Oxygène

4.75

very innovative sound, especially when you look at the date when it came out. Great piece!

Another repeat. 2 days in a row. Brilliant. But not Kraftwerk brilliant.

Dawno nie bylo czegos zupelnie instrumentalnego, wiec jest Oxygene pana Jeana Michela Jarre, jest to jego trzeci studyjny krazek i pierwszy album ktory sprzedal sie mainstreamowo, a gatunkowo jest to elektronika tworzona na analogowych syntezatorach plus jednym digitalowym, bo jest to plyta z 76, wiec wydaje sie byc jednym z pionierow takiego sposobu tworzenia muzyki, opartej wylacznie na syntezatorach i efektach ktore oferuja, bo obok dzwiekow przypominajacych klasyczne instrumenty pojawiaja sie takze wariacie, ktore lubie okreslac jako kosmiczne echa i tym podobne szumy, trzaski i piski, dlatego tez obok ambientu nasuwa sie skojarzenie z kosmiczna muzyka jak u kraftwerkowcow, ale tutaj panuje bardziej kosmiczny ambient, calosc jest spojna i przyjemna w odsluchu, prawie 40 minut materialu jest podzielone na szesc trakow, ktore sa wylacznie zatytulowane nazwa albumu i partem, bo rownie dobrze moglaby to byc jedna calosc, bo podczas odsluchu traki dosc plynnie przechodza w kolejne, dawno nie bylo instrumentali i rownie dawno nie czulem czegos tak neutralnie naturalnego w odsluchu, a chociaz za elektronika nie przepadam jestem oczarowany ta plyta, bo bije z niej taki spokoj, doslownie czilera utopia i gdy zamkne oczy prawie czuje sie jakbym znowu lezal pod gwiezdzistym niebem na mokrej juz trawie nie myslac o tym co bedzie trzeba robic jutro, wiec jestem kupiony tym albumem, nie dodaje poszczegolnych trakow na plejke, bo z elektronicznej i tak rzadko kiedy slucham, ale caly album leci do biblioteczki spotifajowej, jak tak pomysle to calkiem sporo francuzkiej elektroniki mi podchodzi, patrzac nie tylko przez pryzmat listy, ale bardziej ogolnie, przypadek, nie sadze

Ooh, spacey, I like it. A trippy, elegant, slightly eerie electronic odyssey. It makes me want to go star gazing. Fave Songs: Oxygène (Part II), Oxygène (Part IV), Oxygène (Part VI)

Hypnotizing synth soundscapes. The sound design is immaculate on this and while the songs aren't traditionally structured or catchy, I was really captivated by this.

Gah, this rules. Best Carl Sagan-core album I’ve ever heard? Maybe. 4

Love this. I need to listen to it more - went through a stage of listening to all his stuff in the late 90s.

I can respect the pioneering work in electronic music with this album. I give it 4 stars for this reason.

Oxygène Pt 2 i Pt 4 són dos dels millors temes de la protoelectrònica, i el segon d'ells podria entrar en un Top del millor que va donar la música popular als '70. El disc en sí és el pic de creativitat de Jarre i obté un lloc merescut a la llista de discos que s'han d'escoltar abans de morir.

Impossible not to imagine a video game loading screen while listening to this. Dude, they should put the "Minecraft: Volume Alpha Soundtrack" in the next edition of this book. Think about it. Video game music is still music and the Minecraft OST is better than like 80% of the music on this list anyways. Did you know that the Minecraft soundtrack takes some inspiration from Jean-Michel Jarre? Me neither, but apparently it does. Listen to the Minecraft soundtrack if you haven't yet, you won't regret it. It's genuinely beautiful. Oh yeah. This album. It's surprisingly really good. Maybe the songs go on for a bit too long. I recognize "Oxygène, Pt. 4" from Limmy's Show.

Really nice electronic album. Was it a bunch of analog synths? Sounded like an 80s movie soundtrack.

Música electrónica ambiental. Está bien para trabajar con ella. Un 4.

The future is here! Definitely flew its own lane, and stuck to it. Track 4 I had surprisingly heard before, and therefore, the human mind being what it is, was my favourite. 4* as I will listen again when doing stuff that I want to feel futuristic whilst doing.

It's pretty good

Vibin

Jag likt hej vad uppe hallå!

Incredible ambient piece from an artist I've never heard of before.

This has way more similarity to both Jeff Wayne's War of The Worlds and Wendy Carlos' Clockwork Orange soundtrack than I remembered. The influences of both are clear, and while there is vast amounts of this album that is theramin and plinky-plonk heavy, it is clear that there's a lot of visionary stuff in it. I'd be genuinely interested in finding out if Jarre had any contact with the BBC radiophonic workshop or Carlos, as it really sounds like there's been a lot of cross-pollination.

Vraiment un nice album. En lisant sur l'artiste j'ai appris qu'il est un pionier de l'electro et on voit clairement pourquoi. Définitivement à revisiter.

Gets my vote for "pretty cool". A smidge dated in spots, but it made my night flight to Nashville a bit more entertaining and, in spots, spooky. Held my attention while not being the center. Really enjoyed this one. Favorite tracks: "Pt. 1", "Pt. 2"

It’s hard for me to evaluate this without thinking about what I was listening to in 1976: Genesis? Steeley Dan? Punk hadn’t hit Sudbury yet. The more beat oriented tracks on this LP wouldn’t have sounded out of place in the 90s. As they say, it was an influential release. I’ll add a point for that reason, but I like it because songs/hooks are catchy.

I didn't really need to listen to this seminal electronic album from the 70s because I think I've already listened to it a thousand times over the past 45 years. But it never gets old for me so it was a nice refresher over breakfast. Some of the early moog effects such as the laser beam pew pew and ocean sounds are cringe-worthy today, but back in the day this was a really groundbreaking futuristic sound. Along with his peers such as Mike Oldfield and Tangerine Dream, Jarre was on the forefront of electronic music and would go on to influence numerous other electronic bands and what you kids know as EDM. Jarre's sound evolved over the next few albums and his best work was yet to come with Equinoxe, Zoolook and the Concert in China but the ground-breaking influence of this album cannot be denied.

