Top 10 Coldplay Songs
It’s a Rush of Blood To The Head… and music to the ears! Welcome to WatchMojo.com, and today we’re counting down our picks for the top10 Coldplay songs.
For this list, we’ve chosen our entries based on a combination of the artist’s fan’s favorites and their most commercially successful songs.
#10: “Trouble”
Parachutes (2000)
The third single from their debut album, “Trouble” is a prime example of Coldplay’s soft-sounding, hard-hitting beginnings. The opening piano is instantly recognizable, and Chris Martin’s ghostly tone still haunts as happily as it did on Coldplay’s earlier EPs. A song about getting into a bad situation and being unable to find a way out, it’s a tune that resonates with the majority, and delights even more!
#9: “Speed of Sound”
X&Y (2005)
Built around an equally iconic piano riff, “Speed of Sound” was the first song from the X&Y album, and the band’s first top 10 hit in the U.S. It signified a dynamic change in sound and image for the four-piece, building on their original minimalistic approach, and introducing a multi-faceted, futuristic vibe. Martin’s unique voice is still the focal point, but the whole band exudes the confidence that their growing reputation has given them.
#8: “In My Place”
A Rush of Blood to the Head (2002)
The lead single from the massively successful A Rush of Blood To The Head, this track is Grammy-winning, British rock gold. Piano-less this time, the tune is built around Jonny Buckland’s chiming six-string, and it really gives the guitarist a chance to shine. “In My Place” is essentially a love song, as it tracks the rise and fall of a mismatched and unrequited love. Martin and co. are saying that we all have ‘our place’ and it’s up to us to work out what to do there.
#7: “Charlie Brown”
Mylo Xyloto (2011)
There’s a certain kid-like quality to this pick – Martin wrote it inside his daughter’s doll’s house, the lyrics refer to Peter Pan’s Lost Boys, and the title is clearly comic book-inspired. Though the Peanuts character doesn’t actually appear in the song, it does chart the story of Mylo and Xyloto, the subjects of the band’s 2011 concept album. A childish theme and an expert delivery combine to produce an ear-catching, atmospheric tune.
#6: “Paradise”
Mylo Xyloto (2011)
An outline of the band’s new direction for their fifth album, “Paradise” is a statement single that’s as infectious as it is innovative. Retaining a melodic frame, and of course, Martin’s vocals, the song has been injected with a bounce and charisma that sets it apart from anything that has come before. It’s about as catchy as a Coldplay chorus is ever likely to get, it’s accompanied by an equally up-beat elephant-inspired video, and it’s our number 6!
#5: “The Scientist”
A Rush of Blood to the Head (2002)
With such an iconic video accompaniment, it takes a first class song to stand alone as an individual creation – and “The Scientist” is exactly that! It is also one of the early success stories that formed the foundation of Coldplay. Martin himself says the song is ‘just about girls,’ and how everything else always seems to fall to the wayside when you’re interested in someone. Perhaps he’s right, perhaps he isn’t, but give the man a piano and he can sure work some magic!
#4: “Fix You”
X&Y (2005)
Perhaps the least well received of all of their albums, X&Y did have an incredible trump card – this song! “Fix You” could be one of the finest tunes to come out of Britain in this century. The boys rally together for a piece of music that has everyone trying to sing at a key that most of us cannot reach. The organ-like sound of the beginning transforms into an all-conquering crescendo – and the ‘tears may well stream’ for this song’s emotional climax.
#3: “Yellow”
Parachutes (2000)
The breakthrough record for Coldplay, this alt rocker is recognizable the world over. Near enough anyone who listens to modern music has heard it, and almost everyone understands the point it’s making. It’s unconditional, sometimes unrequited, love; it’s having someone in your life for whom you would do anything. And the video is as honest as the lyrics; Coldplay truly sets a gold standard with “Yellow.” It’s simple genius; it’s happy sadness – and it’s a Brit-rock masterpiece.
#2: “Clocks”
A Rush of Blood to the Head (2002)
For our runner-up, we head back to the piano and yet another supreme riff. The song was originally written too late for inclusion on A Rush Of Blood to the Head, and was shelved for a later album. But eventually it got pushed through, and it became their sophomore effort’s stand-out track. A song that deals with the passing of time (whether we like it or not), “Clocks” has a to-the-point title, an appropriately cyclical rhythm, and a Grammy Award for Record of the Year.
Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions.
- “Talk” X&Y (2005)
- “Every Teardrop is a Waterfall” Mylo Xyloto (2011)
- “Violet Hill” Viva la Vida or Death and All His Friends (2008)
- “Shiver” Parachutes (2000)
- “Don’t Panic” Parachutes (2000)
#1: “Viva la Vida”
Viva la Vida or Death and All His Friends (2008)
It’s bold, it’s ambitious, it’s the start of a new era. After three hugely successful albums, with “Viva La Vida” Coldplay prove if it’s not broken… make it even better! The boys branch out into orchestral rock, add some classical lyrics and land an international mega-hit. Telling fans to love their lives, it charts the story of a one-time king whose empire has crumbled. Money can’t buy you happiness, but music can – and this record is extremely valuable.
Do you agree with our list? What’s your favorite Coldplay song? For more iconic Top10s published daily, be sure to subscribe to WatchMojo.com.