JEAN-MICHEL JARRE

A FAN PAGE


BIO | DISCOGRAPHY | COLLECTION | LIVE | LIVE IN NORWAY

"AT THE TIME 'OXYGENE' WAS CONCIDERED A TOTALLY 'FAR OUT' CONCEPT...

WHAT WAS 'IN' AT THE TIME WAS DISCO, HARD-ROCK, AND THE EARLY DAYS OF PUNK... AND MOREOVER, 'OXYGENE' WAS INSTRUMENTAL.

AND I WAS FRENCH!"


- JEAN MICHEL JARRE

Most people who know me are also familiar with Jean-Michel Jarre — probably because his music has echoed from my speakers for the past 35 years. And for those who don’t know the name, they usually recognize Oxygene IVthe moment they hear it.


I first discovered Jarre’s extraordinary soundscapes in 1985, when I was 12 years old. The album The Concerts in China introduced me to a world of electronic magic, and the track Arpegiator instantly hooked me. A year later, I watched his spectacular Houston concert on TV — and from that point on, I was completely captivated.


Like many fans in the 1980s, I began collecting every album I could find, especially on vinyl, which was the ultimate format back then. Over time, my collection grew steadily. With every new release and concert, my appreciation for his work only deepened.
👉 See my collection here.


I’ve also been an active member of the Norwegian fan club (JMJFKN) — the world’s longest-running Jarre fan club — and have attended 10 of his concerts. Most were in Norway, but I’ve also followed him to Denmark and Sweden.


One of the most unforgettable moments of my life happened in spring 2008, during the Oxygene Tour. Jarre was scheduled to play at Oslo Concert Hall, and my brother and I arrived early, hoping for a chance to meet him in person. Standing outside the artist entrance, we watched as Jarre arrived with his security team. To our surprise, he stopped to talk with us. I shook his hand, and he kindly signed my Oxygene and AERO CDs. I welcomed him to Norway, and he responded warmly. Everything they say about him is true — he took genuine time for his fans. After the concert, we waited again, this time among many more admirers. When Jarre came out alongside Francis Rimbert (who graciously gave space to the main star), I stood in line to take a photo with him and have him sign my newly bought Oxygene poster.


That encounter made a lasting impression. It didn’t just confirm my admiration — it intensified it.


This page is a tribute to Jean-Michel Jarre:
to his groundbreaking music, to the inspiration he’s given me, and to my personal journey as a passionate amateur collector.

BIOGRAPHY

DISCOGRAPHY

LIVE

Short BIO

Born on August 24, 1948, Jean-Michel André Jarre is a French composer, performer, and producer renowned for shaping the landscape of electronic, ambient, and new-age music. He is equally celebrated for his spectacular outdoor concerts, where his music is fused with massive laser shows, projections, and fireworks on an awe-inspiring scale.


Raised in Lyon by his mother and grandparents, Jarre began studying piano early in life. His artistic sensibilities were shaped by a diverse cultural environment that included jazz, street performers, and the abstract work of painter Pierre Soulages. Though he briefly played guitar in a band, it was the experimental techniques of Pierre Schaeffer, founder of the musique concrètemovement, that deeply influenced his musical direction.


Jarre's breakthrough came in 1976 with the release of Oxygène, a groundbreaking album recorded in his home studio. It went on to sell an estimated 12 million copies worldwide. This success was followed by Équinoxein 1978. A year later, he made history by performing in front of more than one million people at Place de la Concorde in Paris—setting a new world record for concert attendance, one that he would surpass multiple times in his career.


In 1981, Jarre became the first Western artist officially invited to perform in the People's Republic of China. Over the years, his epic live shows have continued to draw massive crowds, including a record-setting 3.5 million attendees at his Moscow concert on September 6, 1997—the largest audience ever for an outdoor event.


Jarre’s albums are often released in conjunction with these monumental performances, reinforcing his dual legacy as both a composer and live performer. Most recently, he served as the headline artist at the closing ceremony of the 2024 Paralympic Games in Paris.


Throughout his career, Jarre has collaborated with an eclectic range of artists, including Moby, Armin van Buuren, Robert "3D" Del Naja, Edgar Froese, Laurie Anderson, Yello, Gesaffelstein, the Pet Shop Boys, Gary Numan, and Hans Zimmer.


As of July 2022, Jarre had sold approximately 85 million albums globally, according to BMG, which now manages his full music publishing catalog.

Photo©François Rousseau


Latest album

VERSAILLES 400 is recorded at the Château de Versailles on December 25, 2023 both live and in virtual reality.


2x180g Vinyl offers the user a truly unique digital experience to be entered via phone through a custom NFC sticker inside the Vinyl sleeve.

Digital bonus content includes:

- a special greeting by Jean-Michel Jarres Avartar

- exclusive Making Of photos of the events visuals, created by Jean-Michel Jarre and his team

- bespoke AI animations of the Hall of Mirror

- an in-depth interview with Jean-Michel Jarre about the event and it’s unique set up

- a lossless audio streaming version featuring an electro version of JB Lully's "Walk to the Turcs Ceremony" the new single "Epica Oxygene," and fresh renditions of existing tracks


The product is available numbered to 2000 copies only. The digital experience is unique to its owner and cannot be shared.



Tracklist

01. Le Château (Live)

02. Epica Oxygene (Live)

03. The Opening (Live)

04. Oxygene 2 (Live)

05. Equinoxe 4 (Live)

06. Equinoxe 7 (Live)

07. Industrial Revolution Part 2 (Live)

08. Chronology (Live)

09. The Architect (Live)

10. Oxygene 19 (Live)

11. Zero Gravity (Live)

12. Falling Down (Live)

13. Stardust (Live)

SEE MY COMPLETE COLLECTION

 

Since I first heard of Jean Michel Jarre in 1985 I have grown i little collection of records, singles, videos, posters, t-shirts etc.

Follow Jean-Michel Jarre

on social media