This page shows why we chose Johnny Hallyday, Jean Michel Jarre, MC Solaar, Shy’m, and Grand Corps Malade as the top 5 french musicians of the past decade. They were chosen based off their talent, records sold, live performances, and impact on modern French culture.
Jean-Phillippe Smet, known also by his stage name Johnny Hallyday, was born on June 15, 1943. He is a French-Singing icon, comparable to Elvis Presley in the terms of popularity and monetary value. Johnny has performed 181 tours, has gone platinum with 18 albums, and has sold over 110 million records during his career. He was married for 15 years to popular Bulgarian-French singer Sylvie Vartan and the two were considered a "golden couple" for 20 years.
Nothing Personal But...
Hallyday started a procedure to obtain Belgian citizenship but his request was turned down in because he failed to fulfill the residence requirements. He maintains a permanent residence in Gstaad Switzerland. He maintains a second home in Los Angeles because he likes his anonymity in the United States. Johnny has 4 children: David and Laura Smet were fathered by Johnny. His other two children, Jade Odette Désirée and Joy Maï-Huong, he adopted by Johnny and his most recent wife. In July 2009, Hallyday was diagnosed withcolon cancer.
Albums and Successes.
Eiffel in 2000, attracted an audience of 500,000 and 9.5 million television viewers. One of Hallyday's earlier concerts, 100% Johnny: Live à La Tour, featured The Jimi Hendrix Experience opening for Johnny Hallyday in Évreux on October 13, 1966. Hallyday recorded his album Tour 66: Stade de France live in the Stade de France. It quickly became a #1 hit in France.On December 3 2007, Hallyday said that he would retire in 2009 after a farewell tour. But in March of 2012 he announced that he would perform at Quebec and New York. Even after his time gone all of his adoring fans rushed to get their tickets and a chance to be near their idol.
Too Much Awesome.
Wherever he goes, thousands of fans follow. The name Johnny Hallyday may not be the most popular thoughout the world. Most people would have no clue who you are talking about if you mentioned him in conversation. But to the french-speaking community he is a rock god. And I think that, due to his renown in French speaking countries and his massive amounts of success throughout out his life, Johnny Hallyday is clearly the choice for number one French Rocker.
The Stadium Filler: Jean Michel Jarre
Jean Michel Jarre is a well known French composer, performer, and music producer. He is considered by many to be a pioneer to the New Age, Electronic, Ambient, and Progressive Rock genres. Jarre has sold an estimated total of 80 million albums as of 2004 and currently holds the world record for the largest number of people in attendance at an outdoor event.
Childhood
Jean Michel Jarre was born August 24, 1948 to composer Maurice Jarre and concentration camp survivor France Pejot in the town of Lyon. When Jarre was five years old his father left for the United States and Jarre was raised by his mother and grandparents. His grandfather was an oboe player who gave him his very first record and housed him for six months out of the year. It was from the roof of his grandfather’s home that he watched the street performers below that inspired him to begin performing. At a young age, Jarre began classical piano studies, but it wasn’t until he encountered a Boris Vian Trumpet Violin at a Saint Queen flea market that his love for music truly took off. Jarre’s musician lifestyle was funded by painting for a local art exhibit and playing in his first band, Mystere IV. In 1967, he played guitar for the band The Dustbins, who appear in the French film Des garcons et des filles. In the kitchen of his flat in 1969, Jarre set up his own makeshift recording studio and recorded his first full length song, “Happiness is a Sad Song”. Later on that same year he released his first commercial success with La Cage.
Influences
Jarre has stated that besides the street performances he witnessed as a child, he was highly influenced by many people. Jarre’s early experiences with the jazz musicians at Le Chat Qui Peche (The Fishing Cat) taught him that music can be, “Descriptive, without lyrics”. The artwork of Pierre Soulages prompted Jarre to realize that, “for the first time in music, you could act as a painter with frequencies and sounds”. Individual musicians such as Don Cherry, Chet Baker, Archie Shepp, and John Coltrane have also provided much inspiration for Jarre.
