boris Vian (; 10 March 1920 – 23 June 1959) was a French polymath: writer, poet, musician, singer, translator, critic, actor, inventor and engineer who is primarily remembered for his novels. Those published under the pseudonym Vernon Sulliva ...
wrote parody rock songs for
Magali Noël Magali Noëlle Guiffray (27 June 1931 – 23 June 2015), better known as Magali Noël, was a French actress and singer. Biography Actress career Born in İzmir to French parents in the diplomatic service, she left Turkey for France in 1951, a ...
or
Henri Salvador Henri Salvador (18 July 1917 – 13 February 2008) was a French Caribbean comedian, singer and cabaret artist. Biography Salvador was born in Cayenne, French Guiana. His father, Clovis, and his mother, Antonine Paterne, daughter of a native Ca ...
. Although Vian despised rock and wrote these songs as attacks, they are highly acclaimed by French critics today and considered precursors. The first real French rock acts emerged at the end of the decade and in the beginning of the 1960s, with
Johnny Hallyday Jean-Philippe Léo Smet (; 15 June 1943 – 5 December 2017), better known by his stage name Johnny Hallyday, was a French rock and roll and pop singer and actor, credited for having brought rock and roll to France. During a career spanning 57 ...
achieving the most long-lasting success, while other acts like
Les Chaussettes noires Les Chaussettes Noires ( en, 'The Black Socks') were a French rock and roll band founded in 1960, that was among the pioneer of rock music in France, together with Les Chats sauvages. It was originally composed of Claude Moine, a.k.a. Eddy Mitche ...
, led by other French rock star
Eddy Mitchell Claude Moine (; born 3 July 1942), known professionally as Eddy Mitchell, is a French singer and actor. He began his career in the late 1950s, with the group Les Chaussettes Noires (The Black Socks). He took the name ''Eddy'' from the American ...
, and
Les Chats sauvages Les Chats Sauvages (The Wild Cats) was a French rock and roll band, that was formed in 1961. Together with Les Chaussettes Noires, they were among the first outfits to perform rock and roll music in France. Career Les Chats Sauvages was originall ...
(led by
Dick Rivers Hervé Forneri (; 24 April 1945 – 24 April 2019), known professionally as Dick Rivers, was a French singer and actor who began performing in the early 1960s. He was an important figure in introducing rock and roll music in France. He was an a ...
) contributed to the emergence of the genre, the last band writing the first real classic French rock song, ''Twist à Saint-Tropez''. The emergence of the
yé-yé ''Yé-yé'' () (''yeyé'' in Spanish) was a style of pop music that emerged in Western-Southern Europe in the early 1960s. The French term "''yé-yé''" was derived from the English "yeah! yeah!", popularized by British beat music bands such as ...
movement slowed the commercial success of French rock, although some names like
Antoine Antoine is a French given name (from the Latin ''Antonius'' meaning 'highly praise-worthy') that is a variant of Danton, Titouan, D'Anton and Antonin. The name is used in France, Switzerland, Belgium, Canada, West Greenland, Haiti, French Guiana ...
,
Jacques Dutronc Jacques Dutronc (born 28 April 1943) is a French singer, songwriter, guitarist, composer, and actor. He married singer Françoise Hardy on 30 March 1981 and together they have a son (manouche jazz) guitarist Thomas Dutronc, born 1973); they sep ...
,
Nino Ferrer Nino Agostino Arturo Maria Ferrari (), known as Nino Ferrer (15 August 1934 – 13 August 1998), was an Italian-born French singer-songwriter and author. Biography and career Nino Ferrer was born on 15 August 1934 in Genoa, Italy, but lived the ...
and
Michel Polnareff Michel Polnareff (born 3 July 1944, Nérac, Lot-et-Garonne, France) is a French singer-songwriter, who was popular in France from the mid-1960s until the early 1990s with his penultimate original album, ''Kāma-Sūtra''. He is still critically ...
emerged in the middle of the 1960s and did have success, while others like
Ronnie Bird Ronnie may refer to: *Ronnie (name), a unisex pet name and given name *Ronnie (Four Seasons song), "Ronnie" (Four Seasons song), a song by Bob Gaudio and Bob Crewe *"Ronnie," a song from the Metallica album ''Load (album), Load'' *Ronnie Brunswijk ...
or
Les Variations Les Variations was a French rock band from the late 1960s to mid-1970s, that sang in English and was known for its rock guitar- based music. Its three members were born in Morocco and were of Jewish origin. They were France's first band to he ...
(who are commonly considered forerunners of French
hard rock Hard rock or heavy rock is a loosely defined subgenre of rock music typified by aggressive vocals and distorted electric guitars. Hard rock began in the mid-1960s with the garage, psychedelic and blues rock movements. Some of the earliest hard ...
) achieved cult status. In the 1970s, France saw the arrival of Alan Stivell's
Breton Breton most often refers to: *anything associated with Brittany, and generally ** Breton people ** Breton language, a Southwestern Brittonic Celtic language of the Indo-European language family, spoken in Brittany ** Breton (horse), a breed **Ga ...
folk-rock as well as a wave of
progressive rock Progressive rock (shortened as prog rock or simply prog; sometimes conflated with art rock) is a broad genre of rock music that developed in the United Kingdom and United States through the mid- to late 1960s, peaking in the early 1970s. Init ...
bands like
Ange Ange (English: Angel) is a French progressive rock band formed in September 1969 by the Décamps brothers, Francis (keyboards) and Christian (vocals, accordion, acoustic guitar and keyboards). Since its inception the band's music has been inspi ...
,
Magma Magma () is the molten or semi-molten natural material from which all igneous rocks are formed. Magma is found beneath the surface of the Earth, and evidence of magmatism has also been discovered on other terrestrial planets and some natural sa ...
,
Gong A gongFrom Indonesian and ms, gong; jv, ꦒꦺꦴꦁ ; zh, c=鑼, p=luó; ja, , dora; km, គង ; th, ฆ้อง ; vi, cồng chiêng; as, কাঁহ is a percussion instrument originating in East Asia and Southeast Asia. Gongs ...
(whether they are actually a French band is debatable),
Triangle A triangle is a polygon with three Edge (geometry), edges and three Vertex (geometry), vertices. It is one of the basic shapes in geometry. A triangle with vertices ''A'', ''B'', and ''C'' is denoted \triangle ABC. In Euclidean geometry, an ...
, Dynastie Crisis,
Shylock Shylock is a fictional character in William Shakespeare's play ''The Merchant of Venice'' (c. 1600). A Venetian Jewish moneylender, Shylock is the play's principal antagonist. His defeat and conversion to Christianity form the climax of the ...
,
Eskaton Eskaton is a defunct vanity record label created by Coil, exclusively for albums put out by the group and their friends. Its brother labels are Threshold House and Chalice. The record label is often associated with the symbol of the "Chaos ...
,
Atoll An atoll () is a ring-shaped island, including a coral rim that encircles a lagoon partially or completely. There may be coral islands or cays on the rim. Atolls are located in warm tropical or subtropical oceans and seas where corals can gr ...
and
Pulsar A pulsar (from ''pulsating radio source'') is a highly magnetized rotating neutron star that emits beams of electromagnetic radiation out of its magnetic poles. This radiation can be observed only when a beam of emission is pointing toward Ea ...
. There was also some
glam rock Glam rock is a style of rock music that developed in the United Kingdom in the early 1970s and was performed by musicians who wore outrageous costumes, makeup, and hairstyles, particularly platform shoes and glitter. Glam artists drew on diver ...
acts, like The Frenchies or the controversial and cult artist Alain Kan.
Jacques Higelin Jacques Joseph Victor Higelin (; 18 October 1940 – 6 April 2018) was a French pop singer who rose to prominence in the early 1970s. Early life Higelin was born on 18 October 1940. His father, Paul, a railway worker and musician of Alsatian de ...
's album ''
BBH 75 ''BBH 75'' is the fourth album by French rock singer Jacques Higelin, released in 1974 on the Pathé Marconi label. It is a radical departure from his previous works with the Saravah label, as it is entirely a rock album. The album would bring H ...
'', which doesn't fit in these categories and is more of a transitional album between the classic era rock sound (à la
Rolling Stones The Rolling Stones are an English Rock music, rock band formed in London in 1962. Active for six decades, they are one of the most popular and enduring bands of the album era, rock era. In the early 1960s, the Rolling Stones pioneered the g ...
) and punk rock, is considered a seminal milestone by French critics, while ex-yé-yé star Christophe became a successful pop-rock artist, especially with his seminal albums '' Les Paradis perdus'' and '' Les Mots bleus'' (which title song is considered a major classic). French punk rock also appeared, including bands like Starshooter,
Stinky Toys Stinky Toys were a French punk rock band from Paris which formed in 1976 and featured Elli Medeiros (vocals), Denis Quilliard, alias Jacno, (a.k.a. Jan Colrth) (rhythm guitar), Bruno Carone (lead guitar), Albin Dériat (bass guitar), and Hervé ...
,*
Electric Callas Electricity is the set of physical phenomena associated with the presence and motion of matter that has a property of electric charge. Electricity is related to magnetism, both being part of the phenomenon of electromagnetism, as described ...
, Oberkampf and
Métal Urbain Métal Urbain (meaning ''urban metal'') was one of the first French Punk rock, punk groups, formed in 1976 in Paris. Career They were heavily influenced by the Clash and Sex Pistols on one hand, and on the other by an electro approach related to ...
. It was during this period that a few other variety music artists -
Catherine Ribeiro Catherine Ribeiro (born 22 September 1941) is a French singer. Ribeiro is an experimental folk and avant-garde performer whose work has attained a cult following. With her band Catherine Ribeiro + Alpes, she released several albums in the lat ...
,
Bernard Lavilliers Bernard Oulion (; born 7 October 1946 in Saint-Étienne), known professionally as Bernard Lavilliers (), is a French singer-songwriter and actor. Discography Albums Studio albums * ''Premiers pas...'' (1968) * ''Les poètes'' (1972) * ''Le St ...
and others - flirted with rock, but without completely changing over. However, French singer
Serge Gainsbourg Serge Gainsbourg (; born Lucien Ginsburg; 2 April 1928 – 2 March 1991) was a French musician, singer-songwriter, actor, author and filmmaker. Regarded as one of the most important figures in French pop, he was renowned for often provoca ...
's 70s output, which included the classic ''
Histoire de Melody Nelson ''Histoire de Melody Nelson'' is a 1971 concept album by French songwriter Serge Gainsbourg. Produced by Jean-Claude Desmarty, the album was released on March 24, 1971 through Philips Records. Its narrative follows an illicit romance which devel ...
'', the less accessible ''
L'Homme à tête de chou ''L’Homme à tête de chou'' is a concept album by Serge Gainsbourg, released on Philips Records in 1976. Concept ''L'Homme à tête de chou'' (1976) is a concept album by Serge Gainsbourg. Like its predecessors '' Histoire de Melody Nelso ...
'' and the
reggae Reggae () is a music genre that originated in Jamaica in the late 1960s. The term also denotes the modern popular music of Jamaica and its diaspora. A 1968 single by Toots and the Maytals, " Do the Reggay" was the first popular song to use ...
'' Aux armes et cætera'', transitioned completely from
chanson A (, , french: chanson française, link=no, ; ) is generally any lyric-driven French song, though it most often refers to the secular polyphonic French songs of late medieval and Renaissance music. The genre had origins in the monophonic s ...
to rock (a move he started earlier in the 1960s) and offered French-language rock new classics. Another name to know is that of
Gérard Manset Gérard Manset (also known as Manset; born 21 August 1945 in Saint-Cloud, Hauts-de-Seine) is a French singer-songwriter, painter, photographer and writer. He is best known for his musical work. Since 1972, the covers of his albums state his name ...
, a cult artist who deliberately live in maintained obscurity, but whose ballad ''Il voyage en solitaire'' is a major song and progressive album '' La Mort d'Orion'' is a reference, and who has continued to collaborate with high-profile artists up to this day. French hard rock and heavy metal took off by the end of the decade, spearheaded by
Trust Trust often refers to: * Trust (social science), confidence in or dependence on a person or quality It may also refer to: Business and law * Trust law, a body of law under which one person holds property for the benefit of another * Trust (bus ...
