Music of a wonderful world

Summary of French music genres

music writerKOH-1
Started working as a music writer as a side job while employed at a record shop, and for over 18 years I’ve contributed to music magazines, disc guide books, mooks, and web media. As a writer my main field is Western music, but as a listener for over 35 years, I always try to keep my curiosity alive with the motto “I like what I like.” I have experience playing in bands, where I was a bassist who handled songwriting and composition. Instruments I’ve played include bass, guitar, and piano. I began studying English in my mid-40s and continue to do so today.

What kind of genres come to mind when you hear “French music”? If you like Western music, you might be able to name a few French bands or artists, but it’s not so easy to immediately explain the genres, is it? French music includes genres that originated in France, and even popular genres like rock and metal have developed in unique ways there—digging into them can be truly fascinating.

So this time, we’ve put together a summary of various French music genres, focusing mainly on popular music from the modern era onward.

Read this and you might become an expert on French music! Enjoy!

Summary of French music genres (11–20)

Jazz Manouche

Minor SwingDjango Reinhardt

Django Reinhardt – Minor Swing – HD *1080p

Minor SwingDjango Reinhardt

Jazz Manouche is a form of jazz developed uniquely by the Romani people.

It incorporates elements of chanson and musette, and has two defining characteristics.

First, it does not use drums or trumpets.

Second, it uses instruments like the accordion and clarinet instead.

As a result, it has a pop-like feel not found in American jazz and the like.

Incidentally, works that reinterpret classical music have also become popular in recent years.

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French metal

AmazoniaGOJIRA

Gojira – Amazonia [OFFICIAL VIDEO]

AmazoniaGOJIRA

In recent years, a music genre that has been drawing intense attention worldwide is “French metal.” This refers to heavy metal from France.

Heavy metal bands began to emerge around the 1980s, but for many years none achieved major hits.

However, in the 2000s, Gojira started releasing a string of hit songs, and the French metal scene itself began to gain momentum.

Why not start by checking out Gojira, the act that ignited its popularity?

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French hip hop

L’empire Du Côté ObscurIAM

IAM – L’empire Du Côté Obscur (Clip officiel) [HD]

L'empire Du Côté ObscurIAM

We call Japanese hip-hop “Japanese hip-hop,” right? In the same way, we call hip-hop from France “French hip-hop.” It’s said that after hip-hop became popular in the United States, more artists in France started producing tracks.

At first, the basic practice was to perform and exchange songs on the streets, but after it began to be featured on the radio in the 1980s, it became a popular music genre.

The unique flow of the French language is also a highlight to listen for.

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clank-clank

Infernal Galop / Orpheus in the UnderworldJacques Offenbach

Offenbach – Infernal Galop

Infernal Galop / Orpheus in the UnderworldJacques Offenbach

Infernal Galop (Orpheus in the Underworld), which is well-loved in Japan as a sports day tune, is actually music in the cancan genre.

The cancan is used for dance performances where women kick their legs high, and it was often enjoyed in venues like restaurants and cafés.

It’s similar to the gallop, but it’s characterized by an even faster tempo and higher leg kicks.

You can find performance videos on YouTube and elsewhere, so be sure to check them out.

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Nouvelle Chanson

DésertÉmilie Simon

Emilie Simon – Désert (Version Française)

DésertÉmilie Simon

Songs that make more use of French pronunciation and a chanson-like tone are called “nouvelle chanson.” It is said to have emerged around the 1990s, and some regard it as a fusion of chanson with other musical genres.

The most common pairing is rock, and many nouvelle chanson tracks have a more pop-leaning feel than traditional chansons.

Also, when combined with electronic music it is referred to as trip hop, and when combined with African music it is sometimes called nouvelle vague.

There are many other subgenres as well, so try looking into them.

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In conclusion

While it’s quite difficult to define strictly as a genre, not only the uniquely French music styles introduced here but also more general genres like rock, pop, hip-hop, and electronic music have all developed in distinctive ways within the French cultural landscape. If you usually listen mainly to music from the U.S. and the U.K., take this opportunity to check out French music!