This year, once again, French music enthusiasts have predominantly tuned into homegrown talent. With albums like “Pyramide 2” and “Carre,” the rapper maintains his leading position on the sales chart.
werenoi’s meteoric rise
The French music industry has witnessed a phenomenal surge in album sales dominated by none other than Werenoi. Hailing from Montreuil, this rap sensation has secured the top spot for two consecutive years. The announcement made by the National Union of Phonographic Publishing (Snep) on January 9th highlighted Werenoi’s unmatched success driven by his hit albums, “Pyramide 2” and “Carre.” The latter even bagged the prestigious Rap Album of the Year award at the 2024 Flammes ceremony.
a shift towards french-produced projects
The Snep report revealed a significant inclination towards artists produced in France, with 18 out of the top 20 best-selling albums being homegrown. This trend cuts across generations and musical styles, with a special mention for rap which continues to dominate the charts.
- 18 of the top 20 albums are French-produced.
- Rap remains at the forefront of music genres in France.
plk and indochine: strong contenders
The runner-up position was claimed by PLK, a French rapper with Polish roots, thanks to his intricate mixtape “Chambre 140.” Meanwhile, Indochine secures third place with their double album “Babel Babel,” marking a strong comeback as they prepare for an upcoming tour starting late January.
other notable mentions in music rankings
The unique Marseille artist Jul matches his previous year’s record by listing eight projects among this annual ranking, yet only reaching tenth place compared to sixth last year. Another key highlight is Sofiane Pamart’s dominance in classical music rankings under Snep’s genre-specific categories.
- Sofiane Pamart leads in classical music charts.
- Jul maintains consistent visibility despite shifting ranks.
streaming statistics soar
Streaming platforms recorded an astounding 138 billion listens last year, marking a 14% increase. This boom can be attributed to infectious tracks known as “bangers,” such as Gims-Dystinct’s “Spider,” Jungeli’s “Petit Genie,” and Carbonne’s breakout hit “Imagine.” However, female artists remain underrepresented at higher chart levels despite strong performances by Billie Eilish (4th), Zaho de Sagazan (6th), and Taylor Swift (9th).
women in music: an evolving landscape
A broader view offered by Snep’s Top 200 reveals that only 41 out of these projects are female-led, equating to just over one-fifth representation. Despite this modest figure being deemed an ‘encouraging evolution,’ experts call for further enhancement of female presence within industry rankings.
- Billie Eilish ranked fourth among top artists.
- Taylor Swift continues her global impact from ninth place.
the multifaceted nature of album sales metrics
Snep combines physical CD and vinyl sales along with downloads plus streaming plays converted into equivalent sales. As anticipated reports commence unveiling more insights come March regarding last year’s recording market revenue which stood at $1.06 billion USD (968 million euros), it is evident that rap will maintain its stronghold within French music culture moving forward.
