Pop Songs That Sample Classical Music

A lot of popular songs these days sample classical music. Here are some of the most popular ones that you might not have realized were inspired by classical pieces.

“Für Elise” by Ludwig van Beethoven

One of the most popular and well-known classical pieces, “Für Elise” by Ludwig van Beethoven, has been sampled in many different ways by pop artists over the years. The most recent example is Justin Bieber’s “Sorry,” which samples a section of the piano solo from the original composition. Other examples include Kanye West’s “Runaway” and Beyonce’s “Halo.”

“Symphony No. 5” by Ludwig van Beethoven

The opening four notes of Beethoven’s “Symphony No. 5” have been famously sampled in many pop songs, including:

– Rick Astley’s “Never Gonna Give You Up”
– The Black Eyed Peas’ “Pump It”
– Beyoncé’s “Crazy in Love”
– Britney Spears’ “Gimme More”
– Bruno Mars’ “Uptown Funk”
– Calvin Harris’ “We Found Love”
– Eminem’s “Lose Yourself”
– Lady Gaga’s “Telephone”
– Rihanna’s “SOS”

“Rhapsody in Blue” by George Gershwin

“Rhapsody in Blue” is a 1924 composition by George Gershwin for solo piano and jazz band, which combines elements of classical music with jazz-influenced effects. The work was commissioned by the bandleader Paul Whiteman. It was premiered by Whiteman’s band with Gershwin playing the piano on February 12, 1924, at Aeolian Hall in New York City.

The piece received mixed reviews but was a huge success with audiences. Within a year, it had been played all over the United States and Europe, recorded by several Jazz bands including Whiteman’s, and had been orchestrated for full symphony orchestra by ferde grofe. It is now considered one of the most popular American Classical pieces, and has been sampled in numerous pop songs.

“Piano Concerto No. 2” by Sergei Rachmaninoff

Rachmaninoff’s “Piano Concerto No. 2” has been sampled in a number of popular songs over the years, including Destinys Child’s “Bootylicious,” Britney Spear’s “Do Somethin'” and Katy Perry’s “Dark Horse.”

“Requiem” by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

In 2006, the rap world was introduced to Jay-Z’s “Momma Loves Me” when the Brooklyn MC sampled Requiem by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. The serene strings and horns perfectly compliment Jay’s more sentimental lyrics about his mother, making for a truly beautiful track.

“Canon in D” by Johann Pachelbel

“Canon in D” is one of the most popular pieces of classical music of all time, and it has been sampled by a number of pop artists over the years.

The most famous example is probably “Bittersweet Symphony” by The Verve, which samples an orchestral version of the Canon. The song was a huge hit, but The Verve didn’t actually have the rights to use the sample, and they were sued by the estates of both Pachelbel and another composer whose work was used in the song.

Other examples of pop songs that sample “Canon in D” include “Crazy” by Gnarls Barkley, “Clocks” by Coldplay, and “Here Comes the Sun” by The Beatles.

“The Four Seasons” by Antonio Vivaldi

“The Four Seasons” is one of the most popular and well-known classical pieces of music, and it has been sampled dozens of times in pop songs over the years.

The most famous example is probably Madonna’s “La Isla Bonita”, which interpolates the first movement of “Winter” into the song. Other notable examples include Beyonce’s “Halo”, which samples the first movement of “Spring”, and Jay-Z’s “Glory”, which samples the second movement of “Winter”.

As classical music continues to be popularized and appreciated by new generations of listeners, it’s likely that we’ll hear even more pop songs that sample classical pieces in the years to come.