Epidemic Sound’s Sound of the Internet Report
Epidemic Sound has recently unveiled the intriguing insights gleaned from its much-anticipated 2023 Sound of the Internet Report. In this second-annual exploration, the platform embarked on a comprehensive analysis of metadata and user-generated content from YouTube and TikTok videos. By tapping into its extensive catalog of restriction-free tracks, Epidemic Sound sought to unravel how a myriad of internet storytellers, tastemakers, brands, and influencers leverage its music to elevate their content.
Rising Crescendo
A standout revelation within the report is the extraordinary surge in the popularity of inspirational and classical music. This surge underscores a collective yearning among content creators for escapism and positivity. Epidemic Sound's findings reveal that the use of inspirational music on YouTube has witnessed an unprecedented growth of over 300% in the past year. This trend, far from being confined to specific regions, has established itself as a global phenomenon, securing the top spot in growth worldwide and the second spot in North America. Concurrently, downloads of inspirational music from the Epidemic Sound platform have witnessed a 180% year-over-year increase, solidifying the genre's impact on creators and audiences alike.
Classical Harmony
Simultaneously, classical music continues to maintain its perennial status as a favorite among creators. Experiencing an impressive 80% year-over-year growth from 2022 to 2023, classical music secured a position among the top three fastest-growing genres in various regions and content categories. Ultimately, it claimed the seventh spot on the list of the most frequently used genres in 2023. The nearly 40% year-over-year increase in downloads from the Epidemic Sound platform further underscores the enduring appeal of this timeless genre.
Insights from the Maestro
Epidemic Sound's CEO and Co-Founder, Oscar Höglund, provided valuable insights into these trends. "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. 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."
The Harmonious Blend
Another noteworthy trend identified in the report is the increasing emphasis on themes of happiness, hope, and dreaminess among content creators. The keyword "happy" emerged as the second most popular music search term in 2023, experiencing a significant year-over-year growth of 30%. This underscores creators' intent to infuse their content with elements of positivity and escapism, responding to an audience seeking refuge and delight in their sonic experiences.
A Synchronized Symphony
The report sheds light on the burgeoning partnership between brands and content creators, with both favoring electronic and pop genres and consistently incorporating feelings of happiness, hope, and dreaminess. This partnership aims to deliver an immersive experience that provides an escape, spreads positivity, and inspires audiences.
Epidemic Sound's Resonance on the Internet
In terms of impact, Epidemic Sound's influence on the internet is undeniable. In 2023, Epidemic Sound music was featured in over 26 million YouTube and TikTok videos, generating an impressive 2.5 billion views per day across both platforms. This viewership surpasses the 2023 Super Bowl by more than 20 times each day. The platform's 100 most popular tracks of 2023 accumulated a staggering 30 billion video views on YouTube alone, marking a notable 50% increase from the previous year.
Crafting the Musical Narrative
The methodology employed in compiling this report involved an in-depth analysis of metadata from YouTube and TikTok user-generated content featuring music from Epidemic Sound's extensive catalog of over 40,000 tracks. The data covered video uploads between January 1, 2023, and September 30, 2023, with popularity measured based on the genres, moods, artists, and tracks with the highest quantity of inclusions during this period. The fastest-growing genres were determined by comparing year-over-year percentage increases in YouTube video uploads from January 1, 2023, to September 30, 2023, against the same period in 2022.
Harmonic Reflections
Epidemic Sound's Sound of the Internet Report for 2023 provides a captivating glimpse into the evolving landscape of digital content creation. The surge in inspirational and classical music, coupled with a focus on themes of happiness, underscores the dynamic synergy between creators and their audiences. As the internet's sonic storytellers continue to shape immersive environments, Epidemic Sound remains at the forefront, harmonizing the digital world with trends that resonate globally.
Nuno
I'm a filmmaker with extensive training in multiple sectors of content creation whose films have been shown all over the world. I have also served as a speaker and jury member in multiple events. Nonetheless, in recent years, I became extremely disappointed with the course of the art world in general, and as consequence, I've developed an interest in topics I believed would become crucial for the future, namely, cybersecurity, self-education, web design, and investing in various assets, such as cryptocurrencies. All those events have driven me to launch RushRadar.