British rock group Coldplay has been dazzling audiences with their mesmerising melodies and profound lyrics for almost three decades. With each new release, they never cease to amaze us with their intriguing concepts, compelling music, and signature Coldplay magic. Their music has resonated with listeners worldwide regardless of age or language, resulting in Coldplay’s record-breaking success with more than 100 million album sales, eight Number One albums, billions of streams on music apps and hits on some of their most-viewed music videos.
Comprising lead vocalist and pianist Chris Martin, guitarist Jonny Buckland, bassist Guy Berryman, and drummer Will Champion, Coldplay is one of the most successful boybands in the world today. And it has a massive fanbase right here in Singapore too, judging from the overwhelming response to its highly anticipated Music of the Spheres World Tour in January 2024. Initially slated to perform at the National Stadium for just four nights, the band added two more shows after more than a million fans flooded the ticketing website and snapped up all the tickets. Indeed, the whole affair was testament to the enduring hold that Coldplay has over music lovers here.
Brace yourself for a whimsical journey as we explore the most viewed Coldplay music videos that have taken the internet by storm. These visually enchanting music videos are the perfect accompaniment to their distinctive sound. Truly, Coldplay has woven a visual tapestry that enthralls and mesmerises fans all across the globe.
All figures are accurate at the time of writing
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12 most viewed music videos of Coldplay on YouTube
1. The Chainsmokers & Coldplay – Something Just Like This (Lyric)
Views: 2.1B
Premiered on: Feb23, 2017
The “Something Just Like This” lyric video holds a significant place in YouTube history. Upon its release, the animated music video broke YouTube’s record for most single-day views of a lyric video with a whopping 9 million streams in the first 24 hours. And currently, with more than two billion views it holds the third spot for the most viewed lyric video on YouTube.
The video features colourful vibrant animations with a superhero comic book theme that beautifully complements uplifting lyrics, Chris Martin’s mesmerising vocals, and The Chainsmokers’ infectious electronic sound. The story of the video revolves around a young boy who aspires to be a superhero and as the song plays, he embarks on a journey of self-discovery.
The song was nominated for Best Pop/Duo Group Performance at the 2018 Grammy Awards.
2. Hymn For The Weekend (Official Video)
Views: 1.9B
Premiered on: Jan 29, 2016
One of the most popular songs by Coldplay ‘Hymn for the Weekend’ was primarily filmed in and around Mumbai and a few other cities of India. In the video, they tried to capture the everyday life of the bustling city, and the richness of Indian culture, and traditions. Though the cultural appropriation of the video is debatable, it’s undeniable that the video is visually stunning. The video features the British band playing on the streets of Mumbai while Chris Martin hops into a taxi to see a Bollywood movie starring the one and only Beyoncé, who also did the backing vocals for the song. Indian actress Sonam Kapoor also made a brief cameo, adding local influence to the visuals. The song’s dreamy and uplifting tune perfectly combines with the culturally immersive music video. Moreover, its hook is a popular soundtrack for TikToks and Instagram reels.
3. Paradise (Official Video)
Views: 1.7B
Premiered on: Oct 19, 2011
One of the most heart-warming music videos, ‘Paradise’ was originally conceptualised by Chris Martin himself and brought to life by the brilliant film director Mat Whitecross. The story follows an elephant (Chris Martin) that’s trapped in a zoo and tries to escape to find his paradise. He travels from London to South Africa and then starts to explore the land on an unicycle where he meets three other elephants (his bandmates) and finds his paradise. With the right people, you will find paradise on earth — this message is beautifully conveyed through the video. The video encourages viewers to break free, chase their hopes and dreams, and create their own utopia.
The video received a VMA for The Best Rock Video in 2012.
4. Adventure Of A Lifetime (Official Video)
Views: 1.4B
Premiered on: Nov 29, 2015
Another successful collaboration with director Mat Whitecross, this time featuring CGI chimpanzees. Set in a lush jungle, the four chimpanzees (representing the band members) engage in a playful and engaging dance. The video captures the joy, excitement, and positive vibes of carefree spirits, making it a fun watch. Fun fact: Prior to making this video, Chris Martin had met renowned motion capture actor Andy Serkis (best known for playing Gollum in the Lord of the Rings movies) who inspired him to use motion capture for their next track.
5. The Scientist (Official 4K Video)
Views: 1.1B
Premiered on: May 27, 2011, on Youtube (Original release date November 4, 2002)
I think we can all agree that this song and its music video are truly a masterpiece. Inspired by the lyric “take me back to the start”, director Jamie Thraves conceptualised the video in reverse chronological order to depict an emotional roller coaster unfolding as Chris Martin traces back his footsteps (quite literally!). The video captures his personal reflection, regret and longing, making it an absolute tear-jerker. The unique storytelling and emotional depth of the lyrics and video go together cohesively.