. Things changed course in the 1980s. The changing of the political culture was accompanied by an explosion in youth culture. This helped the emergence of a distinct French rock that could match the lucrativeness of American and British rock music. French progressive rock continued in the 1980s in relative obscurity, with the bands Dün, Terpandre and Emeraude achieving some underground success (but were met with critical indifference). The success of
Téléphone Téléphone () was a French rock band formed in 1976. Their first, self-titled album was released in 1977; by the end of the decade they were one of the biggest French rock bands around, opening shows for The Rolling Stones in Paris, Quebec, th ...
( pub rock), which started in the 1970s but peaked in the 1980s, also took French rock to new levels. The new wave was dominated by Indochine, who sold enormously, as well as
Alain Chamfort Alain Chamfort (born Alain Joseph Yves Le Govic; 2 March 1949) is a French singer of Breton origin. Life and career Chamfort was a promising pianist in his youth, and the piano became his instrument of choice. His first band The Dreamers h ...
, overshadowing the works of critical darlings
Taxi Girl Taxi Girl were a French New wave music, new wave band, adopting the New Romantic aesthetics of the time, such as clashing red and black clothing, synthesizer-led songs, and taking influence from mythology and literature. The group existed betwe ...
or
Jacno Jacno (3 July 1957 in Paris – 6 November 2009) was a French musician. Born as Denis Quilliard, he was a founding member of the first French punk band The Stinky Toys. In the early 1980s, after the group disbanded, he teamed up with former S ...
, but the genre also later saw the emergence of
Étienne Daho Étienne Daho (; ; born 14 January 1956) is a French singer. He has released a number of synth-driven and rock- surf influenced pop hit singles since 1981. Career Daho was born in Oran, French Algeria. He sings in a low, whispery voice somewha ...
, who would remain a major figure in French music up to this day. Another notable artist from the early 1980s is
Axel Bauer Axel Bauer (born 7 April 1961) is a French singer, composer, guitarist, and actor, born in Paris. A figure of the French rock scene, he was discovered in 1983 with the song "Cargo". Several times awarded a gold record, he has sold three million re ...
, who scored a massive hit with the song ''Cargo''.
Charlélie Couture Charlélie Couture (born Bertrand Charles Elie Couture, 26 February 1956) is a French & American musician and multi-disciplinary artist, who has recorded over 25 albums and 17 film soundtracks, and has held a number of exhibitions of paintings and ...
also marked its time with ''Comme un avion sans aile''. The
post-punk Post-punk (originally called new musick) is a broad genre of punk music that emerged in the late 1970s as musicians departed from punk's traditional elements and raw simplicity, instead adopting a variety of avant-garde sensibilities and non-roc ...
scene, although commercially unsuccessful, also featured critically acclaimed acts, such as
Marquis de Sade Donatien Alphonse François, Marquis de Sade (; 2 June 1740 – 2 December 1814), was a French nobleman, revolutionary politician, philosopher and writer famous for his literary depictions of a libertine sexuality as well as numerous accusat ...
,
Hubert-Félix Thiéfaine Hubert-Félix Thiéfaine () is a French pop-rock singer and songwriter. He was born on 21 July 1948 in the town of Dole in the Jura département. Mostly shunned by television and radio, he has built over the years – through word of mouth ...
, Orchestre rouge or
Kas Product KaS Product were a French electronic duo. Their music has been considered part of the French cold wave and electropunk movements. Formed in 1980, the duo consists of Spatsz (Daniel Favre) on electronics and rhythm machines with Mona Soyoc on guit ...
. The
art rock Art rock is a subgenre of rock music that generally reflects a challenging or avant-garde approach to rock, or which makes use of modernist, experimental, or unconventional elements. Art rock aspires to elevate rock from entertainment to an art ...
band
Les Rita Mitsouko Les Rita Mitsouko (, translation: ''The Rita Mitsukos'') were a French pop rock group formed by Fred Chichin and Catherine Ringer. The duo first performed as Rita Mitsouko at Gibus Club in Paris in 1980. They went on to become one of the most a ...
enjoyed international success, while the decade also saw the emergence of
Alain Bashung Alain Bashung (, born Alain Claude Baschung; 1 December 1947 – 14 March 2009) was a French singer, songwriter and actor. Credited with reviving the French chanson in "a time of French musical turmoil", he is often regarded in his home country a ...
, who had been around since the 1960s but only started to have his first hits in the new wave era. Bashung would become the most critically acclaimed French rock singer in his home country, with several of his albums being now hailed as classics. There was also a second wave of French punk rock which included such acts as
Bérurier Noir Bérurier noir is a French punk Punk or punks may refer to: Genres, subculture, and related aspects * Punk rock, a music genre originating in the 1970s associated with various subgenres * Punk subculture, a subculture associated with punk ro ...
,
Les Négresses Vertes Les Négresses Vertes, which formed in 1987, is a French music group that combines world music and some aspects of alternative rock. Tracks often feature acoustic guitar and accordion, with some containing other traditional instruments such ...
, Les Garçons Bouchers,
Les Wampas Les Wampas () are a French punk rock/psychobilly band, who refer more exactly to their music as " Yé-yé-punk". The band was formed in Paris in 1983. History :''See also Discography'' The band's first album, ''Tutti Frutti'' was released in 1 ...
, Les Satellites or the seminal Mano Negra, which would make the genre evolve towards
worldbeat Worldbeat is a music genre that blends pop music or rock music with world music or traditional music. Worldbeat is similar to other cross-pollination labels of contemporary and roots genres, and which suggest a rhythmic, harmonic or textural con ...
(and whose leader
Manu Chao Manu Chao (; born José-Manuel Thomas Arthur Chao on 21 June 1961) is a French-Spanish singer. He sings in French, Spanish, English, Italian, Arabic, Catalan, Galician, Portuguese, Greek, and occasionally in other languages. Chao began his mus ...
would later have a worldwide successful solo career). The first major French indie rock act appeared:
Les Thugs Les Thugs were a punk band from France. Their records are distributed in North-America by Sub Pop Records. Biography Early Days and first issue The founding members of Les Thugs were two brothers, Eric and Christophe Sourice, from Angers, Fran ...
, who are considered a major reference of the scene up to this day. Finally, French hard rock and heavy metal really took shape in this decade, with the continuing success of Trust or that of other bands like ADX, Warning, Shakin' Street, Sortilège or Vulcain, and some early
thrash Thrash may refer to: *Thrashing (computer science), where increasing resources are used to do a decreasing amount of work *Thrash (surname) *Thrash, mascot of the Atlanta Thrashers *''Thrash Rally'', a top-down perspective rally racing video game ...
-
death metal Death metal is an extreme subgenre of heavy metal music. It typically employs heavily distorted and low-tuned guitars, played with techniques such as palm muting and tremolo picking; deep growling vocals; aggressive, powerful drumming, feat ...
acts like
Agressor Agressor is a French death metal band which started in 1986. Members Current * Alexandre Colin-Tocquaine – Electric guitar, guitar, chant (1986–present) * Joël Guigou – Bass guitar, bass (1991–present) * Kevin Paradis – Drum kit ...
,
Loudblast Loudblast is a French death/thrash metal band from Villeneuve-d'Ascq that pioneered the genres in France, and one of the most important French metal bands of the 1990s. History The band began in 1986 in the northern city of Lille. Its first rec ...
or Morsüre. The 1990s, still dominated by Bashung's aura and output (including ''
Osez Joséphine ''Osez Joséphine'' ''(Dare Joséphine)'' is the eighth studio album by French rocker Alain Bashung, issued in 1991 on Barclay Records. Rolling Stone magazine considered it the greatest French album of all time. Reception Commercial performa ...
'' and the major classic ''
Fantaisie militaire ''Fantaisie militaire'' ''(Military fantasy)'' is the tenth studio album by the French rock musician Alain Bashung, released in January 1998 by Barclay Records. Production For this album, Bashung worked with the English record producer and engin ...
''), also saw the emergence of
Noir Désir Noir Désir (, "Black Desire") was a French rock band from Bordeaux. They were active during the 1980s, 1990s and early 2000s, and have had two albums certified double platinum in France and three certified gold. They have been an influence on n ...
(their first classic album, ''
Veuillez rendre l'âme (à qui elle appartient) ''Veuillez rendre l'âme (à qui elle appartient)'' is the second album by French rock band Noir Désir, released in 1989. The album, produced by Ian Broudie, brought the group widespread attention, mostly because of the hit single "Aux sombres h ...
'' dated back from the late 80s), whose sound fitted well in the
grunge Grunge (sometimes referred to as the Seattle sound) is an alternative rock genre and subculture that emerged during the in the American Pacific Northwest state of Washington, particularly in Seattle and nearby towns. Grunge fuses elements of p ...
movement, and their 1992 album ''
Tostaky ''Tostaky'' is an album by French rock band Noir Désir. It was released in France in 1992 on the Barclay label. The word "tostaky" is a slang contraction of the Spanish expression "todo está aquí" (everything is here), one of the slogans us ...
'' was a huge popular and critical success, still selling solidly decades after its release. French rock was dominated by punk ( No One Is Innocent), funk ( -M-, FFF,
Sinclair Sinclair may refer to: Places * Lake Sinclair, near Milledgeville, Georgia * Sinclair, Iowa * Sinclair, West Virginia * Sinclair, Wyoming * Sinclair Mills, British Columbia * Sinclair Township, Minnesota * Sinclair, Manitoba People * ...
) and Noir Désir-soundalikes like
Aston Villa Aston Villa Football Club is a professional football club based in Aston, Birmingham, England. The club competes in the , the top tier of the English football league system. Founded in 1874, they have played at their home ground, Villa Park ...
or
Saez Ministro Pistarini International Airport ( es, link=no, Aeropuerto Internacional Ministro Pistarini) , also known as Ezeiza International Airport owing to its location in the Ezeiza Partido in Greater Buenos Aires, is an international airport ...
(a trend which would continue in the 2000s with
Luke People *Luke (given name), a masculine given name (including a list of people and characters with the name) *Luke (surname) (including a list of people and characters with the name) *Luke the Evangelist, author of the Gospel of Luke. Also known as ...
,
Eiffel Eiffel may refer to: Places * Eiffel Peak, a summit in Alberta, Canada * Champ de Mars – Tour Eiffel station, Paris, France; a transit station Structures * Eiffel Tower, in Paris, France, designed by Gustave Eiffel * Eiffel Bridge, Ungheni, M ...
or
Déportivo Déportivo is a French rock band from Bois-d'Arcy, Yvelines, a suburb of Paris. About the band There are three members in the band: * Jérôme Coudanne – guitar, vocals (songwriter) * Richard Magnac – bass * Julien Bonnet – drums The trio ...
, for instance). The very popular
Louise Attaque Louise Attaque () is a French chanson/folk rock band founded in 1994. Several of the group's albums were produced by Gordon Gano, lead singer of Violent Femmes, a band whom Louise Attaque often cites as an influence and for whom their own band is ...
refined the Noir Désir sound to fit a more indie folk approach, which would still allow them to achieve enormous sales. More on the indie scene, Diabologum and later its offshoots Expérience and Programme would become leaders, with a sound influenced by Pavement's approach. Other notable artists include
Dominique A Dominique Ané (born 6 October 1968), better known as "Dominique A", is a French songwriter and singer. Early life Born on 6 October 1968 in Provins, France, Dominique Ané is the only child of a teacher and a homemaker. He was passionate about ...
and
Miossec Christophe Miossec is a French singer and songwriter born in Brest, Brittany, France on December 24, 1964. Beginnings Christophe Miossec was not new to the world of music when he met his first great success. Between 14 and 17, he was in a teen ...
who would sport a more minimalistic approach, pop bands Billy ze Kick et les Gamins en Folie,
Les Innocents Les Innocents is a French rock and pop duet consisting of Jean-Philippe Nataf (nicknamed Jipé, vocals, guitar) and Jean-Christophe Urbain (nicknamed Jean-Chri, vocals, guitar, keyboards) from 1982 to 1999 and 2013 onwards. Former members includ ...
or
