Bonjour!

I am immersing myself in French culture at the moment. I am busy dusting off my school-girl French, as I want to be able to read French books and watch French films. I also would love to listen to some French music............only problem is, I don't know of any! Can anyone recommend me some? I'm thinking pop, rock, easy-listening. Any suggestions would be gratefully received.

Merci beaucoup!

Moll

I'd start with the hottest band of the moment Christine & The Queens they have an amazing album .

The reissued album has English language versions but I think you can still get the full French album on Spotify etc

If you want to go back a bit my favourite 80s French pop star was Frances Gall. She has had loads of hits and there maybe som you might recognise from European holidays or Eurovision

Lazuli...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ezpxOJ5V3TY

If you fancy a bit of dreamy electro pop you could do a lot worse than M83.

Thanks for all the replies so far. I only posted my question a couple of hours ago, so I'm really pleased three people already have taken the time to respond! Will check out all the suggestions made; many thanks.

Some popular classics......

Charles Trenet - La Mer

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fztkUuunI7g

Edith Piaf - La Vie En Rose

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kFzViYkZAz4

Charles Aznavour - Hier Encore

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HyRF1CjOPQ8

Jacques Brel - Ne Me Quitte Pas

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i2wmKcBm4Ik


,,,,,,,,,and for something completely different.......... Jordi with Dur Dur D'etre Bebe

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7IiLZ0dvDWU

Jacqueline Taieb - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=guADTFlEHJE

Check out Camille (Dalmais). Her album Le Sac des Filles is pretty good.

and I'm sure there's plenty of French music playlists on Spotify.

French hip hop/rap is pretty good too.

La Base & Tru Comers - Equilbre
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kdFkQ-QVVqg
St Germain - Sure Thing
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zMM044eL56c
Justice - Civilization
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SVq2yMuAMVQ
Air - sing sang sung
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oei7SYOYodI
Playground love
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2UfHXiQkgd8

Alizée (Moi Lolita)

Lorie

I like Celine Dion's french stuff:

Celle Qui m'a tout appris

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-pPC1vN5WjI

Pour que tu m'aimes encore

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AzaTyxMduH4

Here's some "Easy Listening" from Sacha Distel:


Ces Mots Stupides (with Johanna Shimkus):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zr-ERyTWKx8


Le Soleil De Ma Vie (with Brigitte Bardot):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=neTZ8dL3BeU


Toute La Pluie Tombe Sur Moi:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L5JLqh4_h68


La Fille D'Ipanema:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7986lQ914Mc


He has an official YouTube channel if you're interested (or not).

Sorry, double post !!

I can't help with the music I'm afraid - but I'd highly recommend Jean de Florette (first) and Manon des Sources to follow, both very good films.

I suppose you could also try Je T'Aime by Serge Gainsbourg & Jane Birkin....a good song but not an awful lot to translate though!

I love (Mylene Farmer era) Alizee.

Have Lorie's albums too and love Sur Un Air Latino, Ensorcellee etc...

Ella, Elle L'a by France Gall is one of my favourite songs ever. Love Debranche by France Gall too.

Some recent songs I like

Kendji Girac, Soprano - No Me Mirès Màs

Louane - Nos Secrets

Calogero - Le Monde Moderne

Renaud - Toujours Debout

Zaho - Sauver l'amour (Daniel Balavoine cover)

Oooh yes.

A great song by Charles Aznavour and very difficult to sing
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rmaBeo1M6vg
"Emmenez Moi"

To the absolutely bizarre
HENRI SALVADOR - "ENFONCEZ-VOUS CA DANS LA TETE".
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5BUXxgRg0_0

Enzo - "Juste Quelqu'un De Bien " (cafe jazz)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bo16qG-a9WM

Even Brigitte Bardot tried her hand at singing
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vd71eWNolVM

If you like the 60s material look for "Scopitones" early music videos.

Or from the 30s - 50s era, Jean Sablon was a big star in his day
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rHYC6SYI-9Q
"Vous, qui passez sans me voir" (1936)
This was part written by Charles Trenet who had a hit with it himself in 1954.

Plenty of french music here
http://www.nostalgie.fr/

Jacques Brel and Georges Brassens.

Or a bit more modern Saïan Supa Crew, Daft Punk and Air.

This was featured on a french TV programme about France Gall
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Pxt_R7jLKA
France Gall & Serge Gainsbourg - "Les Sucettes" (lollipops)

Written by Serge Gainsbourg I understand it was banned when people realised what it's really about!

I love this song, the only Celine song I like! I learned to sign it phonetically when I was a youngster and can still remember most of it

Indila
Shy'm
Maitre Gims

My personal favourites include:

Emilie Simon (a cross between Kate Bush and Imogen Heap. Started quite tech-loving but has eased back on the electronics a little now):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wo5XSAdSqEg
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N2odfjNMZVQ
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lfC1qFpskyg

Yelle (superb pop with a bit of attitude. Incredibly charismatic and amazing live):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iHB9...maYstERN-fbmw5
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aKM8...maYstERN-fbmw5
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AFlR...maYstERN-fbmw5

Grown-up Vanessa Paradis. Forget Joe Le Taxi, she's been producing great stuff for years now:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qLFwO1w7zN8
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fs5sxTIyn0s
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yu1-ZeQ-leI

And although he doesn't really dabble too much in vocal stuff, and even less in French language songs, the ultimate latter day French music icon (sorry Daft Punk) has to be the incomparable Jean-Michel Jarre:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v-zUUTvsxxs
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kSIMVnPA994
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iyX_qouAmfE
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A_YJL65ZwNY