FRANCO CHART-TOPPERS May 2004

Jane Birkin flies the flag for France

Paris 

19/05/2004 - 

Last month's charts found former French chanson star Michel Sardou making a dramatic comeback and Vincent Delerm proving himself as a hot new arrival. Other spring surprises included Claude Barzotti surfing a nostalgia wave in Canada.

After a hugely successful career spanning four decades, album sales racked up in their millions and hundreds of thousands of adoring fans across France, Michel Sardou performed a dramatic farewell tour and then 'retired' from the music world to pursue an acting career at the Théâtre de la Porte Saint-Martin (in Paris). But now it seems Monsieur Sardou is missing his old life, after all. The singer recently went into the studio to record a new album entitled Du plaisir (released on the AZ label). Fortunately, fans do not appear to have forgotten their old idol - Du plaisir has got off to an impressive start in the Francophone charts, rocketing to the no.1 spot in France and Wallonia and reaching no.24 in Switzerland.

Meanwhile, Vincent Delerm, one of the leading figures in the "new French chanson" movement, has confirmed his burgeoning reputation with a second album entitled Kensington Square (released on the Tôt ou Tard label). Following the success of Delerm's first album (which sold over 300,000 copies in France), Kensington Square looks set to do well in the charts. Indeed, the album has already shot to no.7 in Wallonia and no.22 in Switzerland.

French music is also making waves across the Atlantic as our Québecois cousins go crazy for the new generation of French teen idols. One of the current leaders on the French export scene is young French pop Lolita, Lorie. Lorie managed to earn herself a gold disc for her first album in Canada and has enjoyed a successful career there ever since. Her third album, Attitudes (Epic), is currently making its way up the Canadian charts, reaching no.52 in April. But the really hot rising stars of the moment are Tragédie, exponents of French-style R&B. After amassing a huge following of fans across France, Switzerland and Belgium and scoring two major hits in the past year (Hey Ho and Sexy pour moi), Tragédie have set their sights on Canada. The group's album Sans retenue (released on Up Music) recently made it into Canada's Top 100, breaking in at no.82. Meanwhile, Sans retenue was hanging on at no.14 in the Belgian charts.

April proved to be a good month for French sounds abroad – and not just in Belgium, Switzerland and Quebec, which is usually the case! Serge Gainsbourg's former muse and real-life partner Jane Birkin is the perfect example of how to conquer new markets abroad. Following her marathon tour promoting the album Arabesque (based on Arabic arrangements of the late Gainsbourg's classics), the most English of French 'chanteuses' enjoyed newfound popularity in a number of countries including Greece. Ms. Birkin is currently back in the charts with a new album entitled Rendez-vous (Capitol), which recently climbed to no.41 in Italy, no.2 in Wallonia, no.65 in Flanders and no.33 in Switzerland.

Meanwhile, young French singer-songwriter Keren Ann, who made a name for herself on the mainstream after writing Jardin d'hiver for Henri Salvador, is now establishing a reputation beyond French frontiers in her quiet, modest way. Despite its title, Keren Ann's latest album, Not Going Anywhere (released on Capitol), is certainly going places in South Korea. The album, which has maintained a position in the Top 20 compiled by the "Tube Music" stores for over a month now, reached no.10 in April.

As for Carla Bruni, former model turned 'chanson' crooner, she is still taking the international charts by storm. After wowing fans across mainland Europe and Quebec, Carla's debut album Quelqu'un m'a dit (Naïve) – which has sold over 1.5 million copies to date – is now making an impact in Japan. Quelqu'un m'a dit recently charted at no.111 in the charts compiled by Japan's HMV stores and continues to hang on at no.82 in Germany and no.31 in Wallonia.

Meanwhile on the French rap circuit, Kool Shen – who appears to have abandoned his group Suprême NTM (temporarily or for good?) – is branching out on his own with a debut solo album entitled Dernier round (Epic). With the music industry sliding into recession and rap sales tumbling by the day, this may not be the most propitious moment to launch a solo career. In fact, Dernier round has made a rather timid entry in the charts in Wallonia and Switzerland (charting at no.39 and no.36). As for Kery James, a less well-known act on the music mainstream but a highly respected figure in the French hip hop world, he is currently reaching beyond French borders with Savoir et vivre ensemble (Naïve), an album which recently reached no.54 in Wallonia and no.89 in Switzerland.

Meanwhile, the Gipsy Kings are flying the flag for 'world' sounds made in France. Although the group no longer sell the phenomenal amount of records they did in their heyday in the 80s and 90s, they are still knocking out the competition with their latest album Roots. In April the Gipsy Kings's album (released on Columbia) maintained its hold on the charts in Eastern Europe (no.46 in Estonia, no.71 in the Czech Republic), Canada (no.177) and Flanders (no.83). Roots also maintained a prime position in Billboard's World Music chart in the U.S.

Hot new French rock, funk and electro foursome Phoenix are no longer climbing the charts abroad, but two months after the release of their album Alphabetical (Source), they are clinging on at no.77 in Germany and no.41 in Wallonia. Air, the star electro duo who happen to come from Phoenix's hometown of Versailles, appear to have a firmer foothold on the international charts. Air's latest album, Talkie Walkie (released on the Source label in January of this year), maintained an impressive chart presence in April, holding on at no.65 in Italy, no.65 in Flanders, no.99 in Wallonia, no.79 in the Pedro Beat stores in Estonia and no.190 in Canada. Air also managed to chart for the very first time in South Korea (breaking in at the no.14 spot in the charts compiled by the "Tube Music" record stores).

We end on a bit of a nostalgic note – although, for once, not going right back to the 'chanson' glory of Jacques Brel and Edith Piaf! This time round, a music favourite has re-emerged from a more recent past. Claude Barzotti, the Italian-Belgian star who scored a series of hits in the 80s with chart-toppers such as Madame, Le Rital and Je ne t'écrirai plus, is currently back in the limelight with a greatest hits album that recently charted at no.76 in Canada. That's all for now, music fans, see you in June for next month's round-up!

Gilles  Rio

Translation : Julie  Street