L'Affaire Louis' Trio L'Affaire Louis' Trio (L'ALT for short) were an art pop band from Lyon, France. The band formed in 1982,''RFI Music Website (2001) and in 1986 were signed to Barclay records, France, who released their first album, ''Chic planète''. The members ...
, and
post-rock Post-rock is a form of experimental rock characterized by a focus on exploring textures and timbre over traditional rock song structures, chords, or riffs. Post-rock artists are often instrumental, typically combining rock instrumentation with ...
band Kat Onoma. Pop-rock artists
Alain Souchon Alain Souchon (; born Alain Édouard Kienast ; 27 May 1944) is a French singer-songwriter and actor. He has released 15 albums and has played roles in seven films. Profile Alain Souchon was born in Casablanca, Morocco. His family on his mother ...
,
Laurent Voulzy Lucien Voulzy (, born 18 December 1948), better known as Laurent Voulzy (), is a French singer-songwriter, composer and musician. Life and career Voulzy was born in Paris, France. He originally led the English-pop-influenced Le Temple de Vénus ...
and
Francis Cabrel Francis Christian Cabrel (; born 23 November 1953) is a French singer-songwriter, composer and guitarist. Considered one of the most influential French musical artists of all time, he has released a number of albums falling mostly within the real ...
, although they had been around since the 1970s, enjoyed major commercial success during this period. French heavy metal saw the emergence of the cult
black metal Black metal is an extreme metal, extreme subgenre of heavy metal music. Common traits include Tempo#Beats per minute, fast tempos, a Screaming (music)#Black metal, shrieking vocal style, heavily distorted Electric guitar, guitars played with t ...
scene of the Légions Noires with
Vlad Tepes Vlad III, commonly known as Vlad the Impaler ( ro, Vlad Țepeș ) or Vlad Dracula (; ro, Vlad Drăculea ; 1428/311476/77), was Voivode of Wallachia three times between 1448 and his death in 1476/77. He is often considered one of the most im ...
,
Mütiilation Mütiilation was a French black metal project, traditionally known as a group, but later a solo project that consisted solely of its founder William "Meyhna'ch" Roussel who maintained activity under the name until its closing in 2017. Mütiilat ...
, Belkètre or Torgeist and other acts not associated with it like
Blut Aus Nord Blut Aus Nord (, ) is a French black metal band from Mondeville, Calvados, that has incorporated avant-garde elements in its music. History Vindsval began a solo project, under the name "Vlad", in 1993. He released two demos before changing ...
and
Belenos Belenus (Gaulish: ''Belenos'', ''Belinos'') is an ancient Celtic healing god. The cult of Belenus stretched from the Italian Peninsula to the British Isles, with a main sanctuary located at Aquileia, on the Adriatic coast. Through ''interpretati ...
, and some
nu metal Nu metal (sometimes stylized as nü-metal, sometimes called aggro-metal) is a subgenre of that combines elements of heavy metal music with elements of other music genres such as hip hop, alternative rock, funk, industrial, and grunge. Nu met ...
acts on the course of the decade, including
Mass Hysteria Mass psychogenic illness (MPI), also called mass sociogenic illness, mass psychogenic disorder, epidemic hysteria, or mass hysteria, involves the spread of illness symptoms through a population where there is no infectious agent responsible for c ...
, Lofofora,
Eths Eths (variably stylized as eths and ETHS) is a French extreme metal band from Marseille. History Eths formed in 1996 under the name What's the fuck, with a lineup consisting of vocalist–guitarist Stéphane Bihl and guitarist Grégory ...
or
Pleymo Pleymo is a French nu metal band formed by Mark Maggiori, Benoît Julliard, Fred Ceraudo, and Mathias Borronquet in Paris in 1997. Pleymo has sold over 100,000 albums to date. The band's name apparently originates from the lead singer once havi ...
. The 2000s would see, alongside bands still influenced by Noir Désir, a dilution of the rock sound, with acts like
Benjamin Biolay Benjamin Biolay (; born 20 January 1973) is a French singer, musician, songwriter, record producer and actor. He is the brother of singer Coralie Clément—whose first three albums he wrote and produced—and the ex-husband of Chiara Mastroiann ...
or
Phoenix Phoenix most often refers to: * Phoenix (mythology), a legendary bird from ancient Greek folklore * Phoenix, Arizona, a city in the United States Phoenix may also refer to: Mythology Greek mythological figures * Phoenix (son of Amyntor), a ...
incorporating rock in their music, while being closer to chanson for the former (in a Dominique A-influenced approach) and
French touch French house, also known as French touch, filter house and tekfunk, is a style of house music originally produced by French musicians in the 1990s. It is a form of Euro disco and a popular strand of the late 1990s and 2000s European dance m ...
for the latter. Other chanson-affiliated artists flirting with rock include
Jeanne Cherhal Jeanne Cherhal is a French singer-songwriter. Life and career After spending her younger years in Erbray near Châteaubriant, Cherhal studied philosophy before moving to Paris. She started her singing career playing piano – solo, or accompa ...
, Keren Ann,
La Grande Sophie Sophie Huriaux (born July 18, 1969 in Thionville), better known by her stage name La Grande Sophie, is a French singer-songwriter who got her start in the mid-1990s in the Paris alternative scene. Biography Childhood Sophie lived the whole of h ...
, Camille, Anaïs,
Cali Santiago de Cali (), or Cali, is the capital of the Valle del Cauca department, and the most populous city in southwest Colombia, with 2,227,642 residents according to the 2018 census. The city spans with of urban area, making Cali the second ...
,
Raphael Raffaello Sanzio da Urbino, better known as Raphael (; or ; March 28 or April 6, 1483April 6, 1520), was an Italian painter and architect of the High Renaissance. List of works by Raphael, His work is admired for its clarity of form, ease of ...
,
Bénabar Bruno Nicolini (born 16 June 1969), better known by his stage name Bénabar, is a French songwriter and singer, who could be compared to Vincent Delerm and other singers from his generation. As many of them he was influenced by Georges Brassens, ...
and ex-Les Innocents leader J. P. Nataf, and artists more specifically influenced by Biolay include
Florent Marchet Florent Marchet (born 21 June 1975) is a French singer-songwriter. His debut album, '' Gargilesse'', was released in 2004. Florent plays the piano, guitar, drums, and flute. He has collaborated with François Poggio, Pete Thomas, and Charli ...
,
Arman Méliès Arman (November 17, 1928 – October 22, 2005) was a French-born American artist. Born Armand Fernandez in Nice, France, Arman was a painter who moved from using objects for the ink or paint traces they leave (''cachets'', ''allures d'objet'') to ...
, Bertrand Belin and
Albin de la Simone Albin de la Simone (born in Amiens, Picardy, France on 14 December 1970) is a French singer-songwriter. He has released five albums since 2003, being nominated to the 2018 Victoires de la Musique in the ''Best Song Album (Meilleur album de cha ...
. It also saw the reemergence of ex-new wave patriarchs Indochine as an
emo Emo is a rock music genre characterized by emotional, often confessional lyrics. It emerged as a style of and hardcore punk from the Washington D.C. hardcore punk scene, where it was known as emotional hardcore or emocore and pioneered b ...
-influenced band, with their album ''
Paradize ''Paradize'' is a 2002 album recorded by France, French band Indochine (band), Indochine. It was its ninth studio album and was released on 14 May 2002. It achieved great success in francophone countries and even topped the albums chart in Belgi ...
'' selling enormously and becoming a new classic. The decades-old French heavy metal would enjoy an international emergence, with acts like Gojira or AqME, while the underground black metal scene would keep on striving with bands like
Deathspell Omega Deathspell Omega is a French black metal band formed in 1998 in Poitiers. Their lyrical content deals primarily with Satanism on a metaphysical level – as the band has stated that "all other interpretations of Satan are intellectually invalid" ...
,
Peste Noire Peste Noire are a French black metal band from La Chaise-Dieu, France. The band was formed by "La sale Famine de Valfunde" (Ludovic Faure), also known simply as "Famine", in 2000. Their music uses standard black metal elements mixed with traditi ...
or the more experimental
Alcest Alcest is a French post-black metal band from Bagnols-sur-Cèze, founded and led by Neige (Stéphane Paut). It began in 2000 as a black metal solo project by Neige, soon a trio, but following the release of their first demo in 2001, band membe ...
. On the indie rock scene,
Dionysos In ancient Greek religion and myth, Dionysus (; grc, Διόνυσος ) is the god of the grape-harvest, winemaking, orchards and fruit, vegetation, fertility, insanity, ritual madness, religious ecstasy, festivity, and theatre. The Romans ...
would become extremely popular with their hit ''Song for Jedi'' from their best-seller '' Western sous la neige'', while other acts like
A.S. Dragon A.S. Dragon is a French rock group, consisting of the members Stéphane Salvi (guitar), Michaël Garçon (piano), David Forgione remplace Fred Jimenez (bass) and Hervé Bouétard (drums). Natacha Le Jeune (singer) quit the group in 2007 in music, ...
or Ultra Orange would have more confidential success. Indie acts
Yelle Yelle is a French band founded by lead singer and namesake Yelle (Julie Budet) and GrandMarnier (Jean-François Perrier). A third member, Tepr (Tanguy Destable), joined the band before the recording of their debut album. Yelle and GrandMarnier b ...
and M83 would achieve most of their success abroad. The second half of the decade would see the emergence of a French
garage rock Garage rock (sometimes called garage punk or 60s punk) is a raw and energetic style of rock and roll that flourished in the mid-1960s, most notably in the United States and Canada, and has experienced a series of subsequent revivals. The sty ...
revival scene, with
BB Brunes BB Brunes is a French rock band, part of the "new French rock scene" (la nouvelle scène rock française).BB Brunes en ...
,
Plastiscines The Plastiscines are a French all-female rock band who perform their songs in both French and English. They have released three albums, spanning from garage rock revival and pop punk to disco-orientered pop music. History The Plastiscines are ...
, the Cheeraks, Crash Normal, the Normals, Naast,
Izïa Izïa Higelin (born 24 September 1990), more commonly known by her stage name Izia, is a French rock singer, guitarist and actress. Her most recent album, ''La Vitesse'', was released in 2022. Early life Izïa was born in Paris on 24 September ...
, Alister,
Mademoiselle K Mademoiselle K is a four-person French rock band currently signed with EMI, as of July 2007. The band takes its name from its leader, Katerine Gierak, and so the K is for Katerine. Career At age four she had decided to take music as her only pa ...
or Stuck in the Sound. In the 2010s, notable acts include the art rock/new wave outfit La Femme and
Christine and the Queens Héloïse Adélaïde Letissier (; born 1 June 1988), known professionally as Christine and the Queens and Redcar, or occasionally simply Chris, is a French singer and songwriter. Born and raised in Nantes, he started learning piano at the age o ...
, and French comedy electro-rock band
Shaka Ponk Shaka Ponk (sometimes abbreviated as SHKPNK) is a French electro rock band formed in Paris in 2004. They mix different forms of popular music into their songs in addition to world music, although predominantly with an electronic and experimenta ...
also started to achieve major hits. Other notable acts include indie rock band Frànçois & the Atlas Mountains (who were active since 2005 but started to obtain critical acclaim this decade, although achieving most of their success abroad), Britpop-influenced
Archimède The bathyscaphe ''Archimède'' is a deep diving research submersible of the French Navy. It used of hexane as the gasoline buoyancy of its float. It was designed by Pierre Willm and Georges Houot. In 1964, ''Archimède'' descended into "wh ...
, pop artist Arnaud Fleurent-Didier, art rock band Moodoïd, and
Gnawa The Gnawa (or Gnaoua, Ghanawa, Ghanawi, Gnawi'; Arabic: ڭناوة) are an ethnic group inhabiting Morocco. The name Gnawa probably originated in the indigenous language of North Africa and the Sahara Desert. The phonology of this term accordi ...
-inspired
Bab L' Bluz Bab L' Bluz is a Moroccan-French rock band that was formed in Marrakesh in 2018. The band consists of lead vocalist Yousra Mansour, gimbri player and multi-instrumentalist Brice Bottin, flautist Jérôme Bartholomé, and drummer Hafid Zouaoui. As ...
. In the following lists, artists and groups are classified by their decade of origin, even if their career spans multiple decades, or if they took time to become famous.


