The Top 10 Most Famous French Male Singers in History

The Top 10 Most Famous French Male Singers in History

If you are France-obsessed (who can blame you?) you need to get a little bit of French music into your life! Like most other French things, French music just has a certain dreamy ambiance to it. Especially music from yesteryear. That’s why I wanted to write an article about the most famous French male singers in history! Modern-day pop has its place, but I’m all about the vintage vibes you’ll get from these 10 male singers.

Impress your friends at your next get together with your impressive French male singer knowledge. Curate your playlist with some songs from the top 10 most famous French male singers!

1. Serge Gainsbourg

Serge Gainsbourg may be one of the most famous French male singers on my list, and he may also be the only one that people from around the world have also heard of. His famous English wife (now ex) Jane Birkin may play a role in this! And yes, that’s Jane Birkin of the Hermes Birkin bag. My fashion lovers know who I’m talking about!

Gainsbourg was born in Paris in 1928. He was in Paris when the Germans occupied the French capital during the Second World War, an experience which profoundly affected him for years to come, as he was forced to wear the yellow star as a child.

He was known best for his use of wordplay, provocative songs, and tumultuous personal life. If you want to learn more about him and brush up on your french, I definitely recommend you watch the movie Gainsbourg: A Heroic Life.

2. Johnny Hallyday

Known to many as the “French Elvis,” Johnny Hallyday is another world-famous French male singer. He is also responsible for bringing rock and roll to France! Mr. Hallyday had a long career of almost 60 years in which he released nearly 80 albums, selling over 110 million records around the world.

He was born in Paris in Occupied France in 1943 during World War II. He was known for his elaborate high-energy concerts and performances, and he once performed to a crowd of 1 million people at the Eiffel Tower.

Hallyday worked on collaborations with several singers on this list, including Charles Aznavour, Michel Berger, and Jean-Jacques Goldman!

3. Charles Aznavour

Charles Aznavour is also compared to a Famous American singer, albeit one very different from Elvis! Sometimes referred to as the “French Sinatra,” Aznavour was a famous French male singer whose career spanned over 70 years. He was known for his low, gravelly voice and his lyrics about love.

Aznavour is French-Armenian and is the founder of Aznavour for Armenia, a charity organization. He even served as the Armenian ambassador to Switzerland and was Armenia’s permanent delegate to the United Nations. Not only was he known for his musical talents, but Aznavour also used his influence and fame to become an important activist of his time!

4. Jacques Brel

Although Jacques Brel is actually Belgian, he is well-loved in France. Most of his songs were recorded in French, as Belgium is a French-speaking country. Over his career, he sold 25 million records worldwide! He was also an actor and starred in 10 films. He even directed a movie called Le Far West, which wen ton to be nominated for a Palme d’Or at the Cannes Film Festival.

Although Brel sang in French, he had a profound influence on several English-speaking artists, such as David Bowie and his songs have been recorded by singers like Ray Charles, Frank Sinatra, and Nina Simone. He was known for his beautiful lyrics.

5. Jean-Jacques Goldman

Like most of the French male singers on my list, Jean-Jacques Goldman is a songwriter as well. Any Céline Dion fans? Well, Goldman was a songwriter on her album D’eux, which also happens to be the best selling French language record ever.

In addition to his successful songwriting career, he enjoyed a rewarding solo career and was also a part of a group called Fredericks Goldman Jones. Goldman is 69 years old and retired from the music scene in the early 2000s. He is still well-loved by the French public!

6. Claude François

Referred to as “the French equivalent of the Beatles” by former French President Valéry Giscard d’Estaing, Claude François was a French male singer who had a successful, albeit short, career in the 1960s and 1970s. He tragically lost his life at the age of 39 when he was accidentally electrocuted.

Are you familiar with Frank Sinatra’s “My Way?” Well, it’s set to the music to François’ “Comme d’Habitude” (“As Usual”).

7. Michel Berger

Michel Berger began his career in the early 1970s and went on to become a leader in the French pop scene for two decades before he unexpectedly died of a heart attack at the young age of 44. He was also married to one of France’s most famous female singers, France Gall. He wrote songs for Gall, Françoise Hardy, and Johnny Hallyday, to name a few.

Berger also composed a musical which was well received in France called Starmania!

8. Alain Souchon

Another singer and actor on my list! Alain Souchon has recorded 15 albums and has had roles in seven movies. He began performing in the 1970s, writing the theme for a François Truffaut movie called L’amour en fuite (Love on the Run).

Souchon’s biggest hit is called “Foule Sentimentale” (“Sentimental Crowd”) which was released in 1993. He continues to record and release music to this day, and has received several awards for his compositions and lyrics!

9. Étienne Daho

In the biz since the 1980s, Étienne Daho is known for his surfer-inspired rock music. Today, his voice could be compared to someone like Chet Faker. He was influenced by another singer on this list, Serge Gainsbourg, as well as the Beach Boys. All of his albums have gone either gold or platinum, and he’s collaborated with French superstars such as Françoise Hardy, Vanessa Paradis, and Charlotte Gainsbourg (Serge’s daughter!).

Daho is also well known on the English music scene thanks to a collab with Sainte Etienne. He released his 11th studio album in 2017.

10. -M-

Last but not least, a more contemporary singer. Matthieu Chedid, also known as his stage name -M-, has been on the French music scene since 1978. He says that he decided to create a stage persona as a way to overcome his stage fright! 

In addition to his catchy titles, -M- is known for his hairstyle, which he fashions into an ‘M’ on his forehead. 

Conclusion

Ready to make a French-inspired playlist? With these singers, you’re on the right track. I hope you’ve enjoyed learning more about my favorite 10 French male singers in history!

If you want to learn more about French pop culture, why not join one of our walking tours in Paris and ask your local guide about it? Click here to learn more and make your booking!