ABSTRACT

This chapter attempts to denote what characterises France in terms of popular music can be made by setting its economic processes and cultural foundations against the Weberian model of The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism, using the question of sound recording. Understanding the peculiarities of French popular music therefore also necessitates an examination of civilizational cultural attributes. One of them is extremely deep-rooted: the role of the French language. The early twentieth century saw the emergence of theatres dedicated to popular music that went beyond operetta, with the beginnings of Parisian and French music hall venues. The massive introduction of recorded music had an impact in the field of live music. Concerts became, from the 1980s onwards, pretexts to promote new records, at the same time that the business of live concerts was being optimised through the activities of private promoters.