Electronic music has officially been added to France’s national Intangible Cultural Heritage list, marking a significant cultural milestone for a genre long associated with innovation, nightlife, and underground movements. The decision places electronic music alongside traditional practices recognised as part of the country’s living heritage.
The move follows a similar development in Germany, where Berlin techno was added to the national intangible heritage list in 2023. Together, these acknowledgements signal a growing institutional recognition of electronic music’s cultural, social, and historical importance in Europe and represent an important step toward potential UNESCO recognition.
France has played a central role in the global evolution of electronic music, particularly through its more commercially visible exports. Artists such as David Guetta, Bob Sinclar, DJ Snake, Martin Solveig have brought French electronic music to international charts and festival main stages, helping shape the global perception of the genre. But earlier generations laid the foundations with the rise of the French Touch movement in the 1990s and 2000s, characterised by filtered house, disco influences, and a strong visual identity. Key figures of this era include Daft Punk, Cassius, Justice, Étienne de Crécy, Air, Modjo, Breakbot, Mr. Oizo, and Sébastien Tellier, whose work helped establish France as a creative powerhouse in electronic music.
Alongside these movements, France has also been a major force in techno and underground electronic scenes. Artists such as Laurent Garnier, Manu Le Malin, Miss Kittin have been instrumental in shaping club culture, rave traditions, and experimental electronic expression in France and beyond, not to mention pioneers like Jean-Michel Jarre, who paved the way for electronic music to move from studios into large-scale live performances and popular consciousness.
“Electronic music has a rightful place in our national intangible heritage,” said French Culture Minister Rachida Dati, noting that the ministry has recently introduced a new label recognising clubs as “spaces of artistic expression and celebration.”
Earlier this year, French President Emmanuel Macron also voiced his support for granting French electronic music—often known as French touch—UNESCO cultural heritage status. “I love Germany – you know how pro-European I am,” said Macron. “But we don’t have to take lessons from anyone. We are the inventors of electro. We have that French touch.”
📷 : Photos Credit / Scott Sandars CC License
The inclusion was welcomed by artists, promoters, and cultural advocates, many of whom have long argued that electronic music is more than entertainment—it is a collective practice rooted in community, creativity, and shared experience. By recognising electronic music as intangible cultural heritage, France acknowledges not only the music itself but also the ecosystems around it: clubs, raves, studios, DJs, producers, and the audiences who sustain the scene.
While inclusion on the national list does not guarantee UNESCO status, it is a necessary prerequisite. Supporters hope the decision will strengthen protections for electronic music spaces and practices, particularly at a time when clubs face economic pressures, regulatory challenges, and rising operating costs.
As electronic music continues to evolve, its formal recognition reflects a broader shift in how contemporary culture is valued. Once marginal and often misunderstood, electronic music is now increasingly seen as a vital part of Europe’s cultural legacy—and its future.
📷 : Photo Credit / Promotional picture of Daft Punk after the release of Random Access Memories / Sony Music Entertainment / Creative Commons Attribution License.
