Playlist: Dark Academia Like You Haven’t Heard Before

Delight in Dark Academia with this lovely selection of queer, BIPOC, and women composers.

Written by Gracie Warhurst

Illustrated by Kathy Chang

Romanticizing the pursuit of knowledge and liberal education, the Dark Academia aesthetic has become widely repopularized in recent years. A big part of the aesthetic is its focus on classical music — with a twist. What sets Dark Academia music apart is its fervent elements: a minor key, intense build ups, and uneasy undertones. However, most classical music that shows up in these themed playlists comes from the same few composers that have circulated for hundreds of years. 

Focusing on underrepresented and new age composers, this Dark Academia playlist is the perfect background music for studying in an old library, reading classic literature, and strolling through an art museum.