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Speed of Sound (song)
Encyclopedia
"Speed of Sound" is a song by English alternative rock
band Coldplay
. It was written by all members of the band for their third album, X&Y
. Built around a piano
riff
, the song builds into a huge, synthesizer-heavy chorus. It was released on 23 May 2005 by Parlophone Records as the lead single from the album.
Coldplay vocalist Chris Martin
admitted that the song was developed after the band had listened to English art rock
singer Kate Bush
. The song's drumbeat is similar to Bush's 1985 song "Running Up that Hill
". Upon the song's release, it charted in the UK Singles Chart
in the number two position. In the United States, it reached number eight on the Billboard Hot 100
.
"Speed of Sound" was recognized Song of the Year by the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP) and it was nominated twice at the 48th Grammy Awards. The song won a Brit Award
in the category for Best British Single in 2006. The track's music video
was nominated for four MTV Video Music Awards
. "Speed of Sound" was also the billionth song downloaded from the iTunes Store
.
revealed that the song was written in mid-2004 and was inspired by Martin's daughter, Apple, and English alternative rock singer Kate Bush
: "That's a song where we were listening to a lot of Kate Bush last summer, and we wanted a song which had a lot of tom-toms in it. I just had my daughter up also, and was kind of feeling in a sense of awe and wonderment, so the song is kind of a Kate Bush song about miracles." The drumbeat of the song was inspired by Bush's 1985 song "Running Up that Hill
". In a 2011 interview with Howard Stern vocalist Chris Martin
admitted that 'Speed of Sound' was one of his least favorite songs. He said that they never play it live and that mainly just didn't like the recording of the song and that he doesn't like playing it because of his dislike for the recording.
In a separate interview, bassist Guy Berryman
, in discussion of "Speed of Sound", said: "We were listening to a Kate Bush song called 'Running Up that Hill' and we were really trying to recreate the drums on that song for this song, and the chords. Some bands are reluctant to admit that they take things from other artists and bands that they listen to and we're shameless in that respect, we don't mind telling."
-heavy chorus, which also includes an upbeat tempo.
The lyrics in the song are cryptic; the ending lines of the third verse emphasize in belief and faith: "If you could see it then you'd understand/ah when you see it then you'll understand," and "Some things you have to believe/others are puzzles puzzling me." The fourth line in the second verse alludes to discovering your place in the world: "How long am I gonna stand/with my head stuck under the sand."
In his review of X&Y, Bill White of the Seattle Post-Intelligencer
newspaper noted that the "slowing ... creative juices" evident in "Speed of Sound" compare to "melodies from both Jeff Buckley
('Last Goodbye') and Keane ('Everybody's Changing
')".
of their third album. The song made its radio premiere on BBC Radio 1
with Lamacq on the day of the release on 19 April. The single was pressed with two B-sides: "Things I Don't Understand" and "Proof". The song premiered in the UK on 23 May.
"Speed of Sound" was beaten to the number one spot on the UK Singles Chart
by the novelty song
"Axel F" by the Crazy Frog
, instead peaking at number two for a week, although it did stay in the Top 75 for sixteen non-consecutive weeks. However, it became Coldplay's first UK download number one, and also became Coldplay's first and (at that point) biggest single to chart in the top 10 of the Billboard Hot 100
, peaking at number eight, making it the band's most successful single until "Viva la Vida" reached number one in 2008. The single marked the first time a British band entered directly in the top 10 of the Billboard Hot 100 chart since "Say You'll Be There
" by the Spice Girls
. The song was also the billionth song downloaded from Apple, Inc.'s iTunes Store
. A ring tone was available from Cingular Wireless
, which had a song clip from "Speed of Sound" available a week before it was heard on radio.