Perhaps a bit dated compared to today's standards, but it's certainly ahead of it's time. I would have never guessed this album was 45+ years old. This is essentially just one long song (or two, really) separated into 6 tracks. It feels very much like a sci-fi movie soundtrack, which I like. An undoubtedly influential piece of music. I'll be revisiting this one!

For what it is, this is really good. Better than Kraftwerk. Reminded me of Plantasia. The first song was a bit slow, but after that it never relented. Great album.

Oxygene 4 literally

My favorite purely electronic album has a beautiful sense of melody that modern bands like Aphex Twin lack as do contemporaries like Tangerine Dream. Smoke a joint, turn the lights low and be transported to wherever you let the music take you. 4.5 🌟

Bells

// Favs: Pt. 2 / Pt. 3 / Pt.5 Score: Light to Decent 4

In its time this would have been ground-breaking and a clear 5 for being utterly new and different. Out of context in the modern day when a child with a bit of software could do this, it's slightly less impressive and I find myself rating it purely on composition and production. Still a great listen from time to time when you need ambient electronic tunes without lyrics whilst working. Pt4 is my favourite, though that might be a British thing having grown up hearing it in every seaside arcade for my entire life. I'll definitely continue to listen to this in future.

Pretty techno-y, dug the vibe. Solid listen. 4.5

Another one I know is classic, but have never knowingly listened to. I think there is one track I know, but I'll have to wait and see. A minute in, and this could go Kraftwerk, or could be terrible. Love me some fake singing saw though! At 4:30 on part one it feels a lot like Wendy Carlos' sublime music from A Clockwork Orange. Oxygene 2 has a little more life to it, though it carried on so much I did stop listening in parts - probably more my barbaric ears than a failure of composition. Oxygene 3 opens quite dramatically. But doesn't go anywhere especially, though it is only short. Oxygene 4 is the one I know! When I was growing up in the 80s I think it was the standard piece of music you'd use to immediately signify THE FUTURE. I still like it! Oxygene 5 appears to be like an overture, revisiting the record so far, which was... Okay I suppose? And 6 was pretty dull. All in all, a pleasant surprise. Lots to like here, and an impressive achievement in 1976. Will I revisit it as much as I do Kraftwerk? No, but it was pretty good nonetheless.

Unieke sound die veel moderne muziek heeft beïnvloed. Met wat inlevingsvermogen kun je je in een andere wereld wanen. Leuk album, maar net niet het maximum van de score

Music to overdose to.

2001: A Space Odyssey

Great chill or work music

great atmosphere, progressive futuristic spacey mood with seamless transitions between songs to make one cohesive experience. Didn't completely blow me away (most likely because i've already listened to so much modern electronic music) but it's easy to get sucked into the world of this album and it's creation is truly impressive. 3.5-4/5

beep boop noises

Can absolutely see how this paved the way for a lot modern day electronics. Despite and impending sense of dread, this album is quite impressed. Ambient, atmospheric and exceptionally modern for its age.

Great sound, impossible not to get sucked in. It's funny listening to the laser and bomb-drop whistle sound effects now but I think they date it without making it too cheesy. Definitely makes me wanna dust off the old Casio. Made great use of stereo sound too, if a little overplayed. You can hear where so many artists like daft punk, Robert Miles and Ross Gellar got their inspiration.

Space Elevator music

I really liked this album

Great record, still got the vinyl somewhere.

estilo mike oldiedl la 4 la mejor

Agradable como fondo musical. Vanguardista y lleno de matices.

1976, instrumental, Electronica, New Age, Ambient, Pop, oxygène pt. 1-6, Übergänge 10/10, 5 ist trippy, nice, ganzes Album trippy, könnte Soundtrack für einen ruhigen science-fiction Film sein (2001-mäßig), seichte 4

Wonderful instrumental music. Synth-heavy with a retro-futuristic vibe

Such a cool album! Didn't know this kind of music was around in the 70s. Clearly a hugely influential artist!

Very good instrumental music. Part 4 is the best by far thought.

Electronic synth oddyssey, it’s very atmospheric (makes sense given the name!) and otherworldly. There’s a panning wind-sound on a few tracks, and theramin on part 3.. Apparently he did a ton of soundtrack work which makes a ton of sense. Part 1 is a little slow, it’s an alright intro, but it’s not really until part 2 that things pick up. Not sure how listening to tracks individually would be but I really enjoyed this as a 40 minute experience. Part 2 is a bop, 3 is fun, 4 I’m on the fence with, 5 I loved the 2nd half but thought the first half was just ok, and part 6 had a fun neo-noir video game vibe.

Love this. Probably prefer Zoolook a little more.

spacey, vangelis like.

It takes a while to warm into this - the first few tracks sound very basic and almost comical to 21st century ears - but as we go on you can hear just how much music of the last 50 years used this as its template.

6/10 VERY atmospheric. I'd say some awesome backround music for maybe gaming or even reading

I’m not at all surprised that this guy was a soundtrack composer before this album. Despite how much the 70s loved to imagine it, it’s a bummer that the actual future hasn’t contained more synth organ (yet).

Of course everyone knows 'Part 4' from the massive European hit and from those concerts where he projected stuff onto buildings. The rest is ok. Pretty chill. And very good on noise cancelling headphones for a 50 minute tube ride across London! (Listens : 2)

Its nice. 3/5.

No takie normalne. Fajne plumkanie w tle, ale nic się z tego nie zapamięta.

Synth music

I liked the Moscow concert video

Weird ambient nonsense that was enjoyable enough. Not sure I'd spin it up for my own personal glee by I sure didn't mind it on a rainy summer morning.

Interesting enough without ever really hooking me for a second listen. RYM: N Saved a song: N

Rätt cool bakgrundsmusik!

Early electronic music. I can dig it. There’s nothing that’s mind blowing about it but there’s a groove to some of it. What’s missing is a pulsing beat to make it better. But this is good in an elevator Muzak kind of way. Put it on in the background it doesn’t interfere with anything. It’s like a the for father to Vangelis.

