Over a year after launching a standalone app for classical music, Apple is now launching a global weekly chart dedicated to the genre.
The Apple Classical Top 100 chart will provide a list of the most popular classical albums worldwide. The chart leverages data from five key sources across 165 countries: Apple Music Classical streams, Apple Music streams, iTunes downloads, iTunes song sales, and Shazam tags.
Updated every Monday, the chart shows the previous week’s activity from Friday to Thursday, providing an up-to-date snapshot of the classical music scene. The Apple Classical Top 100 can be accessed on the Apple Music Classical Home tab.
“Apple Music Classical has been a huge hit with classical fans around the world. With the launch of Apple Classical Top 100 and the recently announced new partnerships, the app is transforming the world of classical,” said Oliver Schusser, Apple’s vice president of Apple Music and Beats.
“Apple Music Classical has been a huge hit with classical fans around the world. With the launch of Apple Classical Top 100 and the recently announced new partnerships, the app is transforming the world of classical.”
Oliver Schusser, Apple
The inaugural number one album on the Apple Classical Top 100 is Bach: Keyboard Concertos, featuring Chinese pianist Tianqi Du alongside the Academy of St Martins in the Fields conducted by Jonathan Bloxham.
Tianqi Du said: “I’m deeply honored for my latest album to be top of the first Apple Classical 100 chart. These concertos are a vibrant showcase of Bach’s energy and spirit, bursting with emotional richness and expressive depth. I am sincerely grateful for the fantastic platform Apple Music Classical provides, helping us musicians connect with classical music lovers globally.”
The current top five albums are from Canada, China, Brazil, Latvia, Norway, and the UK.
Apple Music Classical is tailored for classical music in 11 languages. Apple says it boasts the highest audio quality including high resolution lossless, and immersive spatial audio for many classical favorites.
The app also features expertly curated playlists, detailed composer biographies, and descriptions of thousands of works. Apple Music Classical has forged partnerships with leading venues, opera companies, and orchestras around the world, offering exclusive content and recordings.
These partners include the Berlin Philharmonic, Carnegie Hall, Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Concertgebouw Orchestra, London Symphony Orchestra, the Metropolitan Opera, New York Philharmonic, Opéra National de Paris, Seoul Arts Center, Shanghai Symphony Orchestra, Suntory Hall, and Vienna Philharmonic.
Apple Music subscribers can enjoy all the offerings of Apple Music Classical at no additional cost. In January the app expanded to Japan, South Korea and China, and more. Apple launched the app after acquiring classical music streaming service Primephonic in August 2021.
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