“Was a long and dark December/From the rooftops I remember/There was snow/White snow…”
The words echoing after the 30-second, thin, synth-wash intro was how I got hooked on Coldplay. And once I did, there was no turning back. “Violet Hill” is the eighth track from the band’s Viva La Vida album.
As a teenager growing up in the early 2000’s, the impact this music had on us is immense. For many (in India), Coldplay is one of the first rock bands they have ever encountered. What’s more inspiring is 24 years since their debut album, the band’s following hasn’t fallen at all. Rather Coldplay has found new listeners among the Gen-Z youngsters, thus keeping the spirit of British indie pop/rock alive. As the band goes on with their “The Music of the Spheres” World Tour, presumably the “Biggest Rock Tour of All Time”, let’s dig into some of Coldplay’s most influential works of all time.
The best Coldplay songs (so far)
1. Viva La Vida
Album: Viva La Vida (2008)
Recording studio: The Bakery, London
The title track from the Viva La Vida album is one of the most listened to songs that defines the band’s energy. Aptly named, “Viva La Vida” means “Long Live Life” in Spanish. No wonder the album sounds like a celebration of life itself, cherishing the beauty. The song talks about power, fame and the pursuit of success. “I used to rule the world/Seas would rise when I gave the word/Now in the morning, I sleep alone/Sweep the streets I used to own” _ The words are coming from a fallen king. Inspired by historical events like the French revolution, the lyrics from the 2009 “Song Of The Year” Grammy bagger, are a deep introspection into how a twist of fate can make one powerless in a matter of time and its aftermath.
2. Yellow
Album: Parachutes (2000)
Recorded at multiple recording studios including Rockfield Studios in Monmouthshire and Parr Street Studios in Liverpool
Although it’s hard to name one signature song by Coldplay, this one may be the closest we can get to. With the video showing Chris Martin simply taking a stroll down the Studland Bay in the county of Dorset, South West England, where it was shot, the simplicity of the song with beautiful melody lines stands out. Martin has commented the song to be on devotion to someone, wanting to do something for them. Hence the references – writing a song or swimming the sea for them and so on.
3. The Scientist
Album: A Rush of Blood to the Head (2002)
Recording Studio: Parr Street Studios, Liverpool
A soft melancholic piano-driven ballad, The Scientist, the fourth song from their second studio album is about a man wanting to go “back to the start” after a failed relationship. “Nobody said it was easy; no one ever said it would be this hard” – the video shows Chris Martin wondering on his own what went wrong in the beginning till we actually find out. Shot in reverse motion, we find out his on-screen girlfriend was killed in a car crash.
4. Clocks
Album: A Rush Of Blood to the Head (2002)
Recording Studio: The Bakery, North London, England
The “Record Of the Year” winner at the 46th Grammy Awards, is definitely one of Coldplay’s best lyrics and music. With a repeating piano melody line, the song’s meaning has various interpretations although we can be sure that it is about conflicting thoughts, regrets, missed opportunities and inevitable death, how we all want to go home.
5. Fix You
Album: X&Y(2005)
Recording Studio: Parr Street Studios, Liverpool
Another of Martin’s ballads from their 3rd studio album, the church-organ-driven song was written by Martin for his then-wife Gwyneth Paltrow following the death of her father to help her through the grief. The song is undeniably one of Coldplay’s best, both lyrically and musically.
6. Paradise
Album: Mylo Xyloto (2011)
Recording Studio: The Beehive Studios, North London, England
Mylo Xyloto was the first concept album by Coldplay where the band explored their new uplifting electronic sound. The third and most popular track from the album talks about a character’s desire to escape the extremely restrictive and authoritarian government rule to live a free life. Thus she kept dreaming of a “paradise” with a child-like innocence.
7. A Sky Full Of Stars
Album: Ghost Stories (2014)
Recording Studio: The Bakery and The Beehive Studios, North London, England
A Sky Full Of Stars is that kind of a song with an infectious energy. A song about unconditional love, expressing the feeling of loving no matter what, even if one gets torn apart, the colorful video shows Martin roaming across the streets of King Street, Newtown, Sydney as a one man band, in unison with the common folk.
8. Hymn For The Weekend
Album: A Head Full Of Dreams (2015)
Recording Studio: Home Studio at Henson
Definitely one of their more popular songs, the song talks about having an “angelic person in your life” as Martin puts it. The colourful video for the song, which has the second most views among all of their songs on YouTube was shot in Mumbai, India.
9. Something Just Like This
Album: Memories… Do Not Open (2017)
The Chainsmokers song featuring Coldplay – This is the most watched Coldplay video on YouTube. The song is about a man who feels he is not good enough for his girlfriend. But his girlfriend didn’t need a superhero but someone ordinary and caring who shows up for her, as she expresses.
10. Don’t Panic
Album: Parachutes (2000)
Recording Studios: Rockfield Studios, Wales and Parr Street Studio, Liverpool
A comforting acoustic guitar riff-based song, Don’t Panic is Coldplay’s first track from their debut album. The repeating falsetto “We live in a beautiful world” seems to summarize the song’s sentiment.
To sum it up, the list of Coldplay favourites is endless. From Sparks to Magic or from Speed of Sound to their recent Higher Power, it is no wonder difficult to cover all our favourites in one list!
Editor’s Pick: High Speed
Album: Parachutes (2000)
Recording Studios: Rockfield Studios, Liverpool
It is safe to say that this album was one of Coldplay’s turning points. With so many back-to-back bangers, it is tough to ignore the fact that Parachutes paved the way for Coldplay’s commercial success. One of the gems in the tracklist of this indie alt-rock record to come out of Britain was ‘High Speed;’ an infectious number that doesn’t shy away from exploring the realms of psychedelic rock and shoegaze. This was perhaps Coldplay’s statement to the world that they are daring enough to try new things, while always playing to their strengths. Here is a video of the band playing the song live at Bizarre Festival (2000), in Germany to a crowd who has little idea that they are witnessing the inception of one of the most revolutionary pop-rock bands of the 21st Century.
Head here to check out: Coldplay Asia Tour 2025 dates and presale information
