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In light of the recent news concerning Chris Martin and Gwyneth Paltrow splitting after 10 years of marriage, I have been reminiscing on some of my favorite Coldplay songs. I have been a huge fan of this band for a very long time. I think what first caught my eye was an iPod commercial that featured “Viva la Vida” incessantly for months and months. After that point I dug deeper into their archives and realized I already knew so many of their songs and just fell completely in love.

“In My Place” (A Rush of Blood to the Head, 2002): There is something about this song that never gets old. The drums, the gorgeous guitar melody, and most of all Chris’ vocals which practically sing the song like he wrote it in 2 seconds and then was like “Yeah, I can sing this right now” The lyrics are alluring, heartbreaking, and relatable all at the same time.

“The Scientist” (A Rush of Blood to the Head, 2002): I have a very personal connection to this song which is why I think I love it so much. I played it on piano and sang it for a couple talent shows. After practicing it for so long I felt insanely connected to the lyrics and could not help but cherish every chord, note, and emotion in this song. To this day, it is one of the most emotional songs I have ever heard. Near the end when the guitar is added into the simultaneous pounding chords you can feel these notes pulsing through your veins (or maybe its Martin’s flawless falsetto?)

“Death and All His Friends” (Viva la Vida, 2008): I have said from the beginning the most insane talent of Coldplay is to transform a song so that when the listener is done, they feel they have just been on a long journey through a personal story. Time and time again I find myself saying “Wait, is this the same song that we were listening to 30 seconds ago?!” Their transitions musically and lyrically are done so beautifully you would believe they were sculpted for years. “Death and All His Friends” starts out as this gorgeous piano driven ballad and then the guitar soars in, both become stronger, then the drums bring everything together and the alternative vibes are zooming through the rest of the song (best part is 2:18…) It soon becomes a huge anthem singing “No I don’t wanna battle from beginning to end, I don’t want a cycle of recycle revenge, I don’t wanna follow death and all of his friends” But wait, it’s not over yet. The band then gets electronic-y as Martin’s vocals lead us into another dream-like sequence that does eventually end.

“Glass of Water” (Viva la Vida, 2008): This song holds one of the coolest messages I have ever heard. A man wonders if he will see heaven inside his glass of water, because he heard you can see your future inside it. The chorus of this song is crazy heavy and pulls you in instantly. I love it in its entirety.

“Sparks” (Parachutes, 2000): This song is a true hidden gem. A steady coffee shop beat and sleepy vocals lead you into a romantic trance through lyrics like “My heart is yours, It’s you that I hold on to, that’s what I do…” I love listening to this song before bed, it could put the meanest gorilla to sleep.

“See You Soon” (The Blue Room – EP, 1999): Much like “Sparks” this is a beautifully composed track almost portraying a goodbye letter to a loved one. The lyrics in this song convey a chilling yet enchanting message, “In a bullet-proof vest, with the windows all closed, I’ll be doing my best, I’ll see you soon…” Start to finish, this song is a work of pure art.

“Don’t Let It Break Your Heart” (Mylo Xyloto, 2011): This song is crazy perfect. It’s an upbeat anthem talking about life’s struggles and how it is never worth it to let anything or anyone break you down. Much like the rest of the “Mylo Xyloto” album we get a colorful array of instruments/melodies and soaring alt-guitars as usual.

If you haven’t heard of some of these songs, GET ON IT! Coldplay’s talent is immense and unforgettable.