1950s

*
Magali Noël Magali Noëlle Guiffray (27 June 1931 – 23 June 2015), better known as Magali Noël, was a French actress and singer. Biography Actress career Born in İzmir to French parents in the diplomatic service, she left Turkey for France in 1951, a ...
*
Henri Salvador Henri Salvador (18 July 1917 – 13 February 2008) was a French Caribbean comedian, singer and cabaret artist. Biography Salvador was born in Cayenne, French Guiana. His father, Clovis, and his mother, Antonine Paterne, daughter of a native Ca ...
*
Mac Kac Jean-Baptiste Reilles (29 May 1920 – 17 August 1987), whose stage name was Mac Kac, was a French jazz drummer. He was known for being one of the first to release a rock and roll album in French. Biography Mac Kac, had Catalan roots and came fr ...
* Chou Rave Hageur et ses Hot Dogs Note: Magali Noël and Henri Salvador's output was parody.


1960s

* Les 5 Gentlemen *
Frank Alamo Frank Alamo (born Jean-François Grandin; 12 October 1941 – 11 October 2012) was a French singer. He achieved his greatest success in the 1960s. Biography He was born in Paris. He sang in a leading French children's choir, "Les Petits Chanteu ...
* Richard Anthony *
Antoine Antoine is a French given name (from the Latin ''Antonius'' meaning 'highly praise-worthy') that is a variant of Danton, Titouan, D'Anton and Antonin. The name is used in France, Switzerland, Belgium, Canada, West Greenland, Haiti, French Guiana ...
*
Brigitte Bardot Brigitte Anne-Marie Bardot ( ; ; born 28 September 1934), often referred to by her initials B.B., is a former French actress, singer and model. Famous for portraying sexually emancipated characters with hedonistic lifestyles, she was one of the ...
*
Alain Bashung Alain Bashung (, born Alain Claude Baschung; 1 December 1947 – 14 March 2009) was a French singer, songwriter and actor. Credited with reviving the French chanson in "a time of French musical turmoil", he is often regarded in his home country a ...
*
Ronnie Bird Ronnie may refer to: *Ronnie (name), a unisex pet name and given name *Ronnie (Four Seasons song), "Ronnie" (Four Seasons song), a song by Bob Gaudio and Bob Crewe *"Ronnie," a song from the Metallica album ''Load (album), Load'' *Ronnie Brunswijk ...
* Les Blousons noirs * Georges Braudel * Danny Boy et ses Pénitents * Billy Bridge *
Les Chats sauvages Les Chats Sauvages (The Wild Cats) was a French rock and roll band, that was formed in 1961. Together with Les Chaussettes Noires, they were among the first outfits to perform rock and roll music in France. Career Les Chats Sauvages was originall ...
*
Les Chaussettes noires Les Chaussettes Noires ( en, 'The Black Socks') were a French rock and roll band founded in 1960, that was among the pioneer of rock music in France, together with Les Chats sauvages. It was originally composed of Claude Moine, a.k.a. Eddy Mitche ...
*
Long Chris Long may refer to: Measurement * Long, characteristic of something of great duration * Long, characteristic of something of great length * Longitude (abbreviation: long.), a geographic coordinate * Longa (music), note value in early music mens ...
* Christophe * Clothilde * Jean Bernard de Libreville * Delphine * Noël Deschamps *
Jacques Dutronc Jacques Dutronc (born 28 April 1943) is a French singer, songwriter, guitarist, composer, and actor. He married singer Françoise Hardy on 30 March 1981 and together they have a son (manouche jazz) guitarist Thomas Dutronc, born 1973); they sep ...
*
Nino Ferrer Nino Agostino Arturo Maria Ferrari (), known as Nino Ferrer (15 August 1934 – 13 August 1998), was an Italian-born French singer-songwriter and author. Biography and career Nino Ferrer was born on 15 August 1934 in Genoa, Italy, but lived the ...
* Les Fleurs de pavot *
Brigitte Fontaine Brigitte Fontaine, (born 24 June 1939) is a singer of avant-garde music. She has employed numerous unusual musical styles, melding rock and roll, folk, jazz, electronica, spoken word poetry, and world. She has collaborated with Stereolab, Mich ...
*
Claude François Claude Antoine Marie François (; 1 February 1939 – 11 March 1978), also known by the nickname Cloclo, was a French pop singer, composer, songwriter, record producer, drummer and dancer. François co-wrote the lyrics of "Comme d'habitude" (c ...
*
Serge Gainsbourg Serge Gainsbourg (; born Lucien Ginsburg; 2 April 1928 – 2 March 1991) was a French musician, singer-songwriter, actor, author and filmmaker. Regarded as one of the most important figures in French pop, he was renowned for often provoca ...
*
France Gall Isabelle Geneviève Marie Anne Gall (9 October 1947 – 7 January 2018), known professionally as France Gall, was a French ''yé-yé'' singer. In 1965, aged 17, she won the Eurovision Song Contest for Luxembourg. Between 1973 and 1992, s ...
* Les Gam's *
Danyel Gérard Danyel Gérard (born Gérard Daniel Kherlakian; 7 March 1939) is a French pop singer and composer. Life and work Gérard was born in Paris, France to an Armenian father and an Corsican mother, but grew up mainly in Rio de Janeiro, in Brazil. I ...
*
Johnny Hallyday Jean-Philippe Léo Smet (; 15 June 1943 – 5 December 2017), better known by his stage name Johnny Hallyday, was a French rock and roll and pop singer and actor, credited for having brought rock and roll to France. During a career spanning 57 ...
*
Françoise Hardy Françoise Madeleine Hardy (; born 17 January 1944) is a French former singer and songwriter. Mainly known for singing melancholic sentimental ballads, Hardy has been an important figure in French pop music since her debut, spanning a career of ...
*
Anna Karina Anna Karina (born Hanne Karin Blarke Bayer; September 22, 1940 – December 14, 2019)
*
Herbert Léonard Herbert Léonard (; born 25 February 1945 in Strasbourg, France) né Hubert Lœnhard is principally known as a singer, however, he is also a specialist of Russian airplanes from World War II. His first success "Quelque chose tient mon cœur" (So ...
*
Charlotte Leslie Charlotte Leslie (born 11 August 1978) is a British Conservative Party (UK), Conservative Party politician who is the current Director of the Conservative Middle East Council. She was the Member of Parliament (United Kingdom), Member of Parliam ...
* Les Lionceaux * Dany Logan et Les Pirates *
Gérard Manset Gérard Manset (also known as Manset; born 21 August 1945 in Saint-Cloud, Hauts-de-Seine) is a French singer-songwriter, painter, photographer and writer. He is best known for his musical work. Since 1972, the covers of his albums state his name ...
*
Martin Circus Martin Circus was a French band formed in the late 1960s, whose musical style developed over time from progressive rock through pop to disco and new wave music in the 1970s and 1980s. Career The band formed in 1968, at a time when the popular musi ...
*
Eddy Mitchell Claude Moine (; born 3 July 1942), known professionally as Eddy Mitchell, is a French singer and actor. He began his career in the late 1950s, with the group Les Chaussettes Noires (The Black Socks). He took the name ''Eddy'' from the American ...
*
Monty Monty is a masculine given name, often a short form of Montgomery, Montague and other similar names. It is also a surname. Notable people with the name or nickname include: First name Nickname * Bernard Montgomery (1887–1976), British Secon ...
* Michel Paje *
Michel Polnareff Michel Polnareff (born 3 July 1944, Nérac, Lot-et-Garonne, France) is a French singer-songwriter, who was popular in France from the mid-1960s until the early 1990s with his penultimate original album, ''Kāma-Sūtra''. He is still critically ...
* Claude Puterflam *
Dick Rivers Hervé Forneri (; 24 April 1945 – 24 April 2019), known professionally as Dick Rivers, was a French singer and actor who began performing in the early 1960s. He was an important figure in introducing rock and roll music in France. He was an a ...
*
Sheila Sheila (alternatively spelled Shelagh and Sheelagh) is a common feminine given name, derived from the Irish name ''Síle'', which is believed to be a Gaelic form of the Latin name Caelia, the feminine form of the Roman clan name Caelius, meanin ...
* Yves Simon * Les Sunlights * Le Système Crapoutchik * Jacqueline Taïeb *
Michèle Torr Michèle Torr (born Michelle Cléberte Tort 7 April 1947) is a French singer and author, best known in non-Francophone countries for her participation in the Eurovision Song Contest for Luxembourg in 1966 and for Monaco in 1977. Early caree ...
*
Stella Vander Stella Vander (born Stella Zelcer, also known as Stella; 12 December 1950) is a French singer and musician. Early years Born in Paris into a family of Polish immigrants, she began writing music in the early sixties together with her uncle Maurice ...
*
Les Variations Les Variations was a French rock band from the late 1960s to mid-1970s, that sang in English and was known for its rock guitar- based music. Its three members were born in Morocco and were of Jewish origin. They were France's first band to he ...
*
Sylvie Vartan Sylvie Vartan (; born Sylvie Georges Vartanian; hy, Սիլվի Ժորժ Վարդանյան. on 15 August 1944) is an Armenian-Bulgarian-French singer and actress. She is known as one of the most productive and tough-sounding yé-yé artists. ...
*
Pierre Vassiliu Pierre Vassiliu (23 October 1937 – 17 August 2014) was a French singer, songwriter and actor. His first record, "Armand", co-written with his brother Michel, appeared in 1962. It was an enormous success, selling 150,000 copies. This opened the ...
*
Dominique Walter Dominique Walter (born Dominique Gruère, 22 May 1942 – 26 August 2013) was a French singer. He was born in Paris and is the son of singer Michèle Arnaud. In 1966, he represented France at the Eurovision Song Contest with the song Chez Nous ...
*
Zoo A zoo (short for zoological garden; also called an animal park or menagerie) is a facility in which animals are kept within enclosures for public exhibition and often bred for Conservation biology, conservation purposes. The term ''zoological g ...
* Zouzou


