About

Mozart If He Was a Good Pianist refers to a series of ironic memes in which a portrait of a young Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, captioned with the phrase, is combined with various modern music, implying that if Mozart was more talented he would create music such as video game and anime OSTs. The format originated on iFunny in mid-August 2021 and spread throughout the next several weeks to additional platforms. In late October 2021, a version of the format known as Beatles If They Were a Good Band gained popularity on Twitter and Reddit.

Origin

On August 11th, 2021. iFunny^[1] user Zarkoll posted a video caption meme based on the painting "Mozart at the Spinet" by Thaddeus Helbing, captioned "Mozart if he was a good pianist" and accompanied by the dubstep track "Scary Monsters and Nice Sprites" by Skrillex. The post received over 1,200 smiles in one month (shown below).

On August 26th, Twitter^[10] user @shermtwt reuploaded the video, with the repost gaining over 18,700 views, 930 retweets and 3,300 likes in one week.

Spread

The video caption did not see further spread until August 28th, 2021, when it gained popularity on iFunny. On that day, iFunny^[2] user radiohead posted a version of the meme combined with the main theme of Yo Mama series. The post (shown below, left) received over 600 smiles in five days. On the same day, iFunny^[3] user BenShapiro posted a version of the meme combined with the piano rendition of "Dixie," with the post gaining nearly 400 smiles in the same period (shown below, center). Also on that day, Instagram^[4] user inhalemybees posted a version using "Crossing Field" from Sword Art Online that received over 153,700 views and 40,500 likes in four days (shown below, right). On August 29th, Instagram user repostrandy reposted^[5] this version, with the upload gaining over 360,000 views and 70,100 likes in three days.

On August 30th, Twitter^[6] user @ARGGENT3 posted a version featuring "Dark Star (Homemade Weapons Remix)" by Quadrant, which received over 366,000 views, 9,100 retweets and 42,900 likes in three days (shown below).

Starting on August 30th, the format gained a viral presence on iFunny, with multiple users submitting their versions of the meme, including variants in which the portrait of Mozart was humorously altered. For example, on August 30th, iFunny^[7] user SweatShop posted a meme based on Kanye West's "Runaway" that gained over 1,400 smiles in three days (shown below, left). On August 31st, iFunny^[8] user feti posted a version based on Bladee's "Be Nice to Me" that gained over 980 smiles in two days (shown below, center). A same-day Monogatari meme posted by Jombler^[9] received over 1,400 smiles in the same period (shown below, right).

Beatles If They Were a Good Band

On October 26th, 2021, Twitter^[11] user @switch1e_swoof posted a version of the meme based on a sped-up recording of The Beatles'' performance of "I Want to Hold Your Hand" at The Ed Sullivan Show, captioned "The Beatles if they were a good band" and the video set to a drum-and-bass remix of the song. The post received over 305,000 views, 3,500 retweets and 24,800 likes in three weeks (shown below).

Multiple users replied to the tweet with edits of the video; for example, Twitter^[12] user @Chauncey_ssb posted a Ram Ranch edit that gained 80 retweets and 320 likes in one day. On October 27th, Twitter^[13] user @LaidBackTeaTime posted an edit set to "Cagayake! GIRLS" from K-On! that gained over 2,400 retweets and 7,700 likes (shown below).

On October 27th, Redditor^[14] reverything11 reposted @switch1e_swoof's edit to /r/beatlescirclejerk subreddit, with the format gaining minor popularity in this and other music subreddits in the following days.^[15][16]

Various Examples

Search Interest

External References