That might be how he’s referred to but that doesn’t make it. When was the last time a Shakespeare book sold 7 million copies? With 49 books published and 350 million sold that’s what Stephen King averages. Music students aren’t voluntarily listening, and they might not be doing Beethoven today, it could be a Mozart day, but on the top 40 radio stations it’s ALWAYS Gaga day. All you’ve got to do is look at how symphony attendance is plummeting in this country to know that even low rent rock bands are probably more popular than any given classical guy.
Shakespeare has sold much more than seven million copies. Not to mention books ABOUT Shakespeare. In the long run he outsells everyone. And has much more of an impact on people of all stripes.
Music students are voluntarily music students so they went in with the intent to study Beethoven and such. There are free concerts in the park all over the country that draw large crowds. You think the way you do because classical is completely ignored by the mainstream media so you assume it isn’t popular. It’s far and away the most popular form of music in the world. For instance, Opera is hugely popular. Try getting a ticket to the Met. Beethoven and Tchaikovsky are played in countries that don’t have a clue about some American pop tart. But classical musicians will tell you that even though they play to sell-out halls, talk shows of all stripes routinely tell them “we don’t do Classical” It’s an illusion.