Nouvelle Scène Française emerged in the late 1990s as a creative rebellion against mainstream French pop, championing poetic lyricism, acoustic instrumentation, and an unapologetically literary sensibility. While rooted in chanson française's storytelling tradition, this movement distinguished itself through its DIY ethos, intimate production values, and willingness to blend folk, jazz, and world music influences into its fabric. Artists like Vincent Delerm and Benjamin Biolay crafted miniature novellas in song form, favoring whispered confessions over vocal acrobatics, while acts such as Camille and Arthur H pushed boundaries with experimental arrangements that rejected radio-friendly polish.
What separates this scene from broader French pop or singer-songwriter categories is its collective identity as a cultural moment rather than just a sound—a conscious movement that valued authenticity, intellectual depth, and artistic community over commercial formula. The music thrives on clever wordplay, everyday observations elevated to poetry, and arrangements that breathe with space and nuance, whether through Thomas Fersen's cabaret whimsy or Les Ogres de Barback's gypsy-tinged exuberance.
Listening to Nouvelle Scène Française means entering a world where language dances as vitally as melody, where imperfection becomes texture, and where France's musical landscape rediscovered its soul by stripping away the glossy veneer—essential for anyone seeking substance behind the song.
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List updated:
| #88 | ByVarious Artists | Released:1972 | nouvelle scene francaise | ||
| #53 | BySanta | Released:1990-06-01 | |||
| #97 | BySanta | Released:1990-06-01 | |||
| #71 | ByArthur H | Released:1990 | nouvelle scene francaise | ||
| #29 | ByThomas Fersen | Released:1993-02-01 | |||
| #83 | ByLes Elles | Released:1995 | nouvelle scene francaise | ||
| #43 | ByThomas Fersen | Released:1999-01-01 | |||
| #39 | ByDominique A | Released:1999-03-01 | |||
| #19 | ByDebout sur le zinc | Released:2000 | |||
| #86 | ByMano Solo | Released:2000 | |||
| #52 | ByMickey 3D | Released:2001-03-19 | |||
| #30 | ByBenjamin Biolay | Released:2001-05-21 | |||
| #77 | ByBenjamin Biolay | Released:2001-12-06 | |||
| #4 | ByBénabar | Released:2001 | |||
| #32 | ByFrançoiz Breut | Released:2001 | |||
| #78 | ByClarika | Released:2001 | |||
| #13 | ByVincent Delerm | Released:2002-05-03 | |||
| #22 | ByZebda | Released:2002-08-26 | |||
| #9 | ByLa Tordue | Released:2002-09-17 | chansonnouvelle scene francaise | ||
| #14 | ByThomas Fersen | Released:2003-04-08 | |||
| #8 | ByTryo | Released:2003-06-02 | |||
| #47 | ByBenjamin Biolay | Released:2003 | |||
| #80 | ByBenjamin Biolay | Released:2003 | |||
| #63 | ByBenjamin Biolay | Released:2003 | |||
| #49 | ByJeanne Cherhal | Released:2004-02-17 | |||
| #23 | ByMiossec | Released:2004-03-01 | |||
| #18 | ByVincent Delerm | Released:2004-03-02 | |||
| #17 | ByDéportivo | Released:2004-05-04 | |||
| #67 | ByBenjamin Biolay | Released:2004-06-08 | |||
| #82 | ByBenjamin Biolay | Released:2004-10-12 | |||
| #21 | ByAmélie-les-crayons | Released:2004 | |||
| #24 | ByLes Ogres de Barback | Released:2004 | |||
| #69 | ByBenjamin Biolay | Released:2004 | |||
| #60 | ByBenjamin Biolay | Released:2004 | |||
| #1 | ByPauline Croze | Released:2005-02-14 | nouvelle scene francaisechanson francaise | ||
| #3 | ByCoralie Clément | Released:2005-02-15 | |||
| #15 | ByAnis | Released:2005-03 | |||
| #5 | ByArthur H | Released:2005-09-12 | chanson francaisenouvelle scene francaise | ||
