French pop music

French pop music is pop music sung in the French language. It is usually performed by singers from France, Canada, Belgium, Switzerland, or any of the other francophone areas of the world. The target audience is the francophone market (primarily France), which is considerably smaller than and largely independent from the mainstream anglophone market.

History
The first distinct French pop music styles that emerged were the French rock and the yé-yé, which originated in France during the 1960s. They were influenced by the American rock & roll of the 1950s. In the early days, this style of French pop music was easily distinguishable from the earlier category of French music called chanson in English. Eventually the early French pop music and the chanson styles crossed over and combined.

Radio in France
French pop music can be heard on radio stations in France, such as NRJ, RTL 2, Virgin Radio (formerly Europe 2), Radio Nova, Chérie FM, and others. (There are francophone radio stations outside France, but the ones in France are the most influential with respect to French pop music.) Besides French pop music, these radio stations typically play mainstream pop music (in English) as well as Latin pop, Italian pop, and African pop depending on the station.

Radio stations in France are required to play at least 40% of their songs in French, during prime hours. France's Pelchat amendment to the 1994 Broadcasting Reform Act is the law which requires this.

Francophone pop music artists
A list of Francophone pop music artists and the decades when they rose to prominence.

1920s

 * Josephine Baker

1930s

 * Charles Trenet

1940s

 * Edith Piaf
 * Juliette Gréco

1950s

 * Annie Cordy
 * Brigitte Bardot
 * Charles Aznavour
 * Dalida
 * Georges Brassens
 * Henri Salvador
 * Hugues Aufray
 * Jean Ferrat

1960s

 * Axel Bauer
 * Barbara
 * Christophe
 * Claude François
 * Claude Nougaro
 * Dick Rivers
 * Éric Charden
 * Eddy Mitchell
 * Françoise Hardy
 * France Gall
 * Georges Moustaki
 * Jane Birkin
 * Jacques Dutronc
 * Jean-Pierre Ferland
 * Joe Dassin
 * Johnny Hallyday
 * Julien Clerc
 * Les Surfs
 * Marie Laforêt
 * Michel Berger
 * Michel Delpech
 * Michel Fugain
 * Michel Polnareff
 * Michèle Torr
 * Mike Brant
 * Nana Mouskouri
 * Nanette Workman
 * Nicole Croisille
 * Nino Ferrer
 * Raphaël
 * Robert Charlebois
 * Adamo
 * Serge Gainsbourg
 * Serge Lama
 * Serge Reggiani
 * Sheila
 * Sylvie Vartan

1970s

 * Daniel Balavoine
 * Dick Annegarn
 * Francis Cabrel
 * Alain Chamfort
 * Louis Chedid
 * Richard Clayderman
 * Riccardo Cocciante
 * Harmonium
 * Jacques Higelin
 * Michel Jonasz
 * Patrick Juvet
 * Daniel Lavoie
 * Maxime Le Forestier
 * Gérard Lenorman
 * Offenbach
 * Michel Pagliaro
 * Ginette Reno
 * Renaud
 * Nicole Rieu
 * Véronique Sanson
 * Michel Sardou
 * William Sheller
 * Alain Souchon
 * Téléphone
 * Laurent Voulzy

1980s

 * Arno
 * Alain Bashung
 * Patrick Bruel
 * Calogero
 * Manu Chao
 * Etienne Daho
 * Céline Dion
 * Claude Dubois
 * Mylène Farmer
 * Liane Foly
 * Jean-Jacques Goldman
 * Les Innocents
 * Patricia Kaas
 * Bernard Lavilliers
 * Marc Lavoine
 * Maurane
 * Florent Pagny
 * Vanessa Paradis
 * Luna Parker
 * Mario Pelchat
 * Les Rita Mitsouko
 * Têtes Raides
 * Roch Voisine

1990s

 * Air
 * Anaïs
 * Isabelle Boulay
 * -M-
 * Gérald De Palmas
 * Lara Fabian
 * Thomas Fersen
 * Patrick Fiori
 * Philippe Katerine
 * Lynda Lemay
 * Louise Attaque
 * Mano Solo
 * Pascal Obispo
 * Kevin Parent
 * Bruno Pelletier
 * Axelle Red
 * Red Cardell
 * Hélène Ségara
 * Zazie
 * Zebda

2000s

 * AaRON
 * Myriam Abel
 * Alizée
 * Keren Ann
 * Bénabar
 * Amel Bent
 * Benjamin Biolay
 * Carla Bruni
 * Bertrand Burgalat
 * Cali
 * Emma Daumas
 * Cœur de pirate
 * Vincent Delerm
 * Julien Doré
 * Sofia Essaïdi
 * Élodie Frégé
 * Garou
 * Grégoire
 * Sophie Hunter
 * Jenifer
 * L5
 * Grégory Lemarchal
 * Nolwenn Leroy
 * Leslie
 * Loane
 * Lorie
 * Renan Luce
 * M83
 * Christophe Maé
 * Priscilla
 * M. Pokora
 * Phoenix
 * Quynh Anh
 * Kate Ryan
 * Shy'm
 * Natasha St-Pier
 * Stromae
 * Tahiti 80
 * Sébastien Tellier
 * Tété
 * Andrée Watters
 * Christophe Willem
 * Yelle
 * Julie Zenatti

2010s

 * Angèle
 * Ben l'Oncle Soul
 * Kendji Girac
 * Bilal Hassani
 * Indila
 * Jain
 * Louane
 * Clara Luciani
 * Madame Monsieur
 * Maëlle
 * Aya Nakamura
 * Slimane
 * Tal
 * Zoë

2020s

 * Carla Lazzari
 * Wejdene