2CELLOS

Crafty Croatian cello duo 2Cellos first drew widespread notice by posting an instrumental rendition of Michael Jackson's "Smooth Criminal" online. Their opening full-length release, 2011's 2Cellos, channeled expansive alternative rock ensembles and ascended to the summit of the Billboard Classical Albums chart. The pair reclaimed that position with 2015's Celloverse, the 2017 film-theme collection Score, and 2018's Let There Be Cello, which revisited pop and rock standards; their comparable 2021 outing Dedicated settled at number two.

Longtime associates and experienced performers Luka Sulic and Stjepan Hauser signed with Sony Masterworks in 2010, issuing their self-titled debut the next year. It spotlighted cello-driven interpretations of material by U2 ("Where the Streets Have No Name"), Kings of Leon ("Use Somebody"), and Nine Inch Nails ("Hurt"), alongside a fresh take on the Michael Jackson song that sparked their mainstream breakthrough, and it claimed the top spot on both the Billboard Classical Albums and Classical Crossover Albums charts.

In2ition arrived in 2013 and explored parallel pop-rock terrain, featuring reinterpretations of AC/DC's "Highway to Hell" and Coldplay's "Clocks" plus the Šulić and Hauser original "Orient Express," ultimately reaching number four on the classical tally. Their third studio effort, 2015's Celloverse, offered vigorous versions of Iron Maiden's "The Trooper," AC/DC's "Thunderstruck," and Mumford & Sons' "I Will Wait," restoring them to the apex of the classical and classical crossover rankings. 2Cellos then turned to cinema for 2017's Score, drawing from Game of Thrones, Titanic, Chariots of Fire, Braveheart, and The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring. Recorded with the London Symphony Orchestra under conductor and arranger Robin Smith, the set marked their fourth consecutive Billboard 200 entry and third classical number one.

Returning to their rock-oriented approach the following year on the eclectic Let There Be Cello, they applied their distinctive approach to enduring tracks by Survivor, Led Zeppelin, and the White Stripes; another classical chart leader, it coincided with their inaugural arena tour. Continuing without pause, the similarly styled Dedicated surfaced in 2021 and rose to number two on the classical chart.