| "Sparks" | |
|---|---|
| Song by Coldplay | |
| from the album Parachutes | |
| Released | 10 July 2000 |
| Recorded | November 1999 – May 2000 [1] |
| Genre | |
| Length | 3:47 |
| Label | Parlophone |
| Songwriter(s) | |
| Producer(s) | |
"Sparks" is a song by the British rock band Coldplay. It was written by all members of the group and co-produced by Ken Nelson for their debut album, Parachutes (2000). [2] Described as a "calming" piece, the song had a chart resurgence in the 2020s. [3]
According to producer Ken Nelson, "Sparks" was recorded at the same time as "We Never Change". [2] He described it as "basically a live take", with Jonny Buckland adding his guitar parts afterwards. [2] The lyrics of the song tell the story of a person asking for a second chance after letting down their partner ("And I know I was wrong" / "But I won't let you down"). [4] Mary Siroky from Consequence noted that "the waltz tempo ensures a feeling of intimacy and romantic longing persists". [5]
"Sparks" has been ranked among Coldplay's best works by Billboard , [6] and Consequence . [5] The former also included the song on their "40 Best Deep Cuts of 2000" list, pointing out that it contains "many of the touchstones that would become synonymous with the British rock band in the ensuing decades", from the hopeless romanticism of the lyrics to the use of interjections. [7] The song experienced a resurgence on music charts in the 2020s, [3] after going viral on TikTok. [8]
The band have consistently performed "Sparks" throughout the Parachutes (2000–01), [9] and Music of the Spheres (2022–25) tours. [10]
American R&B singer Brandy integrated the opening lyrics of the song in "I Tried", from her album Afrodisiac (2004). [11] Kristina Train covered "Sparks" for I Give It a Year , a British romantic comedy released in 2013. [12] Ten years later, Jordana shared a cover of the track as well. [13]
Credits adapted from Tidal. [14]
| Chart (2022–2025) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Australia (ARIA) [15] | 71 |
| Canada (Canadian Hot 100) [16] | 64 |
| Global 200 ( Billboard ) [17] | 67 |
| Greece International (IFPI) [18] | 52 |
| Ireland (IRMA) [19] | 32 |
| Lithuania (AGATA) [20] | 81 |
| Lithuania Airplay (TopHit) [21] | 49 |
| Netherlands (Single Top 100) [22] | 81 |
| Norway (IFPI Norge) [23] | 40 |
| Philippines (Philippines Hot 100) [24] | 69 |
| Portugal (AFP) [25] | 95 |
| Singapore (RIAS) [26] | 19 |
| Sweden (Sverigetopplistan) [27] | 81 |
| UK Singles (OCC) [28] | 18 |
| US Billboard Hot 100 [29] | 77 |
| US Hot Rock & Alternative Songs ( Billboard ) [30] | 9 |
| Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
|---|---|---|
| Australia (ARIA) [31] | 2× Platinum | 140,000‡ |
| Denmark (IFPI Danmark) [32] | Gold | 45,000‡ |
| Italy (FIMI) [33] Sales since 2009 | Gold | 50,000‡ |
| New Zealand (RMNZ) [34] | 3× Platinum | 90,000‡ |
| Portugal (AFP) [35] | 2× Platinum | 50,000‡ |
| Spain (PROMUSICAE) [36] | Gold | 30,000‡ |
| United Kingdom (BPI) [37] | Platinum | 1,075,997 [a] |
‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone. | ||
