Morningstar

Listen to the Data

CONTEXT

As Morningstar continues to push the boundaries of data-driven insights, they wanted to explore new ways to make their data resonate—literally. By turning complex market data into music, Morningstar aimed to highlight the unique narratives hidden within its analytics and bring the investment ecosystem’s depth to life. The challenge was to find a compelling way to translate numerical trends into an auditory experience, enabling investors to “hear” the markets in a completely novel format.

STRATEGY

To create a sonic experience that captures the essence of Morningstar’s data, we developed a digital process to convert market analytics into music. The objective was to craft a series of musical tracks that reflected key investment trends over time, using Morningstar’s proprietary data sets as the foundation. This transformation from data to music provided an innovative avenue for engagement, inviting listeners to experience Morningstar data not just as statistics but as an evolving, layered soundscape.

APPROACH

Using a custom-built Java/Processing application, we translated Morningstar’s market data into MIDI signals—digital audio representations that could be manipulated in Digital Audio Workstations (DAWs). Each data set informed various musical components, from melody to rhythm, creating pieces that reflect significant shifts in investment trends.

OUTCOMES

  • Presented Morningstar market data as a compelling auditory experience.

  • Expanded audience engagement by transforming quantitative insights into an emotional, resonant journey.

  • Sparked industry conversations about new ways to experience and understand investment data.

  • Received positive feedback from stakeholders and listeners alike.