- Bach is the world’s favourite composer with 5,447,956 monthly listeners on Spotify and 86,400 YouTube subscribers.
- Beethoven is the second most popular composer, while Mozart comes in third.
- The most streamed song by any of the top ten is Vivaldi’s The Four Seasons, with 233 million views on YouTube
Johann Sebastian Bach has beaten Mozart and Beethoven to claim his position as the world’s most popular classical composer.
He has 5,447,956 monthly listeners on Spotify and 86,400 YouTube subscribers, according to a new study by gambling community hub Casino Grounds.
Beethoven follows just behind as the second most popular composer with 5,085,293 listeners on Spotify each month, and 125,000 YouTube subscribers.
Beethoven has the second most streamed song by any classical composer, earning 173 million views on YouTube for his iconic Moonlight Sonata.
Though Mozart comes in third with 5,007,303 monthly Spotify listeners, he has the most YouTube subscribers with 135,000 to his name, providing strong representation for Austria.
Germany may dominate the top spots, but Polish composer Chopin is next in fourth place. With 4,771,732 Spotify listeners each month and 68,400 subscribers on YouTube, he also has the third most streamed song in the top ten across all platforms for Spring Waltz, which has 131 million views on YouTube.
In position five is French maestro Debussy with 3,722,304 monthly Spotify listeners and 29,100 YouTube subscribers. Russian composer Tchaikovsky is next with 2,164 260 listeners on Spotify each month and 34,600 YouTube subscribers.
Italian virtuoso Vivaldi is in position seven with 3,079,070 monthly Spotify listeners and 48,900 YouTube subscribers. He notably has the most streamed song by any of the top ten for The Four Seasons, which has 233 million views on YouTube.
Vivaldi is also the “oldest” composer out of the top ten, born in 1678, a little ahead of Bach in 1685. The two are the only composers on the list from as far back as the 17th Century or Baroque historical period.
Frenchman Saint-Saens is in position eight with 2,689,709 listeners on Spotify each month and 4,280 YouTube subscribers, followed by Schubert – the second Austrian on the list. Schubert has 2,334,386 monthly Spotify listeners and 22,900 YouTube subscribers. He also had the shortest lifespan, passing away at just 31 years old in 1897.
The final spot in the top ten list of most popular classical musicians belongs to Brahms, solidifying Germany as the country that produced the most composers who have remained popular over the centuries. Brahms has 2,153,966 monthly Spotify listeners and 23,100 YouTube subscribers.
A spokesperson for Casino Grounds said, “Most people would expect Mozart and Beethoven to top any list of the most popular classical composers, so it’s fascinating to see Bach in number one here. This could be a result of soundtracks from popular films and TV shows such as The Godfather and The Simpsons favouring Bach’s music for its dramatic impact.”
The research was conducted by Casinogrounds.com, which is the leading online gambling community, which promotes safe and responsible practise and discussions around gambling.
Top Ten Most Popular Classical Composers 2021
| Composer | Monthly Spotify Listeners | YouTube Subscribers | Most Popular Song on Spotify | Most Popular Song on YouTube | Lifespan | Country |
| 1. Bach | 5,447,956 | 86.4K | 168, 758 083 – Cello Suite No. 1 in G Major | 72M – Air | 1685-1750 (aged 65) | German |
| 2. Beethoven | 5,085,293 | 125 K | 94, 946 611 – The Piano Sonata No. 14 in C-sharp minor (Moonlight Sonata) | 173M – Moonlight Sonata | 1770-1827 (aged 56) | German |
| 3. Mozart | 5,007,303 | 135 K | 50, 489 179 – The Piano Concerto No. 21 in C major, K. 467 | 100 M – Requiem | 1756-1791 (aged 35) | Austria |
| 4. Chopin | 4,771,732 | 68.4 K | 44, 252 266 – Nocturne No. 20 | 131 M –Spring Waltz | 1810-1849 (aged 39) | Poland |
| 5. Debussy | 3,722,304 | 29.1 K | 57, 774 138 – Clair de Lune | 78M – Clair de Lune | 1862-1918 (aged 56) | France |
| 6. Tchaikovsky | 3,164,260 | 34.6 K | 49, 728 602 – Swan Lake | 53M – Waltz of the Flowers | 1840-1893 (aged 53) | Russia |
| 7. Vivaldi | 3,079,070 | 48.9 K | 28, 842 882 – The Four Seasons | 233M – The Four Seasons | 1678-1741 (aged 69) | Italy |
| 8. Saint-Saens | 2,689709 | 4.28 K | 63, 620 387 – The Carnival of the Animals | 65M – The Carnival of the Animals | 1835-1921 (aged 86) | France |
| 9. Schubert | 2,334,386 | 22.9K | 23, 887 588 – 4 Impromptus Op. 90 | 48 M – Serenade | 1797-1828 (aged 31) | Austria |
| 10. Brahms | 2,153,966 | 23.1 K | 33, 128 007 –Wiegenlied Op. 49, No. 4 | 39 M Hungarian Dance No. 5 | 1833-1897 (aged 64) | German |