Rise
In 1971, Jarre composed and performed in the ballet AOR. 1972 marked the release of Jarre’s first solo album, Deserted Palace. With the release of Oxygene in 1976, he became internationally famous. Although at first it was difficult to sell, the album sold 70,000 million by April 1977. The album has now sold an estimated total of 12 million copies. Jarre’s follow-up album, Equinox was then released the following year. It was initially less successful than Oxygene, but prompted an open air concert at Place de la Corde. The concert broke the world record for the largest outdoor event. Jarre went on to break his own record three more times. Les Chants Magnetiques was released in early 1981 and achieved a reported 200,000 copies sold in the first two months in France alone. Later that year, Jarre became the first western musician to play at the People’s Republic of China. These performances featured Jarre’s signature instrument, the laser harp. Throughout the eighties and nineties, Jarre released a number of albums and compositions, Zoolook, Rendez-Vous, Revolutions, Waiting for Cousteau, Chronologie, and Oxygene 7-13, and participated in more record breaking concerts.
2000’s
The 2000’s held an abundance of triumphs for the musician. He Released his very first vocal album in 2000. He teamed up with his favorite author, Aurthur Clark, to create the musical version of Clark’s novel 2001 Space Odessy, in 2001. His CD + DVD combo album, Aero, became available in 2004. And in 2009, he set off on his first ever world tour. The tour concluded in 2010.
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Rapper: MC Solaar
IMPACT
MC Solaar is easily one of the most influential French rappers today. Solaar is France's most acclaimed hip-hop artist with seven studio albums and more than five million record sales to his name. He released his first single in 1990 followed by his first studio album, Bouge de là, in 1991 which sold 400,000 copies in France alone. MC Solaar is one of the few French rappers to have success in the English-dominated American hip hop culture. He also received an award for Best Male Singer of the Year at the French "Victoires de la Musique" awards.
SOUND
A CNN Music reporter described his sound as, “More philosopher than gangsta, Solaar takes hip-hop's tough, confrontational street culture and reinvents it as something softer, more relaxed and more inclusive.The Solaar sound shuns the violent and misogynistic undercurrent of U.S. rap music in favor of poetic lyricism, elliptical wordplay inspired by a love of literature, a social conscience and the smooth rhythms of acid jazz,” because his lyrics often pose thought provoking questions and rely on wordplay, catechizing, and complexity his music has been taught in French classrooms akin to a modern day Shakespeare. His 7th album, Chapitre 7, was released in 2007 worldwide.
PERSONAL LIFE
He is married to French actress Chloé Bensemoun. They have two children, their son Roman and daughter Bonnie. His real name is Claude M'Barali, he was born March 5, 1969 in Dakar, Senegal and moved to France when he was six due to political issues in his home country. He took his pseudonym, MC Solaar, from the graffiti tag "SOLAAR" he used as a teenager.
Discography
Qui Sème le Vent Récolte le Tempo (1991)
Prose Combat (1994)
Paradisiaque (1997)
MC Solaar (1998)
Le Tour de la Question (2 CD) (1998)
Cinquième As (2001)
Mach 6 (2003)
Chapitre 7 (2007)
Magnum 567 (2011)
The Popstar:Shy’m
Shy’m, born Tamara Marthe, is a French pop musician. She is considered to be one of the most successful French singers of this century, with three platinum albums since the release of her first album, Mes Fantaisies, in 2006. Her style as an artist both musically and aesthetically can be compared to that of American pop musicians Lady Gaga and Beyonce. In 2012, she was rewarded with the “Francophone Female Artist of the Year” award at the NRJ Music Awards.
Childhood
Tamara Marthe was born on November 28, 1985 to a French Caribbean family that was highly involved in music and the creative arts. She grew up listening to the sounds of Zouk - a French Caribbean style of rhythmic music - as well as the popular music of Beyonce and The Red Hot Chilli Peppers. She showed an interest in the performing arts and began taking dance lessons at a young age despite being terribly shy and afraid to perform in public.
Tamara graduated early and received her diploma at the age of 17, while simultaneously recording her own demos to avoid ridicule from the public. Eventually, she went to Paris and sent her home recordings to various record labels.
Rise to Fame
One of Tamara’s demos was listened to by rapper K-Maro. He saw potential in her and requested that she duet with him on his upcoming album. So Tamara attained the stage name Shy’m and started down the road to fame. After being featured on K-Maro’s song Histoire de Luv, Shy’m released her first solo album, Mes Fantaisies in 2006. The album was heavy with soul, R&B, and pop sounds. It was composed, produced, and written with the assistance of K-Maro and achieved a Platinum certification after reaching 230, 000 sales. In 2008, Shy’m released her second album titled Reflects. This album was mostly comprised of pop and R&B, with a dance undertone. It gained a Gold certification with 80,000 total sales. In 2010, Prendre L’air was released. It follows a more electropop feeling than Shy’m’s previous two albums. This album is the most successful; receiving a 3X Platinum certification after 270,000 sales. It has been re released in three different formats: standard, collector, and deluxe. In 2012, Caméléon was released. The album further expanded into the electropop genre from the previous album. It achieved a 2X Platinum certification after 200,000 sales and was number one on the French charts.