| #10 | ByClarika | Released:2005-09-26 | nouvelle scene francaise | ||
| #46 | ByManuto | Released:2005 | |||
| #74 | ByOlivia Ruiz | Released:2005 | |||
| #16 | ByRenan Luce | Released:2006-09-25 | |||
| #48 | ByElista | Released:2006-10-23 | |||
| #40 | ByCamille Bazbaz | Released:2006 | |||
| #76 | ByChtriky | Released:2006 | nouvelle scene francaisechanson francaise | ||
| #68 | ByMonsieur Lune | Released:2007-04-26 | nouvelle scene francaise | ||
| #62 | ByDominique A | Released:2007-10-15 | |||
| #72 | ByRockin' Squat | Released:2007-10-15 | nouvelle scene francaise | ||
| #93 | ByBenjamin Biolay | Released:2007-10 | |||
| #66 | ByBenjamin Biolay | Released:2007-10 | |||
| #50 | BySwift Guad | Released:2007-11-16 | nouvelle scene francaise | ||
| #38 | ByChamboultou | Released:2008-06-12 | nouvelle scene francaise | ||
| #36 | ByKarpatt | Released:2009-03-30 | chansonnouvelle scene francaise | ||
| #51 | ByBenjamin Biolay | Released:2009 | |||
| #28 | ByBenjamin Biolay | Released:2010 | |||
| #59 | ByBenjamin Biolay | Released:2010 | |||
| #73 | ByBenjamin Biolay | Released:2011-06-14 | |||
| #25 | ByEmily Loizeau | Released:2012-09-10 | nouvelle scene francaise | ||
| #7 | ByBenjamin Biolay | Released:2012-11-05 | nouvelle scene francaise | ||
| #64 | ByBenjamin Biolay | Released:2012-11-05 | |||
| #27 | ByBabx | Released:2013-03-11 | nouvelle scene francaise | ||
| #87 | ByVolts Face | Released:2013-03-18 | nouvelle scene francaise | ||
| #12 | ByVincent Delerm | Released:2013-11-25 | nouvelle scene francaise | ||
| #41 | ByArchimède | Released:2014-05-26 | nouvelle scene francaisepop | ||
| #56 | ByBenjamin Biolay | Released:2017-05-19 | |||
| #55 | ByBenjamin Biolay | Released:2017-05-19 | |||
| #44 | ByBenjamin Biolay | Released:2018-11 | |||
| #89 | ByBenjamin Biolay | Released:2019-10-18 | |||
| #31 | ByBenjamin Biolay | Released:2020-06-26 | |||
| #70 | ByBenjamin Biolay | Released:2020-06-26 | |||
| #100 | ByFelixita | Released:2020-10-21 | |||
| #54 | ByBenjamin Biolay | Released:2020-12-11 | |||
| #98 | Bymorgane imbeaud | Released:2020 | |||
| #96 | ByMarie S'Infiltre | Released:2021-02-12 | |||
| #6 | ByIliona | Released:2021-02-26 | |||
| #90 | ByFelixita | Released:2021-04-21 | |||
| #99 | ByAmel Bent, Camélia Jordana & Vitaa | Released:2021-06-04 | |||
| #45 | ByZélie | Released:2021-10-15 | |||
| #61 | ByCamille Lellouche | Released:2021-11-26 | french popnouvelle scene francaise | ||
| #85 | ByAurélie Saada | Released:2021-12-03 | |||
| #2 | ByIliona | Released:2022-01-28 | |||
| #94 | BySuzane | Released:2022-04-14 | nouvelle scene francaise | ||
| #37 | BySanta | Released:2022-09-09 | |||
| #34 | ByAurélie Saada | Released:2022-10-28 | |||
| #92 | ByAurélie Saada | Released:2022-10-28 | |||
| #20 | BySuzane | Released:2022-11-04 | nouvelle scene francaise | ||
| #35 | ByCamille Lellouche | Released:2022-11-18 | french popnouvelle scene francaise | ||
| #81 | ByMickey 3D | Released:2023-01-27 | |||
| #11 | ByZélie | Released:2023-11-10 | |||
| #26 | ByZélie | Released:2023-11-10 | |||
| #33 | ByZélie | Released:2023-11-10 | |||
| #42 | ByColine Rio | Released:2023 | |||
| #57 | ByColine Rio | Released:2023 | |||
| #65 | ByColine Rio | Released:2023 | |||
| #58 | ByBenjamin Biolay | Released:2025-10-17 | |||
| #75 | ByBenjamin Biolay | Released: | |||
| #84 | ByLo Radzouka | Released: | swingnouvelle scene francaise | ||
| #79 | ByBenjamin Biolay | Released: | |||
| #91 | ByAlkpote | Released: | nouvelle scene francaise | ||
| #95 | ByBenjamin Biolay | Released: |