1970s


Before punk

* Alpes (with
Catherine Ribeiro Catherine Ribeiro (born 22 September 1941) is a French singer. Ribeiro is an experimental folk and avant-garde performer whose work has attained a cult following. With her band Catherine Ribeiro + Alpes, she released several albums in the lat ...
) *
Ame Son Ame Son was a progressive rock band from France France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic, ...
*
Ange Ange (English: Angel) is a French progressive rock band formed in September 1969 by the Décamps brothers, Francis (keyboards) and Christian (vocals, accordion, acoustic guitar and keyboards). Since its inception the band's music has been inspi ...
* Alice *
Art Zoyd Art Zoyd is a French band formed in 1969, mixing free jazz, progressive rock and avant-garde electronica. Gérard Hourbette was the band's director and composer until his death in May 2018. Another key member of the band was Thierry Zaboitzeff, ...
*
Atoll An atoll () is a ring-shaped island, including a coral rim that encircles a lagoon partially or completely. There may be coral islands or cays on the rim. Atolls are located in warm tropical or subtropical oceans and seas where corals can gr ...
*
Au Bonheur des Dames ''Au Bonheur des Dames'' (; ''The Ladies' Delight'' or ''The Ladies' Paradise'') is the eleventh novel in the '' Rougon-Macquart'' series by Émile Zola. It was first serialized in the periodical '' Gil Blas'' from December 17, 1882 to March 1, 18 ...
*
Michel Berger Michel Berger (born Michel Jean Hamburger; 28 November 1947 – 2 August 1992) was a French singer and songwriter. He was a leading figure of France's pop music scene for two decades as a singer; as a songwriter, he was active for such artists ...
*
Jane Birkin Jane Mallory Birkin, Order of British Empire, OBE (born 14 December 1946) is an English-French singer and actress. She attained international fame and notability for her decade-long musical and romantic partnership with Serge Gainsbourg. She als ...
* Bonneville *
Emmanuel Booz Immanuel ( he, עִמָּנוּאֵל, 'Īmmānū'ēl, meaning, "God is with us"; also romanized: , ; and or in Koine Greek of the New Testament) is a Hebrew name that appears in the Book of Isaiah (7:14) as a sign that God will protect the ...
*
Francis Cabrel Francis Christian Cabrel (; born 23 November 1953) is a French singer-songwriter, composer and guitarist. Considered one of the most influential French musical artists of all time, he has released a number of albums falling mostly within the real ...
*
Jean-Patrick Capdevielle Jean-Patrick Capdevielle (born December 19, 1945) is a French songwriter, composer, singer, musician and painter who influenced the French rock scene in the 1980s. With a mixture of American and British influences, Capdevielle's work is chara ...
*
Catharsis Catharsis (from Greek , , meaning "purification" or "cleansing" or "clarification") is the purification and purgation of emotions through dramatic art, or it may be any extreme emotional state that results in renewal and restoration. In its lite ...
*
Alain Chamfort Alain Chamfort (born Alain Joseph Yves Le Govic; 2 March 1949) is a French singer of Breton origin. Life and career Chamfort was a promising pianist in his youth, and the piano became his instrument of choice. His first band The Dreamers h ...
* Chico Magnetic band *
Pascal Comelade Pascal Paul Vincent Comelade (born 30 June 1955), is a French musician. Comelade was born in Montpellier, France. After living for several years in Barcelona, he made his first album, ''Fluence'', influenced by electronic music and by the grou ...
* Joël Daydé *
Bill Deraime Alain "Bill" Deraime is a French blues singer (born 2 February 1947 in Senlis, Oise).Birchmeter, JasonBill Deraimeallmusic.com. Retrieved March 2011] Discography * ''Bill Deraime'' (LP - 1979) * ''Plus la peine de frimer'' (LP - 1980) ...
* Dynastie Crisis * Ergo Sum *
Eskaton Eskaton is a defunct vanity record label created by Coil, exclusively for albums put out by the group and their friends. Its brother labels are Threshold House and Chalice. The record label is often associated with the symbol of the "Chaos ...
*
Etron Fou Leloublan Etron Fou Leloublan (French for "Crazy Shit, The White Wolf" or "Mad Shit, the White Wolf"), also known as EFL, were a French avant-garde rock band founded in 1973 by actor and saxophonist Chris Chanet. They recorded five studio albums between 1 ...
*
Léo Ferré Léo Ferré (24 August 1916 – 14 July 1993) was a French-born Monégasque poet and composer, and a dynamic and controversial live performer, whose career in France dominated the years after the Second World War until his death. He released s ...
* Fille Qui Mousse * Forgas * The Frenchies *
Gong A gongFrom Indonesian and ms, gong; jv, ꦒꦺꦴꦁ ; zh, c=鑼, p=luó; ja, , dora; km, គង ; th, ฆ้อง ; vi, cồng chiêng; as, কাঁহ is a percussion instrument originating in East Asia and Southeast Asia. Gongs ...
* Dashiell Hedayat (aka Jack-Alain Léger) *
Heldon Heldon was a French electronic rock band originally active between 1974 and 1978, and led by guitarist Richard Pinhas. Other members included synthesizer player Patrick Gauthier and drummer François Auger. The name of the band was taken from the ...
*
Jacques Higelin Jacques Joseph Victor Higelin (; 18 October 1940 – 6 April 2018) was a French pop singer who rose to prominence in the early 1970s. Early life Higelin was born on 18 October 1940. His father, Paul, a railway worker and musician of Alsatian de ...
* Ilous & Decuyper * René Joly * Alain Kan * Komintern * Michel Kricorian *
Catherine Lara Catherine Lara (born Catherine Bodet; 29 May 1945) is a French violinist, composer, singer, and author. Over a career spanning more than five decades, she has established herself as an icon in French pop/rock music as well as the neo-classical g ...
* Lard Free *
Bernard Lavilliers Bernard Oulion (; born 7 October 1946 in Saint-Étienne), known professionally as Bernard Lavilliers (), is a French singer-songwriter and actor. Discography Albums Studio albums * ''Premiers pas...'' (1968) * ''Les poètes'' (1972) * ''Le St ...
* Mahjun *
Magma Magma () is the molten or semi-molten natural material from which all igneous rocks are formed. Magma is found beneath the surface of the Earth, and evidence of magmatism has also been discovered on other terrestrial planets and some natural sa ...
*
Albert Marcœur Albert Marcœur (born 12 December 1947) is a French composer, singer and songwriter.Les inrockuptibles – Issues 483–491 – Page 60 2005 ALBERT MARCŒUR ( Label Frères, www.marcoeur.com ) "Abolissant la distance entre sons virtuels et instr ...
*
Jean-Pierre Massiera Jean-Pierre Massiera (10 July 1941 – 28 December 2019),Jean Garand, Larsen Nick, Liner notes for ''Jean-Pierre Massiera: Psychoses Freakoid (1963-1978)'', Mucho Gusto Records, 2008 sometimes referred to by his initials JPM, was a French mus ...
* Thierry Matioszek *
Mona Lisa The ''Mona Lisa'' ( ; it, Gioconda or ; french: Joconde ) is a half-length portrait painting by Italian artist Leonardo da Vinci. Considered an archetypal masterpiece of the Italian Renaissance, it has been described as "the best known ...
* Moving Gelatine Plates * Odeurs *
Richard Pinhas Heldon was a French electronic rock band originally active between 1974 and 1978, and led by guitarist Richard Pinhas. Other members included synthesizer player Patrick Gauthier and drummer François Auger. The name of the band was taken from the 1 ...
* Potemkine * Présence *
Pulsar A pulsar (from ''pulsating radio source'') is a highly magnetized rotating neutron star that emits beams of electromagnetic radiation out of its magnetic poles. This radiation can be observed only when a beam of emission is pointing toward Ea ...
*
Red Noise ] In science, Brownian noise, also known as Brown noise or red noise, is the type of signal noise produced by Brownian motion, hence its alternative name of random walk noise. The term "Brown noise" does not come from brown, the color, but af ...
*
Renaud Renaud Pierre Manuel Séchan (), known as Renaud (), born 11 May 1952, is a French singer, songwriter and actor. His characteristically 'broken' voice makes for a very distinctive vocal style. Several of his songs are popular classics in F ...
* Rhésus O *
Véronique Sanson Véronique Marie Line Sanson (; born 24 April 1949) is a three-time Victoires de la Musique award-winning French singer-songwriter and record producer with an avid following in her native country. Ten years after Barbara, Véronique Sanson beca ...
*
William Sheller William Sheller (born William Desboeuf on 9 July 1946) is a French classical composer and singer-songwriter. A prominent artist of French popular music since the 1970s, William Sheller has the particularity of being one of the few singers of Fren ...
*
Shylock Shylock is a fictional character in William Shakespeare's play ''The Merchant of Venice'' (c. 1600). A Venetian Jewish moneylender, Shylock is the play's principal antagonist. His defeat and conversion to Christianity form the climax of the ...
*
Alain Souchon Alain Souchon (; born Alain Édouard Kienast ; 27 May 1944) is a French singer-songwriter and actor. He has released 15 albums and has played roles in seven films. Profile Alain Souchon was born in Casablanca, Morocco. His family on his mother ...
* Taï Phong * Tangerine * Mama Béa Tekielski *
Hubert-Félix Thiéfaine Hubert-Félix Thiéfaine () is a French pop-rock singer and songwriter. He was born on 21 July 1948 in the town of Dole in the Jura département. Mostly shunned by television and radio, he has built over the years – through word of mouth ...
*
Trans Europe Express The Trans Europ Express, or Trans-Europe Express (TEE), was an international first-class railway service in western and central Europe that was founded in 1957 and ceased in 1995. At the height of its operations, in 1974, the TEE network compri ...
*
Triangle A triangle is a polygon with three Edge (geometry), edges and three Vertex (geometry), vertices. It is one of the basic shapes in geometry. A triangle with vertices ''A'', ''B'', and ''C'' is denoted \triangle ABC. In Euclidean geometry, an ...
* Volcania * Verto *
Laurent Voulzy Lucien Voulzy (, born 18 December 1948), better known as Laurent Voulzy (), is a French singer-songwriter, composer and musician. Life and career Voulzy was born in Paris, France. He originally led the English-pop-influenced Le Temple de Vénus ...
* Wapassou * ZNR


