Epidemic Sound Reveals Top Music Trends Among Content Creators of 2023: Inspirational and Classical Music Lead the Way

• In 2023, Epidemic Sound music continued to be an integral part of countless stories and narratives, being featured in over 26 million YouTube and TikTok videos and generating 2.5 billion views per day across both platforms
• According to Epidemic Sound data, the use of inspirational music on YouTube has risen by over 300% worldwide in the past year, making it the fastest-growing music genre used by content creators in 2023
• The classical genre continues to be a perennial favorite among creators, growing 80% YoY from 2022 to 2023

Stockholm, Sweden –  Epidemic Sound, the market-leading soundtrack innovation platform, today released the findings of its 2023 Sound of the Internet Report. For its second-annual report, Epidemic Sound analyzed metadata and user-generated content of YouTube and TikTok videos, including tracks from Epidemic Sound’s catalog of restriction-free tracks, to understand how millions of the internet’s storytellers, tastemakers, brands, and influencers use Epidemic Sound music to take their content to the next level. Among the key findings is the surge in the popularity of inspirational and classical music, as creators actively shape their content around themes of escapism and serenity.

Creators’ Music Choices Reflect the Yearning for Escapism and Positivity

According to Epidemic Sound’s findings, inspirational music on YouTube has grown by over 300% in the past year, making it the fastest-growing genre used by content creators in 2023. Notably, this trend isn't limited to one region; it's a global phenomenon, with inspirational music ranking first in growth worldwide and second in North America. As an added testament to this trend, downloads of inspirational music from the Epidemic Sound platform have seen a 180% year-over-year increase. This growth, while indicative of changing musical preferences, also reflects a deeper, global need for solace amidst the challenges of everyday life. 

Alongside inspirational music, Epidemic Sound’s research found that the classical genre continues to be a perennial favorite among creators, offering listeners a much-needed escape into a tranquil space. This timeless genre, known for its soothing melodies and rich compositions, grew 80% YoY from 2022 to 2023, securing its position among the top three fastest-growing genres in several regions and content categories and securing the seventh position on the list of most frequently used genres this year. This trend is further exemplified by the nearly 40% year-over-year increase in downloads from the Epidemic Sound platform.

“Last year, we witnessed a remarkable surge in the popularity of classical music among our users, and it's no surprise that this trend continues to grow. What's particularly intriguing is the parallel rise of inspirational music,” said Epidemic Sound CEO and Co-Founder Oscar Höglund. “Our observations indicate that these genres are no longer merely background scores. Instead, they have evolved into a means of crafting immersive environments that resonate with the human spirit. For content creators, this surge opens up an exciting opportunity to explore and experiment with these genres.”

Embracing Happiness, Hope, and Dreams

An additional significant trend among creators is the increasing emphasis on themes of happiness, hope, and dreaminess. The term "happy" emerged as the second most popular music search keyword in 2023, marking a YoY growth of 30%. This trend underscores the intent of creators to imbue their content with elements of positivity and escapism, responsive to an audience that seeks refuge and delight in their sonic experiences.

The report also emphasizes the emerging partnership between brands and content creators aimed at delivering an experience that offers an escape, spreads positivity, and inspires. "Our extensive research points to a significant synergy between brands and content creators, both favoring electronic and pop genres, and consistently incorporating feelings of happiness, hope, and dreaminess," added Höglund.

Epidemic Sound’s Impact on the Internet

Music is one of the most important elements of video creation, and each year, millions of the internet’s storytellers, tastemakers, and influencers use Epidemic Sound tracks to take their content to the next level.  

In 2023, Epidemic Sound music continued to be an integral part of countless stories and narratives, being featured in over 26 million YouTube and TikTok videos and generating 2.5 billion views per day across both platforms —- surpassing the viewership of the 2023 Super Bowl by more than 20 times each day. Epidemic Sound's 100 most popular tracks of 2023, a testament to the power of musical storytelling, accumulated 30 billion video views on YouTube alone, marking a 50% increase from 2022. 

To see all the insights from the 2023 Sound of the Internet Report visit the Epidemic Sound blog. 

Methodology

Epidemic Sound’s 2023 Sound of the Internet Report is based on an analysis of metadata from YouTube and TikTok user-generated content featuring music from Epidemic Sound’s catalog of over 40,000 tracks. The data analyzed was from YouTube and TikTok video uploads between January 1, 2023, and September 30, 2023. To measure popularity, Epidemic Sound identified the genres, moods, artists, and tracks with the highest quantity of inclusions in YouTube and TikTok videos during that time frame. The fastest-growing genres were determined by the music with the largest year-over-year percentage increase in YouTube video uploads from January 1, 2023 to September 30, 2023, compared with the same period in 2022.