The Best Coldplay Songs: 21 Tracks That Shoot for the Stars

It may seem surprising that a band of wide-eyedhumble lads from Britain who used to sing about deodorant have reached stratospheric heights of global popularity as one of the best-selling bands of all time. But Coldplay has always aimed for the stars. 

Look at the starsa sky full of starsa head full of dreamsmoon musicparadise—all 10 Coldplay albums from the last 25 years carry a deep sense of celestial awe. The focus is never on stardombut on how all of us live underneath a cosmic glow. The title of their latest album cycleMusic of the Spheresis taken from a concept that dates back to Pythagoras that is also known as musica universalisor "universal music." That sums up Coldplay perfectly: about the universefor all of us.

Coldplay's debut full-length album Parachutes was released at the turn of the centurya time where rock music was having one of its identity crises. In the USgrunge had faded like an old flannelits slacker aesthetic replaced with nu-metalan aggressive that reached a violent peak amidst the anarchic Woodstock 99. Across the pondthe latest version of Britpop had wanedwith Oasis and Blur shifting out of their imperial era and Radiohead embracing electronic music with 2000's divisive-yet-groundbreaking Kid A.  

There was a gapand tuneful rockers unafraid of falsetto stepped in. Enter Coldplaybut also Snow PatrolKeaneStarsailorand a host of other bands from that era that you may or may not rememberemerging to show that the sensitive types could still pack concert halls. 

Here's the thingthough: Coldplay wasn't going to settle for concert halls—they wanted arenas. After three critically lauded albums that proved over and over that Coldplay could fix you with a piano anthemthey moved away from their signature sound. On 2006's Viva La Vida or Death and All His Friendsthe band joined their alternative rock stylings with their pop sensibilitiesturning them from "that 'Yellow' band with the guy who consciously uncoupled from Gwyneth Paltrow" into the global arena titans they've been ever since. 

For the Signature Series event Singers Showcase: A Sky Full of Stars—The Songs of ColdplayBerklee pays tribute to the band's sprawlingcinematic discography. The concert's producerMaureen McMullandescribes their catalog as "intricate and accessible,"  explaining that the show will traverse "songs from Parachutes to Moon Musicand everything in between—tracing the band's evolutionfrom heartfelt post-Britpop and shoegaze rootsbaroque-pop textures to world beatsgospel-popeuphoric EDM/synth-popand those vastsolar-themed Brian Eno-esque soundscapes."

In the following playlistwe curated a list of some of the best Coldplay songsmany of which are featured in the tribute concert. See the list of track notes below the playlist to read blurbs where my colleague at Berklee Valencia (and noted Coldplay fan) Laura Carrasco Lafuente and I share our thoughts on a few of the selections. 

The Best Coldplay Songs: Tracks and Notes

1. "Yellow," Parachutes

Laura Carrasco Lafuente: A classic. I saw Coldplay live this summerand this moment was unforgettable—the whole stadium lit up in yellow as everyone sang together.

2. "Clocks," A Rush of Blood to the Head

Bryan Parys: When I lived in England for a year in 2002I feel like this song greeted me as I stepped off the plane at Heathrow. That's likely romanticizingbut it's also entirely possible given how this song went from not-there to everywhere seemingly overnight. Given the titleit's not surprising that this one feels timeless. As McMullan describes it"the cyclical piano polyrhythms we hear in 'Clocks,' which are driven by a hypnotic 3+3+2 rhythmic motifperfectly underscore Chris Martin's soaring falsetto melody lines and layered harmonies. It's both simple and immensely powerful."

3. "Fix You," X&Y

Parys: Coldplay go straight for the heartstrings here. The emotional catharsis of the song has become an epic live highlightbut that doesn't mean Chris Martin can't have a laugh about it.

4. "Paradise," Mylo Xyloto

Lafuente: This one reminds me of my childhoodmy dreamsand all the ambitions I had. It feels like a wake-up call and a reminder that we can be whoever we want to beat least in our dreams.

5. "White Shadows," X&Y

6. "Don't Panic," Parachutes

Lafuente: I love everything on Parachutesbut especially this song. It reflects how everyone is going through somethingand even during low momentswe are reminded that the world is beautiful and better things will come. 

7. "Viva La Vida," Viva La Vida or Death and All His Friends

8. "Politik," A Rush of Blood to the Head

Parys: There was a softness to Coldplay's first album. Parachutesyellow starssparks—every corner was roundevery room was warm. So when these icyangular chords (that dominant 7th!) from "Politik" opened their second albumthe shock was palpable. They didn't lose their warmth (see "Green Eyes" and "Warning Sign")but they'd gained an edge. If you'd been squinting in the glow of the first albumthe band was here to say: open up your eyes.

9. "O," Ghost Stories

Lafuente: In my opinionthis is Coldplay's saddest songbut the lyrics are a beautiful way of saying goodbye (and "maybe we can find each other again"). I also love the instrumental section at the end. It's my go-to song when someone leaves. I can listen to it on repeat for hours. 

10. "The Scientist," A Rush of Blood to the Head

11. "Strawberry Swing," Viva La Vida or Death and All His Friends

12. "Higher Power," Music of the Spheres

Lafuente: I love the rhythm; it's such a boost of energy. And the line “I’m so happy that I’m alivehappy I’m alive at the same time as you” gets me every time. I love singing it to my friends and loved ones.

13. "A Sky Full of Stars," Ghost Stories

14. "Up&Up," A Head Full of Dreams

Lafuente: This is my “keep going” song. I love the message: even when things feel complicatedthere’s always hope—especially when we support one another.

15. "We Pray," Moon Music 

16. "My Universe," Music of the Spheres

17. "Christmas Lights," single

Lafuente: Since the winter holidays are coming upI had to include this one. It’s not exactly a traditional Christmas songbut it’s nostalgic and a bit melancholic. It always transports me to an emptycold Regent Street lit up with Christmas lights that makes troubles fade away.

18. "Arabesque," from Everyday Life

19. "Every Teardrop Is a Waterfall," from Mylo Xyloto

Lafuente: I really enjoy the upbeat rhythm and the message that music can empower us and help us leave our problems aside for a while. 

20. "Shiver," Parachutes

21. "Amsterdam," A Rush of Blood to the Head

Parys: Looking backit's hard for me not to see "Amsterdam" as some kind of chapter endingnot just the epic album closer I first heard it as. After thisthey'd release X&Ywhich felt like a retread of Rush of Bloodbut with diminishing returns. The band seems to agreegiven that that album begins with the refrain "stuck in square one." That was the last we'd see of this version of Coldplay. They'd outgrown their indie-darling skinny jeans and were ready for technicolor jumpsuits. So nowwhen I hear Chris Martin sing that his star has fadedthat he's out of controlit hits different. He's waiting for the next thing to come along and cut him loose.