After punk

* Asphalt Jungle *
Bijou Bijou is a French word meaning ''jewel'', often loosely applied to buildings to mean small and elegant. It may also refer to: Buildings * Bijou Palace, also known as the Al-Gawhara Palace, a palace in Cairo, Egypt * Bijou Theatre (Manhattan), two ...
*
Cyclope ''Cyclope'' is a genus of sea snails, marine gastropod mollusks in the family Nassariidae, the Nassa mud snails or dog whelks. This genus has become a synonym of ''Tritia'' Risso, 1826 . Species ;Species brought into synonymy : * ''Cyclope do ...
*
Dogs The dog (''Canis familiaris'' or ''Canis lupus familiaris'') is a domesticated descendant of the wolf. Also called the domestic dog, it is derived from the extinct Pleistocene wolf, and the modern wolf is the dog's nearest living relative. Do ...
* Edith Nylon *
Electric Callas Electricity is the set of physical phenomena associated with the presence and motion of matter that has a property of electric charge. Electricity is related to magnetism, both being part of the phenomenon of electromagnetism, as described ...
* Extraballe *
Jacno Jacno (3 July 1957 in Paris – 6 November 2009) was a French musician. Born as Denis Quilliard, he was a founding member of the first French punk band The Stinky Toys. In the early 1980s, after the group disbanded, he teamed up with former S ...
* Little Bob * Marie et les Garçons * Marie France *
Marquis de Sade Donatien Alphonse François, Marquis de Sade (; 2 June 1740 – 2 December 1814), was a French nobleman, revolutionary politician, philosopher and writer famous for his literary depictions of a libertine sexuality as well as numerous accusat ...
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Métal Urbain Métal Urbain (meaning ''urban metal'') was one of the first French Punk rock, punk groups, formed in 1976 in Paris. Career They were heavily influenced by the Clash and Sex Pistols on one hand, and on the other by an electro approach related to ...
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Ocean The ocean (also the sea or the world ocean) is the body of salt water that covers approximately 70.8% of the surface of Earth and contains 97% of Earth's water. An ocean can also refer to any of the large bodies of water into which the wo ...
* Les Olivensteins * Shakin' Street * Starshooter *
Stinky Toys Stinky Toys were a French punk rock band from Paris which formed in 1976 and featured Elli Medeiros (vocals), Denis Quilliard, alias Jacno, (a.k.a. Jan Colrth) (rhythm guitar), Bruno Carone (lead guitar), Albin Dériat (bass guitar), and Hervé ...
*
Strychnine Strychnine (, , US chiefly ) is a highly toxic, colorless, bitter, crystalline alkaloid used as a pesticide, particularly for killing small vertebrates such as birds and rodents. Strychnine, when inhaled, swallowed, or absorbed through the eye ...
* Suicide Roméo *
Trust Trust often refers to: * Trust (social science), confidence in or dependence on a person or quality It may also refer to: Business and law * Trust law, a body of law under which one person holds property for the benefit of another * Trust (bus ...


