French Pop in 2025: Our Top 5 Music Band Picks for Your Trip to France

If you're travelling to France and you need a fresh, musical, but contemporary warm-up, here's a short list for you. Whether you travel to Paris to eat croissants or headed to the Riviera, this would do it.

Because today's French pop music thrives with eclectic sounds, experimentation, and strong visual identity. Among the many talented artists contributing to this vibrant scene, five bands stand out, at least for us. So, this our pick for now. 

1. Moodoïd

Founded by Pablo Padovani, formerly a guitarist for Melody’s Echo Chamber, Moodoïd is known for its kaleidoscopic sound that fuses psychedelic rock, world music, and glam-pop. Their debut album Le Monde Möö (2014) is a surreal journey through fantastical landscapes, with the standout track “La Lune” embodying their dreamy, genre-defying style. Their biggest work, at least in our opininon, is Cité Champagne, which is a pop masterpiece. Just listen Planète Tokyo or Chamberlain Hotel, and enjoy!

2. Mcbaise

Mcbaise is the smooth, retro-vibe solo project of French artist Matthieu Bessudo, blending soft rock, yacht rock, and vaporwave aesthetics with a distinctively ironic and nostalgic tone. If you love Mac DeMarco, imagine his music on ACID. Their top work so far is the album Tube that is a compact explanation of Mcbaise's mindset on music.

3. La Femme

La Femme is a Paris-based band that combines surf rock, cold wave, and synth-pop to create a modern yet vintage-like French sound. With a rotating lineup centered around founding members Marlon Magnée and Sacha Got, their critically acclaimed album Psycho Tropical Berlin (2013) includes the hypnotic hit “Sur La Planche.” The song "Tatiana" from Mystère is such a banger, that is also french and surfy, and will instantly buzz you up.

4. Requin Chagrin

Led by Marion Brunetto, Requin Chagrin delivers melancholic and catchy dream pop infused with post-punk and new wave influences. Their 2021 album Bye Bye Baby, especially the title track, perfectly captures the hazy nostalgia and emotional depth that define their signature sound. Adelaïde is the track we've listened for a thousand times so far.

5. Le Couleur

Hailing from Montreal but singing in French, Le Couleur merges disco, electro-pop, and French chanson into an irresistibly danceable style. Their concept album Concorde (2020), inspired by the tragic history of the supersonic jet, is a sophisticated blend of lush melodies and cinematic storytelling, with the title track standing out as a highlight.

Each of these bands contributes to the richness of the French pop music scene, offering fresh perspectives while embracing both classic and experimental elements. Whether through psychedelic visuals, nostalgic vibes, or dreamy synths, they are shaping the soundscape of modern French music with originality. But keep in mind, these are only our favourites, and there's so much more!