In 2016, Mozart surpassed Beyoncé and Drake in CD sales to claim the title of the most popular music artist.
In December 2016, a significant event took place in the music industry. To honour the 225th anniversary of Mozart's death, a comprehensive box set containing all of Mozart's works was released by Decca, Deutsche Grammophon, and the Salzburg Mozarteum Foundation. The lavish box set, weighing over 10kg, featured 200 CDs and many of history's greatest recordings.
The box set was met with a "wonderful" response, according to Paul Moseley, senior vice president of Universal Music Group. Sales of the Mozart box set were remarkable, outperforming popular albums like Beyoncé's Lemonade, Adele's 25, and Drake's Views in terms of digital physical copies sold.
The box set quickly rose to the top of Classical charts and, remarkably, continued to dominate beyond them. In fact, it was declared the biggest selling CD release of the year by Billboard. However, specific chart positions and sales figures beyond the Classical charts were not provided.
The success of the Mozart box set was not limited to physical sales. Mozart regularly pulls in millions upon millions of listeners and devoted fans on streaming platforms like Spotify, YouTube, and our website's own app, Global Player.
In 2024, 13 pieces by Mozart were voted into our website's Hall of Fame, making him the composer with the most entries in the Top 300. This further cemented Mozart's position as a timeless and beloved figure in the music world.
The Mozart box set, with its extensive collection of works, is a testament to the enduring popularity of Mozart. Even after more than two centuries, his music continues to captivate audiences, proving that he remains as relevant and popular as any artist of the day.
Despite the lack of specific sales figures for the United States in 2016, the success of the Mozart box set was undeniable. Its impact on the music industry and the hearts of music lovers around the world is a testament to the lasting legacy of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart.
