Why the French music industry is booming

France is a nation known for its musical talent. This is, after all, the country of Claude Debussy and Maurice Ravel, of Serge Gainsbourg and Edith Piaf, of Daft Punk and Justice. France is where the La Fête de la Musique originated, before becoming the global phenomenon it is today. It is where the oboe, the bassoon and the accordion were all invented, as well as the Baroque, Yé-Yé and French House genres, to name just a few.

Lately, the French music industry has been doing better than ever. According to the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry's Global Music Report 2025, the industry had the highest growth in Europe in 2024, ahead of the UK and Germany. The same report reveals that France boasts the sixth-largest market for music in the world, behind China and ahead of South Korea. Meanwhile, Spotify recently announced that Francophone music has seen a 192% increase in audience share since 2019. In 2024 alone, over 123 million people streamed audio content in French, making it one of the most popular languages on the platform.

The music industry's economic contribution to France is enormous. A recent report shows that the industry generated €2.8bn in 2024, a 50% increase from 2019.

What can explain this meteoric rise in the popularity of French music? One reason is that streaming services like Spotify and Soundcloud have made it easier than ever to find and listen to music from around the world, and many Francophone artists from Africa, Polynesia and elsewhere have chosen to produce their music in France.

But it also likely has something to do with the quality of the artists themselves. The French music industry has attracted and promoted incredible talents in recent years, from Aya Nakamura and Gims to David Guetta and Julien Doré. Thanks to the collective work of producers, musicians and consumers, millions of people from beyond the Francophonie are tapping into the French music scene.

Did you know that listening to French-language music isn't just a great way to discover new songs? It's also a fantastic way to improve your French, and is an enjoyable way to get used to hearing spoken - or rather, sung - French.

Visit our Spotify page to see our recommended playlists of French tunes, from Classical, to Modern, to Alexa's personal favourites.