A couple of days ago, a friend of mine from home achieved (or, more accurately, is on her way to achieve) one of my life goals: See Coldplay live in concert. For those who don't know me, I am not a fan of concerts. Nonetheless, Coldplay is my favorite band, and I would go to one of their concerts without thinking twice. Well, now that the jealousy has settled down, I decided to rank my favorite Coldplay songs. Yes, I know many, many of you will disagree with my ordering, but we can all agree that they have so many good songs, that even picking the best 12 is a challenge. It took me a while of hard soul-searching to decide which would rank in the top. In the end, most of these are the ones I listen to at least once a week, some rank up to multiple times a day (#rip).
Here goes, my top 11 Coldplay Songs are:
The first spot on the list goes to the only song from Ghost Stories that I like. It is lyrically very Coldplay, but I am not a fan of the musical arrangement. Nonetheless, I give it a chance in my top songs because it reminds me of "Yellow," but much more modern version, and a very different Coldplay.
10. Don't Let It Break Your Heart
One of their more obscure songs of Mylo Xyloto, the song has a very happy beat to it. The chorus is very high energy. I don't really have a reason for exactly why I like it, but I do, so here it is.
Their debut hit song. More here because of its symbolic significance, but also because it serves as a marker of how Coldplay has changed over the years. This song has become synonymous with the band. The lyrics are pretty cool too, and many quotes have been pulled from this song to make cute posters.
Another romantic ballad, I am not a fan of the music arrangement but the lyrics are really sweet and cute. They remind me of when people start liking each other and the start to relationships. Such cute, such adorable.
This song inspired me to try to relearn to play the piano. The chords (music major friends, help me out, I'm not sure I'm using the right word) in the song just take me to a place where I feel inspired and poetic. Most of my college essays were written with this song in the background.
The namesake of their most recent album, this song is an introduction to a wonderful party of music. Just imagine a choreography to this song, it would be a myriad of colors. Just open your mind and keep a "head full of dreams."
Probably the saddest song of theirs on this list, this song has such a high ranking because of personal associations I have to it. A long time ago, a friend and I stumbled across this song and realized its lyrical value, and since then it symbolizes both how our friendship endures since then, and our appreciation to Coldplay.
The peppiness of this obscure song is very catchy. I dare you to listen to the song and not feel that your "feet won't touch the ground." It is a great rhythm that reminds me of some far away land. 10/10 would recommend.
The bronze medal and part of their newest album, this is my favorite slow song that Coldplay has released. A twist to the usual sad narratives, this waltz-y ballad carries a feeling of true love and happiness. Although it breaks with their usual style, it speaks to the versatility of the group.
My second favorite song is one of their most heartfelt songs. The sad and despondent start matches the first part of the lyrics. The lyrics themselves appeal to people, since who hasn't gone through unrequited love, loosing a loved one, or been so exhausted that you feel you can't go on. The chorus is different, and you can notice when you listen to the backdrop instruments. They signal that the chorus has a light of hope in it. The guitar in the last few minutes of the song is transcendent. Probably my favorite use of an electric guitar in any of their songs, it rattles the previous feel of the song. Truly a wonderful message carried on the shoulders of a great instrumental arrangement.
The gold medal, and Coldplay's most popular song, "Viva la Vida" represents a major source of inspiration to me. People will say that I like this song because I am a bandwagoner, but I promise that is completely inaccurate. The reason I like this song is that it is one of their most orchestral songs, and the emphasis on the violins to create the emotion that the lyrics carry is (in my opinion) amazing. The use of bronze bell tolling to emphasize the transition into the chorus denotes the death toll of a passing leader, similar to what the lyrics say. And, to me, the lyrics are probably the best part of the song. The fact that it narrates the story of someone who once rose to the top, and then became one of the lot is a story that many of us can relate to in some form or another.
Well, there you have it. These are my top Coldplay songs. If you think I am missing any, have any others you would like to have seen up there, or agree with my rankings, please comment and let me know what you think! As a longtime Coldplay fan, I believe most of their songs are great, but these are the ones that I listen to the most.
Honorable mentions: "Paradise," "Hymn For the Weekend," and "Every Tear Drop is a Waterfall."
