Music recommendations?

I learned a lot of my German from the rock band Rammstein, who sing in very clear, grammatically flawless if slightly archaic German. I'd like to use music to support my French learning, but most of what if can find is either hiphop (and while I like hiphop, it's mostly the lyrical prowess I admire so in French it's all lost on me) or it's music for my parents. I love Daft Punk and Air (who doesn't?) but there's not much French language to be gleaned from them. Other than Kaolin I've not found much music I want to hear sung in French.... Can anyone help out with any recommendations? Cheers Alex.

Not sure if this is to your taste - but i listen to a lot of Serge Gainsbourg! Also Françoise Hardy.. the record 'Francois Hardy Sings about love' has some simple tracks on which are easier to understand. But that might a bit twee for you! I'm a bit of a record collecting geek so i'm not sure how easy that one is to come by... Modern stuff - i listen to Francoiz Bruet.. i only have one record of hers (Vingt à Trente Mille Jours) which has some nice tracks, it's sort of moody pop. Other than that it's whatever turns up on french radio.. which is mainly junk but occasionally you hear some great north african/african music sung in french.. but i'm never quick enough to catch who they are - sorry!

I agree with SisterLuna that the chanteur/chanteuse route would be your best best for picking up proper pronunciation (Françoise Hardy is a good choice for enunciation and clarity). Some of the more contemporary stuff I like are L (Raphaële Lannadère), Jean-Louis Murat and Jeanne Balibar (sorry, not a fan of Carla Bruni). Here's the official clip for L's Jalouse (from the album Initiale): http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xjd0sf

I forgot to mention a Québécoise artist I really like: Cœur de Pirate. She has a bit of a retro vibe ...très cool! This video (live performance) is for Danse et Danse from the album "Blonde": https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SWgE_cPvqQU

Thanks for that. I had a look. They seem good, but not exactly earworm material. Does anyone know anything less... well.. arty? Indie rock, at all? Dance pop? Grunge? I know the French do great hiphop, but it's SO out of my league for picking out any words at all, and there are fantastic bands like Air and DaftPunk who make world-conquering music but don't really have lyrics.. I just can't get friendly with the arty stuff, I need something that will stick in my head and make me sing along a thousand times. I'm not buying the idea that French speakers don't also need head-nodding, foot-tapping tunes in their own language. This stuff has got to exist. :)

Yeah, that's a tough one. I pretty much listen to electronica now (from punk and alternative), so by nature, they're not too "wordy" to begin with. (I'd also lump Air and DaftPunk in that category). I'll throw out a couple more. Lescop gets compared to Joy Division a lot, but he's a little closer to The Chameleons/Echo and the Bunnymen/Teardrop Explodes/Pink Industry fare, I think: This one's Le forêt: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Njpw2PVb1c0 This one's La Nuit Américaine: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3roaIosqKZI Another is Stereolab. They're a British band, but the lead singer (Læticia Sadier) is French and quite a few of their songs are in French. My favorite Sterolab song, Cybele's Reverie: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v6dNTmfZp0U L'Enfer Des Formes: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Blsw1powe6M

Stereolab's still a bit arty for my taste, but Lescop is something I could hear a few times before it gets boring. :) I'm getting a bit confused though.. Don't the French have any working-class youth? Surely they can't all listen to either this kind of thing or hiphop, can they? Where are the French Arctic Monkeys, Coldplay, Placebo...? Or is linguistic determinism going to trump me here and just say "No, French-speaking youth do not express themselves through guitar music"?

Maybe you'd like Noir Désir? I can't recommend any of their songs as i'm not a fan.. but sounds closer to what you're looking for. Check out YouTube. I think they're infamous for the lead singer beating his actress girlfriend to death... From what i've hear on French radio, they play a lot of english music.. last night i heard the Gorillaz and Coldplay in the same show.. the french bands they play are just well, much more.. french! Also, quite a few french bands sing in english. On a totally different note - here a link to 'le petit chevalier' by nico (sorry i think you'll hate it!) - the first song i understood totally in french (without a dictionary!) : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5SPhkxppOjM

Okay, another one to try. Aline's album was released earlier this year. It's a bit "effervescent" for my taste (I lean towards darker), but it's worth checking out: Here's "Elle et moi" (my favorite track from the CD): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_hEcjZMH5xU Their website also has a few more videos: http://alinemusique.wordpress.com/ ...And on another tangent, I'm not sure who here hails from New York too, but there's going to be a fantastic concert in September at the Beacon Theatre as a tribute to Edith Piaf. On tap are Cœur de Pirate (yay!), Zaz (who totally sounds like a young Piaf), Olivia Ruiz, among others (with Charles Aznavour emceeing). http://www.beacontheatre.com/events/2013/september/francofolies.html

Oh thanks! Aline is super! It's catchy enough to stick in my head and make me remember some lyrics.. which is the point. :) I agree it's a bit effervescent, but I'm interested in the Ohrwurm effect for learning at the moment, I'll probably find my taste changes once I get a bit more language (as it did with German). Thanks again.. with Aline, Guillaume Cantillon and Kaolin, I think I now have enough to give me a bit of a bump-start. Merci beaucoup! Alex.

Pour partager. I "discovered" Stromae while in Brussels recently (you can tell he's Belgian from the moules frites comment ;) ), and I'm really enjoying his music. Here are some clips of my favorites from his latest album, Racine carrée: Tous les mêmes: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zeHWMnHrH3s Papaoutai: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oiKj0Z_Xnjc Formidable: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S_xH7noaqTA

Bonjour à tous! Here are a couple of French radio websites that broadcasts a lot of new French music. There is a lot of English music there as well but half of it would be in French. There are different channels on it and what not that you can choose on with different genres as well. http://www.nrj.fr/ http://www.rfm.fr/ I hope this helps! - Marie-Claire

J'adore cette chanson! "Le problème avec toi" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XbofPmp1WLE

Bonjour à tous! Can't help myself so here is an artist that I love: Coeur de Pirate Check it out if you get the chance. Her songs are beautiful. - Marie-Claire