First listen

Never listened. Expectations: None - Verdict: Very Good - It's certainly very pretty. This album comes at a perfect time as I am just falling down the rabbit hole of synthesisers. This is a great early example of what can be achieved with them. This album has too much going on to be considered ambient but it definitely has elements of that otherworldly beauty. I really enjoyed this one.

Cool synth songs, would be great background music for an aquarium

At least now I understand a joke on Peep Show.

Cynical response: this feels like Jarre bought *Wish You Were Here*, was really into the "Shine On" suite, and decided to make his own, only longer. Less cynical response: this feels like Jarre is using similar tools to make something more alternatingly ethereal and dancefloor-focused; *Tubular Bells* is as big an influence here. Nothing about this really reached out and grabbed me but I respect its historical value and found it generally enjoyable.

6/10

Pretty cool album. Oddly reminded me of video game music. Parts 3 and 5 were my favorites. 6.1/10

Nok den mest cool CD i min fars samling da jeg var barn

Like cars, the germans did it better (especially Kraftwerk) Definitely, not bad. It's atmospheric and moody and shit, but not exciting.

Wow, synth galore. A lot warmer than Kraftwerk for sure, with more gentle soundscapes. Like video game music in a way... driving and energetic but full of focus. Wikipedia said there was some influence on Hans Zimmer which I can totally hear in some of the larger synth-style strings orchestrations. Not something I'd return to but neat to listen to once.

A fun demonstration of a synthesized sound: not unpleasant but, for me, not especially compelling either. It reminds me of Mort Garson’s contemporaneous work, Plantasia, although reading about the influence of Oxygène, I can see this album made it onto the list. I can hear the influence of other artists I love, including YMO and later works by Brian Eno, even if I don’t love Jarre’s music quite as much.

Unfortunately I think the “ambient” genre loses merit the further we are succumbed to AI created music or AI assisted production software. That being said, it was good to listen to this older release. I enjoyed the whole thing. It’s nice to have another ambient artist besides Mike Oldfield to look for in the record store now.

Extra-terrestrial booty call music. Fun beeps and boops. Like an extended version of the intro to "To The Moon And Back" by Savage Garden. I liked it, is what I'm saying. Prolly 3.5 stars.

me likey

I got abducted by aliens for 40 minutes

My understanding is that this album is quite influential as a 70s electronic act. It was interesting, but didn't do much to engage me as a first time listener in 2026.

🌕🌕🌕🌑🌑 Really interesting and fun—not to mention referenced so many times by artists I love that it felt instantly familiar—but not something I see myself returning to. As dynamic as the musicianship is, the music itself doesn't feel all that dynamic to me. If I were to return to it, I'd check out 4, 5, or 2, though—maybe I just wasn't in the right mood for them. 1: Bad | 2: Okay, No Desire to Revisit | 3: Good, Conditionally (OR Inconsistent Mix of Qualities) | 4: Great (OR Technically amazing but missing the sauce emotionally) | 5: Amazing

Pleasant and ponderous

A symphony written for the 20th century. It's OK but sounds of it's time. Personally I think it a little boring

It’s not bad but it just makes me want to put on Brian Eno. Too cheesy, World of Tomorrow energy

Good for what it is but not something I’d regularly turn on

Good vibes for my cycle to work

Oxygen.

Nice relaxing listen

This is good, definitely cutting edge at the time. Not my type as much but I caught the vibe of it. Might get up to a 4 if I listened in the right circumstances

Relaxing parts I and II. Familiar part IV. Superior to muzak but not that interesting and does sound dated. 2.7.

Where would montages be without No 4? I was wrong to think the rest of the album would be a dull. Quite an interesting listen although can't picture me having another listen

Solid ambient album, enjoyed it a lot, will come back to it.

# Album Name: Oxygene # Artist: Jean-Michel Jarre # Rating: 3/5 # Comments: For the time, id imagine people were blown away by this. Not a bad listen. Couple of decent tracks. # Top Tunes: IV # Would I listen to it again? No

***An easy listening, instrumental album

Makes me feel like I'm in a spa

interesting, nice for background music, propably won't listen to again

His "first album not intended as a soundtrack", and yet it's perfect 70's sci-fi soundtrack music. It's an interesting, trippy and moody record, but certainly requires a specific setting to thoroughly enjoy.

What in the 1970s Syfy adventure action montage scene music is this???

Nice ambient music (love it!) still has a 70's electronica vibe, but is cool.

Didn’t think I’d like this over the whole course of the album, but it was actually very creative. Part four is particularly appealing.

I get how it fits into the history, both of electronic music, and the pop music of the 80s and beyond, and I get how it inspired so much that followed, but there’s a slightly cheesy pomp and extravagance to Jean-Michel Jarre that you don’t necessarily associate with the likes of Kraftwerk, Vangelis, Mike Oldfield, Tangerine Dream, etc. His music seems to lean more into the smooth, pop direction than the experimental dabblings of his peers, but I guess that’s what makes this an influential record in that it kind of bridges a gap. I don't feel compelled to listen to anything else by Jean-Michel Jarre, but I'm glad I listened to this.

It does seem incredible that this album came out in the late 70s. As such it is undoubtedly innovative. Parts of it I really love, it also makes me want to re-watch Gallipoli. Not an album I would necessarily choose to listen to but it's hard not to listen all the way through once started, which must say something.

Oxygene, Pt.4

1. 3 2. 2 3. 2 4. 3 5. 2 6. 2

When I was a kid I used to like to stare into the old 90s screensavers for a really long time. I had hoped if I watched long enough I would get of that silly maze and into a new realm. Or the crazy floating shape would untangle itself. For better or worse that’s what I got when listening to this album. Very relaxing under the guise of endless monotony.