Fabien Marsaud, better known as Grand Corps Malade, was born on July 31, 1977. He was born in Le Blanc-Mesnil, Seine-Saint-Denis, France. His stage name Grand Corps Malade means “tall sick body” in french.
Childhood
When Fabien was younger and in high school he excelled in all his classes but mainly literature. He was also a very talented basketball player. He had many semi-pro teams wanting him on their teams but his true passion was in writing poetry. In July of 1997, Fabien was a supervisor at a sport camp. During this camp he made a bad dive into a pool and displaced his spine. He was told he wouldnt walk again but in 1999, after a year of treatment, he could walk again. This experience is what prompted his stage name Grand Corps Malade.
Career
He made his first appearance as a slam artist at Place de Clichy in Paris on October 23, 2003. In 2005 he became even more popular by performing in many different clubs and even Stade de France. Fabien produced his debut album, Midi 20, on March 26, 2006. Midi 20 became one of the 10 french selling albums for the year 2006. He even started a tour to promote Midi 20. This tour included 2 sold-out concerts at La Cigale in Paris. In 2007 on March 10 he won 2 Victoires de la Musique awards. Also that year he appeared in many tv shows including Edouard Baer’s Grand Carabet. In 2008 Fabien produced his second album, Enfant de la ville. That year he also performed in the Festival d’ete international de Quebec and he was named “chevalier” at the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres in France.In 2009 he won the Felix Award for Francophone artist most illustrious in Quebec at the Gala of ADISQ. In 2010 Fabien released his third album 3eme temps. In Fabien’s album 3eme temps he included the song “Romeo kiffe Juliette”, a different version of shakespeare’s “Romeo and Juliet”. In 2011 Fabien released his single “Inch`Allah”. this song featured Reda Taliani and became his greastest successful single.
Grand Corps Malade has inspired thousands of students in schools all around France to take on slam poetry and he has changed french music forever This is why I believe Grand Corps Malade is worthy of one of the top 5 french musicians of the past decade.
Table of Contents
Rockstar: Johnny Hallyday
Who is this is?
Jean-Phillippe Smet, known also by his stage name Johnny Hallyday, was born on June 15, 1943. He is a French-Singing icon, comparable to Elvis Presley in the terms of popularity and monetary value. Johnny has performed 181 tours, has gone platinum with 18 albums, and has sold over 110 million records during his career. He was married for 15 years to popular Bulgarian-French singer Sylvie Vartan and the two were considered a "golden couple" for 20 years.Nothing Personal But...
Hallyday started a procedure to obtain Belgian citizenship but his request was turned down in because he failed to fulfill the residence requirements. He maintains a permanent residence in Gstaad Switzerland. He maintains a second home in Los Angeles because he likes his anonymity in the United States. Johnny has 4 children: David and Laura Smet were fathered by Johnny. His other two children, Jade Odette Désirée and Joy Maï-Huong, he adopted by Johnny and his most recent wife. In July 2009, Hallyday was diagnosed withcolon cancer.Albums and Successes.
Eiffel in 2000, attracted an audience of 500,000 and 9.5 million television viewers. One of Hallyday's earlier concerts, 100% Johnny: Live à La Tour, featured The Jimi Hendrix Experience opening for Johnny Hallyday in Évreux on October 13, 1966. Hallyday recorded his album Tour 66: Stade de France live in the Stade de France. It quickly became a #1 hit in France.On December 3 2007, Hallyday said that he would retire in 2009 after a farewell tour. But in March of 2012 he announced that he would perform at Quebec and New York. Even after his time gone all of his adoring fans rushed to get their tickets and a chance to be near their idol.Too Much Awesome.
Wherever he goes, thousands of fans follow. The name Johnny Hallyday may not be the most popular thoughout the world. Most people would have no clue who you are talking about if you mentioned him in conversation. But to the french-speaking community he is a rock god. And I think that, due to his renown in French speaking countries and his massive amounts of success throughout out his life, Johnny Hallyday is clearly the choice for number one French Rocker.The Stadium Filler: Jean Michel Jarre
Jean Michel Jarre is a well known French composer, performer, and music producer. He is considered by many to be a pioneer to the New Age, Electronic, Ambient, and Progressive Rock genres. Jarre has sold an estimated total of 80 million albums as of 2004 and currently holds the world record for the largest number of people in attendance at an outdoor event.
