Johnny Hallyday

Jean-Philippe Smet, known as Johnny Hallyday, born on 15 June 1943 in the 9th arrondissement of Paris (Seine) and died on 5 December 2017 in Marnes-la-Coquette (Hauts-de-Seine), was a French singer, composer and actor. Over his 57-year career, he established himself as one of the most famous French-language singers and one of the most prominent figures in French media.

While not the first to sing rock in France, he was, from 1960, the first to popularise the genre there. Although he performed many sentimental ballads and country tunes throughout his career, rock remained his main reference across its various strands, all rooted in the blues: rock 'n' roll, rhythm and blues, soul, psychedelic rock, soft rock and pop rock.

His longevity at the forefront of the artistic scene and his vocal and stage performances earned him the recognition of his peers and the public. In total, he released 80 albums, including 51 studio albums, as well as 165 singles. He holds 6 diamond, 22 platinum and 40 gold records, and 10 Victoires de la Musique. Outside French-speaking countries, although he never achieved lasting success despite several successful tours, notably in South America, his reputation as a performer nonetheless crossed borders. He undertook 184 tours and gave more than 3,425 concerts, drawing close to 30 million spectators, with big-budget productions and stage effects.

While suffering from lung cancer, he undertook his final tour in June and July 2017, alongside his friends Jacques Dutronc and Eddy Mitchell, with whom he had formed the trio Les Vieilles Canailles in 2014. His death, a few months later from his illness, prompted a major public tribute. At the time of his death, his record sales stood at 110 million copies.