Every July 13th, International Rock Day is celebrated across the globe! Firmly rooted in the French musical landscape, the history of French rock mirrors that of rock across the Atlantic and the Channel: following the era of pioneers in the mid-1950s—such as Boris Vian, Henri Salvador, Line Renaud, Danyel Gérard, and Claude Piron, who introduced songs with subtle rockundertones—came a first golden age in the early 1960s. Johnny Hallyday emerged as France’s first true rock star. This initial wave also included Eddy Mitchell (with the band Les Chaussettes Noires) and Dick Rivers (with Les Chats Sauvages), as well as Dany Logan, Vic Laurens, and Vince Taylor. Evolution continued through pop-influenced artists, notably Serge Gainsbourg, Michel Polnareff, Jacques Dutronc, and Nino Ferrer.
The 1970s were defined by the rock-infused songs of Jacques Higelin and Bernard Lavilliers on one hand, and by French-style progressive rock—exemplified by the band Ange—on the other. The punk wave of the late 1970s—which would reach its peak with the band Bérurier Noir over a decade later—was followed by a second golden age featuring bands like Téléphone, Trust, Bijou, and Starshooter. The 1980s and 1990s saw a diverse array of bands and artists, such as Mano Negra, Niagara, Indochine, Axel Bauer, Rita Mitsouko, Taxi Girl, and Noir Désir. The turn of the millennium witnessed the rise of Louise Attaque and Mickey 3D, alongside the established success of Alain Bashung. Finally, the 2000s saw the emergence of a new French rock scene featuring bands such as Matmatah, Shaka Ponk, Stuck In The Sound, and Skip The Use—not to mention the rise of the French metal scene, with acts like Gojira making their mark on the international stage.
To mark International Rock Day, we invite you to listen to the latest releases in the genre via our “Made in France” selection, updated weekly in the “Rock around the Eiffel” playlist. We also invite you to (re)discover some of our exclusive playlists curated by iconic artists such as Bérurier Noir, Indochine, La Femme, Stuck in The Sound, Landmvrks or Ko Ko Mo.
