6 Popular Songs That Were Inspired by Classical Music

Most musicians have at least a few major inspirations. When it comes to rock and pop music, most musicians are influenced by artists who were trailblazers in their respective genres. However, there are a few bands and musicians out there who looked to the OG music-makers for inspiration. Let’s dive into six popular songs that were actually inspired by classical music!

1. “Plug In Baby” by Muse

Much of Muse’s music is obviously inspired by classical music, but “Plug In Baby” takes the cake. The guitar riff in this song is very clearly inspired by Johann Sebastian Bach. Specifically, it sounds very similar to “Toccata And Fugue In D Minor”.

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2. “This Night” by Billy Joel

There are many popular songs out there that were inspired by classical music. When it comes to “This Night” by Billy Joel, that inspiration comes from a deep love and admiration for Beethoven. The famed singer/songwriter used the second movement of the famed sonata “Pathétique” in the chorus for his hit song.

“I have not forgiven myself for not being Beethoven,” Joel once said.

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3. “Mozart’s House” by Clean Bandit

Alright, this one is pretty obvious. Where some artists are inspired by classical music, some songs are outright based on real-life compositions or tributes to specific composers. “Mozart’s House” is very clearly a love letter to Mozart.

The song’s chorus sounds very similar to part of Mozart’s “String Quartet No. 21”. The quartet returns at various parts of the song. Just as well, the lyrics depict a “journey” through Mozart’s home and make use of a few different Italian musical phrases.

4. “Seven Nation Army” by The White Stripes

Who says that pop-rock or garage rock can’t be influenced by classical music?

The White Stripes’ most famous song of their career features a very famous bass riff. And that bass riff was inspired by seven notes (see the connection?) in the first movement of “Symphony No. 5” by Anton Bruckner. Jack White is a classically trained musician, so this isn’t too surprising.

5. “Annie’s Song” by John Denver

Country/folk singer John Denver might seem like an unlikely addition to this list. However, Denver’s iconic track “Annie’s Song” has a lot of influences that lean towards the Romantic period. Surprisingly, the “Country Roads, Take Me Home” hitmaker didn’t even realize it. It wasn’t until after the song was already produced that a friend mentioned to him that the melody was almost exactly the same as the horn solo from Tchaikovsky’s “Symphony No. 5”.

Photo by Tony Russell/Redferns

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