Jean-Michel André Jarre (born 24 August 1948) is a French composer, performer and music producer. He is a pioneer in the electronic, synthpop, ambient and new-age genres, and an organiser of outdoor spectacles of his music featuring lights, laser displays, and fireworks.
Jarre was raised in Lyon by his mother and grandparents, and trained on the piano. From an early age he was introduced to a variety of art forms, including those of street performers, jazz musicians, and the artist Pierre Soulages. He played guitar in a band, but his musical style was perhaps most heavily influenced by Pierre Schaeffer, a pioneer of musique concrète at the Groupe de Recherches Musicales.
His first mainstream success was the 1976 album Oxygène. Recorded in a makeshift studio at his home, the album sold an estimated 12 million copies. Oxygène was followed in 1978 by Equinoxe, and in 1979 Jarre performed to a record-breaking audience of more than a million people at the Place de la Concorde, a record he has since broken three times. More albums were to follow, but his 1979 concert served as a blueprint for his future performances around the world. Several of his albums have been released to coincide with large-scale outdoor events, and he is now perhaps as well known for these performances as his albums.
Jarre has sold an estimated 80 million albums and singles. He was the first Western musician to be allowed to perform in the People's Republic of China, and holds the world record for the largest-ever audience at an outdoor event.
Albums Studio albums Year Album details Peak chart positions Certifications FRAFrench Album Charts:
before June 1996 after June 1996 AUSPeaks in Australia: All except noted: Oxyène 7–13: AUT FINFinnish charts:
GER NL NOR SWE SWI UKUK Charts: US NZ 1972 Deserted Palace Released: 1972 Format: LP — — — — — — — — — — — — 1976 Oxygène Released: December 1976 (France) July 1977 (international) Format: LP, MC, CD 1 29 10 12 8 4 9 3 85 2 78 3 SNEP: Gold ARIA: Platinum BPI: Platinum BVMI: Gold MC: Platinum 1978Equinoxe Released: 1 December 1978 Format: LP, MC, CD 1 48 14 — 22 3 — — — 11 126 36 BPI: Gold BVMI: Gold MC: Gold NVPI: Gold1981Les Chants Magnétiques (Magnetic Fields) Released: 20 May 1981 Format: LP, MC, CD 1 76 4 20 9 5 20 22 — 6 98 22 BPI: Gold NVPI: Gold1983Musique pour Supermarché (Music for Supermarkets) Released: 6 July 1983 Format: LP (one single copy) — — — — — — — — — — — —1984Zoolook Released: 16 November 1984 Format: LP, MC, CD — 69 28 — 24 27 — 21 30 47 — 35 BPI: Silver1986Rendez-Vous Released: 1 April 1986 Format: LP, MC, CD 1 58 15 6 20 12 — 8 24 9 52 26 SNEP: 2× Platinum BPI: Gold1988Revolutions Released: 26 September 1988 Format: CD, MC, LP 6 91 13 9 28 17 4 13 13 2 — — SNEP: 2× Gold BPI: Silver1990En attendant Cousteau (Waiting for Cousteau) Released: 11 June 1990 Format: CD, MC, LP 2 — 19 12 27 27 11 22 21 14 — — SNEP: 2× Gold1993Chronologie Released: 24 May 1993 Format: CD, MC, LP 2 — 32 10 50 56 — 25 21 11 — — IFPI SWI: Platinum1997Oxygène 7–13 Released: 17 February 1997 Format: CD, MC, LP 6 89 2 11 19 10 4 16 24 11 — 20 IFPI AUT: Gold2000Métamorphoses Released: 31 January 2000 Format: CD, MC, MD 7 — 28 7 17 42 19 30 32 37 — —2002Sessions 2000 Released: 4 November 2002 Format: CD 140 — — — — — — — — — — —2003Geometry of Love Released: October 2003 Format: CD — — — — — — — — — — — —2007Téo & Téa Released: 26 March 2007 Format: CD, CD/DVD 8 — — — — 46 — — 43 103 — —2007Oxygène: New Master Recording Released: 26 November 2007 Format: CD, CD/DVD 40 — — — — — — — — 140 — —2015Electronica 1: The Time Machine Released: 16 October 2015 Format: CD, LP 3 — 12 30 4 5 14 20 2 8 — 372016Electronica 2: The Heart of Noise Released: 6 May 2016 Format: CD, LP 9 — 22 19 12 14 27 27 5 8 — —2016Oxygène 3 Released: 2 December 2016 Format: CD, LP, digital download 50 — 47 23 34 20 — 46 14 41 — —2018Equinoxe Infinity Released: 16 November 2018 Format: CD, LP, Limited edition CD/LP set 29 — 31 17 11 26 — — 15 33 — —2021Amazônia Released: 9 April 2021 Format: CD, LP, digital download, streaming 34 — 13 — 5 24 — — 4 21 — —2022Oxymore Released: 21 October 2022 Format: CD, LP, digital download, streaming 20 — 17 — 14 21 — — 11 41 — —
Soundtrack albums Year Album details 1973 Les Granges Brûlées Format: LP, CD Link to Wiki article on the film.
