Coldplay has been one of the most enduring musical acts of the last 30 years. They’ve continued to release music and perform stadium tours, although Chris Martin told Variety that their next album will serve as their last. Their popularity has stayed steady for some time, but their story this year is that tumultuous times can lead to even greater heights.
Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you’ve seen the infamous Coldplay ‘kiss cam’ clip that allegedly exposed an affair between the CEO of the Astronomer tech firm, Andy Byron, and the company’s head of Human Resources, Kristin Cabot. The internet has had a field day with it, offering hot takes and creating innumerable memes about the awkward situation. However, one group has turned out to benefit from the event, and that group is Coldplay.
The viral clip has coincided with a massive spike in the band’s streaming numbers. According to Spotify, the group’s song ‘Sparks‘ from the 2000 album ‘Parachutes’ has moved into the top 50 songs in the U.S., reaching number 40 as of July 25, 2025, just a week after the incident. The song entered the chart last month for the first time (it is a 25-year-old song, after all) fueled by a more personal moment. Fans noticed Martin delivering an exceptionally emotional rendition of “Sparks” during a June concert, just as it was announced he was splitting up with longtime partner Dakota Johnson. A clip posted to TikTok reached over 230 million views.
Coldplay’s music taps deep into emotions, which is a big part of why they’ve stayed relevant for so long. Get into your feelings with the official score for ‘Sparks’ on piano or guitar:
