Coldplay Song Tier List: Popular Songs Ranked

Coldplay said that lights guide you home, while this Tier List guides you to their best songs.

There is no denying that Coldplay is a sensation and has produced some of the most iconic songs in music history. This British rock band has defied all odds and destroyed all barriers on its way to a chart-topping international reputation. Their hits are nearly too many to list. Therefore, to simplify things, we have ranked Coldplay’s most popular songs from best to worst in this Coldplay Song Tier list.

Coldplay has created a one-of-a-kind discography cherished by fans on every continent, combining rock, pop, and hyper-modern electronic production. Keep in mind that all of the songs ranked below are subjective to various ideas and points of view. Therefore, none of the rankings is guaranteed to be correct.

All song tiers are decided following an extensive study into Coldplay songs and consideration of Coldplay fans, non-Coldplay fans, and music critics’ viewpoints. Our team also conducted polls to find out which pieces are the most popular and the least popular.


Key Points

  • There are a total of 20 entries in the article.
  • We will rank all songs according to their level of greatness, popularity, and likeness by the people.
  • In the highest tiers, you will find songs like Arabesque, Hymn for the Weekend, The Scientist, and Viva La Vida.
  • Among the lowest tiers, you will observe songs like Whisper, X Marks the Spot, and Kaleidoscope.

Summary

We will rank all the songs in a short table below.

S RankA RankB RankC RankD Rank
Arabesque Strawberry SwingTalkA Sky Full of StarsWhisper
Hymn for the WeekendCharlie BrownUP & UPThings I Don't UnderstandX Marks the Spot
Something Just Like ThisDeath And All His FriendsWe Never ChangeCry Cry CryKaleidoscope
In My Place ParadiseGod Put a Smile Upon Your Face
The Scientist
Viva La Vida

Learn more about each entry by reading on.

S Tier

Coldplay Song Tier List
They are the best Coldplay songs ever.

S Tier consists of the best Coldplay songs which broke records and became the biggest hits of Coldplay. These songs are the reason why Coldplay is so famous all around the world. Moreover, it is important to note that these songs are popular because they deserve to be popular.

All Coldplay songs in S Tier were like a breakthrough for Coldplay, which pumped up their fame more than ever. As everyone has different tastes in music, the rankings may not be agreeable for some. However, there is no denying that these are Coldplay’s biggest hits. Lastly, the S Tier Coldplay songs are the best in our tier list.

Arabesque 

One of the best songs by Coldplay is definitely the Arabesque in our tier list. The track itself is very sophisticated, and it’s the first studio track that includes profanity as a theme. They have collaborated with the Nigerian musician Femi Kuti for this particular track. It was undoubtedly something very unusual for fans as it strayed from the theme that Coldplay usually follows. Furthermore, it has very subtle jazz elements that require close and focused attention in order to indulge in the discordant melody.

Released Date  April 18, 1926
Genre
Balkan pop

Hymn for the Weekend

Most of you already expected this, but can you blame me? Hymn for the Weekend is THE Coldplay song. It was the song that shook the entire music industry. While it is not a favorite of Cold Play fans, no one can deny that it was a brilliant song that became popular worldwide and brought more success to the British rock band b.

It was a song that became famous amongst netizens who were not even Coldplay fans and only listened to random music. Moreover, due to the music video being filmed in India, Coldplay proved to be very diverse and gained more popularity outside America.

Released Date 2015
Genre Alternative/Indie

Something Just Like This

The number of views on the Something Just Like This video on Youtube is enough to explain why this song is in S Tier. Something Just Like This has a freaking 2.1 billion views on Youtube, which is up to 30% of the entire world’s population! It is their biggest hit till now, getting them multiple awards and wins on big platforms. ‘Something Just Like This,’ released in 2017, is Coldplay’s distinct take on pop and Moombahton, ushering in a key era for the band.

It is a song that stands the test of time and sounds like no other song till now. It’s achingly epic yet delightfully bright. The Chainsmokers explained: “This is about a relationship that doesn’t need to be superhumanly perfect, an ordinary love, a love everyone deserves like the boy on the cover art whose childhood memories are now boxed up.”

Released Date 2017
Genre Electronic dance music, Pop music, Electropop

In My Place  

Probably one of the most mind-blowing songs by Coldplay in our tier list is In My Place. The song is about unrequited love with a lively chorus that makes you want to sit in a lovely garden and feel the lyrics of this song. Even though it came out in 2002, it is still loved by the fans just as same.