Fue una experiencia rara la verdad, al principio no me gustó pero el viaje psicodélico que me pegaron se sintió genial.

cinematic

Honestly hasn't aged too well but an early electronic banger! 3/5

I don’t think I can judge this album. It was ambient, transcendental, futuristic….and the entire time I was hearing HAL 9000 asking, “what are you doing Phil?” …and I was afraid the airlock was going and I was going to be sucked into Jupiter. Again, context is everything: this was France in the 1970s (man, Europe in the 1970s!!) This was pioneering stuff. The song Oxygene was good; but the song Oxygene was a little too mellow for my tastes. Luckily the song Oxygene kicked it back up again before Oxygene took me home. I legit don’t know how to judge this one. Historical: yep. Different: yep. Listen again: I don’t know.

Ta muzyka mnie przerasta. Mam wrażenie, że lubią to tylko nasi rodzice. To, co nadrobiła dla elektroniki Bjork, stracił Jarre. Nuda, powtarzalność i brak duszy. 5/10.

Ah yes, from Pure Moods.

Interesting, but much of the same, although I’m sure that was the point

Cool vibe. Enjoyed it Standout songs: Oxygene P5

Good

Futuristic sounding even now

Confusing isn’t it, listening to what the future sounded like in the past. Are we now in that future, with bombs raining down on Iran it certainly doesn’t feel like this album? Maybe it sounded like this on Artemis. [NB: This review will age as badly)

This probably sounded futuristic at the time, but now sounds dated, which I think makes it more charming - like watching an old sci-fi B-movie.

For my money, there’s a fine line between vintage synths that sound charmingly retro and ones that sound dated and corny, and unfortunately I found a lot of the lead synths on this album to be the latter. I did like this album overall.

Thought I was going to hate this and I can now say that I did not hate it. Pt. 4 is a banger

Unimaginative titling, but ok.

Through its description I wanted to give this a higher rating, but the new age lean made some of the moments a bit cheesy. The high pitched synth, the bossa nova claves... It's just all a bit dated now. But still nice to put on when working. 3.3/5 -> 3/5

This album really calls into question how the criteria for inclusion are weighted on this list. As a synthpop fan so much of the music I love simply wouldn’t exist without Oxygene to pave the way. But it’s experimental and quite dated. All of the theremin and bloops and buzzes make it sound like 50’s scifi.

This reminds me of Gabe’s soundscapes in The Office. I could go on a drive in a hover car with this on repeat

One review on the 1001 Albums site calls this “fancy hold music,” which is funny and not entirely unfair — and also undersells what Jarre actually accomplished here. Oxygène is six continuous pieces of almost entirely synthesized atmosphere, built in 1976 from analog equipment that had barely existed a decade earlier. The fact that it holds together as coherently and musically as it does is genuinely impressive given the tools available. What stands out most is the architectural layering. Individual parts surface, claim attention, and then recede back into the broader texture in a way that feels compositional rather than accidental. Jarre is treating the mix itself as an instrument — a kind of interplay that rewards close listening even in the absence of drums, guitars, or any conventional song structure. For a record with no traditional groove anchors, it moves with surprising intention. The production is immaculate, which perhaps becomes slightly easier when you’re not wrestling with a live rhythm section. But that observation doesn’t diminish the craft — it just reframes it. This is a different kind of musicianship, patient and architectural, more concerned with atmosphere and space than momentum and feel. It’s not a record that generates deep personal connection, and the “fancy hold music” joke lands because there’s a kernel of truth in it. But there’s a difference between music that recedes into the background and music that was thoughtfully designed to breathe. Oxygène is the latter — and that’s worth acknowledging even if it doesn’t quite earn a four. A high three. Respected, admired, and best appreciated on a good pair of headphones with nowhere urgent to be.

As electronica goes, this is certainly very accessible. And I imagine it was quite innovative in its time, which is probably why it still holds up today.

What an odd but interesting album. I enjoyed it but it was different in a good way

Met mijn beperkte kennis van het genre zou ik dit omschrijven als een wat laffere Vangelis. Wel geinig dat hij zulke ruimtereismuziek in 1976 in z'n appartement heeft kunnen maken. En track 4 (Oxygene, Pt. 4) ken ik zowaar, maar tot grote ergernis van mezelf weet ik niet waarvan precies. Ik dacht van TelSell. Ik google TelSell, blijkt dat die echt gisteren ofzo failliet zijn gegaan. Toch nog iets wat deze rating memorabel maakt. Ik vind zo'n zweefalbum altijd best wel leuk. Ik weet alleen niet of hier hierbij zo hard zou moeten persen dat ik er meer dan 3 sterren uit kan halen. Ik denk het niet eigenlijk.

Songs were a little long, but this is relatively inoffensive background music. Top 1001 albums of all time? Idk about that. I feel like I'm Ryan Gosling in space, this was chillllllllll

Starts out exceptionally dull, but then at about the 90-second mark of Pt. 2, you start levitating out of the chair until you reach outer space and meet some Andromedan, who invite you onto their ship to show you the cosmos via a segment not too dissimilar to a DK Eyewitness Intro, then ends pretty dull.

I guess somebody had to make music for coding on a monochrome CRT terminal

This would probably be a super interesting listen for a guy who knows about old hardware etc, but that’s not me. I wish it was! Extra star from a different version of myself who is like “Wow imagine how he did this!”

Smooth listening

Helt ok, inte riktigt min smak men ändå fin att lyssna på. Kände igen en del men långt ifrån allt. Förstår att albumet var banbrytande för sin tid men nu känns det kanske lite meeeh....

Sci-fi-esque ambience that I did not expect to like at all. Honestly, it was pretty good. 3.5/5

= The Beatles Continues to prove the French have the best electronic music, even when it's just elevator music

I saw “ambient” and immediately assumed boredom. Almost didn't listen past the first song but Im glad i did because it either really grew on me or it evolved into some sort of soundtrack and the melodies and instrumentation started to become interesting. Always listen, always give it a chance. 6.5/10

Cited by many as a real pioneer in electronic music. Think I've glanced over this before, but fun to put ones teeth into it! My initial thoughts after listening to this, is that it must have been quite revolutionary in '76, but has definitely lost some of its flair. If you for example compare it to Kraftwerk, this feels like it has aged much better. This album leans heavily on big reverbs and ambient soundscapes, something which is still very relevant in today's electronic music. In addition, this album feels more orchestral than relying on specific blip blop sounds. In the end this is a nice mellow album which puts you in a certain mood of mystery and suspense. With its 39 minute runtime you can either listen to it in the background or focused in a sitting. Personally I found the album as a whole a bit too relaxed and tame. I'm missing some excitement.

