Birds (Coldplay song)

Last updated
"Birds"
Song by Coldplay
from the album A Head Full of Dreams
Released2 January 2016 (2016-01-02)
Recorded2014-2015
Studio
Genre Pop rock, post-Britpop, alternative rock
Length3:49
Label Parlophone
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)
Music video
"Birds" on YouTube

"Birds" is a song by British alternative rock band Coldplay. It was produced by the band's long-time record producer Rik Simpson along with Norwegian production duo Stargate. It appears as the second track on their seventh studio album A Head Full of Dreams (2015) and counts with a promotional video that was released on 2 January 2016. [1] [2]

Contents

Critical reception

Stuart Berman of Pitchfork called the song "a shot of taut, Phoenix-styled motoric pop that provides a rare moment of intensity on an album that’s all about arm-swaying, Super Bowl-crashing bombast". [3]

Music video

Salvation Mountain, where the video was filmed. Salvation Mountain 001.jpg
Salvation Mountain, where the video was filmed.

An official music video was also released by the band. [4] [5] [6] The video was directed by Marcus Haney. It was set to the backdrop of the Colorado Desert's famous Salvation Mountain. The entire video was shot on a Super 8mm camera. [7]

Personnel

Coldplay

Additional musicians

Charts and certifications

Related Research Articles

Planet Telex / High and Dry 1995 single by Radiohead

"High and Dry" and "Planet Telex" are songs by the English rock band Radiohead. They were released as a double-A side single from their second studio album, The Bends (1995), on 5 March 1995.

Trouble (Coldplay song) 2000 single by Coldplay

"Trouble" is a song by British rock band Coldplay, for their debut album, Parachutes (2000). The band wrote and co-produced it with British record producer Ken Nelson. The song's arrangement is built around the acoustic piano. It was released on 23 October 2000 as the album's third single, reaching number 10 on the UK Singles Chart and becoming the band's second top 10 single in the country. Although "Trouble" failed to chart in the United States, the music press deemed it almost as successful as its predecessor, "Yellow".

Midnight (Coldplay song) 2014 single by Coldplay

"Midnight" is a song by British rock band Coldplay for their sixth studio album, Ghost Stories (2014). It was written and produced by band members Guy Berryman, Jonny Buckland, Will Champion and Chris Martin, with production assistance from Paul Epworth, Daniel Green, and Rik Simpson, and co-production from Jon Hopkins, who also received songwriting credits. A music video was released on 25 February 2014 as teaser for the then-unannounced album. A promotional 7-inch vinyl was pressed by Parlophone for Record Store Day 2014 and released on 17 April. A live version of the song, recorded and filmed at the Royal Albert Hall, in London, was included in Ghost Stories Live 2014.

Ink (song) 2014 promotional single by Coldplay

"Ink" is a song by British rock band Coldplay from their sixth studio album Ghost Stories (2014). It was released as a promotional single on 13 October 2014 for radio stations in Italy and the United States, being the fifth and final effort from the album. Prior to its special release, the song debuted at number 156 on the UK Singles Chart.

True Love (Coldplay song) 2014 single by Coldplay

"True Love" is a song by British rock band Coldplay for their sixth studio album Ghost Stories, where it appears as the fourth track. It was released by Parlophone as the album's third single on 14 August 2014. The band co-produced the track with Paul Epworth, Daniel Green and Rik Simpson, while American record producer Timbaland provided additional drums.

<i>Ghost Stories Live 2014</i> 2014 live album by Coldplay

Ghost Stories Live 2014 is the fourth live album by the British alternative rock band Coldplay. It is a live recorded version of the band's sixth studio effort Ghost Stories, being released by Parlophone in the United Kingdom on 24 November 2014. A DVD from one of the concerts that was filmed at Sony Studios, Los Angeles in March 2014, is included in the package.

