Popular French bands. Recommended groups.

La rose blancheMickey 3d

Mickey 3d – La rose blanche (Clip officiel)

Mickey 3D (pronounced “Mickey trois D” in France) is a French rock band formed in 1996.

Although they are a rock band, their foundation lies in folk music, so many of their songs have a gentle feel.

They’re a very stylish band that can be recommended even to those who aren’t fond of intense sounds.

Dance With MeNouvelle Vague

Dance with Me

Nouvelle Vague breathed fresh life into the French music scene.

Formed in 2003, they’re known for their innovative approach of covering post-punk and new wave songs in bossa nova and lounge styles.

Their standout album “Bande à Part” reached high positions on the charts in France and the UK.

They revived tracks by artists like XTC and Joy Division with their own interpretations, captivating many listeners.

Their songs have been used in TV commercials and Korean dramas, earning broad support across audiences.

Breathing new life into classic and contemporary hits alike, their music is a must-listen for fans of Western pop and rock.

Midnight CityM83

M83 ‘Midnight City’ Official video

Since the 2000s, especially in Europe, a wave of artists in the electronica sphere has birthed many reinterpretations and reconstructions of shoegaze—the 1990s genre defined by roaring, wall-of-sound guitars.

Dubbed with neologisms like “electro-shoegaze” and “nu-gaze,” the style has cultivated a devoted following here in Japan as well.

Among the electro-shoegaze acts that debuted in the 2000s and achieved global success, France’s M83 stands out.

Initially a duo and later the solo project of Anthony Gonzalez—who performs with a band live—M83’s music carried a strong shoegaze imprint within its electronica sound up through their classic third album, 2005’s Before the Dawn Heals Us.

Starting with 2008’s acclaimed Saturdays = Youth, they incorporated dream pop and synth-pop methodologies, earning raves from many music outlets.

A few years later, they pushed that direction even further and broke through worldwide with the ambitious double album Hurry Up, We’re Dreaming, released in 2011.

Personally, if you’re new to M83, I recommend starting with Saturdays = Youth and Hurry Up, We’re Dreaming, then circling back to their early releases where their electro-shoegaze sound is in full bloom.

Under The SunFortune

FORTUNE “Under The Sun” (réal Mathieu Amalric)

Fortune is an American rock band that was active in the 1980s.

Based in Los Angeles, they have worked across a wide range of genres including rock, progressive rock, and hard rock.

They debuted in 1978, and in the early 1980s they scored minor hits, with some of their songs featured on film soundtracks.

In 1985, they released the album “Fortune,” which gained popularity in Europe and Japan.

After reforming in 2006, they released “Fortune II” in 2019, their first album in 34 years.

Known for an arena rock style reminiscent of Journey and Styx, they have a devoted fan base as a band that keeps the appeal of ’80s rock alive today.

Emulate The SoulScarve

Scarve – Emulate The Soul

Scarve is a French death metal band.

Unusually for the metal genre, there was a period when they performed with a twin-vocalist lineup.

They’re a popular metal band even within Europe, where metal is mainstream, so they’re recommended for fans of heavy music.

Gung HoShaka Ponk

Shaka Ponk – Gung Ho [Official video]

They’re a French mixture rock band with a hard, badass band sound.

The husky vocals have a mature edge and are very comfortable to listen to, and the characteristically French way they incorporate electronic elements is super stylish.

I recommend them to anyone who’s grown tired of bands that are just cool and nothing more.

La bande son de ta vieTété

Tété – La bande son de ta vie (Clip Officiel)

It’s a somewhat suspicious pop melody that you can’t forget once you hear it.

It’s not flashy, but the song has a unique worldview.

By the way, this singer covered THE BOOM’s “Kaze ni Naritai” in a KIRIN TV commercial in 2009.