Classical Music’s Greatest Pop Culture Moments

Classical music might seem like a world apart from the quick-hit thrills of pop culture, yet its greatest themes have proved remarkably adaptable. Time and again, the works of Beethoven, Tchaikovsky, Wagner, and others have spilled beyond the concert hall to soundtrack our collective imagination. These pieces carry an emotional weight that makes them irresistible for moments of celebration, parody, or sheer drama.

Think of Beethoven’s Ode to Joy, resounding at Olympic ceremonies and political rallies alike, its soaring melody instantly summoning unity. Or Tchaikovsky’s Nutcracker Suite, transformed from a ballet staple into a recurring gag on SpongeBob SquarePants. Sometimes these moments are playful, sometimes they’re grandiose, but always they remind us of how deeply classical music is woven into everyday culture.

And then there are the reinventions: Emerson, Lake & Palmer’s barnstorming take on Aaron Copland’s Fanfare for the Common Man, which reimagined a patriotic American theme as a prog-rock anthem for arena crowds. Such collisions reveal not only the durability of classical music but its ability to evolve, surprise, and thrive in unexpected contexts.

Here are 11 of the greatest pop culture moments where classical music stepped into the spotlight and stole the scene.

12. Percy Grainger’s Country Gardens

Although Country Gardens is an old English folk song traditionally used for Morris dancing, its widespread popularity today is largely due to Percy Grainger. This eccentric Australian-born composer, celebrated for his inventive approach to folk music, brought Country Gardens to life with lively orchestration and infectious rhythmic energy. Grainger once remarked that the typical English country garden is more likely to be a vegetable plot than a flowerbed, which adds a layer of humor to his arrangement. Despite its success, Grainger came to detest the piece, feeling it overshadowed his more experimental works.

11. Bach’s Toccata and Fugue in D Minor

Bach’s Toccata and Fugue in D Minor gained wider fame in the 19th century thanks to the advocacy of fellow German composer Felix Mendelssohn. However, it was the piece’s inclusion in Walt Disney’s 1940 film Fantasia that truly catapulted it into popular culture. Since then, the work has appeared in films like Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde and Phantom of the Opera, firmly cementing its association with gothic horror.

10. Holst’s Jupiter

In another life, Gustav Holst would have made a great movie composer. Plenty of film composers have paid homage to his Planets suite, including Hans Zimmer and John Williams, who infused their scores with echoes of Jupiter’s noble tone. However, one of the most moving tributes comes from Bluey, the beloved cartoon about a family of blue and orange dogs, where a snippet of Jupiter conveys the quiet heroism of parents and their sacrifices for their children. This moment in the CBeebies repertory had many viewers weeping tears of joy.

9. Copland’s Fanfare for the Common Man

Written to honor the ordinary people contributing to the war effort during World War II, Aaron Copland’s Fanfare for the Common Man stands out for its sheer majesty. Its primal trumpet calls summon the scale and breadth of the American landscape, making it a staple in sports arenas, presidential inaugurations, and even rock adaptations, notably by Emerson, Lake & Palmer.

8. Bernstein’s West Side Story

Is there anyone who can’t recognize at least one tune from West Side Story? This legendary suite has been quoted everywhere from Family Guy to Olympic figure skating. Leonard Bernstein, who straddled the worlds of classical and popular music, knew how to push his audience’s buttons. Whether it’s the rhythmically propulsive America or the melodically winning Tonight, Bernstein’s ingenuity in harmonies elevates even the most saccharine moments.

7. Mozart’s Eine Kleine Nachtmusik

Originally composed in 1787 as a serenade for strings, Eine Kleine Nachtmusik has transcended its origins. Its influence now extends from the parks and gardens of Vienna to films, television, advertisements, and public events worldwide. Used everywhere from commercials to romantic comedies, Mozart’s little serenade has become one of the most instantly recognizable pieces of all time, serving as a sonic shorthand for "classical refinement."

6. Barber’s Adagio for Strings (Platoon)

Samuel Barber’s Adagio for Strings, composed in 1936, quickly took on a life of its own due to its deeply emotional character. It has become the soundtrack of American mourning, often played to mark national tragedies, including JFK’s death and 9/11. Its haunting quality was famously used in the 1986 film Platoon, underscoring the emotional weight of the Vietnam War.

5. Tchaikovsky’s Nutcracker

It’s odd to think that Tchaikovsky was less than enthusiastic about The Nutcracker, complaining that the subject matter was trite and the music "infinitely worse" than his ballet Sleeping Beauty. Yet, The Nutcracker has infiltrated every area of popular culture, from SpongeBob SquarePants to Barbie movies. Its ability to capture childhood fantasy, varied moods, and catchy tunes has arguably drawn more new audiences to classical music than any work before or since.

4. Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9 (‘Ode to Joy’)

Used in Olympic ceremonies, political events, and countless adverts, the final movement of Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony has become synonymous with triumph and brotherhood. Its infamous use in A Clockwork Orange, where the protagonist is subjected to aversion therapy while listening to the Ode to Joy, creates a powerful contrast between the music and the violence, making it one of the most memorable musical moments in cinema.

3. Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue (Manhattan)

From its opening clarinet solo, Rhapsody in Blue asserts itself as the embodiment of stylish nonchalance while capturing something innately American. George Gershwin described it as “a musical kaleidoscope of America.” This piece is a perfect fit for Woody Allen’s 1979 film Manhattan, where it serves as a cinematic love letter to the city. Since then, it has found its way into countless other contexts, including Disney’s Fantasia 2000 and Sesame Street.

2. Wagner’s Ride of the Valkyries (Apocalypse Now)

Few moments in cinema have fused classical music and modern warfare as memorably as Francis Ford Coppola’s use of Wagner’s Ride of the Valkyries in Apocalypse Now. As U.S. helicopters descend on a Vietnamese village, their loudspeakers blast the opera theme, transforming a brutal assault into a nightmarish spectacle of pageantry and terror. This choice underscores both the grandiosity and absurdity of war, ensuring the music’s place in pop culture history.

1. Strauss’s Also sprach Zarathustra (2001: A Space Odyssey)

Immortalized by 2001: A Space Odyssey, where it accompanied key scenes of human evolution, the opening fanfare of this piece has become synonymous with space, grandeur, and epic beginnings. Since then, it has often been parodied or referenced in other films, such as WALL-E, Zoolander, and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, usually amplifying moments of revelation or humor. Ironically, many people are unaware of how the rest of the piece goes, focusing instead on its iconic opening.