Released Date 2002
Genre Alternative/Indie, Rock

The Scientist

The Scientist is an S Tier song in the Coldplay song tier list because of the huge records it had set at that time. Because of The Scientist, Coldplay was able to make a big name in the Western music industry.

It had a great impact mainly because it was the time for a new generation of songs to come in, and scientists successfully made their way to it. Moreover, The Scientist smashed all records of that time and got the ‘Greatest Song of All Time.’

Released Date 2002
Genre Rock, Pop

Viva La Vida

Viva La Vida, or Long Live Life in English, is a Cold Play song greatly loved by Coldplay fans. For the fandom, Viva La Vida is Coldplay’s best song ever. The interesting thing about Viva La Vida is that it is based on true events from the French Revolution.

It is a reinterpretation of King Louis’s last speech before his death, which was lost. The song is written from the perspective of King Louis, as he apologizes to his people and accepts his destiny.

Chris Martin’s voice is washed in sadness, sorrow, resignation, and a sliver of hope as he portrays the king’s feelings as he begs his people to forgive him. This song’s piercing bassline and symphonic highs and lows produce an agonizing and memorable image.

Released Date June 12, 2008
Genre Alternative rock, Pop rock, Britpop, Indie pop, Art rock, Art Pop, Baroque pop, Piano rock, Experimental rock

A Tier

A Tier Coldplay songs
Good Coldplay Songs

The A Tier Coldplay songs are some really good songs that speak to your soul. Honestly, most of Coldplay’s songs are like free therapy for stressed, depressed, or lost people. The songs in A Tier are great songs you may want in your playlist.

Moreover, if you are a Coldplay fan, I am sure these songs are in your favorite Coldplay songs playlist. Not only are these songs musically good, but also lyrically, these songs are one the bests. These songs might not be your first choice, but there is no going back once you get addicted to them.

Strawberry Swing

Strawberry Swing is about longing for a simpler time when everything was flawless and pure. Also, the superhero attire in the song and the cartoon chalk drawings are meant to evoke childhood memories. Moreover, Strawberry Swing is immensely famous among fans because of the bittersweet sensations it offers to its listeners.

On the whole, the Strawberry song is an A Tier song in the tier list. Even though the entire Viva La Vida album is made up of masterpieces, Strawberry Swing stands out and shines the brightest. It is one of those songs you can listen to on repeat for hours and still never get bored of it.

Released Date 2008
Genre Alternative/Indie, Pop, UK R&B

Charlie Brown

The song is all about spreading positive vibes and creating feelings of happiness and freedom. Charlie Brown is a song from Coldplay’s Mylo Xyloto album about a love tale. Paradise is a song about a girl who leaves her home to explore herself, but her aspirations never come true since the world is harsh. Charlie Brown is also a character in that love story.

Charlie Brown’s After Paradise is about a man attempting to make it through life before meeting her. Lastly, it is the perfect song to listen to when feeling down or depressed. You can listen to it to forget about problems and to smile.

Released Date 1959
Genre Halloween music

Death And All His Friends

Death and All His Friends is a song from the Viva La Vida album that serves as the album’s theme. Coldplay members are aware of all the negative aspects of life. Thus, they aim to motivate people by showing them that giving up is not an option that they have.

“We’re conscious of all the bad stuff in life, you know – i.e. Death and all his friends,” Chris Martin, Coldplay’s lead singer, adds, “but that doesn’t mean you should ever give in to it,” Coldplay advises its fans to avoid concentrating on life’s negative aspects and never give up since better days are coming.

Released Date 2008
Genre Alternative/Indie, Pop, UK R&B

Paradise

Paradise took a long time to become Coldplay’s second number-one single. Finally, in 2012, Coldplay’s Paradise debuted at number one, beating off Military Wives and Gareth Malone’s Wherever You Are in the ninth week of the list. Furthermore, the tone is dismal, solemn, and solemn. On the other hand, the song’s ending has an upbeat tone that highlights progress and reminds us that bad times will pass.

The song is more genuine since the style expresses the girl’s feelings in the narrative. It is a little unusual to witness a male artist singing from a female’s perspective. Hence, many people were surprised and proud of Coldplay.

