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)

French hip hop

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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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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!