Classical to Metal: A Musical Analysis of the 2024 Paris Olympics Opening Ceremony
With over 29 million viewers, 49 million posts and 17 billion impressions, the Opening Ceremony of the 2024 Paris Olympics was the highest viewed ceremony since the 2012 Games. Featuring live acts like Céline Dion, Lady Gaga, Aya Nakamura and Gojira, 45 different genres were represented through the duration of the Ceremony. Utilising our SoStereo Sonic Analysis tool, we processed and analysed the music from all four hours of the event to give you our in depth breakdown.
Examining both the live music performances and the background music, 45 genres in total were represented in the Friday event. We looked at 10 main live performances and a total of 50 different tracks playing for more than 30 seconds each. The ceremony featured a wide range of music genres and artists—mostly French, which was to be expected, but also a diverse musical selection not only showcasing the rich cultural heritage of the host country but also highlighted the global and inclusive spirit of the event.
The most used genre during the opening ceremony was, as expected, classical music. But we were surprised for the first time ever metal performance in an Olympic ceremony.
Classical, by far, the most used genre for Olympic Games in general. Brands like Nike, Corona, IMAX, Omega, and Procter & Gamble (P&G) tapped into the genre as their choice for Olympic commercials. Many ads that utilize Classical music as a go-to for invoking epicness and emotion due to its grandeur and timeless appeal. However, while classical music might be effective in creating a certain atmosphere, it is still far removed from what contemporary customers typically listen to. People don’t generally stream classical music on Spotify; they listen to pop, hip hop, electronic, rock, and even metal.
By choosing more contemporary music from real artists, brands have an opportunity to create a more authentic connection with their audience. Take the band Gojira for example. As the first ever Metal band to perform at the Olympics they boasted 25 times fewer followers than Lady Gaga and 10 times fewer than Celine Dion. Following their performance YouTube search trends revealed audience engagement that matched Lady Gaga’s and Spotify follower growth surpassing over 300K as of this article. This underscores what we’ve always known at SoStero – real music and real artists are powerful and embracing them could help brands stay relevant and resonate more deeply with their customers.
We saw in YouTube search trends how Gojira managed to achieve what seemed impossible—matching a huge pop star like Lady Gaga in terms of audience engagement and, for most of the audience, unexpectedly “winning”
Whether it’s the rebellious energy of rock and metal, the vibrant rhythms of hip hop, or the immersive soundscapes of classical music, the dynamic cultural landscape in which we live is vast and so are the audiences that consume them. Utilizing tools like SoStereo Sonic Analysis brands can leverage data driven music insights to offer unique and memorable experiences that resonate with modern audiences.