1980s

* Les Ablettes * ADX *
Agressor Agressor is a French death metal band which started in 1986. Members Current * Alexandre Colin-Tocquaine – Electric guitar, guitar, chant (1986–present) * Joël Guigou – Bass guitar, bass (1991–present) * Kevin Paradis – Drum kit ...
* Attentat Rock *
Jean-Louis Aubert Jean-Louis Aubert (, born 12 April 1955) is a French singer-songwriter, guitarist, composer and producer. He went on a solo career after the split of the rock band Téléphone that he co-founded. Early life Born in Nantua, Ain, France in 195 ...
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Les Avions Les Avions was a French pop rock Pop rock (also typeset as pop/rock) is a fusion genre with an emphasis on professional songwriting and recording craft, and less emphasis on attitude than rock music. Originating in the late 1950s as an alter ...
*
Daniel Balavoine Daniel Xavier-Marie Balavoine (; 5 February 1952 – 14 January 1986) was a French singer and songwriter. He was hugely popular in the French-speaking world in the early 1980s; he inspired many singers of his generation such as Jean-Jacques Gol ...
* Banlieue Rouge * Barbelés Cardiac *
Axel Bauer Axel Bauer (born 7 April 1961) is a French singer, composer, guitarist, and actor, born in Paris. A figure of the French rock scene, he was discovered in 1983 with the song "Cargo". Several times awarded a gold record, he has sold three million re ...
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Louis Bertignac Louis Bertignac (; born 23 February 1954) is a French guitarist, vocalist and songwriter. An ex Shakin' Street member and a founding member in 1976 of the rock band Téléphone, he formed Bertignac et les Visiteurs after Téléphone split in 19 ...
*
Bérurier Noir Bérurier noir is a French punk Punk or punks may refer to: Genres, subculture, and related aspects * Punk rock, a music genre originating in the 1970s associated with various subgenres * Punk subculture, a subculture associated with punk ro ...
* Blasphème * Bernie Bonvoisin * Buzy *
Café Noir A coffeehouse, coffee shop, or café is an establishment that primarily serves coffee of various types, notably espresso, latte, and cappuccino. Some coffeehouses may serve cold drinks, such as iced coffee and iced tea, as well as other non-ca ...
* Camera Silens * Los Carayos *
Carte de séjour Carte de Séjour was a French band composed of Rachid Taha (vocals), Mohamed Amini (guitar), Moktar Amini (bass), and Jérôme Savy (lead guitar). History Carte de Séjour was founded in 1980 by Rachid Taha, Djamel Dif, Mokhtar Amini, Mohamed A ...
* Chagrin d'amour * Challenger * Charles De Goal * Chihuahua * Coronados *
Patrick Coutin Patrick Coutin (born March 21, 1952 in Sfax, Tunisia) is a French writer, journalist, rock singer, and record producer. He is most known for his 1981 hit " J'aime regarder les filles" ("I Like Looking at Girls"), which became emblematic of the 1 ...
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Charlélie Couture Charlélie Couture (born Bertrand Charles Elie Couture, 26 February 1956) is a French & American musician and multi-disciplinary artist, who has recorded over 25 albums and 17 film soundtracks, and has held a number of exhibitions of paintings and ...
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Étienne Daho Étienne Daho (; ; born 14 January 1956) is a French singer. He has released a number of synth-driven and rock- surf influenced pop hit singles since 1981. Career Daho was born in Oran, French Algeria. He sings in a low, whispery voice somewha ...
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Daniel Darc Daniel Rozoum (20 May 1959 – 28 February 2013), known as Daniel Darc, was a French singer, who achieved success with his band Taxi Girl (together with Mirwais Ahmadzaï) between 1978 and 1986, and also as a solo artist. After Taxi Girl was di ...
* Dirty District *
Elli et Jacno Elli et Jacno was a French 1980s electropop group. They were quite successful in France and to some extent in Britain, having been featured once on the front page of Melody Maker magazine. History Denis Quilliard (alias Jacno) and Elli Medeiros de ...
* Louis Deprestige * Gill Dougherty * Patrick Eudeline *
Mylène Farmer Mylène Jeanne Gautier (; born 12 September 1961), known professionally as Mylène Farmer (), is a Canadian-born French singer, songwriter, occasional actress, writer, and entrepreneur. Having sold more than 30 million records in France, she is ...
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Fisc Under the Merovingians and Carolingians, the fisc (from Latin ''fiscus,'' whence we derive "fiscal") applied to the royal demesne which paid taxes, entirely in kind, from which the royal household was meant to be supported, though it rarely was. ...
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Charlotte Gainsbourg Charlotte Lucy Gainsbourg (; born 21 July 1971) is a British-French actress and singer. She is the daughter of English actress Jane Birkin and French musician Serge Gainsbourg. After making her musical debut with her father on the song "Lemon I ...
*
Gamine A gamine is a slim, often boyish, elegant young woman who is, or is perceived to be, mischievous, teasing or sexually appealing. The word ''gamine'' is a French word, the feminine form of ''gamin'', originally meaning urchin, waif or playful, ...
* Les Garçons Bouchers * Gogol Premier *
Jean-Jacques Goldman Jean-Jacques Goldman (; born 11 October 1951) is a French singer-songwriter and music record producer. He is hugely popular in the French-speaking world. Since the death of Johnny Hallyday in 2017 he has been the highest grossing living French p ...
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H-Bomb A thermonuclear weapon, fusion weapon or hydrogen bomb (H bomb) is a second-generation nuclear weapon design. Its greater sophistication affords it vastly greater destructive power than first-generation nuclear bombs, a more compact size, a lowe ...
* High Power *
Hot Pants Hotpants or hot pants are extremely short shorts. The term was first used by ''Women's Wear Daily'' in 1970 to describe shorts made in luxury fabrics such as velvet and satin for fashionable wear, rather than their more practical equivalents th ...
* Indochine * Jad Wio *
Kas Product KaS Product were a French electronic duo. Their music has been considered part of the French cold wave and electropunk movements. Formed in 1980, the duo consists of Spatsz (Daniel Favre) on electronics and rhythm machines with Mona Soyoc on guit ...
* Killers * La Souris Déglinguée *
Marc Lavoine Marc Lucien Lavoine (; born 6 August 1962 in Longjumeau) is a French singer and actor. In 1985, his hit single " Elle a les yeux revolver..." reached number four on the French Singles chart and marked the beginning of his successful singing car ...
* Lili Drop *
Lio Vanda Maria Ribeiro Furtado Tavares de Vasconcelos (born 17 June 1962), known professionally as Lio, is a Portuguese-Belgian singer and actress who was a pop icon in France and Belgium during the 1980s. Life and career Vanda Maria Ribeiro Furt ...
* Les Lolitas *
Loudblast Loudblast is a French death/thrash metal band from Villeneuve-d'Ascq that pioneered the genres in France, and one of the most important French metal bands of the 1990s. History The band began in 1986 in the northern city of Lille. Its first rec ...
*
Ludwig von 88 Ludwig von 88 is a French punk rock and alternative rock band mostly active in the 1980s and 1990s, celebrated in the French underground scene. The band has not released any new material since 2019 but has not officially disbanded. Their music i ...
* Mano Negra * Marc Seberg * Corinne Marienneau *
Massacra Massacra was one of France's leading death/thrash metal bands in the early nineties. After recording three demos in the 1980s, they finally landed a deal with Shark Records from Germany, and released their famous debut, '' Final Holocaust'' i ...
* Mathématiques modernes *
Elli Medeiros Elli Medeiros (born 18 January 1956) is a Uruguayan-French singer and actress. Career Stinky Toys Originally from Uruguay, Medeiros moved to Paris, France, at the age of 14, dropped out of high school a couple of years later and joined the ...
* Modern Guy * Morsüre *
Jean-Louis Murat Jean-Louis Murat (born 28 January 1952) is the pseudonym of the French singer/songwriter Jean-Louis Bergheaud. He spent much of his childhood with his grandparents in Murat-le-Quaire from which he got his pseudonym. Biography Jean-Louis Berghea ...
*
Les Négresses Vertes Les Négresses Vertes, which formed in 1987, is a French music group that combines world music and some aspects of alternative rock. Tracks often feature acoustic guitar and accordion, with some containing other traditional instruments such ...
* Niagara *
Noir Désir Noir Désir (, "Black Desire") was a French rock band from Bordeaux. They were active during the 1980s, 1990s and early 2000s, and have had two albums certified double platinum in France and three certified gold. They have been an influence on n ...
* Norma Loy * Oberkampf * Orchestre rouge * OTH *
Oui Oui Oui Oui were a French pop group formed in 1983. Guitarist-singer Étienne Charry and drummer Michel Gondry met at secondary school in Sèvres in 1978. The repertoire of songs Oui Oui built up was a reaction to what was termed cold wave music in Fra ...
* Parabellum *
Vanessa Paradis Vanessa Chantal Paradis (; born 22 December 1972) is a French singer, model, and actress. Paradis became a child star at the age of 14 with the international success of her single "Joe le taxi" (1987). At age 18, she was awarded France's high ...
* Passion Fodder *
Paul Personne Paul Personne (born 27 December 1949) is a French blues Blues is a music genre and musical form which originated in the Deep South of the United States around the 1860s. Blues incorporated spirituals, work songs, field hollers, shout ...
* Les Playboys * Raoul Petite * Pigalle * Les Porte Mentaux * Presence *
Les Rita Mitsouko Les Rita Mitsouko (, translation: ''The Rita Mitsukos'') were a French pop rock group formed by Fred Chichin and Catherine Ringer. The duo first performed as Rita Mitsouko at Gibus Club in Paris in 1980. They went on to become one of the most a ...
*
Rockin' Rebels The Rebels (also known as The Rockin' Rebels) were a band from Buffalo, New York, known for their instrumental "Wild Weekend". The original members were Jim Kipler (Guitar), Mick Kipler (Saxophone), Tom Gorman (Drums) and Paul Balon (Bass/Guitar). ...
*
Satan Jokers Satan,, ; grc, ὁ σατανᾶς or , ; ar, شيطانالخَنَّاس , also known as the Devil, and sometimes also called Lucifer in Christianity, is an entity in the Abrahamic religions that seduces humans into sin or falsehood. ...
* Les Satellites * Les $heriff * Sortilège * Les Soucoupes violentes * Squealer *
Stocks Stocks are feet restraining devices that were used as a form of corporal punishment and public humiliation. The use of stocks is seen as early as Ancient Greece, where they are described as being in use in Solon's law code. The law describing ...
*
Taxi Girl Taxi Girl were a French New wave music, new wave band, adopting the New Romantic aesthetics of the time, such as clashing red and black clothing, synthesizer-led songs, and taking influence from mythology and literature. The group existed betwe ...
* Tear of a Doll *
Téléphone Téléphone () was a French rock band formed in 1976. Their first, self-titled album was released in 1977; by the end of the decade they were one of the biggest French rock bands around, opening shows for The Rolling Stones in Paris, Quebec, th ...
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Têtes Raides Têtes Raides is a French folk rock group. Group history The group was founded in Paris during the 1980s. Originally, they played music heavily influenced by the punk movement and depended on electric instruments. Their third album featured An ...
*
Les Thugs Les Thugs were a punk band from France. Their records are distributed in North-America by Sub Pop Records. Biography Early Days and first issue The founding members of Les Thugs were two brothers, Eric and Christophe Sourice, from Angers, Fran ...
* Tokow Boys *
Treponem Pal Treponem Pal is a French industrial metal band formed in Paris in 1986. The current line-up of the band consists of Marco Neves (vocals), Polak (guitar), Didier Bréard (sampler), Mathys Dubois (drums) and Syn-Anton (bass). The band went throug ...
* Tulaviok * Tupelo Soul * Arnold Turboust * Les Valentins *
The Vietnam Veterans The Vietnam Veterans is a French psychedelic band, hailing originally from Chalon-sur-Saône, a commune in eastern France. They released six full-length albums during the 1980s, starting in 1983. The band was praised by many alternative music p ...
* Les VRP * Vulcain *
Les Wampas Les Wampas () are a French punk rock/psychobilly band, who refer more exactly to their music as " Yé-yé-punk". The band was formed in Paris in 1983. History :''See also Discography'' The band's first album, ''Tutti Frutti'' was released in 1 ...
* Warning * Wild Child * Wunderbach


1990s

*
Dominique A Dominique Ané (born 6 October 1968), better known as "Dominique A", is a French songwriter and singer. Early life Born on 6 October 1968 in Provins, France, Dominique Ané is the only child of a teacher and a homemaker. He was passionate about ...
*
L'Affaire Louis' Trio L'Affaire Louis' Trio (L'ALT for short) were an art pop band from Lyon, France. The band formed in 1982,''RFI Music Website (2001) and in 1986 were signed to Barclay records, France, who released their first album, ''Chic planète''. The members ...
* Air (French band) *
Anorexia Nervosa Anorexia nervosa, often referred to simply as anorexia, is an eating disorder characterized by low weight, food restriction, body image disturbance, fear of gaining weight, and an overpowering desire to be thin. ''Anorexia'' is a term of Gr ...
* Antaeus (band), Antaeus *
Aston Villa Aston Villa Football Club is a professional football club based in Aston, Birmingham, England. The club competes in the , the top tier of the English football league system. Founded in 1874, they have played at their home ground, Villa Park ...
* Autour de Lucie * Babylon Circus *
Belenos Belenus (Gaulish: ''Belenos'', ''Belinos'') is an ancient Celtic healing god. The cult of Belenus stretched from the Italian Peninsula to the British Isles, with a main sanctuary located at Aquileia, on the Adriatic coast. Through ''interpretati ...
* Belkètre * Billy ze Kick et les Gamins en Folie * Black Murder * Blacklodge *
Blut Aus Nord Blut Aus Nord (, ) is a French black metal band from Mondeville, Calvados, that has incorporated avant-garde elements in its music. History Vindsval began a solo project, under the name "Vlad", in 1993. He released two demos before changing ...
* Rodolphe Burger * Burning Heads * Calc *
Manu Chao Manu Chao (; born José-Manuel Thomas Arthur Chao on 21 June 1961) is a French-Spanish singer. He sings in French, Spanish, English, Italian, Arabic, Catalan, Galician, Portuguese, Greek, and occasionally in other languages. Chao began his mus ...
* Le Cri de la mouche * Daisybox * Daran et les chaises * Diabologum *
Dionysos In ancient Greek religion and myth, Dionysus (; grc, Διόνυσος ) is the god of the grape-harvest, winemaking, orchards and fruit, vegetation, fertility, insanity, ritual madness, religious ecstasy, festivity, and theatre. The Romans ...
* Dolly (French band), Dolly * Doriand *
Eiffel Eiffel may refer to: Places * Eiffel Peak, a summit in Alberta, Canada * Champ de Mars – Tour Eiffel station, Paris, France; a transit station Structures * Eiffel Tower, in Paris, France, designed by Gustave Eiffel * Eiffel Bridge, Ungheni, M ...
* Elend (band), Elend * Elmer Food Beat * Enhancer (band), Enhancer * L'Esprit du clan *
Eths Eths (variably stylized as eths and ETHS) is a French extreme metal band from Marseille. History Eths formed in 1996 under the name What's the fuck, with a lineup consisting of vocalist–guitarist Stéphane Bihl and guitarist Grégory ...
* FFF * Freedom for King Kong * Gérald de Palmas *
Les Innocents Les Innocents is a French rock and pop duet consisting of Jean-Philippe Nataf (nicknamed Jipé, vocals, guitar) and Jean-Christophe Urbain (nicknamed Jean-Chri, vocals, guitar, keyboards) from 1982 to 1999 and 2013 onwards. Former members includ ...
* Kat Onoma * Philippe Katerine * La Ruda first known as La Ruda Salska * Lilicub * Lofofora *
Louise Attaque Louise Attaque () is a French chanson/folk rock band founded in 1994. Several of the group's albums were produced by Gordon Gano, lead singer of Violent Femmes, a band whom Louise Attaque often cites as an influence and for whom their own band is ...
* Matthieu Chedid also known as simply -M- * Marcel et son Orchestre * The Married Monk *
Mass Hysteria Mass psychogenic illness (MPI), also called mass sociogenic illness, mass psychogenic disorder, epidemic hysteria, or mass hysteria, involves the spread of illness symptoms through a population where there is no infectious agent responsible for c ...
* Matmatah * Mendelson (band), Mendelson * Mercyless * Merrimack (band), Merrimack * Mickey 3D *
Miossec Christophe Miossec is a French singer and songwriter born in Brest, Brittany, France on December 24, 1964. Beginnings Christophe Miossec was not new to the world of music when he met his first great success. Between 14 and 17, he was in a teen ...
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Mütiilation Mütiilation was a French black metal project, traditionally known as a group, but later a solo project that consisted solely of its founder William "Meyhna'ch" Roussel who maintained activity under the name until its closing in 2017. Mütiilat ...
* No One Is Innocent * Nuit-blanches * The Needs * Les Ogres de Barback * Osculum Infame *
Pleymo Pleymo is a French nu metal band formed by Mark Maggiori, Benoît Julliard, Fred Ceraudo, and Mathias Borronquet in Paris in 1997. Pleymo has sold over 100,000 albums to date. The band's name apparently originates from the lead singer once havi ...
* Portobello Bones * Prohibition (band), Prohibition * Pull * Red Cardell * Rinôçérôse * La Rue Kétanou * Damien Saez, Saez * Seth (band), Seth * Silmarils (band), Silmarils * Stormcore * Svinkels * Tagada Jones * Rachid Taha * Tanger (band), Tanger * Torgeist * Ulan Bator (band), Ulan Bator * Ultra Orange * Uncommonmenfrommars *
Vlad Tepes Vlad III, commonly known as Vlad the Impaler ( ro, Vlad Țepeș ) or Vlad Dracula (; ro, Vlad Drăculea ; 1428/311476/77), was Voivode of Wallachia three times between 1448 and his death in 1476/77. He is often considered one of the most im ...
* Watcha (band), Watcha * Weepers Circus * Welcome to Julian * Yan et les Abeilles * Zazie * Zebda


