music

Plastique Bertrand - funky and modern. Johnny Halliday if you're a rebel.

One other thing. There are plenty of French people who post frequently on this branch (and on the Europe/Shoestring branch). Guess what language they use. Yes, that's right, they make the effort to post in what is for them a foreign language, English, for the benefit of people like you who don't speak French.

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<hr>Plastique Bertrand - funky and modern. Johnny Halliday if you're a rebel.<hr></blockquote>
LOL!!!!

French do speak English. But not as much as Brits I am afraid.

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<hr>Plastique Bertrand - funky and modern. Johnny Halliday if you're a rebel.<hr></blockquote>
LOL!!!!

French do speak English. But not as much as Brits I am afraid.

mmh, why posted twice?

music : real stuff? Noir Desir and Telephone are long time rock favourites
MC Solaar for light rap

Popular singers: Souchon, Sanson, Brel (he's from Belgium), Ferre, Brassens, and of course Aznavour.

Arthur H, Dominique A, Thomas Fersen are very popular too and have great lyrics if you want to learn French.

Another MUST HAVE : Serge Reggiani.

Don't forget Yannick Noah!!! & Renaud ... Marilene Farmer etc ...

Kira

blaughery - You said, and I quote

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<hr>they refuse to speak English<hr></blockquote>

That is NOT true. Yes, I'm sure that more than 50% of the population probably can't speak English much, but it's a big overstatement to use the word "refuse". I am not in any way a Francophile. I've been to France and I worked for years for a French company and I can tell you that there are things I like and things I despise with a passion about the French. However, it is completely untrue that they "refuse to speak English". Either you need to change what you say or how you think but that statement is just copletely false.

Plastique Bertrand is a guy who was sort of big briefly during the late 70s. He was a punk rocker. I'm American and my brother worked as a DJ in late 70s and early 80s and he took him a single of "Ca Plane Pour Moi"/"Pogo Pogo" because his radio station wouldn't play "that foreign crap". "Ca Plane Pour Moi" is a great punk song, but I can tell you that his stuff is hard to find. On my last trip to France, I actually tried to find a CD of his songs and I couldn't find anything in either the Virgin Megastore or FNAC. Recommending him is kind of like recommending the Sex Pistols to somebody. It's not a recommendation for someone who's currently popular.

Rough Guides has a lot of interesting world music compilations. They have one called "Paris Cafe" or something similar that should include some currently popular French musicians in that style of music.

Yep, I agree. Plastic Bertrand did a one song hit and that was it. Back in early 80s. Definitely not representing French music (and lyrics are crap anyways).

Johnny Halliday is a bit of a joke really. Though highly popular in France.

Kira, I can't believe you recommended Noah... do you really like this thing???

Re French music:
I think Jordy would be a good one for the OP to start practicing with :-).
I'd say it qualifies as real music: there's a tune and words and everything.

Seriously though: how about Carla Bruni? Easy to hear the words.