Since 2001, ABC Classic has organised a number of Classic 100 Countdown surveys. The results of each survey are decided by votes cast by the listeners of ABC Classic. After the voting, the works are played in reverse order of popularity over an intense period of programming. A feature of the countdown is that the top 100 pieces are kept secret until announced.

The top five in each of the countdowns are as follows: YearCountdownTop 52001Classic 100 OriginalMozart: Clarinet Concerto in A, K. 622 Vaughan Williams: The Lark Ascending Beethoven: Symphony No. 9 in D minor, Op. 125 Choral Beethoven: Piano Concerto No. 5 in E-flat, Op. 73 Emperor Beethoven: Violin Concerto in D major, Op. 612004Classic 100 PianoBeethoven: Piano Sonata No. 14 in C-sharp minor, Op. 27/2 Moonlight Bach, J.S.: Goldberg Variations Debussy: "Clair de lune" from Suite bergamasque Satie: Gymnopédie No. 1 Beethoven: Piano Sonata No. 8 in C minor, Op. 13 Pathétique2005/6Classic 100 OperaBizet: "Au fond du temple saint" from The Pearl Fishers Verdi: "Va, pensiero" (Chorus of the Hebrew Slaves) from Nabucco Delibes: "Sous le dôme épais" (Flower Duet) from Lakmé Mozart: "Soave sia il vento" (Act 1 trio) from Così fan tutte, K. 588 Purcell: "Thy hand, Belinda ... When I am laid in earth" (Dido's Lament) from Dido and Aeneas2006Classic 100 MozartClarinet Concerto in A, K. 622 – Adagio Ave verum corpus, K. 618 Piano Concerto No. 21 in C, K. 467 – Andante "Soave sia il vento" (Act 1 trio) from Così fan tutte, K. 588 Requiem, K. 626 Lacrimosa2007Classic 100 ConcertoBeethoven: Piano Concerto No. 5 in E-flat, Op. 73 Emperor Rachmaninoff: Piano Concerto No. 2 in C minor, Op. 18 Beethoven: Violin Concerto in D, Op. 61 Bruch: Violin Concerto No. 1 in G minor, Op. 26 Elgar: Cello Concerto in E minor, Op. 852008Classic 100 Chamber musicSchubert: Piano Quintet in A major, D667 Trout Schubert: String Quintet in C major, D956 Schubert: Nocturne in E-flat major for piano trio, D897 Beethoven: Piano Trio in B-flat major, Op. 97 Archduke Schubert: String Quartet in D minor, D810 Death and the Maiden2009Classic 100 SymphonyDvořák: Symphony No. 9 New World Beethoven: Symphony No. 9 Choral Beethoven: Symphony No. 6 Pastoral Saint-Saëns: Symphony No. 3 Organ Beethoven: Symphony No. 72010Classic 100 Ten Years OnBeethoven: Symphony No. 9 Beethoven: Piano Concerto No. 5 Emperor Concerto Beethoven: Symphony No. 6 Pastoral Mozart: Clarinet Concerto Handel: Messiah, HWV 562011Classic 100 Twentieth CenturyElgar: Cello Concerto in E minor Holst: The Planets Gershwin: Rhapsody in Blue Vaughan Williams: The Lark Ascending Rachmaninoff: Piano Concerto No. 2 in C minor, Op. 182012Classic 100 Music of FranceBizet: Carmen Saint-Saëns: Symphony No. 3 Fauré: Requiem Satie: Gymnopédies Bizet: "Au fond du temple saint"2013Classic 100 Music in the MoviesMorricone: The Mission Williams: Star Wars Shore: The Lord of the Rings Vangelis: Chariots of Fire Jarre: Doctor Zhivago2014Classic 100 Baroque and BeforeHandel: Messiah, HWV 56 Vivaldi: The Four Seasons, Op. 8 Allegri: Miserere Handel: Water Music Bach, J.S.: St Matthew Passion, BWV 2442015Classic 100 Swoon Vaughan Williams: The Lark Ascending Mozart: Clarinet Concerto Barber: Adagio for Strings Pärt: Spiegel im Spiegel Allegri: Miserere2016Classic 100 Voice Beethoven: Symphony No. 9 Bizet: The Pearlfishers (Duet: "Au fond du temple saint)" Handel: Messiah ("Hallelujah") Faure: Requiem, Op. 48 Allegri: Miserere2017Classic 100 LoveClassic 100 Love, ABC Classic FM Bizet: "Au fond du temple saint" from The Pearl Fishers Purcell: "When I am laid in earth" from Dido and Aeneas Wagner: "Liebestod" from Tristan und Isolde Dvorák: "Song to the Moon" from Rusalka Puccini: "Un bel dì" from Madama Butterfly2018Classic 100 Dance Tchaikovsky: Swan Lake Tchaikovsky: The Nutcracker Prokofiev: Romeo and Juliet Bernstein: West Side Story Bizet: Carmen2019Classic 100 Composer Ludwig van Beethoven Johann Sebastian Bach Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky George Frideric Handel2020Classic 100 Beethoven Symphony No. 9 Choral Piano Concerto No. 5 Emperor Symphony No. 6 Pastoral Symphony No. 7 Symphony No. 52021Classic 100: The Music You Can't Live Without Beethoven: Piano Concerto No. 5 Beethoven: Symphony No. 9 Vaughan Williams: The Lark Ascending Vivaldi: The Four Seasons Elgar: Enigma Variations2022Classic 100: Music for the screen John Williams: Star Wars series Howard Shore: The Lord of the Rings trilogy Ennio Morricone: The Mission John Williams, Patrick Doyle, Nicholas Hooper, Alexandre Desplat: Harry Potter series John Williams: Schindler's List2023Classic 100: Your Favourite Instrument Cello Piano Violin Oboe Clarinet2024Classic 100: Feel Good Ludwig van Beethoven: Symphony No. 9 "Choral" Gustav Holst: The Planets Georges Bizet: The Pearl Fishers Ludwig van Beethoven: Piano Concerto No. 5 "Emperor" George Gershwin: Rhapsody in Blue2025Classic 100: Piano Ludwig van Beethoven: Piano Concerto No. 5 "Emperor" Ludwig van Beethoven: Piano Sonata No. 14 "Moonlight" Frédéric Chopin: Nocturne in E-flat major, Op. 9: No. 2 George Gershwin: Rhapsody in Blue Claude Debussy: Suite bergamasque, 3rd movement, Clair de lune2026Classic 100: Greatest Of All Time Ludwig van Beethoven: Symphony No. 9 in D minor, Op. 125 "Choral" Ludwig van Beethoven: Piano Concerto No. 5 in E-flat major, Op. 73 "Emperor" Gustav Holst: The Planets, Op.32 Ralph Vaughan Williams: The Lark Ascending George Frideric Handel: Messiah, HWV 56

See also Classic FM Hall of Fame, a similar list in the UK

References