Meh.

You just know plants and trees love this album. Album cover is cool.

It's 39 minutes of electronica soundscapes. Not bad to work to, and much pleasanter than some of the other electronica I've heard. And so while it's not bad, the ceiling for these things is a 3/5 when it's done well, which is what it gets.

Mais legal do que eu achei que seria

Funky space music. Reminds me of space mountain

airy. whimsical. etheral.

solid ambient electronica stuff

Innovative but not entirely listenable on its own merits.

One of those albums I always saw everywhere and always wondered what it sounded like. It was a nice listen. Another warm sounding album from the ‘70s even with all electronic instruments. I wonder what it would sound like on psilocybin or LSD? Now I’m curious to hear his other albums.

Nowadays, some of this feels almost like pastiche. You could imagine it soundtracking a 'Look Around You' style public education film spoof. For all that though, it's still pretty cool. Impressive in that era of home-brewed analogue synths. You can spot in certain moments, production techniques that were still being plundered to great effect by house music producers a good 10 - 20 years later.

It’s fine ambient music j guess.

For no lyrics and just pure beats and synths.. pretty good!! The cohesiveness of the album, one song playing into the other with no real end was also very intriguing and interesting! While listening with headphones, the album did really ear-gasmic things to me, fading in from one ear to the other while somehow tickling my brain? Had to favorite the first two tracks, Pt.1 and Pt.2.. Added to my library!

Very atmospheric, very chill. Fully see why some fall into it and find it relaxing and a great album. Probably would have been better if had taken others advice and not listened first thing in the morning. As I found it a bit of a chore, a little boring, a bit like a prescribed mindfulness activity, and I don’t tend to enjoy those when made to participate, an occupational hazard. But I can appreciate this is a statement piece, an important electronic music album and obviously know part 4 and that it, the album should at least be heard. 3 Star

One Great tune doesn’t make a great record.

Que se yo, puedo entender por qué está acá pero no me dice mucho, el primer tema parece la intro de un spinoff de Doctor Who que no termina de arrancar, Oxygène pt 5 y 6 tan buenas. Se puede dejar de fondo tranca o para un rol espacial. Sape

Pretty cool. Basically the Stranger Things soundtrack in 1976.

A mood album, not something I'd listen to much of, but found it interesting enough

- Deezer has this album listed as coming out in 2011, which was very confusing at first. I was thinking "this is nothing special, why are there so many sci-fi blaster sound effects, what's going on" until I looked it up on wikipedia and saw it came out in the 70s, which was mind-blowing - I think of this album as more of a showcase of what this person was able to do with synthesizers rather than an album someone might listen to from start to finish. the songs (or movements, if you will) aren't very distinct from each other, and there's a bit of fatigue that comes from hearing what's essentially the first few minutes of Pink Floyd's "Shine On You Crazy Diamond pt 1" for a solid 20-30 minutes before anything else happens - I recognize the innovation and how influential this must have been across the music sphere when it came out, but ultimately it's not very engaging to listen to on its own

Album 30 Top 3 favorites off the album: Oxygène, Pt. 5; Oxygène, Pt. 6; Oxygène, Pt. 1 Okay, this one started and I immediately thought of the Nintendo DS homescreen music. Holy nostalgia, Batman! This album has a cool sound (temperature-wise). Part of pt. 1 has sounds like guinea pigs. I'm consistently surprised by how much I've enjoyed the electronic music on here. I'm not mad about it. Just not something I expected to occur. This was funny to me to review because it's in parts, so I get to rearrange the numbers how I want. It's not *funny* funny, it's really only funny to me. 5 is 1, 1 is 3, it's like a big electronic music salad. Yum.

cool ambient music that makes me feel like I am floating in space

I'd like to welcome the newest member of 1001 Albums That Are Good But It's Fine If You Never Hear Them list. It's a fine album but it feels like the soundtrack to an old sci-fi TV show or some lost Doctor Who episodes.

Cool sci-fi ambient

Relaxing

I put this album on right as I was about to start building a bookshelf. I immediately realized it was actually a dresser, and not a bookshelf, which makes it useless. I respect the craft on display here, and the music is very pretty; it just also doesn't do a whole lot for me. Strictly instrumental ambient electronic music can be a mixed bag for me sometimes, and this album just sits in a bit of a difficult space for me personally: it sounds like if someone puts Animusic on .25 speed (this is not really a critique, Animusic is rad). I appreciate it as a bit of dramatic ambient music, and it certainly is a really compelling and ethereal vibe, but there are simply other albums in a similar realm to this one which I latch onto more than Oxygène. Certain bits of this album click for me really well, when more instrumentation kicks in and the songs progress a bit more, but certain parts just go on a bit longer than I would like. I'm sure I will like this more the familiar I get with it, but for now it's a pretty solid vibe. Highlights: Oxygène Pt. 2, Oxygène Pt. 4

It's hard to listen to this album 50 years after it was released and fully appreciate how different and polarizing it was, at least for a lot of music critics who rebelled against its clinical style, yet was warmly embraced by literally millions of fans within a few years of its international release. I can see why people called it the French version of Mike Oldfield's earlier "Tubular Bells" album, but it feels like a very different heritage, and certainly a much different legacy as an early and very successful synthesizer album. It doesn't do much for me, but I suspect that's as much a result of Jarre's imprint on a large swath of later movie soundtracks and electronica albums, so that this doesn't sound all that interesting or different, in a way. But either way, it's very impressive that he cobbled together all the instruments and machines with very limited funds, and even built his own studio in his kitchen. And given the success of this album (apparently over 18 million albums sold worldwide), I can see why Chris Blackwell (of Island Records) considered turning down Jarre's album for his label one of the two great mistakes of his career (apparently the other was turning down Elton John's debut album). I also love it that the percussion beats in various tracks of this album were achieved by using adhesive tape on a drum machine's preset keys to get two styles at once (e.g. Part VI uses "rhumba" and "bossa nova", to great (and cheesy) effect).