Released Date September 20, 2022
Genre
Alternative rock electronic rock pop rock R&B

B Tier

B Tier Coldplay Songs
B Tier Coldplay Songs

The B Tier of the tier list consists of the average Coldplay songs, which are not too liked and not too hated. These are one of the most underappreciated and underrated Coldplay songs that are often ignored due to not being too popular.

While it is true that a song gets popular due to its greatness, it is also true that some themes do not get the chance to prove themselves. This scenario is what happens with the pieces in B Tier. These songs were not promoted enough to get the fame they should have earned. Nevertheless, below are all the B Tier Coldplay songs to listen to.

Talk

Talk is one of the most underrated and underappreciated songs in music history; even though it was released ten years ago, people will still find it relatable and relevant. When I first heard this song, I could not stop my tears from flowing.

Talk perfectly describes the feelings of someone who has lost his direction and is unsure about how things will turn out. Being lost is one of the worst feelings ever, and Coldplay was able to convey it with such perfection. This song is in B Tier because it failed to reach the massive popularity it should have gone.

Released Date 2019
Genre R&B/Soul

UP & UP

Up & Up is about growing as a person and persisting through life’s ups and downs with a good attitude. With that said, Up and Up motivates us in the battle to maintain hope in life and love. Up & Up begins with a spirit of struggle.

We are fixing a car back together so that it may be driven again. We are looking for water and praying for rain. We frequently encounter ‘damage’ that may obstruct our progress in life. However, this song teaches us that we must never stop going up and moving forward.

Through the song, Chris indirectly expresses that “we never look just at one thing. Instead, we are always looking at the relation between things and ourselves”. Finally, Up and Up offers a variety of lessons, including life and love.

As a result, anybody fighting for life and love should listen to Up & Up. The song is also useful for everyone to listen to since it includes wonderful lyrics that may help us keep our spirits up. This music is appropriate for listening while resting, studying, or as a lullaby.

Released Date 2015
Genre Pop-rock, Alternative/Indie

We Never Change

It shows the desire for something that is both easy and difficult to have. There is no one meaning to the song We Never Change. Instead, it might mean a variety of things to different individuals in various situations.

It might also be a moving song about a basic life of existence and joy, stripped of all the frills to focus on what matters most. On the other side, it can assist those experiencing loneliness or ambiguity in their lives. In any case, it is a fantastic song to listen to.

Released Date 2000
Genre Alternative/Indie

C Tier

C Tier Coldplay Songs
C Tier Coldplay Songs

The Coldplay Song tier list’s C Tier songs are below-average songs that most fans and music critics dislike. However, there are still some people who love listening to these songs. These are not the songs someone would particularly search and listen to. Many people also complain that these songs are a bit too generic and basic than other Coldplay songs. Other than that, these songs are nice to listen to once in a while.

A Sky Full of Stars

The song A Sky Full of Stars tells someone how much you love them no matter what. Whatever they do, even if they smack you in the face, you never stop loving them. It depicts hope, deception, and terror. Moreover, A Sky Full of Stars reminds us that it might be dangerous to fall in love.

Everything appears brilliant and pleasant as if it were a night sky full of stars. Giving your heart to someone, on the other hand, makes you feel vulnerable and puts you in danger of feeling unhappy and disappointed if things don’t go as planned.

Released Date 19 June 2014
Genre Alternative/Indie, Dance/Electronic, Pop

Things I Don’t Understand

Things I Don’t Understand is a song from the album X&Y released as a B-side. It has a powerful baseline and is one of the most rock-styled songs from the X&Y era. Moreover, it has a similar style and concept to the other songs from that era.

While it is enjoyable to listen to, many music reviewers may disagree. Some music lovers believe the song’s lyrics are too basic and uninteresting for a Coldplay song. People have difficulty getting into the music because of the lyrics. Anyway, Things I Don’t Understand is a fine song, but not as good as other Coldplay songs.

Released Date 2005
Genre Alternative/Indie, Rock

Cry Cry Cry

Cry Cry Cry is one of the album’s longest tracks, a slinky, sassy, brass-infused ballad. For good measure, a doo-wop tune. This is an example of content being crammed onto the tracklist at the price of uniformity.

We’re now certain we do not want a full album of Coldplay singing doo-wop in our lives. Lastly, Cry Cry Cry is not as horrible as some make it out to be, but it is not what most people listen to. Hence, Cry Cry Cry is a C Tier Coldplay song.

