List of songs recorded by Coldplay

British rock band Coldplay have recorded over 160 songs during their career. Formed in London in 1996, the band self-released their first EP Safety (1998) and their first single "Brothers & Sisters" (1999) before signing to Parlophone. Their first release for the major label was their second EP The Blue Room (1999), which contained two songs that were previously released on Safety.[1] Since their formation, Coldplay have credited all of their songs to all four members of the group. At the beginning of their career, Coldplay's music was described as post-Britpop,[2] with the band Travis being one of their primary influences.[3] The group also has an alternative rock style,[4] said to be reminiscent of Oasis and Radiohead.[5] The group's debut album, Parachutes (2000), showcased the group's alternative rock, post-Britpop and indie rock side ("Shiver", "Don't Panic", "Yellow"), with moody, atmospheric songs characterised as dream pop, evident on "High Speed" and "We Never Change".[5][6] Compared to its predecessor, A Rush of Blood to the Head (2002) contains more piano-driven ("Clocks", "The Scientist") and guitar-driven songs ("God Put a Smile upon Your Face", "A Whisper"),[7] as well as ballads ("In My Place") and lyrical themes that reflect love and relationships.[8][9]

Coldplay performing in Paris in 2017. L–R: Jonny Buckland, Chris Martin, Will Champion and Guy Berryman.

Their third album, X&Y (2005), is lyrically different than its predecessors, reflecting on singer Chris Martin's "doubts, fears, hopes, and loves."[10] The album's songs are also heavily influenced by electronic music, featuring extensive use of synthesisers, as evident on the song "Talk", which borrows the riff from Kraftwerk's 1981 song "Computer Love".[11] Viva la Vida or Death and All His Friends (2008) featured production by Brian Eno, who helped make the album musically different from its predecessors.[12] Its songs contain lyrics dealing with death, loneliness, war and politics, as well as sounds the band had never used before, such as orchestra ("Viva la Vida"), distorted guitars ("Violet Hill") and more prominent percussion.[12][13] Later in 2008, the group released the EP Prospekt's March, which contained six new songs by the group, including "Life in Technicolor II" and "Lost+", and new version of "Lost!" from Viva la Vida featuring American rapper Jay-Z.[14] The group's fifth album, Mylo Xyloto (2011), is a concept album that tells a love story about two characters named Mylo and Xyloto.[15] Again co-produced by Eno, its songs dabble in pop, R&B and electronica, as evident on "Paradise" and "Princess of China", the latter of which features vocals from Barbadian singer Rihanna.[16] Other songs, including "U.F.O." and "Us Against the World", are influenced by acoustic music.[16]

Their sixth album, Ghost Stories (2014), features the return to a more stripped-down melancholic style found in their earlier music, with lyrical themes of how the past informs the present and broken relationships.[17] It features contributions from Swedish producer Avicii (on "A Sky Full of Stars") and longtime collaborator Jon Hopkins (on "Midnight").[18] Their seventh album, A Head Full of Dreams (2015), features co-production from production duo Stargate and contains the overarching theme that there is a "vast, beautiful world waiting to be discovered if you open your mind and live", and contained numerous guest appearances, including Beyoncé ("Hymn for the Weekend", "Up&Up"), Tove Lo ("Fun") and Noel Gallagher ("Up&Up").[19][20] In 2018, the group released Global Citizen – EP 1 under the name "Los Unidades", which featured contributions from Pharrell Williams, Stormzy, David Guetta and Stargate.[21] Coldplay released their eighth studio album Everyday Life in 2019, a double album that features contributions from Stromae and Femi Kuti, with production by the Dream Team.[22] Coldplay have also recorded songs for several EPs, film soundtracks and tribute albums, as well as many unreleased songs.