<i>A Head Full of Dreams</i> 2015 studio album by Coldplay

A Head Full of Dreams is the seventh studio album by British rock band Coldplay, released on 4 December 2015, by Parlophone in the United Kingdom, and by Atlantic Records in the United States. Coldplay recorded the album from early to mid 2015, right after the completion of their previous album Ghost Stories, with a markedly different style and sound from its predecessors. For various songs, Coldplay collaborated with Beyoncé, Noel Gallagher, Tove Lo, Khatia Buniatishvili and Merry Clayton. The album was produced by Rik Simpson and Stargate. The album also features a sample of President Barack Obama singing "Amazing Grace" at Clementa C. Pinckney's funeral on the song "Kaleidoscope".

Adventure of a Lifetime 2015 single by Coldplay

"Adventure of a Lifetime" is a song by British rock band Coldplay. It was released on 6 November 2015 as the lead single from their seventh studio album, A Head Full of Dreams (2015). The track reached number seven on the UK Singles Chart and number 13 on the Billboard Hot 100. It also reached the top 20 in a number of countries, including Australia, Austria, Canada, Czech Republic, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, the Netherlands, New Zealand, and Switzerland.

A Head Full of Dreams (song) 2016 single by Coldplay

"A Head Full of Dreams" is a song by British rock band Coldplay. It is the first track from their album of the same name (2015) and served as a promotional single for comtemporary hit radio in the United Kingdom and Italy.

Hymn for the Weekend 2016 single by Coldplay

"Hymn for the Weekend" is a single by the British rock band Coldplay from their seventh studio album A Head Full of Dreams (2015), featuring the American singer Beyoncé. It was written by the band's members, while the production was handled by Rik Simpson, Avicii, Digital Divide, and Stargate. An indie R&B track, "Hymn for the Weekend" showcases the culture of India.

Everglow (song) 2016 single by Coldplay

"Everglow" is a song by British rock band Coldplay. It is the fourth track from their seventh studio album, A Head Full of Dreams. It features uncredited guest vocals by Gwyneth Paltrow, who at the time was married to Chris Martin despite their separation being announced in 2014. The track premiered during Zane Lowe's Beats 1 radio show on 26 November 2015 and was originally released as a promotional single for the album on 27 November 2015.

"Fun" is a song by British alternative rock band Coldplay, featuring Swedish singer Tove Lo. It is the sixth track from their seventh studio album, A Head Full of Dreams (2015). The song was produced by the band's long-time record producer Rik Simpson along with Norwegian production duo Stargate.

Up & Up 2016 single by Coldplay

"Up&Up" is a song by British rock band Coldplay from their seventh studio album, A Head Full of Dreams (2015). It was released as the third single of the record on 22 April 2016 by Parlophone. Background vocals in the song are provided by Beyoncé, Annabelle Wallis and Merry Clayton. A music video for the track, directed by Vania Heymann and Gal Muggia, was released on 16 May 2016.

<i>Kaleidoscope EP</i> 2017 EP by Coldplay

Kaleidoscope EP is the thirteenth extended play by British rock band Coldplay. It was released worldwide on 14 July 2017 and serves as a companion piece to Coldplay's seventh studio album, A Head Full of Dreams (2015). The EP was nominated for the Grammy Award for Best Pop Vocal Album at the 60th Annual Grammy Awards.

Hypnotised (Coldplay song) 2017 song by Coldplay

"Hypnotised" is a song by British rock band Coldplay from their EP Kaleidoscope (2017). It was released by Parlophone on 2 March 2017 as an excerpt from the EP instead of a single. The track was written by all four members of the band, while production was handled by Rik Simpson and Bill Rahko. A lyric video directed by Mary Wigmore came out in the same day. In June 2017, Brian Eno created an app available on iOS and Android devices to be played alongside the song to enhance it. The song was then followed by the release of "All I Can Think About Is You" and "Aliens", with the latter being a charity single.

