The Synth-Pop Pioneer: Jean-Michel Jarre

Jean-Michel Jarre is an acclaimed French composer, performer, and record producer who is widely regarded as the pioneer of electronic music. After his 1976 debut album Oxygène sold an estimated 12 million copies, Jarre went on to become one of the best-selling recording artists in the world and popularized the genre of synthpop. He has sold over 80 million albums worldwide, released over 50 studio albums, and has been awarded four Grammy Awards, five MTV Video Music Awards, and fifteen certifications in the United Kingdom. Jarre has also collaborated with many other well-known artists, such as Pet Shop Boys, Vangelis, Tangerine Dream, Yello, and Frank Gehry.

Early Life

Jarre was born on August 24th, 1948 in Lyon, France to a musical family. His father Maurice was a renowned film score composer who had worked with legendary directors such as Luis Buñuel and Jean Cocteau. Jarre began taking music lessons from his father at a young age and developed an interest in jazz and rock music. At age twelve, he was already playing the piano, organ, and guitar. In 1964, he attended the Conservatoire de Paris where he studied composition and harmony under noted teachers such as Pierre Schaeffer and François Rabaud.

Career Highlights

In 1976, Jarre released his debut album Oxygène which quickly became a commercial success and sold over 12 million copies worldwide. The album featured electronic synthesizers which were not yet popular at the time but soon became widely used in many genres of music. His follow-up album Équinoxe (1978) also became an international hit and was certified gold in both France and the United Kingdom. Jarre's 1982 album Magnetic Fields marked his foray into synthpop and spawned hits such as “Souvenir of China”. He achieved international recognition for his 1984 album Zoolook which featured collaborations with several vocalists from around the world. His 1985 single “Revolution” peaked at number 7 on the UK Singles Chart.

Legacy

Jarre remains one of the most influential figures in electronic music today. He has continued to compose music for film soundtracks such as Blade Runner (1982) and The Last Mission (1984). His most recent album Electronica 1: The Time Machine (2015) featured collaborations with groundbreaking artists such as Armin Van Buuren and Gesaffelstein. He continues to tour around the world with some of his most famous concerts being held at The Great Pyramids of Giza (1979) and The Eiffel Tower (2000). Jean-Michel Jarre's groundbreaking approach to music has solidified him as one of the most important innovators of modern music.