Last December Coldplay frontman Chris Martin announced that Coldplay would stop making new music by 2025, signaling the band’s retirement. With this news, it seemed like the perfect time to revisit their discography that spans over nearly two decades and pull together a list of the top Coldplay songs ever written (so far).
And with Coldplay confirming that they will write three more albums before retirement, I’m sure this list will need some updating. But for now, here are our picks for the 10 top Coldplay songs.
10. A Sky Full of Stars
Coldplay teamed up with Swedish producer Avicii for the dance world meets rock world single “A Sky Full of Stars.” Marking the band’s first dance track, this song successfully mesmerizes its listeners with powerful synthesizers and appropriately moody lyrics.
The song’s repeating chord sequence and varied melody is said to be inspired by the work of American pop singer Katy Perry and Nirvana’s “Smells Like Teen Spirit” (1991).
9. Amsterdam
The grand finale of A Rush of Blood to the Head is a beautifully complex song about how love can redeem human flaws in a relationship. It’s a piano ballad full of hope with a grand guitar-infused climax and is the perfect ending to the introspective album.
8. Viva La Vida
“Viva La Vida” is arguably one of the most memorable uses of a string section in pop history. With its plucky riff it created a vibe that’s both powerful and invigorating. “Viva La Vida” was clearly striking to anyone who heard it, as it stands as Coldplay’s sole No. 1 hit on the Billboard Hot 100.
7. Violet Hill
“Violet Hill” is Coldplay’s first anti-war song and Chris Martin has said it took the band years to complete. Built around a repeating guitar riff haunted by fuzzbox distortion, it utilizes a marching tempo, supported by the pianos. Inspired by The Beatles, “Violet Hill” derives its title from a street of the same name near Abbey Road.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IakDItZ7f7
6. In My Place
“In My Place” was the resounding lead single off of A Rush Of Blood To The Head, and a No. 2 hit in their home country. The massive drum beat (borrowed from Ride’s shoegaze all-timer “Dreams Burn Down”) supporting a chiming guitar riff is one of the best intros Coldplay has ever written. The song snagged a Grammy for best rock performance by a duo or group with vocals and became an instant fan favorite.
5. Talk
“Talk”, off 2005’s X&Y, begins with dark, howling synth sounds introducing a warmer, positive electric guitar riff. Built around a motif from Kraftwerk‘s 1981 song “Computer Love”, it was written by all members of the band. Actually, the song almost didn’t even make the album because the band had too much material. I’m sure we can all say we’re happy it did!
4. Clocks
“Clocks” is the song that showed Coldplay could be singular. From the first listen through that instantly unforgettable piano cascade, it was clear that something different was happening. This song is often ranked among the greatest songs of the 2000s and of all time. In 2010, the single was placed at 490th on Rolling Stone‘s “500 Greatest Songs of All Time” list. In 2011, NME placed it amongst the “150 Best Tracks of the Past 15 Years”.
3. Yellow
To nobody’s surprise, “Yellow” is often cited by both casual Coldplay listeners and diehard fans as their favorite track. Rightfully so — the alt-rock love song helped the band gain worldwide recognition after it was released on their debut studio album, Parachutes. It became No. 2 on the Adult Alternative Chart — securing their first U.S. success, and helping them skyrocket to international fame.
2. Fix You
Chris Martin wrote this song for then-wife Gwenyth Paltrow after her father’s death. The song has gone on to become one of the band’s most well-known songs. It has been covered countless times, but never loses its original meaning: someone wanting to comfort a loved one. It has become a staple at their live shows, a moment where fans come together and sing the monumental chorus in unison.
1. The Scientist
When mathematicians cannot come up with the solution to an equation, they return to the beginning of the problem and try to solve it. “The Scientist” finds Martin adopting this approach to a matter of the heart. The outcome is a melancholic, piano-driven ballad written in the key of F major. The lyrics to the song allude to a man’s powerlessness in the face of love. This song deserves to be #1 on the list of the top 10 Coldplay songs.