All I Can Think About Is You 2017 song by Coldplay

"All I Can Think About Is You" is a song by British rock band Coldplay from their EP Kaleidoscope (2017). It was released ahead of the EP on 15 June 2017, following "Hypnotised" and preceding "Aliens". The track was composed by all four members of the band and produced by Dan Green along with Rik Simpson. An animated lyric video directed by I Saw John First came out on the same day.

Aliens (song) 2017 charity single by Coldplay

"Aliens" is a song by British rock band Coldplay. It was written by all four members of the band along with Brian Eno, who also handled the production with Markus Dravs and Rik Simpson. The track was released on 6 July 2017 as a charity single and the third excerpt from Coldplay's thirteenth EP Kaleidoscope (2017) after "Hypnotised" and "All I Can Think About Is You". The proceeds from the song were donated to the international NGO Migrant Offshore Aid Station, which rescues migrants and refugees in peril at sea in the Mediterranean. On 21 July, a remix by Markus Dravs was released.

<i>Everyday Life</i> (Coldplay album) 2019 studio album by Coldplay

Everyday Life is the eighth studio album by British rock band Coldplay. It was released on 22 November 2019 by Parlophone in the United Kingdom and Atlantic Records in the United States. It is a double album released as a single CD, with the first half titled Sunrise and the other Sunset. The release coincided with Coldplay: Everyday Life – Live in Jordan, in which performances of each half of the album were live streamed from the Amman Citadel in Jordan, at sunrise and sunset, respectively. Many returning producers and collaborators joined the band's efforts including Rik Simpson, Dan Green, Bill Rahko, Davide Rossi, and Emily Lazar.

<i>Music of the Spheres</i> (Coldplay album) 2021 studio album by Coldplay

Music of the Spheres is the ninth studio album by British rock band Coldplay, released on 15 October 2021 by Parlophone in the United Kingdom and Atlantic Records in the United States. The album was produced by Max Martin, who is a new producer to the band's discography. It features guest appearances from Selena Gomez, We Are King, Jacob Collier and BTS, as well as returning contributions from electronic producer Jon Hopkins.

Let Somebody Go 2022 single by Coldplay and Selena Gomez

"Let Somebody Go" is a song by British rock band Coldplay and American singer Selena Gomez, recorded for the band's ninth studio album, Music of the Spheres. The song was produced by Max Martin, Oscar Holter, Rik Simpson, Daniel Green, and Bill Rahko, and co-produced by Metro Boomin. The song was released for digital download and streaming through Parlophone as the third single from Music of the Spheres on 7 February 2022.

References

  1. "Coldplay - Birds (Official music video)". YouTube, Coldplay Official. Archived from the original on 6 January 2016. Retrieved 1 January 2016.
  2. "Coldplay (official facebook page)". Coldplay Facebook. Archived from the original on 9 January 2016. Retrieved 1 January 2016.
  3. Berman, Stuart (4 December 2015). "Coldplay: A Head Full of Dreams". Pitchfork Media . Retrieved 8 January 2016.
  4. "Coldplay - Birds (Official music video)". YouTube, Coldplay Official. Retrieved 1 January 2016.
  5. "Coldplay (official facebook page)". Coldplay Facebook. Retrieved 1 January 2016.
  6. "Coldplay Gets Psychedelic in the Desert for 'Birds' Video: Watch". Billboard. Retrieved 2 January 2016.
  7. "Coldplay 'Birds' by James Marcus Haney | Videos | Promonews". Promonewstv. Retrieved 2021-05-22.
  8. "Coldplay – Birds" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved 19 December 2015.
  9. "Chart Log UK - New Chart Entries - 19.12.2015". zobbel.de. 19 December 2015. Retrieved 13 January 2016.
  10. "Coldplay Chart History (Hot Rock & Alternative Songs)". Billboard.
  11. "Italian single certifications – Coldplay – Birds" (in Italian). Federazione Industria Musicale Italiana . Retrieved 2 October 2018. Select "2018" in the "Anno" drop-down menu. Select "Birds" in the "Filtra" field. Select "Singoli" under "Sezione".