2000s

* 10 Rue d'la Madeleine * AaRON *
Albin de la Simone Albin de la Simone (born in Amiens, Picardy, France on 14 December 1970) is a French singer-songwriter. He has released five albums since 2003, being nominated to the 2018 Victoires de la Musique in the ''Best Song Album (Meilleur album de cha ...
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Alcest Alcest is a French post-black metal band from Bagnols-sur-Cèze, founded and led by Neige (Stéphane Paut). It began in 2000 as a black metal solo project by Neige, soon a trio, but following the release of their first demo in 2001, band membe ...
* Alister * Aluk Todolo * Anaïs * Keren Ann * AqME * Arkhon Infaustus * Asyl *
A.S. Dragon A.S. Dragon is a French rock group, consisting of the members Stéphane Salvi (guitar), Michaël Garçon (piano), David Forgione remplace Fred Jimenez (bass) and Hervé Bouétard (drums). Natacha Le Jeune (singer) quit the group in 2007 in music, ...
*
BB Brunes BB Brunes is a French rock band, part of the "new French rock scene" (la nouvelle scène rock française).BB Brunes en ...
* Bertrand Belin *
Bénabar Bruno Nicolini (born 16 June 1969), better known by his stage name Bénabar, is a French songwriter and singer, who could be compared to Vincent Delerm and other singers from his generation. As many of them he was influenced by Georges Brassens, ...
* Benighted *
Benjamin Biolay Benjamin Biolay (; born 20 January 1973) is a French singer, musician, songwriter, record producer and actor. He is the brother of singer Coralie Clément—whose first three albums he wrote and produced—and the ex-husband of Chiara Mastroiann ...
* Black Bomb A * Black Rain (band), Black Rain * The Black Noodle Project * The Blueberries * Boxon * Bukowski (band), Bukowski * Café Bertrand * Cali (singer), Cali * Calogero (singer), Calogero * Camille * The Cheeraks *
Jeanne Cherhal Jeanne Cherhal is a French singer-songwriter. Life and career After spending her younger years in Erbray near Châteaubriant, Cherhal studied philosophy before moving to Paris. She started her singing career playing piano – solo, or accompa ...
* Crash Normal * Dahlia (band), Dahlia *
Deathspell Omega Deathspell Omega is a French black metal band formed in 1998 in Poitiers. Their lyrical content deals primarily with Satanism on a metaphysical level – as the band has stated that "all other interpretations of Satan are intellectually invalid" ...
* Debout Sur Le Zinc *
Déportivo Déportivo is a French rock band from Bois-d'Arcy, Yvelines, a suburb of Paris. About the band There are three members in the band: * Jérôme Coudanne – guitar, vocals (songwriter) * Richard Magnac – bass * Julien Bonnet – drums The trio ...
* devianz *
Eiffel Eiffel may refer to: Places * Eiffel Peak, a summit in Alberta, Canada * Champ de Mars – Tour Eiffel station, Paris, France; a transit station Structures * Eiffel Tower, in Paris, France, designed by Gustave Eiffel * Eiffel Bridge, Ungheni, M ...
* Expérience * Frànçois & the Atlas Mountains * Freedom For King Kong * Frustration * Gojira *
La Grande Sophie Sophie Huriaux (born July 18, 1969 in Thionville), better known by her stage name La Grande Sophie, is a French singer-songwriter who got her start in the mid-1990s in the Paris alternative scene. Biography Childhood Sophie lived the whole of h ...
* Hacride * HushPuppies * Ipecacuana (band), Ipecacuana *
Izïa Izïa Higelin (born 24 September 1990), more commonly known by her stage name Izia, is a French rock singer, guitarist and actress. Her most recent album, ''La Vitesse'', was released in 2022. Early life Izïa was born in Paris on 24 September ...
* K (band), K * Kaolin (band), Kaolin * Kyo (band), Kyo * The Little Rabbits * Les Fatals Picards * Lex Riders * The Limiñanas * Renan Luce *
Luke People *Luke (given name), a masculine given name (including a list of people and characters with the name) *Luke (surname) (including a list of people and characters with the name) *Luke the Evangelist, author of the Gospel of Luke. Also known as ...
* M83 *
Mademoiselle K Mademoiselle K is a four-person French rock band currently signed with EMI, as of July 2007. The band takes its name from its leader, Katerine Gierak, and so the K is for Katerine. Career At age four she had decided to take music as her only pa ...
* The Magnetix *
Florent Marchet Florent Marchet (born 21 June 1975) is a French singer-songwriter. His debut album, '' Gargilesse'', was released in 2004. Florent plays the piano, guitar, drums, and flute. He has collaborated with François Poggio, Pete Thomas, and Charli ...
*
Arman Méliès Arman (November 17, 1928 – October 22, 2005) was a French-born American artist. Born Armand Fernandez in Nice, France, Arman was a painter who moved from using objects for the ink or paint traces they leave (''cachets'', ''allures d'objet'') to ...
* Hubert Mounier * Music Is Not Fun * Mustang * Naast * J. P. Nataf * Nosfell * Nouvelle Vague (band), Nouvelle Vague * Nude * Pep's *
Peste Noire Peste Noire are a French black metal band from La Chaise-Dieu, France. The band was formed by "La sale Famine de Valfunde" (Ludovic Faure), also known simply as "Famine", in 2000. Their music uses standard black metal elements mixed with traditi ...
*
Phoenix Phoenix most often refers to: * Phoenix (mythology), a legendary bird from ancient Greek folklore * Phoenix, Arizona, a city in the United States Phoenix may also refer to: Mythology Greek mythological figures * Phoenix (son of Amyntor), a ...
*
Plastiscines The Plastiscines are a French all-female rock band who perform their songs in both French and English. They have released three albums, spanning from garage rock revival and pop punk to disco-orientered pop music. History The Plastiscines are ...
* Pony Pony Run Run * Programme * Prototypes (band), Prototypes * :fr:Quidam (groupe), Quidam * Olivia Ruiz *
Raphael Raffaello Sanzio da Urbino, better known as Raphael (; or ; March 28 or April 6, 1483April 6, 1520), was an Italian painter and architect of the High Renaissance. List of works by Raphael, His work is admired for its clarity of form, ease of ...
* Revolver (French band), Revolver * Sexy Sushi * Shades *
Shaka Ponk Shaka Ponk (sometimes abbreviated as SHKPNK) is a French electro rock band formed in Paris in 2004. They mix different forms of popular music into their songs in addition to world music, although predominantly with an electronic and experimenta ...
* The Shapers * Sidilarsen * Spektr (band), Spektr * Stuck In The Sound * Stupeflip * Subway (band), Subway * Superbus (band), Superbus * Tahiti 80 * Tarmac (band), Tarmac * Temple of Baal (band), Temple of Baal * Ultra Vomit * Vanity Case * Vegastar * Wäks * Wünjo *
Yelle Yelle is a French band founded by lead singer and namesake Yelle (Julie Budet) and GrandMarnier (Jean-François Perrier). A third member, Tepr (Tanguy Destable), joined the band before the recording of their debut album. Yelle and GrandMarnier b ...


2010s

* Jeanne Added * Aldaaron *
Archimède The bathyscaphe ''Archimède'' is a deep diving research submersible of the French Navy. It used of hexane as the gasoline buoyancy of its float. It was designed by Pierre Willm and Georges Houot. In 1964, ''Archimède'' descended into "wh ...
* Bazar et Bémols * Brigitte (duo), Brigitte * Caravaggio (band), Caravaggio * Détroit * Fuzzy Vox * * Forever Pavot * Grand Blanc (band), Grand Blanc * Granville (French band), Granville * J.C. Satàn * La Femme * Éric Lareine & Leurs Enfants * Lescop * Mars Red Sky * Melody's Echo Chamber * Minuit (French band), Minuit * Moodoïd * Sutcliffe (band), Sutcliffe * We Were Evergreen * Yoann Lemoine, Woodkid * Blankass *
Bab L' Bluz Bab L' Bluz is a Moroccan-French rock band that was formed in Marrakesh in 2018. The band consists of lead vocalist Yousra Mansour, gimbri player and multi-instrumentalist Brice Bottin, flautist Jérôme Bartholomé, and drummer Hafid Zouaoui. As ...
{{World rock French styles of music French rock music Patrica Kass