Good vibes. Nothing standout.

This flows like a river, a river that will eventually hit a dam. 3/5

Turned out better than I expected. Listened to it while working, and made good focus music. Very sci-fi and spacy, but doesn't hammer you over the head with it. It just kinda exists in that space. It was good enough to listen to the whole album.

Atmosphere setting for sure, it's both haunting and slightly uplifting at times. I really wonder how an album like this turned out to be such a huge hit in the 70's, it's good music but not necessarily mass appeal. That said, it does sound more accessible than a Klaus Schulze or Tangerine Dream. The relative accessibility does hurt it a bit for me, it doesn't go all that crazy and it feels like the rest of the album is just the build up and comedown for the popular part IV.

Video game music, but not bad to listen to. Favorite track was pt. 5

It's hard to know what to do with album's like this. It's a famously pioneering record and it inspired a lot of amazing music, but a lot of it didn't click for me. Maybe that's the nature of proto albums like this when it's a genre you're not huge into. Still had some great moments on it and it's so clearly on the cutting edge forn it's time, so in conclusion: It was okay.

This was good background music while I worked. I feel like this is the 10th album in a row that I'm giving a 3, which feels weird but truly none of them have stood out to me.

Good background music, very synthy 70's style. Could be movie soundtrack.

I get why it’s on the list but it was quite boring by today’s standards

I know from my husband that this was important at the time, but for now I have to say that it sounds awfully tinkly toonkly.

Ok, but quite boring (in my mind)

Ballt att detta kom 76, men jag tröttnar ganska snabbt tyvärr.

it was ok

eu não sou a maior fã de música eletrônica; eu pensei que ia ser só barulhos de fundo, em que você não presta muita atenção, mas com o tempo eu fui vendo o meu foco voltando para o álbum. acho que foi o primeiro desse gênero que eu gostei.

Pretty crazy for the 70s, but overall it's just fine

I've never listened to this album (81).

This was nice to read to!

Se escuchó mucho en su época, pero ha quedado superado.

Pretty cool for it to be 1976 it must have been way ahead of its time. All said and done not my thing but its pretty good and almost like an evolution for classical music.

3 I’m not normally much of a fan of ambient electronic music (or most ambient music for that matter), but there was something about this I kind of dug. I think it’s because it reminded me of the old PlayStation games I grew up on, with a splash of Scooby-Doo and the Cyber Chase mixed in for good measure (which in of itself was inspired by the same era of gaming). So, I guess you could say nostalgia is playing a factor in my rating, though this came out a good 25 years before any of those memories were formed - which, to this album’s credit, is very impressive. It definitely feels ahead of its time, so I can see why it would end up on a list like this. To put into perspective, this came out the same year that AC/DC, Boston, and The Ramones all released their debut albums. Granted, this isn’t really better than any of those per se, but I think the point still stands. It’s hard for me to comment on any one moment in particular given this whole album is really just one long song, but as far as 39-minute tracks go, this certainly could be a lot worse. There’s an immersive, sci-fi sort of aura to it that’s pleasant on the ears and changes up consistently enough to keep things interesting, so I can’t say that I have any complaints. It certainly didn’t wow me in any sort of way, and I can’t say I would go out of my way to listen again, but I certainly wouldn’t complain if I did. Keeping with the video game theme, I could see this being a vibe if I were playing a game like Mass Effect or Cyberpunk. Unfortunately for Jean-Michel, I’m still playing Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3+4, and I’m pissed off at the government (fuck ICE), so punk’s staying in the rotation for now.

Really cool album. I liked this much more than I expected to. Really pioneered this sound and I could see myself listening to this again. Love how cinematic it is.

Me when the album sounds like every arcade game soundtrack ever but is actually the driving force behind the sound that I've known for my entire life: hey wait this sounds like every arcade game soundtrack ever

7/10 Favourite: Pt. 2 Least Favourite: Pt. 3

It's like I'm in an old sci-fi film or KSP. As background music its fine but it isn't anything I'd revisit

fills me with a meticulous amount of power

I don't think it's particulary incredible by any means, but given this was 1976, he was way ahead of the electronic boom. I can see how electronic music was inspired by this work. Chapeau

Pretty cool. Sounds like ambient but not exactly ambient. It fills the same "music to study to" niche.

2.5

The air was stagnant and the theremin was wacky. 5/10

It would have been cool to hear this when it came out.

trippy

Good background noise to accompany tedious work

Influential but also boring in parts.

Interesting synth music that reminded me of the background music for the 'Birth of the Universe' exhibit at the planetarium. Now we just need to see if Neil deGrass Tyson is available to do the voiceover.

This is a good one for background music. I can see why it is highly regarded. Feels like a movie film score. However, I would not put this at the top of my list for anything other than an option for classroom work music.

Despite everyone saying we should all know Oxygène 4 , ( which I somehow saved in Spotify too) I have never heard of him. I may revisit this at night but so far it was just okay.

I didn't know if I was floating in water or space but it was pretty. I listened to the second half on my way home in the snow and it helped keep me calm

Had Stranger Things taken place in the 70’s, this might be its soundtrack. This album is definitely a precursor to the synth drenched 80’s. As a whole listening experience, I enjoyed it. I like ambient a lot but it doesn’t hold the emotional power of more flushed out traditional song compositions. Hearing this as a forbearing of things to come, I love it. 3.5

I definitely had song #4 on a Pure Moods cd I owned in college lol. This was cool and ethereal and something I would’ve loved back then. And I still like these sounds, but this wouldn’t be a go-to for me now.

3.0 It's an interesting concept, and I'm sure it was in 1976, but I think it's been done much better in various different guises since. Still, if it helped reinforce this style of synth music then fair play. 2 for actual music, 4 for it's legacy

Very interesting to read about. It was a decent listen, better the second time. I don't know enough about electronic music to appreciate its place in it. Rating: 2.8

Interesting zen type instrumental music.

