You may have heard of a little band from the UK called ‘Coldplay’. With almost 20 top ten singles, and 9 studio albums all topping the chart, they have been an unavoidable force over the last three decades. A trendy band to hate, Coldplay have persevered and thrived by setting the standard of live performance with their unique global tours. As a previous Coldplay-hater (without ever listening to the band!), converted by the 2012 spectacle that was the ‘Mylo Xyloto’ tour, I wanted to share my Top 5(ish) songs from the band - that most filthy casuals seemed to have missed!

See you Soon

Forming in the mid 1990’s under the names “Big Fat Noises” and “Starfish”, Coldplay had a lot of work to do to become the chart-topping, world-touring band we know today. Their raw components included unique vocals by Chris Martin, and a calm, acoustic instrumental construction to back. Before their debut album ‘Parachutes’ in 2000, the band released their first EP under Parlophone Records called “The Blue Room”, which included two songs that would go on to feature on their first album. 

For me, the most notable track is “See You Soon”. Listening back to this song now, the track foreshadows what would become ‘the Coldplay Sound’ for the next three albums. The song accepts the vulnerability of leaving vocals and acoustic guitar exposed, and slowly builds layers using a highly recognisable organ that would feature in hits such as Fix You and other tracks from X&Y.

See You Soon, although not making any of the later albums, shows the identity Coldplay started their musical careers with, and would maintain until 2008 when they’d release their fourth studio album ‘Viva La Vida or Death And all his Friends’. 

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Rainy Day / Glass of Water

The aforementioned 2008 studio album Viva La Vida - frequently said to be one of the best studio albums produced by the band, saw a change in their production team. Most notably, renowned Producer Brian Eno at the helm, the group shifted to an instrument-first writing process, and evolved their brand to Eno’s signature wall of sound. To include any track from Viva La Vida on a list of songs you probably haven’t heard would be silly.

The loophole, however, is in the accompanying release Prospekt’s March EP. Minus the three alternate versions/recordings of tracks featured on the album Viva la Vida, Prospekt’s March EP boasts numerous songs that feel completely at home with the rest of the album - alluding to the strength of Viva La Vida as a collection of songs. I’ve bundled two - Rainy Day + Glass of Water. Songs that feel way too good to be “Leftover” tracks, I’d consider them must-haves on the playlists of any Coldplay fan.

Their exclusion is, perhaps, due to a slightly higher level of musical complexity that might have hindered potential commercial success. Rainy Day with an inverted dynamic structure - with a chorus stepping down dynamically instead of offering a raise, and Glass of Water switching to ⅞ to give a sense of movement and creating an impactful lift - these songs boast their prowess as composers, backed by Eno’s big production style. It always baffles me that these tracks didn’t make the cut for the album, and therefore have to make the list of best songs you need to check out.

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HONOURABLE MENTION

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The Nappies

link here for those curious!

Now, I admit, this is ridiculous to include. While working on 2005 album X&Y, to celebrate the birth of Chris Martin’s daughter Apple, the band released - for one week only - a video for fans subscribed to their website. The song, about taking on fatherly responsibilities, is a perfect example of the stupid fun bands get up to when recording. It’s messing around. Enjoying your craft. Chris Martin has always been a polarising profile - with people not in the Coldplay camp frequently hating him. Don’t get me wrong, when somebody ‘Consciously Uncouples’ their wife that sells minge-candles, I have to hold my hands up and understand that some people have taken a dislike to the frontman.

However, as a fan of the band, I’ve always admired their ability to not take themselves too seriously, and enjoyed the extra-curricular and behind-the-scenes fans have been able to experience. 

Miracles 

After releasing the album Ghost Stories in 2014, with a near-apologetic promotional campaign that seemed to say “don’t worry, this album doesn’t count”, a lot of fans felt this album marked the end of the raw ‘Rock band Coldplay’ we had seen for the last 10 years. After numerous listens to the album, I convinced myself I liked it. But it left me wanting something more. 

Exactly what was lacking from that album felt delivered in their single ‘Miracles’, released to support Angelina Jolie’s directorial debut ‘Unbreakable’. (If you haven’t seen the film, it’s a powerful movie, but don’t hold your breath waiting for the song to feature - it’s during the end credits!)

The track is a piano + acoustic guitar-led power ballad, with well written lyrics and a strong vocal performance akin to earlier Coldplay work. It does a brilliant job to match the feeling of the movie too, however is perfectly serviceable on its own.

O (Fly On)

Talking of Ghost Stories' shortcomings as a Coldplay record (don’t come at me, this is still in the category of albums I enjoy listening too!), there is one moment on the record of true beauty and that’s in the track O (Fly On). Again, a vulnerable track when contrasted by the heavy producing style the rest of the album offers, I believe this song is only made better by the comparison to the rest of the album. The track is captivating, and for those who dislike the more commercial side of Coldplay, this is the best you’ll get from Ghost Stories. 

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Everglow (Acoustic Single Version)

I guess there’s a theme within my article that I’m discovering as I type… The longer Coldplay exist, the further they “evolve” from a sound I most relate to. The 2015 album A Head Full Of Dreams - where the band truly embraced their new heavily commercial focus, had very little to appease the longer-lasting fans. Besides a couple tracks in the final act of the record, the closest we get is the acoustic relief in ‘Everglow’. After hearing this performed live in Cardiff, I felt a disconnect with the album recording. With such a raw, emotional track, the little bit of production embellishment seems overboard. 

Despite not being a commercially targeted track, Coldplay later released the Single version - a solo performance by Chris Martin. It felt like a true for-the-fans decision, rewarding those that feel the commercial machine of their latest music isn’t for them. 

Let us know your thoughts! 

These are the top 5 for myself, but what are your favourite tracks that have flown under the radar?