Live albums Year Album details Peak chart positions CertificationsFRAAUSAUTFINGERNLSWESWIUK NZ1982Les Concerts en Chine (The Concerts in China) Released: May 1982 Format: LP, CD 5 76 — — 35 9 — — 6 46 BPI: Gold1987En Concert Houston/Lyon (In Concert Houston/Lyon) Released: 6 July 1987 Format: LP, CD 2 94 19 — 31 14 11 10 18 — SNEP: Platinum BPI: Silver1989Jarre Live Released: 2 October 1989 Re-released in 1996 as Destination Docklands: The London Concert Format: CD, LP 16 — — 19 — 57 45 — 16 — BPI: Silver1994Hong Kong Format: CD 21 — — — — — — — — —1998Paris Live "Electronic Night" Featuring Tetsuya "TK" Komuro Included in TK 1998 box set with Paris Live "Rendez-Vous '98 Electronic Night" VHS Format: CD — — — — — — — — — —2004Jarre in China Format: CD/DVD — — — — — — — — — —2005Live from Gdańsk (Koncert w Stoczni) Format: CD — — — — — — — — — —2006Live Printemps de Bourges 2002 Format: Digital download (iTunes-only release) — — — — — — — — — —2021Welcome to the Other Side: Concert from Virtual Notre-Dame Format: Digital download, CD/Blu-ray, LP41 — 73 — 8 39 — 33 63 —2024Versailles 400 Live Format: Digital download, CD digipak (limited edition, 2000 copies), 2x 180g Vinyl (limited numbered edition, 2000 copies) — — — — 59 84 — — — —2025Live in Bratislava Format: Digital download, CD digipak/Blu-ray 76 — — — — — — — — —
Compilation albums Year Album details Peak chart positions CertificationsFRAAUSAUTFINGERNLSWIUK1982Synthesis Italian-only release Format: LP, CS — — — — — — — —1983Musik aus Zeit und Raum Central European-release only Format: LP, MC, CD — — 5 — 3 — — —The Essential Jean-Michel Jarre Released: 28 October 1983 Format: LP, MC, CD — 51 — — — — — 14 SNEP: 2× Gold BPI: Gold1985The Essential 1976–1986 Format: LP, MC, CD — — — — — — — —1989Les Années Laser Format: 10-CD (box set) — — — — — — — —1991Images – The Best of Jean-Michel Jarre Released: 14 October 1991 Format: CD, MC, LP 2 — — 15 20 85 23 14 SNEP: Gold BPI: Gold BVMI: Gold1997Complete Oxygène Limited edition Format: 2CD — — — — — — — —2004The Essential Format: CD 23 — — — — — — —AERO Released: 20 September 2004 Format: CD 2 — 60 — 37 33 61 14 SNEP: Gold BPI: Silver2006Sublime Mix Limited edition for Jaguar France Format: CD — — — — — — — —2007The Complete Oxygène Format: 3CD — — — — — — — —2011Essentials & Rarities Format: 2CD 70 — — — — 89 — —Rarities Format: LP — — — — — — — —2015Essential Recollection Format: CD 137 — — — — — — —2016Oxygène Trilogy Format: 3×CD, 3×CD+3×LP+book — — 68 — 25 58 34 782018Planet Jarre: 50 Years of Music Released: 14 September 2018 Format: LP, 2CD 39 — 22 45 5 23 11 21
Remix albums Year Album details Peak chart positionsFRANLUK1994Chronologie Part 6 (Remixes) Released: May 1994 Format: CD — — 601995Jarremix Released: 1995 Format: CD 24 — —1998Odyssey Through O2 Released: 1998 Format: CD 10 92 502015Remix EP (I) Released: 2015 Format: Digital — — —2023Oxymoreworks Released: 3 November 2023 Format: CD, Digital — — —
Non-album tracks In addition to the catalogue of songs featured on his studio albums, Jarre has also recorded (or recordings exist of) over 30 songs not included on the original editions of the studio albums. These include new songs featured on compilation albums, soundtracks, live albums, single B-sides, stand-alone singles, songs featured on special edition releases of studio albums and songs performed live on TV. The songs featured in the table below have either been released officially, and/or have high quality recordings (video or audio) of them accessible on public access sites such as YouTube. Title First Appearance Year Other Appearances Souvenir of China The Concerts in China 1981 Various Concert Videos, Broadcasts and Live CD's, AERO (2004 Version) Arpegiator (Live) Musik aus Zeit und Raum, Soundtrack to 9½ Weeks Orient Express (Live) Musik aus Zeit und Raum, Images (Studio) Laser Harp (Live) Fishing Junks at Sunset (Live) Hong Kong Live CD Night in Shanghai (Live) Moon Machine Images 1991 Globe Trotter Eldorado Concert for Tolerance Laser Disk and Unofficial CD, The Twelve Dreams of the Sun Paris La Défense (Live Intro) Paris La Défense Video and Unofficial CD Digi Sequencer (Live) Europe in Concert Video 1993 Hong Kong Live CD, Concert for Tolerance Laser Disk and Unofficial CD Vivaldi Tribute (Live) (feat Patrick Rondat) Concert for Tolerance Laser Disk and Unofficial CD 1995 Amphibia (Patrick Rondat), Jarre in China Rave-Oulton (Live) Oxygène in Moscow Video 1997 Oxygène Tour Unofficial CD’s, Nuit Electronic Video Together Now (with Tetsuya Komuro) Together Now Single (Theme for France 1998 FIFA World Cup) 1998 Nuit Electronic Video (Live) Paris Underground (Live) (with Tetsuya Komuro) Nuit Electronic Video Oxygène in the Ghetto (Live) (with Tetsuya Komuro) Salma Ya Salama (Live) The Twelve Dreams of the Sun TV Broadcast and Unofficial CD 2000 The Sun (Live) Akropolis (Live) Hymn to the Akropolis TV Broadcast and Unofficial CD 2001 Live from Gdansk DVD (as Tribute to John Paul II) Alive in Bourges (Live) Live Printemps de Bourges 2002 2002 Reworked as Aero 2002 with Safri Duo at Aero TV Broadcast and Unofficial CD Aerozone AERO 2004 Jarre in China Aerology Aero (2004) Forbidden City (Live) Jarre in China Theremin Memories (Live) Live from Gdansk DVD La Foule (Tribute to Edith Piaf) (Live) Tian’anmen (Live)
Singles This list does not include downloads or promotional singles. YearSongChart positionsAlbum FRA AUS BEL NL SPA UK NZ US Dance1971"La Cage" [F]————————non-album1973"La Chanson Des Granges Brûlées"————————Les Granges Brûlées1977"Oxygène 4"32633—46—Oxygène"Oxygène 2"—61——————1978"Equinoxe 5"5—1610—45——Equinoxe1979"Equinoxe 4" (single remix)10———————1980"Equinoxe 7" (At the Concorde - live)————————non-album1981"Magnetic Fields 2"2—4033————Les Chants Magnétiques"Magnetic Fields 4" (single remix)————————"The Last Rumba" [N]————————1982"Orient Express" (live)————————Les Concerts en Chine"Souvenir De Chine" 4———————1984"Zoolook"60———————Zoolook1985"Zoolookologie" (single remix)————————1986"Rendez-Vous 4"1379———65—41Rendez-Vous1987"Rendez-Vous 2" (live)————————En Concert Houston/Lyon"Rendez-Vous 4" (live)————————1988"Revolutions"—————52——Revolutions"London Kid"—————52——1989"Oxygène 4" (remix)—————65——non-album1990"Calypso"34149———91——En attendant Cousteau1993"Chronologie 4"10————55—45Chronologie"Chronologie 6"————————"Chronologie 2" [F]————————"Chronologie 8" [F]————————1994"Chronologie 6" (live) [F]————————Hong Kong1997"Oxygène 8" ———53—17—17Oxygène 7–13"Oxygène 10"42——76—21——"Oxygène 7"————————1998"Rendez-Vous 98" (with Apollo 440)—————12—— Music of the World Cup: Allez! Ola! Ole!"Together Now" (with Tetsuya Komuro) [J]————————1999"C'est la vie" (with Natacha Atlas)95——60440——Métamorphoses2000"Tout est bleu"—————79——2007"Téo & Téa"————————Téo & Téa2015"Conquistador" (with Gesaffelstein)————————Electronica 1: The Time Machine"Glory" (with M83)————————"Zero Gravity" (with Tangerine Dream)————————"Watching You" (with 3D)————————"Stardust" (with Armin van Buuren)180 ———————"If..!" (with Little Boots)————————2016"The Heart of Noise" (with Rone)————————Electronica 2: The Heart of Noise"What You Want" (with Peaches)————————"As One" (with Primal Scream)————————"Oxygène 17"————————Oxygène 32018"Infinity (Movement 6)"————————Equinoxe Infinity2022"Brutalism"————————Oxymore2024"Epica Oxygène"————————Versailles 400 Live Notes: F^ – Released in France only N^ – Released in NL U^ - Released in UK J^ - Released in Japan
Videography Video albums