Elevate your content with game-changing classical music

At Epidemic Sound, we understand how important music is for your projects, whether they be commercial or personal. That’s why we’ve revamped our classical music catalog with fresh interpretations of Mozart, Bach, and Debussy, alongside original material.

Vivaldi recording session
Grammy-nominated conductor Eric Jacobsen

Why classical music, and why now?

As the 2020s roll on, classical music’s enduring popularity can’t be ignored. The genre’s track views on YouTube have shot up by 43% year-on-year, while video uploads featuring classical tracks have increased by 19% across the platform.

Elsewhere, classical music streams clambered 41% higher on Spotify, bucking against the hyperpop and singer-songwriter genres you’d expect to dominate listeners’ habits.

We noticed this trend throughout Epidemic Sound’s platform, too. Classical music downloads via our Player rose by 12% year-over-year — it’s an upswing we’ve tracked in our Sound of the Internet reports for two years running. Not bad for a genre that’s hundreds of years old!

Mira Ma
Piano virtuoso Mira Ma

Why use classical music in your content? 

There’s a whole world of music out there, so why pick classical? Slam the brakes a second and think about it — classical music’s been telling the world’s most epic, poignant stories for centuries, without dialogue. Its seemingly endless dynamics, soaring from the loftiest highs to the subtlest lows, lend it the versatility to soundtrack everything from TikToks to feature films.

That’s why Stanley Kubrick chose Strauss and Ligeti to soundtrack 2001: A Space Odyssey. It’s why Nike used Beethoven — and Willem Dafoe, to be fair — to underpin this intense ad from their Winning Isn’t for Everyone campaign. 

This style makes people feel things, whether it be elation or dread, heartbreak or white-knuckle excitement. Emotion doesn’t mean one thing, and classical music isn’t one sound.

Find world-famous classical music with Epidemic Sound  

Based on our research, your feedback, and the wealth of talent in our roster, we set about creating the ultimate classical music collection for content creation.

Released in December 2023, the Epidemic Sound Classical Essentials launched with interpretations of Vivaldi’s The Four Seasons, Mozart’s Twinkle Variations, and selections from Schumann’s Novelletten. Now, we’ve taken it to the next level with world-class artists like Christoffer Moe Ditlevsen, Aerian, and Johannes Bornlöf.

Our catalog of more than 3,000 tracks now boasts more than 400 new entries, blending genre staples with original compositions. Want a Dvořák suite for your broadcast material, a Brahms sonata for your network’s podcast? How about an Indian classical track for your social media drive, some Japanese classical for that larger-than-life ad campaign you’re working on? Epidemic Sound’s got you covered. 

It’s never been easier to access and license iconic, timeless tracks for your projects and content. There’s no need to rely on low-quality free recordings, nor waste time negotiating with traditional labels and Performance Rights Organizations. You just need a user-friendly, restriction-free solution.

Rediscover old favorites and hunt down new gems for your content today with Epidemic Sound’s Classical Collection. All freshly captured for a modern audience, all globally cleared for your production.

→ Find classical music

Learn more about the Epidemic Sound Classical Essentials

Initial sessions for the Epidemic Sound Classical Essentials took place at Power Station at BerkleeNYC and Stockholm’s Immersive Music Studios. Between them, these legendary recording studios have hosted everyone from ABBA to Bruce Springsteen, The Beatles to Lady Gaga, and Bob Dylan to Madonna.

Choice cuts from Epidemic Sound’s Classical Essentials were performed by world-renowned artists including Eric Jacobsen, a Juilliard-trained, Grammy-nominated conductor described as ‘an interpretive dynamo’ by the New York Times; Mira Ma, a virtuoso pianist, teacher, and Mozarteum University alum; and Michelle Ross, the violinist, composer, and improviser who’s performed with the Juilliard String Quartet and played on a Grammy-winning album.

Recording Vivaldi
A snapshot of Epidemic Sound’s 22-piece chamber orchestra

The tracks also feature a 22-piece chamber orchestra, making it the largest-scale recording undertaken by Epidemic Sound artists.

“We obsess over how the creative community evolves, and the data’s loud and clear — classical music is having a major moment,” says David Slitzky, VP music & artist strategy at Epidemic Sound. “For the third year in a row, creators use more classical music on YouTube than ever to bring their stories to life. We’ve been busy expanding and refreshing our classical catalog, releasing iconic classics and original compositions featuring world-class ensembles. We know what connects, and our catalog has a sound for every idea.”

Classical music should be accessible to everyone — that’s why we’re making it easier to license. Delve into our classical themes and sound effects, then sign up for Epidemic Sound below. You bring the idea, we bring the sound.

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