Released Date 1957
Genre Jazz, Vocal/Easy Listening, Rock, Blues, Folk, Country

God Put a Smile Upon Your Face

There are too many choices in today’s rat race capitalist world; people don’t know which route to choose. According to the first stanza, there is too much chaos and confusion. The third verse expresses unquestionable human insecurity, inferiority complex, and loneliness.

We constantly put ourselves down and devalue our opinions for fear of rejection. So when one of us figures it out, when one of us discovers all the answers to life’s puzzles, we all want to know.

Released Date 1 July 2003
Genre  Alternative rock; ‎folk-rock‎;‎

D Tier

Worst Coldplay Songs
D Tier Coldplay Songs

Finally, the D Tier of the Tier List consists of the worst Coldplay songs on this list. Note that the rankings are subjective to different opinions of different people. These are not facts, and some people might even find these songs great to listen to. Anyways, here are the Coldplay songs that are least liked by netizens according to our research and polls held by the team.

Whisper

Whisper is not a terrible song; Coldplay does not have terrible songs. The thing is that Whisper is the least enjoyable track on its album. Therefore, making A Whisper appears even worse in an album jam-packed with fantastic bangers. Furthermore, the blending seems a little odd.

It is difficult to hear what Chris is singing since the vocals are so low compared to the instrumentals. It feels like a B-side or an unreleased track instead of the main track. Whisper is by far one of the worst Coldplay songs.

Released Date  March 2012
Genre Legal Thriller Drama Political Romance

X Marks the Spot

X Marks the Spot was the album’s lowest point. Yes, it is unique, but Chris’s vocals don’t shine through as much as they could, and the production seemed too slick, planned, and unnatural. Many others also say that the music is cringeworthy and does not deserve to be on their playlist—definitely one of the worst Coldplay songs.

Released Date November 4, 1942
Genre Rock

Kaleidoscope

The song starts so great that I could see it becoming an all-time favorite, but it abruptly fades into something bland. In other words, it appears to soar to such heights before plummeting back down to a normal chorus. Furthermore, the chorus is repetitive, killing the mood and making it difficult to listen to.

Released Date 1995
Genre Alternative rock, grunge

Comparison Table

Coldplay Songs TierReleased DtaeGenre
Arabesque SApril 18, 1926Balkan pop
Hymn for the WeekendS2015Alternative/Indie
Something Just Like ThisS2017Electronic dance music, Pop music, Electropop
In My Place S2002Alternative/Indie, Rock
The ScientistS2002Rock, Pop
Viva La VidaSJune 12, 2008Alternative rock, Pop rock, Britpop, Indie pop, Art rock, Art Pop, Baroque pop, Piano rock, Experimental rock
Strawberry SwingA2008Alternative/Indie, Pop, UK R&B
Charlie BrownA1959Halloween music
Death And All His FriendsA2008Alternative/Indie, Pop, UK R&B
ParadiseASeptember 20, 2022Alternative rock electronic rock pop rock R&B
TalkB2019R&B/Soul
UP & UPB2015Pop rock, Alternative/Indie
We Never ChangeB2000Alternative/Indie
A Sky Full of StarsC19 June 2014Alternative/Indie, Dance/Electronic, Pop
Things I Don't UnderstandC2005 Alternative/Indie, Rock
Cry Cry CryC1957Jazz, Vocal/Easy Listening, Rock, Blues, Folk, Country
God Put a Smile Upon Your FaceC1 July 2003Alternative rock; ‎folk rock‎;‎
WhisperD March 2012Legal thriller Drama Political Romance
X Marks the SpotDNovember 4, 1942 Rock
KaleidoscopeD1995Alternative rock, grunge

Verdict

To conclude, The Scientist, Viva La Vide, Something Just Like This, and Hymn for the Weekend are Coldplay’s best songs on this Coldplay Song Tier List. On the other hand, A Whisper, X Marks the Spot, and Kaleidoscope is Coldplay’s least liked D Tier songs.

The best songs are in S Tier, while the worst songs are in the D Tier. Again, please remember that the songs listed below are all susceptible to different ideologies and points of view.

As a result, no one can ensure that any rankings are correct. All of the song tiers were determined after considerable research into Coldplay songs and consideration of the perspectives of Coldplay fans, non-Coldplay fans, and music reviewers.

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