Childhood
Jean Michel Jarre was born August 24, 1948 to composer Maurice Jarre and concentration camp survivor France Pejot in the town of Lyon. When Jarre was five years old his father left for the United States and Jarre was raised by his mother and grandparents. His grandfather was an oboe player who gave him his very first record and housed him for six months out of the year. It was from the roof of his grandfather’s home that he watched the street performers below that inspired him to begin performing. At a young age, Jarre began classical piano studies, but it wasn’t until he encountered a Boris Vian Trumpet Violin at a Saint Queen flea market that his love for music truly took off.Jarre’s musician lifestyle was funded by painting for a local art exhibit and playing in his first band, Mystere IV. In 1967, he played guitar for the band The Dustbins, who appear in the French film Des garcons et des filles. In the kitchen of his flat in 1969, Jarre set up his own makeshift recording studio and recorded his first full length song, “Happiness is a Sad Song”. Later on that same year he released his first commercial success with La Cage.
Influences
Jarre has stated that besides the street performances he witnessed as a child, he was highly influenced by many people. Jarre’s early experiences with the jazz musicians at Le Chat Qui Peche (The Fishing Cat) taught him that music can be, “Descriptive, without lyrics”. The artwork of Pierre Soulages prompted Jarre to realize that, “for the first time in music, you could act as a painter with frequencies and sounds”.Individual musicians such as Don Cherry, Chet Baker, Archie Shepp, and John Coltrane have also provided much inspiration for Jarre.
Rise
In 1971, Jarre composed and performed in the ballet AOR.
1972 marked the release of Jarre’s first solo album, Deserted Palace.
With the release of Oxygene in 1976, he became internationally famous. Although at first it was difficult to sell, the album sold 70,000 million by April 1977. The album has now sold an estimated total of 12 million copies.
Jarre’s follow-up album, Equinox was then released the following year. It was initially less successful than Oxygene, but prompted an open air concert at Place de la Corde. The concert broke the world record for the largest outdoor event. Jarre went on to break his own record three more times.
Les Chants Magnetiques was released in early 1981 and achieved a reported 200,000 copies sold in the first two months in France alone.
Later that year, Jarre became the first western musician to play at the People’s Republic of China. These performances featured Jarre’s signature instrument, the laser harp.
Throughout the eighties and nineties, Jarre released a number of albums and compositions, Zoolook, Rendez-Vous, Revolutions, Waiting for Cousteau, Chronologie, and Oxygene 7-13, and participated in more record breaking concerts.
2000’s
The 2000’s held an abundance of triumphs for the musician. He Released his very first vocal album in 2000. He teamed up with his favorite author, Aurthur Clark, to create the musical version of Clark’s novel 2001 Space Odessy, in 2001. His CD + DVD combo album, Aero, became available in 2004. And in 2009, he set off on his first ever world tour. The tour concluded in 2010.=
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Rapper: MC Solaar
IMPACT
MC Solaar is easily one of the most influential French rappers today. Solaar is France's most acclaimed hip-hop artist with seven studio albums and more than five million record sales to his name. He released his first single in 1990 followed by his first studio album, Bouge de là, in 1991 which sold 400,000 copies in France alone. MC Solaar is one of the few French rappers to have success in the English-dominated American hip hop culture. He also received an award for Best Male Singer of the Year at the French "Victoires de la Musique" awards.
SOUND
A CNN Music reporter described his sound as, “More philosopher than gangsta, Solaar takes hip-hop's tough, confrontational street culture and reinvents it as something softer, more relaxed and more inclusive.The Solaar sound shuns the violent and misogynistic undercurrent of U.S. rap music in favor of poetic lyricism, elliptical wordplay inspired by a love of literature, a social conscience and the smooth rhythms of acid jazz,” because his lyrics often pose thought provoking questions and rely on wordplay, catechizing, and complexity his music has been taught in French classrooms akin to a modern day Shakespeare. His 7th album, Chapitre 7, was released in 2007 worldwide.PERSONAL LIFE
He is married to French actress Chloé Bensemoun. They have two children, their son Roman and daughter Bonnie. His real name is Claude M'Barali, he was born March 5, 1969 in Dakar, Senegal and moved to France when he was six due to political issues in his home country. He took his pseudonym, MC Solaar, from the graffiti tag "SOLAAR" he used as a teenager.
