'00s French Pop Essentials

The turn of the millennium saw artists like Benjamin Biolay and Hélène Ségara embellishing their songs with lush orchestration. But sophistication and drama has long been a part of French pop’s DNA—as epitomised via hits by Lara Fabian and Florent Pagny. Leftfield fun was had, thanks to jokers Bratisla Boys and the worldly, blissed-out charm of Manu Chao and Sinsémilia. And the ’00s brought plenty of hip-hop heat, too, as 113 and Disiz la Peste burst onto the scene.