Du classique. Excellent a l'époque

Very much ambient, very much background music.

For what it is, this is fine.

This was pleasant and a little hypnotic.

not my vibe and too long for a song

Kinda chill ambient house music. Cool that it’s from the 70s. Good background music

Favorite Track: Oxygène, Pt. 4

Waren interessante Sounds dabei, aber ist glaube ich eher so ein Kopfhörer-Album für die Couch und dieses Setting war mir gestern leider nicht vergönnt. D Grundsätzlich würde ich aber sagen, dass der Song-konzentrierte Sound von Kraftwerk mir etwas besser taugt. Man merkt der Platte ihr Alter schon an.

Das Konzept geht mir auf. Es trifft nur nicht ganz meinen Kunstgeschmack. Lieber lautere Kunst - wobei ich dann eigentlich nur am Lautstärkeknopf drehen müsste…

War cool, aber auch seeeeehr special, mit wenig "Relistenability".

I enjoyed learning about this artist as a world I feel like I knew nothing about before. I can see how this would have made a huge impact when it first came out in the 70's. Feels very much like "music from the future". However now 55 years later, it still sort of feels like it's trying a little to hard to be cutting edge. I find this more interesting than if is enjoying. I feel like the compositions are a little too simple and there's just not quite enough there to feel all that emotionally intrigued by it. Enjoyed the history lesson and the lore, but the musical product not as much.

Sounds like a striped tshirt rolled a croissant and smoked it.

I'm sure the album is great but the genre isn't for me. Interesting background noise but not engaging for active listening.

Amazing to learn about this pioneering artists. Easy to hear the influence on modern electronic music.

не напряг но слушать фоновую музыку сама всё ещё бы не стала

Really felt like oxygene, giving live but causing fires as well.

The in sound from way out, the future is the past is the future is the beginning is the end is the beginning, and this was before Jarre was rocking out on a goddamn laser harp... *pew pew sounds*

A bit of a weird one. Overall I liked it. It reminds me a lot of Pink Floyd and I'd say for 1975 this feels ahead of its time. Though, it's probably not for everyone. Good for lyricless music to work or study to, but I'm certainly not running to tell everyone about it.

Maybe this guy walked so that Daft Punk could fly, idk.

I actually liked this album quite a bit. I could see how this was a building block that led to music I give 4s and 5s like Daft Punk. This album walked so that the Tron soundtrack could fly.

It's very synth heavy. Feels like the soundtrack to some sci-fi / fantasy movie from the 70's or 80's. It was released in 1976, and strangely it's the only album he made that was not a soundtrack (and was also his most successful album). I can see how it would influence future artists (maybe Air?). Also interesting to learn that Jarre has done massive performances in some very iconic places around the world, including several that broke Guinness records (3.5 million people in Moscow!).

I can appreciate the influence this must have had at the time, and parts of it remind me of Bladerunner or Big Trouble in Little China's soundtracks. But, it's ultimately background music.

Can squint and see where Air or Royksopp came from, but mostly felt like a background soundtrack to a foreign version of Tron.

Oxygène, Pt. 4 is that surreal music on Soccer AM. FINALLY FOUND IT. On the album though, I'm sure it's good, but it's really not my bag. Nice soundscape-y vibe and does feel a bit ahead of its time, but it's so far before my time it's hard to judge contextually. Gives off film soundtrack vibes - quite atmospheric.

It progresses very slowly, but somehow there's tension that keeps it from getting boring. Favorite song: part 5.

I think my score would be higher if I were to listen to it in the setting it deserves! Beautifully cinematic, before it's time but not sure it works in the car!

After the first tune, I knew I needed some chemical assistance. Properly medicated, I was able to take a load off and let the trippy tentacles take me on an interstellar journey. Give it to me straight, baby! Research after listening revealed a fascinating history. Certain an important album in the development of music that I was oblivious to before. Also, for whatever it is worth, my cats really seemed to like this one.

Fun album. Ambient at its finest.

Loved this when I was 12. Side one holds up pretty well, side two bit less interesting. Feels like I should be in a planetarium.

Ambient music isn't exactly my thing, but Oxygene Pt. 4 slaps pretty hard.

Lovely electronic sound. Doesn’t really go for distinct tracks instead just sort of vibes the whole way through

Very early electronica

75% Best: Oxygène, Pt. 2; Oxygène, Pt. 4 Must-Hear? Nah. There's nothing wrong with it, it just failed to completely grab my attention.

I find this kind of album a bit hard to rate, as I tend to just have it in the background while I'm doing something else. I quite liked it though, nice melodies in places and shimmering synths which create a chilled atmosphere

Pt. 1 // 3.5/5

Better synth music than some on here.

I only knowingly know *Pop Corn* by JMJ, and that famous track that I now learn is Pt. 4 here. The first half of the album was a bit slow to get going for me but the second half was really good. This feels like another album where 3 stars seems harsh but I’m not sure I want to give it 4 stars, at least not without further listens, so I’ll try and revisit in future and may upgrade. My wife commented that this sounded very 80s, so being released in 1976, perhaps it was ahead of its time.

its good, this is what electronic ambient should basically sound like typically. im feeling a 6/10 on this record

Good soundtrack or background music but fairly boring to listen to straight through.

Not for me

7.3

9/24/25. Somewhat ambient and cool, nice synths. The 4th track was definitely my favorite with the choice of rhythm.

Space rave music, yes please

That's definitely a lot of 70's synth

Слухав його якийсь час назад, може років 7 тому. Зараз сподобався більше, не здався таким нудним як минулий раз. Ембієнт частина сподобалась менше ніж частина з активним використанням синтів. Цікаво, як це з новаторської музики фактично перетворюється в ретро-футуризм.

Pretty cool music

Pretty cool sounding especially since it came out of the 70s.