A cover version of the song by Corinne Bailey Rae was used in the movie Fifty Shades Darker starring Chris Martin’s current partner Dakota Johnson. The video was nominated for the Grammy Awards in 2004 for Best Short Form Music Video and three VMAs in 2003.
6. Yellow (Official Video)
Views: 905M
Premiered on: May 30, 2011, on YouTube (Original release date: June 26, 2000)
One of the most popular romantic tracks from the ’00s, ‘Yellow’ by Coldplay is a timeless classic. The music video is very minimalistic featuring only Chris Martin with wet hair and waterproof garb walking on the beach. Shot in just one day at Studland Bay in the county of Dorset, the video captures the transition from night to daylight on the seaside. The simple artistic nature of the video has a calming and lasting effect. That’s why even after almost 23 years after its original release, we are still romanticising ‘Yellow’, making it one of the most viewed music videos by Coldplay.
7. A Sky Full Of Stars (Official Video)
Views: 831M
Premiered on: Jun 19, 2014
Directed by Mat Whitecross, this video sees Chris Martin take a stroll through Sydney while singing the song and his bandmates also join him. It has a beautiful street performance atmosphere where he starts off solo but eventually, as his bandmates and fans join him, it becomes a festival. The colourful backdrops, confetti and glowing orbs make the visuals more captivating and fun. The video is about feeling lost in ‘A Sky Full of Stars’ but not in a melancholic way, and exudes a positive vibe and sense of wonder to the viewers. The Coldplay and Swedish DJ Avicii collab is a powerful ballad that celebrates the life and human spirit.
8. Viva La Vida (Official Video)
Views: 827M
Premiered on: Aug 4, 2008, on YouTube (Original release date: June 1, 2008)
The visual representation of the song ‘Viva La Vida’ portrays the rise and fall of a monarch. The king (Chris Martin) walks through different stages of his life and his loyal subjects (bandmates) follow him through thick and thin. The background’s sweeping landscapes, vibrant colours, and dramatic scenes of battles and revolutions add to the song’s larger-than-life sound and lyrics. It showcases the fleeting nature of power and glory and reminds us even the most powerful people on Earth are also only human.
The song won the Song of the Year at the 2009 Grammy Awards.
9. Fix You (Official Video)
Views: 589M
Premiered on: May 30, 2011, on Youtube (Original release date: September 5, 2005)
The video takes the viewers on an emotional journey matching the heartfelt lyrics. A young man who is struggling walks through the city alone at night and finds a place with other kindred spirits, and together they find hope and strength. The video is a reminder that even in the darkest of days you can hope for a better tomorrow. The emotive performance of the band takes place in a fully packed and dimly lit Reebok Stadium in Bolton, England, and beautifully captures the healing and comforting power of love and support. The video is critically acclaimed and commercially one of the best music videos of all time.
Reportedly, Chris Martin wrote this song for his ex-wife Gwyneth Paltrow when she was going through a hard time because of her father’s demise.
10. Clocks (Official Video)
Views: 433M
Premiered on: May 27, 2011, on YouTube (Original release date: January 24, 2003)
With the iconic piano riff, ‘Clocks’ is one of the greatest hits by the British band. The performance-style video presents many optical illusions like a dramatic fall of a water bottle, an infinitely long hallway, and vibrant colours. In keeping with the words of the song, the video aims to evoke a sense of unease and disorientation among the viewers. The slow-motion effects, surreal visuals, and dynamic editing add to the dreamlike quality of the video.
Coldplay bagged Record Of The Year for “Clocks” at the 2004 Grammy Awards.
11. Coldplay X BTS – My Universe (Official Video)
Views: 272M
Premiered on: Sep 30, 2021
This was truly the best of both worlds — BTS X Coldplay was one of the most successful collaborations in recent times. The song debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 and the music video became an instant success. In a very colourful and imaginative way, K-pop kings BTS and Coldplay come together from different worlds to sing about the power of love and connection in the video. They appear as holograms to sing on a different planet. The video celebrates diversity, the power of music, and love to bring people together. Though we speak different languages and live separately, we are still together and connected — director Dave Meyers did a stellar job to convey this message through the visuals.
The song was nominated for Best Pop/Duo Group Performance at the 2023 Grammy Awards. The music video bagged a VMA Japan and an MTV MIAW for Best Collaboration Video and Hit Global respectively.
12. Princess Of China ft. Rihanna (Official Video)
Views: 271M
Premiered on: Jun 3, 2012
‘Princess of China’ music video takes place in a fantasy world inspired by Chinese culture. The video tells a story of love and conflict, featuring Chris Martin and pop star Rihanna in various scenes that depict a tumultuous relationship. It showcases moments of connection and distance between the two lovers, symbolising the struggles and complexities of a romantic relationship. The video was shot in China and is a celebration of Chinese culture and the power of music to connect people.
(Main and featured image: IMDb)
This story first appeared on Prestige Online Singapore
