Before any cynics state the obvious, of course, all modern music derives from classics in one way or another. Unless some musicians meddle with quantum physics and invent new notes, that will always be the case. However, on some occasions, the breadcrumb trail of a modern epic leads back to one classic composition directly.

Moreover, the link to the inspiration is often unmistakable owing to the fact that in general (although it varies from country to country) once the creator of a piece of music has been dead for 70 years, their creation enters the realm of public domain and therein it is a free-for-all for anyone who wants to pick at it.

The Beatles famously drew heavily on classical inspiration, and there’s more than a few of their best-loved songs that could’ve made this list but working on a one song per artist basis, we’re delving into ten great songs that directly transpose classics into contemporary hits.

10 rock songs inspired by classical composers:

10. ‘This Night’ by Billy Joel based on Ludwig van Beethoven’s Pathétique Sonata

Billy Joel’s love of Beethoven is so profound that he once ventured to say, “I have not forgiven myself for not being Beethoven.” Just to assert the point even further, he also publicly declared the famed German master his “favourite composer and musician of all time.”

Unsurprisingly, therefore, he prised apart ‘Pathétique Sonata’, added words, swung the rhythm and turned up the tempo a few notches for ‘This Night’. Aside from the slight adjustment to give Beethoven’s piece a poppy edge, the song remains pretty much untouched.