Cool chill electronic music. I like the understated vibe and how it doesn't try to do too much. Favorite: Oxygene, Pt. 6

Not a while lot happening

Conal is right. Need a wee half rating

I do enjoy my atmospheric sci-fi soundtracks and can see why this would have been groundbreaking back in the 70s

I actually enjoyed this but I have no real urge to listen to it again. I like the bing, boing-boing bing bong song

Nothing extra

Autossa kuunnellen olisi ollut varmaankin 2/5, kotona 3/5. Tässä oli potentiaalia, soundit oli hyvät, mutta lähinnä toisti itseään.

As soon as Part IV started I recognised it. There’s something almost spooky and definitely a bit otherworldly about this album. Enjoyed it.

Interesting entry. It's a pretty cool demonstration of the synthesizer in what felt like a very outer space inspired album. It's not bad, but also not something I think I need outside of this list. I can see how this would have influenced other electronic artists and I can see why it makes the list even if it is a niche entry. I myself somewhat enjoyed the soundtrack of a trip to the planetarium in the 70's though I'm not sure I'll ever revisit it. 2.48 stars

hypnotic loops, and loops, and loops solid 7/10 - can appreciate how foundational this work is to the ambient genre also fun fact, jarre had one of the biggest concerts of all time - 3.5 million in Moscow!

Atmosphérique et baramine

Kinda cool, kind weird. Would be cool backing music to a night run or ride.

I wanted to hate this but I didn't

Groundbreaking electronica for respecting your time and staying under 40 minutes. It is kinda nice tho in a video game kinda way Will I listen to again: 10%

Angsty space lofi

Álbum interessante de música eletrônica conceitual/experimental. Celest Phoenixcall.

Interesting

Oxygene is certainly an interesting album. I wouldn't really call this an album per se rather i would say this is just one song split into 6 parts. The parts here do feel quite a bit different from each other but still feel cut from the same cloth. The biggest thing i could think of for what this song could fit into is a video game. This already reminds me of some video game sound like in Part 6, there is ambiance that really gives me The Legend OF Zelda: Ocarina Of Time vibes. There were a few instances where this album could get overly weird but it was still a fairly relaxing listen. I wouldn't say that this is great but i still found it to be a pretty decent listen. Best Song: Oxygene, Pt. 1 Worst Song: Oxygene, Pt. 4

Some cool beats on here. Kinda chill but good.

This album is a given inclusion on the list. Doesn’t mean I have to like it

It was an inoffensive listen, that was the determination my family made when we were making the drive to the grandparents house conveniently a half hour away. I think that it may have been notable in 1975 for the electronic nature of it but so many other synth heavy albums have come out in the past 50 years I don't know if this necessarily meets the criteria for 'must hear before I die'. Mort Garson's Music For Plants would come out the next year and I would put that on this list if it isn't already.

There is something funny to me in the fact that Oxygen, Pt. 4 has 8 times the listens as Pt. 3 or Pt. 5 and I don't know why. The album it self is really good, slow music that fits well in the background when relaxing at home.

While i found this a very interesting album and overall concept it wasn’t for me

Smoke a couple of fat doobies, dim the lights, put on the headphones and only then spin this disc…

2.5 stars

keseio

The last artist on this list to use a theramin I forgot to give props. So props for the theramin. This was like a trippy message from another dimension, but then it just kept repeating. 3.5

Really wanted to like this one, appreciate the representation, but I just did not. 2.8/5

No he escuchado a este señor en mi vida. Pues está bien. Muy icónico de una época. Supongo que ahora suena un poco inocente.

It’s good. Probably won’t listen again though.

Like it 3/5

Dreamy synth music of equal parts ambient, classical and future steering pop. This is exactly an album to hear before i die as its good and culturally significant for the music it spawned.

Not as good as Kraftwerk, and infinitely easier on the ear than Tangerine Dream. It takes itself very seriously but for one guy in his own makeshift studio in 1976 it is pretty innovative. For me there is too much phaser and flange, which makes it too swirly for me, especially on side one. Side two is better and Oxygène 5 is what Bolero would sound like if Maurice Ravel had a synth! I can’t do cosmic laser for 40 minutes, it makes my ears hurt, but there is nothing overly offensive about it. It just makes me think of a Vangelis soundtrack track. I get why it’s on the list, and its influence on electronica is evident, I just found it too space agey and naive. It is ultimately accessible though

Now this I can dance to!

Primera 1/2 del álbum malilla la vd. Segunda 1/2 bastante bien. No encaja con mi estilo actual de música. 6.5/10

Rating: 6/10 Has the possibility of being rated much higher or lower on repeated listens, sounds like I'm taking a journey through space. Very chill and ambient but not sure how it will hold up for repeated listens.

Not generally a fan of the ambiance albums but this has enough intricacy to be enjoyable for me. I can see myself playing this, as a chill background

Do I like space music? Maybe? Yes. I like space music. Warm and symphonic.

Didn't know they could make those sounds in 1976, definitely ahead of it's time. Felt like an attempt at something new. Like a proof of concept. Good beats

Of its time it would have been revolutionary, but sounds a little dated

Just ok, not spectacular. 6/10

This made me want to listen to Vangelis and Tangerine Dream

I can appreciate how groundbreaking this was at the time, a year before I was born, probably one of the first 'electronic landscapes' of its time. I remember hearing a lead-in to a JMJ live event that my Dad recorded off the radio in the 80's and being intrigued by it. However, at its worst, this album sounds like someone noodling around with the keyboard presets, especially the part in part 6 with the 'sonic beach' sounds. Pt 4 is the classic, but Pt 2 really enaged me the most. Solid background music, but feels cheesy in the modern era, unfortunately.

Favorite Track: Oxygene Pt. 2

Ahhh this brings back memories of listening Pure Moods.. I'll admit I did enjoy it. I also enjoyed some of the comments!

Sounded like a 70s sci fi film score.

For me, Soccer AM has forever ruined this pioneering landmark in synth music. If you know.... Great cover art. Amazing craft to create those dense sounds. Thank goodness I'm not sober!

One long space song.

It was interesting and futuristic and some nice melodies. I'm struggling to think of the situation or scenario where I would chose to put it on again. It's more like futuristic movie music than anything that would accompany my life, but it was well done for what it is.