Discography
The Popstar:Shy’m
Shy’m, born Tamara Marthe, is a French pop musician. She is considered to be one of the most successful French singers of this century, with three platinum albums since the release of her first album, Mes Fantaisies, in 2006. Her style as an artist both musically and aesthetically can be compared to that of American pop musicians Lady Gaga and Beyonce. In 2012, she was rewarded with the “Francophone Female Artist of the Year” award at the NRJ Music Awards.Childhood
Tamara Marthe was born on November 28, 1985 to a French Caribbean family that was highly involved in music and the creative arts. She grew up listening to the sounds of Zouk - a French Caribbean style of rhythmic music - as well as the popular music of Beyonce and The Red Hot Chilli Peppers. She showed an interest in the performing arts and began taking dance lessons at a young age despite being terribly shy and afraid to perform in public.Tamara graduated early and received her diploma at the age of 17, while simultaneously recording her own demos to avoid ridicule from the public. Eventually, she went to Paris and sent her home recordings to various record labels.
Rise to Fame
One of Tamara’s demos was listened to by rapper K-Maro. He saw potential in her and requested that she duet with him on his upcoming album. So Tamara attained the stage name Shy’m and started down the road to fame.After being featured on K-Maro’s song Histoire de Luv, Shy’m released her first solo album, Mes Fantaisies in 2006. The album was heavy with soul, R&B, and pop sounds. It was composed, produced, and written with the assistance of K-Maro and achieved a Platinum certification after reaching 230, 000 sales.
In 2008, Shy’m released her second album titled Reflects. This album was mostly comprised of pop and R&B, with a dance undertone. It gained a Gold certification with 80,000 total sales.
In 2010, Prendre L’air was released. It follows a more electropop feeling than Shy’m’s previous two albums. This album is the most successful; receiving a 3X Platinum certification after 270,000 sales. It has been re released in three different formats: standard, collector, and deluxe.
In 2012, Caméléon was released. The album further expanded into the electropop genre from the previous album. It achieved a 2X Platinum certification after 200,000 sales and was number one on the French charts.
Discography
Albums:
2006: Mes Fantaisies
2008: Reflects
2010: Prende l’air
2012: Caméléon
Compilations:
2012: L’intégrale
The Slam Poet: Grand Corps Malade
Fabien Marsaud, better known as Grand Corps Malade, was born on July 31, 1977. He was born in Le Blanc-Mesnil, Seine-Saint-Denis, France. His stage name Grand Corps Malade means “tall sick body” in french.Childhood
When Fabien was younger and in high school he excelled in all his classes but mainly literature. He was also a very talented basketball player. He had many semi-pro teams wanting him on their teams but his true passion was in writing poetry. In July of 1997, Fabien was a supervisor at a sport camp. During this camp he made a bad dive into a pool and displaced his spine. He was told he wouldnt walk again but in 1999, after a year of treatment, he could walk again. This experience is what prompted his stage name Grand Corps Malade.Career
He made his first appearance as a slam artist at Place de Clichy in Paris on October 23, 2003. In 2005 he became even more popular by performing in many different clubs and even Stade de France. Fabien produced his debut album, Midi 20, on March 26, 2006. Midi 20 became one of the 10 french selling albums for the year 2006. He even started a tour to promote Midi 20. This tour included 2 sold-out concerts at La Cigale in Paris. In 2007 on March 10 he won 2 Victoires de la Musique awards. Also that year he appeared in many tv shows including Edouard Baer’s Grand Carabet. In 2008 Fabien produced his second album, Enfant de la ville. That year he also performed in the Festival d’ete international de Quebec and he was named “chevalier” at the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres in France.In 2009 he won the Felix Award for Francophone artist most illustrious in Quebec at the Gala of ADISQ. In 2010 Fabien released his third album 3eme temps. In Fabien’s album 3eme temps he included the song “Romeo kiffe Juliette”, a different version of shakespeare’s “Romeo and Juliet”. In 2011 Fabien released his single “Inch`Allah”. this song featured Reda Taliani and became his greastest successful single.Grand Corps Malade has inspired thousands of students in schools all around France to take on slam poetry and he has changed french music forever This is why I believe Grand Corps Malade is worthy of one of the top 5 french musicians of the past decade.
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