“I want to make people cry even when they don’t understand my words.” Edith Piaf (1915-1963)
From jazz to rock, from pop to rap, the hugely varied and diverse genre, French Chansons started to take shape at the end of the 19th century, and was immediately a huge hit amongst young and old alike. Browse our sheet music and scores, and discover all the greatest French Chanson hits with Stretta today!
At the end of the 19th century, the first French Chansons, cabaret songs emerged, which were already very different from the popular classical French Song and French Opera. Cafes, variety shows became venues to showcase French Chanson, and some of the most famous venues are still known today, Moulin Rouge, Les Folies Bergères, Le Chat Noir and L’Olympia.
In the 1930s, one of the greatest idols of French Chanson came to the fore, Édith Piaf, whose name was soon on everyone’s lips in France and abroad. She was followed by other popular artists such as Yves Montand, Henri Salvador, Annie Cordy and many others.
At the same time, singers like Jacques Brel and Georges Brassens were more inspired by literary, emotionally committed texts.
The 1960s saw the birth of rock music, which came mainly from the United States, and with it came the age of fans, who followed their idols such as Johnny Hallyday, Claude François, Sylvie Vartan, Françoise Hardy and many others. They were nicknamed “yéyés”, which came from the English“ yeah”, from the Beatles “She Loves You”. Thanks to these stars, the record market experienced a legendary boom.
At the end of 1970, it was the ’rock opera’ by Michel Berger and Luc Plamondon Starmania which paved the way for the genre of French musical comedy. It was followed by ’Notre Dame de Paris’, ’The Ten Commandments’, ’Romeo and Juliet’ and many others.
At the end of the century, Jean-Jacques Goldman and Mylène Farmer revolutionized the French music video, while the Canadian Céline Dion achieved international success with the release of the world’s best-selling French-language album “D’eux”, written and produced by JJ Goldman.
In the early 2000s, singers emerged, mostly from musicals, such as Garou and Lara Fabian, but the focus soon shifted back to singers with literary texts like Raphaël, Carla Bruni and Bénabar, who were hugely successful.
The Belgian singer Stromae made a name for himself on the French music scene in 2013 with his album “Racine Carré”, the best-selling album of the decade. His unique style highlights the elaborate texts that are reminiscent of those of his compatriot Jacques Brel.
Today, urban music that emerged in the 90s is the mainstay of French Chanson, with Maître Gims, Soprano and Sexion d’Assaut, among others.
for: Male choir, piano
Choir book
Item no.: 670205
for: Guitar
Music score (spiral binding)
Item no.: 620165
for: Voice, piano [guitar/keyboard]
Music score
Item no.: 605937
(mittel) und Gitarre, Spielpartitur
for: SOLOGESANG (INCL. MEHRERE SOLOSTIMMEN) EINE SINGSTIMME SONSTIGE
Item no.: 428479
for: Voice, piano
Score
Item no.: 157929
10 Chansons für Singstimme und Klavier / Gitarre
for: Voice, piano [guitar]
Item no.: 421858
for: Accordion
Music score (anthology), Playback-CD
Item no.: 695396
for: Voice, piano [guitar]
Piano/Voice/Guitar
Item no.: 1036511
for: Voice, piano [guitar/keyboard]
Music score
Item no.: 617438
for: 1–2 accordions
Music score
Item no.: 616903
for: Voice, piano
Music score
Item no.: 769871
for: Voice, piano [keyboard]
Songbook
Item no.: 170133
for: Voice, piano
Music score
Item no.: 722958
for: 1–2 accordions
Music score
Item no.: 304209
for: Guitar
Music score (spiral binding)
Item no.: 632870
for: Women's choir [children's choir] (2–3 parts), piano
Choir score
Item no.: 371829
for: Voice, piano [guitar/keyboard]
Songbook
Item no.: 176588
for: Voice, piano
Score
Item no.: 611799
for: Classical guitar
Music score
Item no.: 208324
for: 1–2 accordions
Music score
Item no.: 659364
for: Accordion
Songbook (piano, chords, text)
Item no.: 582734
for: Accordion
Music score, online audio
Item no.: 635596
Grade 2
for: Concert band
Score, Parts
Item no.: 670073
for: Accordion
Music score, CD
Item no.: 656291
for: String orchestra
Score
Item no.: 1131375
for: Voice, piano [guitar/keyboard]
Single edition
Item no.: 556660
for: Accordion
Music score
Item no.: 266074
Adaptées pour la guitare
for: Classical guitar
Music score
Item no.: 190133
for: Voice, piano
Single edition
Item no.: 137743
for: Voice, piano [guitar/keyboard]
Songbook PVG (Piano/Vocal/Guitar)
Item no.: 169848
Paroles et musique avec accompagnement piano
for: Voice, piano [guitar/keyboard]
Songbook PVG (Piano/Vocal/Guitar)
Item no.: 302828
for: Piano
Music score, CD
Item no.: 1107448
für Akkordeon (mit 2. Stimme)
for: Accordion
Ensemble score, CD
Item no.: 660972
for: Voice, piano
Songbook
Item no.: 631749
for: 1–2 accordions
Ensemble score
Item no.: 1021915
for: Alto saxophone, piano
Buch
Item no.: 242350
for: Voice, piano [guitar/keyboard]
Songbook PVG (Piano/Vocal/Guitar)
Item no.: 169847
for: Mixed choir (2–7 parts) a cappella
Choir book
Item no.: 123424
adaptées pour la guitare (tablatures)
for: Classical guitar
Music score (with TABs)
Item no.: 270762
for: Voice, piano [guitar/keyboard]
Songbook PVG (Piano/Vocal/Guitar)
Item no.: 466722
for: Voice, piano [guitar/keyboard]
Songbook PVG (Piano/Vocal/Guitar)
Item no.: 171879
12 Musette-Erfolge bekannter Akkordeonisten und Komponisten
for: Accordion
Music score
Item no.: 397030
for: Voice, piano
Songbook
Item no.: 349976
for: Voice, piano [guitar/keyboard]
Songbook PVG (Piano/Vocal/Guitar)
Item no.: 226369
for: Voice, piano [guitar/keyboard]
Songbook
Item no.: 657726
für Gesang und Klavier
for: SOLOGESANG (INCL. MEHRERE SOLOSTIMMEN) EINE SINGSTIMME SINGSTIMME MIT TASTENINSTRUMENT
Item no.: 433206
for: Voice, piano
Score
Item no.: 246202