Our fourth annual list of the top albums and songs from France. The winning song was a clear favourite from the start, but the race for best album was a tighter affair. Let’s find out who won and lost.

Before we reveal our Best French Music of 2008, here’s what the writers at two influential French rock publications have chosen as their top albums of the year.

We’ve spent our Christmas learning how the French invented disco – and discovering the family secret that explains why Daft Punk hide their faces. Here’s Cerrone, the man who was too busy inventing the four-on-the-floor beat to notice women’s liberation happening around him.

A quick reminder of our annual end-of-year Best French Music poll - have a look through our back pages and let us know what you liked. To give you another runner for consideration, and to justify our excruciating title pun, here's 'This Is It' by Benjamin Diamond, who you probably have heard before.

Yes! A new album on the way from one of our very favourite French singers, the marvellous Emily Loizeau. And the first single, 'Sister', is rather nice. Have a listen to a snippet of the English version. And watch out for the bearded lady!

Silent night: Christmas in Paris is wonderful. All that's missing is the Christmas music - there are no festive French pop songs. What a shower of grinches! Here's the song that most French people associate with Christmas - 'Petit Papa Noel'.

She sings, she scores: A very favourable review for Mlle Blackman and her debut album from France's most influential music magazine. We do our best to translate. 

The Birdy dance: the world-champion turntable quartet are doing a DJ set at the ALT in Dublin this Friday. Check out their mixing skills in the video for 'Abbesses'.

Two very different Dublin acts visit the French capital tonight - soul-poppers The Script and glam-cabaret-whatever Gavin Friday. From the latter, watch 'I Want To Live' and 'King of Trash'. 

Eur-a-star: Another French group who've hopped the Channel to make a name for themselves. From their fine debut album, check out some Underground Railroad tunes and watch the video for 'Kill Me Now'.

Lendin’ calling: in praise of our local libraries, whose large and diverse music collections are educating the masses (e.g. your blogger). Here’s something we discovered there; ‘The Way It Is’ by Nicole Atkins. Plus: play our music library game!

Some quite-decent shouty alt-rock from the west of France - you can catch Papier Tigre live in Cork and Dublin this weekend. Alternatively, listen to some of their tracks and watch them on TV right here.

French indiefolktronica that's gaining a cult following in London - John & Jehn have just released a rather fine debut album. The single '20L07'; watch and listen.

Brimful of Asa: a surprise winner of the 2008 Prix Constantin - the world-pop of a Franco-Nigerian singer-songer in English and Yoruba.

Connect four-on-the-floor: Straight out of Rouen, here's the latest in disco-tastic French indie-pop. From an album named after one of your childhood toys (not Buckaroo or Subbuteo, though), here's Tahiti 80 with 'All Around', a song so radio-friendly that if you hold it up to your ear you can hear the traffic news.

The first new release by Noir Désir, French rock's most-loved band, since the conviction and release of their charismatic lead singer. Two tracks of pompous political sludge: business as usual, then.

This week's Paris concert by Glen and Marketa has us (very very briefly) considering buskers in the French capital, before bringing you the latest Take Away Show - live from Place de la Bourse, it's Bloc Party and their version of Jeff Buckley's 'Hallelujah'. Followed by 'Wonderwall'.

The catchiest alt-pop radio hit in France at the moment, from a Clermont-Ferrand three-piece. Here's 'Nos Souvenirs' by Quidam.

This is the end: On the day that France remembers its deceased, we stroll around the famous Paris graveyard. We'll be kissing Oscar Wilde's monument, rubbing a French journalist's groin and listening to a violinist serenade the (literally) heartless Chopin. We'll also visit Jim, man.

Modes and rockers: The fashion victims of Paris have hit upon a new look - skinny jeans, Ramones T-shirts and Converse runners. They're also visiting the live music venues, which are becoming the hip nightspots of the French capital. Is this just a passing fad, or will French bands reap the rewards? Here's Housse de Racket with their current airplay hit, 'Oh Yeah'.

Two notable French acts at Dublin's electro-fest next weekend; legendary DJ Laurent Garnier and synth-shoegazer M83. The latter's single 'Kim And Jessie' is one of the best tracks of 2008 - here's its rollerskating video.

The cider house rules: some catchy disco-pop from the foothills of the Alps. Here's 'Radio' by a Grenoble duo who aren't ashamed of loving Boney M.

The 10 nominees have just been announced for the Prix Constantin, France's annual award for best album. Let's look through the contenders and try to pick a winner (i.e. jinx our clear favourite).

Some fine new French retro-tronica recalls the 1980s Gallic precursor of the Internet. Here's Minitel Rose and the video for 'Magic Powder'.

More of the same from the follicularly-flush French folkies. But that's a good thing, non? Here's the latest confection of honey-sweet heartbroken acoustica from Herman Dune, 'My Home Is Nowhere Without You'.