Greatest classical composers

For centuries, music lovers have debated which composers truly reshaped the classical canon and left the deepest mark on Western music. From Bach's intricate counterpoint to Beethoven's revolutionary symphonies, these titans of composition continue to inspire, challenge, and move audiences worldwide. Cast your vote and help crown the greatest classical composer of all time!

What counts: Seeded with approximate figures where shown — the crowd's votes decide the order.

Ludwig van Beethoven▲ Rising
Era: 1800s
added by IJR
52
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart▲ Rising
Era: 1700s
added by IJRin 2 rankings Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
30
Johann Sebastian Bach▲ Rising
Era: 1700s
added by IJR
26
Pyotr Tchaikovsky▲ Rising
Era: 1800s
added by IJR
17
Frédéric Chopin
Era: 1800s
added by IJRFrédéric Chopin
7
Johannes Brahms▲ Rising
Era: 1800s
added by IJRJohannes Brahms
0
Franz Schubert
Era: 1800s
added by IJR
-4
Antonio Vivaldi▼ Falling
Era: 1700s
added by IJRAntonio Vivaldi
-15
Claude Debussy▼ Falling
Era: 1900s
added by IJRClaude Debussy
-21
Igor Stravinsky▼ Falling
Era: 1900s
added by IJRIgor Stravinsky
-26

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Comments (7)

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PPriya Kim3d
Exactly the kind of argument the internet was built for.
LLuna Haddad5d
Voted — and the gap between #1 and #2 should be bigger.
PPriya KowalskiJul 29, 2026
This order is closer to right than any editor would've gotten.
MMateo Lindqvist3d
The crowd is sleeping on the bottom half of this list.