With the recent release of their seventh studio album, A Head Full Of Dreams, a record they’ve alluded to being their last (at least for now,) a pending world tour, and a coveted performance at the Super Bowl Halftime show, Coldplay has reclaimed their position as Biggest Band In The World. It’s a fitting time to look back at their output and acknowledge their best work. Here is the 50 Greatest Coldplay songs (to date.) 50. SWALLOWED IN THE SEA X&Y is one of Coldplay’s “biggest” albums, sonically, almost to a fault. Their lack of restraint was destined for inconsistency, but it resulted in some amazing work.
“Swallowed In The Sea” is a song that could have very easily been terrible, but the group pulls it off almost effortlessly. The ballad embraces an explosion of energy, but it doesn’t end up sounding cheesy. Instead, Chris Martin’s sharp, sweet, and almost poignant vocals create something rather beautiful. OCEANS Ghost Stories is an album that still needs time to grow. Despite retreating back to a more melancholic sound, they simultaneously embraced electronic instruments more than ever.
Of all the tracks on the album, “Oceans” felt most like home. The simple yet beautiful, acoustic ballad is a welcomed hark back to their early works, yet it still made perfect sense in the context of the album. The song is the perfect reminder of just why we started paying attention to Coldplay in the first place. TALK The third single lifted from X&Y is an interesting track. For starters, “Talk” is built around an interpolation of Kraftwerk’s “Computer Love,” turning the original’s synth line into an incredible guitar hook. There’s an amazing energy throughout the track that overshadows some of the more dodgy lyrical moments, and despite their every effort to hold true to their alt rock sound, “Talk” is one of their greatest pop efforts. It’s a shame that it hasn’t endured like their other hits, but it was a necessary release.