Epidemic Sound raises the bar for classical soundtracking with its most ambitious release yet

Stockholm, Sweden, October 17, 2025 – Epidemic Sound, music tech company and leading soundtracking platform for creators and brands, is announcing the release of its largest and most ambitious classical music release to date. The recordings, which feature works from Edvard Grieg, Johannes Brahms and Richard Strauss, come at a time when the classical genre is experiencing unprecedented demand from creators, and underscore Epidemic Sound’s continued investment in artists. 

“In a landscape that’s increasingly being filled with AI-generated music, we remain committed to the enduring power of human artistry – It's that creative spark and unique emotional element that truly moves the listener and gives a story real depth,” said Peter Ståhlgren, Director of Music Development at Epidemic Sound. “Classical music is one of the fastest-growing genres within Epidemic Sound, and these recordings allow us to meet that demand while providing creators with the highest quality, authentic, world-class musical performances possible.” 

Captured at the Manhattan Center in New York City and conducted by Grammy-nominated conductor and Juilliard alumnus Eric Jacobsen, the first recording features a 54-piece orchestra as it brings new, cinematic life into two of Norwegian composer and pianist Edvard Grieg’s most popular works: the Peer Gynt Suite and the Holberg Suite, originally composed in 1875 and 1884, respectively.

"Recording Grieg’s Peer Gynt with the Odyssey Orchestra and Epidemic Sound was an absolute thrill. This music is so deeply woven into Nordic culture, and bringing it to life with such a passionate ensemble was both inspiring and energizing; you could feel the room light up with every phrase,” said Eric Jacobsen, conductor. “As humans we always want to find the story, and the meaning of everything, as we are endlessly exploring and investigating. This music gives us the potential to both create stories and to realize them."

The second release, recorded in Stockholm, features acclaimed Swedish opera mezzo-soprano star Erika Sax making her debut as Epidemic Sound’s first-ever classical vocal artist. Sax, together with pianist Michael Engström, performs an emotionally charged program of Brahms and R. Strauss Lieder, works often described as “mini-operas” for their condensed drama and power. These performances position classical voice as a compelling new storytelling tool for today’s filmmakers, brands, and podcasters.

“Singing Lieder is like stepping into a different world - each piece is a story, an emotion, a complete journey in just a few minutes,” said Erika Sax, opera singer and Epidemic Sound’s first-ever classical vocal artist. “Bringing this tradition into the hands of modern creators feels like building a bridge between centuries of art and today’s most dynamic visual storytelling.” 

In addition to becoming one of the fastest-growing genres in Epidemic Sound’s catalog, classical music has seen a recent surge in popularity on social media, with #classicalmusic being tagged in more than 800,000 TikTok posts and content with the hashtag #classictok surpassing 8M views. YouTube views of Epidemic Sound’s classical tracks rose 62% in 2023 and 49% in 2024 and have already surpassed all of last year in 2025, with views up 54% year-over-year in the first half of 2025 alone. TikTok activity followed a similar trajectory, climbing 57% in the same period.

The new recordings are available now to all Epidemic Sound subscribers and serve as anchors for the refreshed Classical Essentials playlist, reframing historical masterpieces as powerful tools for emotionally resonant storytelling.

Listen here: Peer Gynt Suite | Vocal selections Brahms 9 Lieder and Songs, Strauss 4 Lieder  (released to date)

Pre-save upcoming releases: Holberg Suite – Release date: November 21 | Brahms Zigeunerlieder – Release date: November 21