Charles Aznavour ( AZ-nə-VOOR; French: [ʃaʁl aznavuʁ]; Armenian: Շահնուր Վաղինակ Ազնավուրյան; born Shahnur Vaghinak Aznavourian; 22 May 1924 – 1 October 2018) was a French singer and songwriter of Armenian descent. Aznavour was known for his distinctive vibrato tenor voice: clear and ringing in its upper reaches, with gravelly and profound low notes. In a career as a singer and songwriter, spanning over 70 years, he recorded more than 1,200 songs, in various languages. Moreover, he wrote or co-wrote more than 1,000 songs for himself and others. Aznavour is regarded as one of the greatest songwriters in history and an icon of 20th-century pop culture. Aznavour sang for presidents, popes and royalty, as well as at humanitarian events. In response to the 1988 Armenian earthquake, he founded the charitable organization Aznavour for Armenia along with his long-time friend, impresario Lévon Sayan. In 2008, he was granted Armenian citizenship and was appointed ambassador of Armenia to Switzerland the following year, as well as Armenia's permanent delegate to the United Nations at Geneva. One of France's most popular and enduring singers, he was dubbed France's Frank Sinatra, while music critic Stephen Holden described Aznavour as a "French pop deity". Several media outlets described him as the most famous Armenian of all time. Jean Cocteau, who cast him in his 1960 Le Testament d'Orphée, joked "Before Aznavour despair was unpopular". Between 1974 and 2016, Aznavour received around sixty gold and platinum records around the world. According to his record company, the total sales of Aznavour's recordings were over 180 million units. He started his last world tour in 2014. In 2017, Aznavour was awarded the 2,618th star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Later that year, he and his sister, Aida Aznavourian, were awarded the Raoul Wallenberg Award for sheltering Jews during World War II. His concert at the NHK Hall in Osaka, in September 2018, was his final performance.
How is there suddenly so many people finishing this list, cant keep up anymore 🥲 Oh this is amazing! Lol, Hier encore is everywhere
Charles Aznavour is one of the legends of the chason. Too bad my French is not good enough to fully appreciate the lyrics. He was often compared to Frank Sinatra. That is not fair as Aznavour also wrote the songs he sang. He was not only a singer, but also a songwriter and actor. Sinatra was the better actor though. Que c'est triste Venise contains the eponymous song which is a classic. It is a nice album, but not really my style to be honest.
Terrific! Never heard of this gentleman but this was très magnifique!
Wonderful master of chanson. So glad to finally have some of his work.
Wonderful!
Aznavour is unique!
Rating: 8/10 Best songs: Que c’est triste Venise, Je t’aimais tant, Le temps, Hier encore, Quand j’en aurai assez
I love listening to music from other countries I normally would never have been exposed to. I enjoyed this one a lot!
Pop, chanson, adult contemporary. Chanson francesa. Bien, aunque el vibrato que se asemeja a hacer gárgaras me pone un poco nervioso. Un 4, venga.
Maginifique, pass the brie and chablis, s'il vous plait, and put on one's beret. Great add to this list and could/should go on list proper. Hollywood Star well deserved.
Here's something I'd likely never have been exposed to - I feel like I definitely would have to be in the mood for it (i.e. maybe not commuting music) but then again on a rainy Monday morning it's hitting kind of perfectly. Over the past few years I'm finding that I enjoy non-English singing quite a bit, which shouldn't have been surprising in that I often don't focus on the lyrics anyways. Black and white cover fits (see again: rainy morning) the music - hard to "rate" in any sort of personal pecking order since I doubt I'll often go back to this but in the end... I like it. 7/10 4 stars
Really good.
Even though this sounds like Sinatra and brings to mind 50's golden era rat pack shenanigans, it also feels like a rainy cafe in Paris in the 20's with a slinky flapper type chain smoking on your arm with a side of absinthe. Which is fun. This was a fun album and a great share.
Nice that I now have a proper entry point into Aznavour's oeuvre album-wise. Being French, I obviously know who he was, and his most famous songs ("La Bohème", "Emmenez-moi", "For Me... Formidable", "Comme ils disent"). But listening to *Que c'est triste Venise*, it feels like rediscovering him. Lots of strings-laced, teary-eyed ballads, plus some livelier cuts -- jazzy ones, samba ones, ones with subtle "yé yé" undertones, you name it. Our own version of Sinatra, with Armenian roots, also also writing his own songs. (Hier Encore" is like a French version of "It Was A Very Good Year", in a way...). Can't write more than this today, I have things to do. Ironic when one of the liveliest highlights in the album is named "Le temps". ---- 3.5/5 for the purposes of this list of essential albums, rounded up to 4. 8.5/10 for more general purposes (5 + 3.5) ---- Number of albums from the original list I find relevant enough to be mandatory listens: 465 Albums from the original list I *might* include in mine later on: 288 Albums from the original list I won't include in mine: 336 ----- Number of albums from the users list I find relevant enough to be mandatory listens: 52 Albums from the users list I *might* select for mine later on: 72 (including this one -- feels like the 1966 album including La Bohème would feel more iconic, right? Especially since there are other great cuts in that one...) Albums from the users list I won't select for mine: 128 --- Émile. Ça y est, j'ai *enfin* répondu (en deux temps). Tu trouveras ça sous les reviews des disques de Blackalicious et Alexisonfire au dessus.
Sometimes music is able to transcend the limitations of foreign languages. It’s rare but it requires a truly talented artist and that’s what you have here. I’ve never heard of Aznavour but he is an old school talented singer. Very much can see the Sinatra comparison. If I knew French this would most likely be 5 stars. Talent alone this is magnificent. 8.0/10
This is really lovely. I'm a sucker for a jazz pop crooner anyway, so this was a great choice. I mostly prefer the ballads, which have a more classic sound than the upbeat tunes, which are very much of their time. Fave Songs: Avec, Toi et tes yeux d'enfant, Que c'est triste Venise, A ma fille, Quand j'en aurai assez
Que c'est triste Venise. Supposedly iconic French crooning. Nothing to dislike, easy to listen to beyond the language barrier, probably deserves a 3 on balance vs so much meh.
Not a personal preference due to the outdated style that does not convince me anymore in 2025, but it is indeed an essential album not included in the original list.
The French Frank Sinatra is an interesting listen thanks for sharing I guess
The original 1001 already has the French guy LP covered with Brel's 'Olympia 64,' though I suppose Aznavour's take is much more downtrodden and mournful. Reflects in how dreary and miserable a listen this is – perhaps a matter of taste, but it's just not for me.
Non.
I mean for an album I did t understand at all I think there was some beauty in it. But that’s kind of all because after awhile it all just blended into the same.