French rock is a broad term that can describe rock music made in France, made in the French language, made by French artists, or some combination of the three.
Historically, French rock began in the “swingin’ 60s” with the rise of artists inspired by the energetic British and American rock n roll sounds of the time. Many of them incorporated part of the traditional ‘chanson’ sound for a more pop rock style.
In the 1970s, France saw the arrival of Alan Stivell’s Breton folk-rock as well as a wave of progressive rock bands like Ange, Shylock, Magma, Eskaton, Atoll and Pulsar. French punk rock also appeared, including bands like Stinky Toys, Oberkampf and Métal Urbain. It was during this period that a few other variety music artists - Catherine Ribeiro, Jacques Higelin, Bernard Lavilliers and others - flirted with rock, but without completely changing over.
Things changed course in the 1980s. The changing of the political culture was accompanied by an explosion in youth culture. This helped the emergence of a distinct French rock that could match the lucrativeness of American and British rock music. .
