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- Maddy Shaw Roberts
- Billy Joel – This Night / Beethoven – Pathétique Sonata. “I have not forgiven myself for not being Beethoven,” Billy Joel said in an interview for CBS. So, in a classic case of ‘if you can’t beat them’, Joel wove in a swung version of the opening melody from the second movement of Beethoven’s ‘Pathétique’ Sonata in his chorus for ‘This Night’.
- Lady Gaga – Alejandro / Vittorio Monti – Csárdás. For the intro of her single ‘Alejandro’, Gaga neatly nabbed Csárdás, the rhapsodic concert piece for violin by Vittorio Monti – which itself was based on a traditional Hungarian folk dance.
- Eric Carmen – All by Myself / Rachmaninov – Piano Concerto No.2 in C minor. A great ’70s power ballad, reincarnated by Céline Dion in 1996, that finds the melody for its verses in Russian giant Rachmaninov’s most famous piano concerto – pop-classical sampling doesn’t get much more iconic than this.
- Maroon 5 – Memories / Pachelbel – Canon in D. Pachelbel’s ubiquitous cello chord progression has inspired plenty of pop songs – from Kylie Minogue’s ‘I Should Be So Lucky’ to Oasis’ ‘Don’t Look Back in Anger’.
- Rolling in the Deep – Adele. Adele’s powerful anthem, “Rolling in the Deep,” finds inspiration in the classical world through Samuel Barber’s “Adagio for Strings.”
- All by Myself – Eric Carmen. Eric Carmen’s poignant ballad, “All By Myself,” derives its melody from Sergei Rachmaninoff’s Piano Concerto No. 2. The sweeping romanticism of Rachmaninoff’s composition is beautifully translated into Carmen’s heartfelt lyrics, resulting in a timeless pop classic that resonates with feelings of loneliness and longing.
- Bohemian Rhapsody – Queen. “Bohemian Rhapsody” by Queen stands as a true masterpiece that transcends genres, seamlessly blending rock, opera, and classical elements into an epic and unforgettable musical journey.
- Eleanor Rigby – The Beatles. The Beatles’ “Eleanor Rigby” showcases the band’s artistic evolution, incorporating classical influences in its arrangement.
Pop Goes Classical · Playlist · 115 songs · 943K likes.
- MC Fioti: ‘Bum Bum Tam Tam’ Brazilian rapper MC Fioti also loves his Bach solo Partitas. His hit Bum Bum Tam Tam, and all its 1.6 billion YouTube views, samples Bach’s Partita in A minor for solo flute, BWV1013.
- Eminem: ‘Brainless’ Johann Sebastian joins the American rapper in this 2013 outing. From 43 seconds in, you can catch Slim Shady rapping alongside the fugue subject from Bach’s famous Toccata and Fugue in D minor.
- Eddie Van Halen: ‘Eruption’ There’s more Toccata and Fugue-ing from the late heavy metal guitar maestro Eddie Van Halen, in this instrumental epic. Interestingly, the pioneers of heavy metal guitar studied Baroque, Classical and Romantic violin and virtuoso repertoire, and it went on to influence much of their style and technique.
- Jem: ‘They’ Here’s a vocalisation of the Prelude in F minor from Book Two of Bach’s Well-Tempered Clavier – loud and clear, perfectly placed, and absolutely beautiful.
- Maddy Shaw Roberts
- 3 min
- Toxic – Britney. Aside from Britney’s iconic vocals, what makes ‘Toxic’ so great is that jarring tritone in the refrain. It’s an unexpected moment of dissonance, and it’s all the more awesome coming from Britney.
- Good Vibrations – The Beach Boys. It’s impossible to count the number of tempo changes, key changes and bizarre instruments The Beach Boys used to create their biggest pop hit.
- I Want You Back – The Jackson 5. Weirdly, the bassline of ‘I Want You Back’ is nearly as important as its melody. It starts with a thrilling glissando on keys, followed by a battle between the bassline and rhythm guitar line.
- Eleanor Rigby – The Beatles. A killer pop song with… a killer cello part. How often can you say that? ‘ Eleanor Rigby’ is just one example of McCartney’s creative genius.
Jul 12, 2022 · In many pop culture movies, if a character is hip, they notably scorn Western classical music. It’s far more accurate, though, to say that modern pop music is a younger relative of the venerable and centuries old genre. Here are eight examples — among many more — where pieces of classical music have a direct link to radio hits.
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May 16, 2024 · It's no coincidence that many rock and pop artists have turned to classical music for inspiration. In fact, the work of some of the great composers of the age have been cleverly used as the foundation for numerous iconic hits.
