Are you in the mood for unforgettable 90s music? Discover some of the most popular French songs from the 1990s! Listening to French songs is a great way to learn French, so why not remembering the musical hits from the 90s? Whatever style of music you prefer, we suggest you listen to the most popular French songs from the 1990s… After that, you’ll be able to add all these songs to your current playlist!
Most Popular French Songs From The 1990s
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Hélène, Roch Voisine (1990)
Roch Voisine is a Canadian-French singer and songwriter who can sing in both French and English. But it’s thanks to the first single from his first studio album, Hélène (released in November 1989) that he launched his career in France. And surprise, even if the song is mainly in French, it contains a line in English: “Hélène, things you do / Make me crazy about you”.
Une femme avec une femme, Mecano (1990)
This one is kind of an exception. The song is in French, even though the band is Spanish! Mecano was a Spanish pop band formed in 1981. In order to touch the French scene, Mecano decided to collaborate with Pierre Grosz, a lyric writer, in order to translate their song Mujer contra mujer. You might also have heard the song covered by French-born artist Saya in 2003. Which one do you prefer?
Désenchantée, Mylène Farmer (1991)
If you lived in France in 1991, surely you have heard this song over and over again, since it was the most aired song on radio! It’s one of the most famous French songs from the 1990s. And did you know that it was the song that brought the most money in 1991, 1992, and 2006, according to the SACEM? It might explain why Désenchantée is considered her signature song.
After two studio albums with rather sensual songs, Mylène Farmer’s lyrics in the third album approached a larger scope of subjects such as religion, politics and press criticism. Désenchantée was very well received, since it echoed with the pessimist events taking place in France, such as the demonstrations organized by students.
Dur dur d’être bébé!, Jordy (1992)
Guess how old Jordy was when this song was released? Only four and a half… His father, Claude Lemoine, was a music producer and he’s the one who got the idea for Dur dur d’être bébé! after his son tried to be in a TV advertisement where he should repeat “hard hard to be wet”. He released three albums (Pochette Surprise in 1992, Potion Magique in 1993 and Récréation in 1995), but never got the same success. Did you expect a little kid to be amongst the most popular French songs from the 1990s?
Darla dirladada, Les G.O. Cul-ture (1993)
Do you know this song? This specific version was used for a French movie, Les Bronzés. The lyrics were changed to fit with the happy and festive atmosphere of summer holidays in Club Med. It might seem weird, since the traditional song used by sponge divers, was a sad song about suicide…
Je danse le Mia, IAM (1994)
The French hip-hop band IAM recorded this song in February 1994, as the first single from their second album. The melody is rather joyful and funky, which isn’t representative of their usual pessimistic songs. Surprisingly, Je danse le Mia is still considered the signature song of the band.
Pour que tu m’aimes encore, Céline Dion (1995)
If you have ever been doing karaoke, then you have sung this Céline Dion’s hit. It has to be one of the most well-known songs in France, especially for people born in the 90s. Pour que tu m’aimes encore was written by Jean-Jacques Goldman and quickly became one of Dion’s signature songs. Nothing says 90s more than songs from Céline Dion and JJG, right?
Dieu m’a donné la foi, Ophélie Winter (1996)
Ophélie Winter is a French singer, actress and television presenter, who was really famous between 1994 and 2004. As a child, she released two singles, that were unnoticed. But in 1994, she began to host some shows on M6, which helped her become famous and release more music. Dieu m’a donné la foi is her signature song.
Savoir aimer, Florent Pagny (1997)
Have you ever seen the video clip from this song? It’s relatively well known, because the singer performs using sign language while staying in rhythm. The song was composed by Pascal Obispo and written by Lionel Florence. With over 1,2 million units, Savoir aimer was the 35th best-selling single of all time in France, in 2008.
La tribu de Dana, Manau (1998)
What happens when you combine French rap and Breton melodies? You will have to listen to this music to find out. Manau reached fame thanks to their unique musical style, and even though they released more music after that, they never had the same success as with the catchy La Tribu de Dana.
Belle, Daniel Lavoie, Patrick Fiori & Garou (1998)
The end of the 90’s and early 00’s was a great time for French musicals. You could see Notre-Dame de Paris, Les Dix Commandements and Roméo & Juliette. But it’s no surprise that one of the most famous songs we remember is Belle, written by French-Canadian Luc Plamondon and composed by Richard Cocciante. It was the song (and role) that revealed Garou to the public.
Tu m’oublieras, Larusso (1999)
Yet another karaoke song! Popular French songs from the 1990s are perfect for a night out with friends. Originally, this song was performed in English (You Will Forget) by Irma Jackson in 1979, and adapted in French by Régine in 1980. In Larusso’s cover, you can hear some English lyrics : “You will forget, no more you and I”.
Au nom de la rose, Moos (1999)
When you think about it, many of the artists that topped the charts in the 90s only had a one-time hit. Au nom de la rose reached number one only three weeks after its release, and remained for 17 weeks in the top ten. Moos released a second album in 2000, but it didn’t have the same success.
What other French songs from the 1990s do you remember? Do you think your musical style has changed a lot since then? Do the songs from the 90s have aged well? Check out our other article if you’re more into the songs from the 2000s… or from the 1980s!
