Chosen by the Algorithm: Gen Z’s Unexpected Return to Classical Music

In recent years, there has been an unexpected surge of interest in classical music among young people. Why has this timeless genre become popular again on platforms like Spotify and Apple Music? Are young listeners consciously choosing this music, or is their interest driven by social media algorithms? The answers to these questions lie in the digital journey of classical music today.

Many young people prefer to listen to classical music while studying because, unlike other vocal genres like rap or rock, classical music is less distracting and enhances their focus.

According to the 2024 report published by the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra (RPO), 65% of orchestral music listeners are under the age of 35. This indicates that young people’s interest in orchestral music is increasing and that this group constitutes a significant portion of classical music audiences.

Reports from Classic FM in 2024 support these statistics as well. According to Classic FM, individuals aged 18 to 25 make up one-third (34%) of classical music listeners worldwide. This figure shows that the classical music listening rate among those under 35 has risen to 37%.

One of the main reasons for the recent increase in young people listening to classical music is that it is no longer seen as an exclusive or elite genre. Half a century ago, it was largely associated with wealthy, upper-class audiences. But with the advent of digital platforms like Spotify, which have brought classical music from concert halls to our headphones, that perception has gradually faded. Today, it is accessible—and widely appreciated.

Another major reason is that young people now search for music with specific purposes in mind. For instance, on Spotify, playlists like “deep focus,” “study music,” or “study classical” are especially popular among students. This trend isn’t limited to Spotify—on YouTube, “study with me” videos often feature classical music in the background.

In this kind of content, classical music is chosen to help increase focus and motivation while minimizing distractions. Besides listening while studying, many young people also play classical music during walks or while sleeping as a way to ease their anxiety. Although there is no strong scientific evidence yet, many find it a calming and soothing method. For instance, Vivaldi’s Winter  often features in fast-paced motivational reels or short videos, thanks to its dynamic tempo and cinematic feel.

At the same time, classical music is also gaining visibility on short-form video platforms like YouTube Shorts and Instagram Reels, where it is often used as background music to enhance emotional resonance or aesthetic atmosphere.

No discussion of this resurgence would be complete without mentioning Hans Zimmer. Zimmer is known for composing emotional, innovative, and epic music for films. He has collaborated on many famous movies directed by Christopher Nolan, who is widely regarded as one of today’s leading filmmakers.

Although Zimmer is not a classical music composer in the traditional sense, he is often credited for increasing young people’s interest in classical and orchestral music and introducing them to the orchestral world. For example, Zimmer’s piece Time from Interstellar (2014), praised for its emotional depth, has become a gateway for many young listeners exploring this genre.

Another emerging trend is the production of AI-assisted classical music composition. AI tools like Google MusicLM and OpenAI Jukebox have been gaining prominence since 2022, and their usage has continued to grow and evolve over the past year. These AI systems can compose music in the style of revolutionary classical composers such as Bach and Mozart. In doing so, they expand the perception of classical music by combining traditional artistic values with innovative technology.

This development not only attracts music-loving young people interested in technology but also raises important questions among professional artists, such as “Should art only be created by humans?”

Finally, the growing interest of young people in classical music and the resulting resurgence is not just nostalgia—it is a transformation and a reinterpretation of classical music through modern technology. Classical music is no longer just something experienced in concert halls; it lives in our headphones, on social media, within algorithms—in other words, it is part of our everyday lives. In the digital age, the way we consume music has changed, making classical music more accessible to us than ever before.

Edited by: Derya Selin Yener F

Classic FM. (2024). Young classical music fans driving genre’s popularity surge. Retrieved from https://www.classicfm.com

Royal Philharmonic Orchestra (RPO). (2024). The Orchestras in Numbers Report. Retrieved from https://www.rpo.co.uk

Spotify. (n.d.). Study playlists: Deep Focus, Study Classical, and more. Retrieved from https://www.spotify.com

YouTube. (n.d.). Study with me: Lo-fi & classical background playlists. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com

Zimmer, H. (Composer). (2014). Time [Song]. On Interstellar (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack). WaterTower Music.

OpenAI. (n.d.). Jukebox: A neural net for generating music. Retrieved from https://openai.com/research/jukebox

Google Research. (n.d.). MusicLM: Generating Music From Text. Retrieved from https://research.google)