rated it 2.5/5, noting its melodic similarity to the band's earlier song "Clocks
". In the Rolling Stone
review of the album, critic Kelefa Sanneh
also noted the similarity between "Speed of Sound" and "Clocks", in which he wrote: "'Speed of Sound', an appealing but not thrilling song (it sounds a bit like Rush of Blood's 'Clocks' but without the swagger)." Matt Freelove of Blogcritics
magazine, however, wrote: "It certainly is a song that would have fit in well on the second album, in terms of the music ... However, the single is still quite good, and it sounds beautiful, but I was expecting some impressive about-face by the band that sent the music in a different direction." Joe Tangari of Pitchfork wrote: "The track's vocal melody outperforms the one from 'Clocks' by a hair." Nick Southall of Stylus
magazine wrote: "First single 'Speed Of Sound' point[s] towards a luscious, technologically aware, synth-driven aesthetic, any development is purely superficial [...] 'Speed Of Sound' further cement[s] the futurist aesthetic; shiny, clean, gargantuan attention to detail, avoidance of real pain and passion in favour of anaesthetised but delicious and hollow melancholy and awe."
"Speed of Sound" was nominated for two Grammy Awards in the categories of Best Rock Song and Best Rock Performance By a Duo or Group With Vocals at the 2006 Grammy Awards. The song won an MTV Europe Music Award
in the category for Best Song. In December 2005, "Speed of Sound" appeared at number nine on Q
magazine's "100 Greatest Tracks of the Year". In 2006, the song won a Brit Award for Best British Single. That same year, American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP) named the track Song of the Year.
The song appears on comedian "Weird Al" Yankovic
's polka medley "Polkarama!" in his October 2006 album, Straight Outta Lynwood
. It can also be heard in the video game SingStar Rocks!. The song was parodied on an episode of Fox
's sketch comedy television series Mad TV
.
The video promo for "Speed of Sound" was shot on a Los Angeles
sound stage
on 22 and 23 April 2005. Shooting took place on large sets backed by large Light-emitting diode
(LED) displays developed by Element Labs. The performance-based video was directed by Mark Romanek
. The video features the band performing in front of a curved ellipse wall that consists of 640 Element Labs' VersaTubes placed on 6" centres.
The on-set animations were programmed and performed live during the shoot. Romanek wanted the song's stem
"split out" and to have the drums, bass, guitar, and vocals on separate tracks, which were then animated, and the lights were synthesized to each of the tracks. In the end, Romanek and Michael Keeling, the lighting designer, opted to use Chris Martin's vocal track to animate "because it had such dynamics. Roughly 75% of the video is driven by voice-activated animation", said Keeling.
The video opens in pitch-black, followed by a light framing Martin as he reaches skyward out of the shadows. The scene then shifts to the band, as they play the song. When Martin spread his hands, the two-story-high LED lights erupt in a colour of rainbow hues. The LED background changes its colours as the band proceeds with performing the song. The video concludes its ending with the band lined up, one-by-one, and the LED set displaying a white light background.
The video debuted on 23 May 2005 and proved successful on video-chart programs. It debuted on 11 June 2005 on Fuse
's No. 1 Countdown Rock, at number six, and retired on 5 August at number seven of the countdown. It also reached number sixteen in MuchMusic
's Countdown
a month after its debut. At the 2005 MTV Video Music Awards
, the video was nominated for four nominations in the categories of Video of the Year, Best Special Effects, Best Editing, and Best Cinematography. The video was the ranked at number 10 on VH1
's Top 40 of 2005.
Alternative rock
Alternative rock is a genre of rock music and a term used to describe a diverse musical movement that emerged from the independent music underground of the 1980s and became widely popular by the 1990s...
band Coldplay
Coldplay
Coldplay are a British alternative rock band formed in 1996 by lead vocalist Chris Martin and lead guitarist Jonny Buckland at University College London. After they formed Pectoralz, Guy Berryman joined the group as a bassist and they changed their name to Starfish. Will Champion joined as a...
. It was written by all members of the band for their third album, X&Y
X&Y
X&Y is the third studio album by English rock band Coldplay, released 6 June 2005 in the United Kingdom via the record label Parlophone. The album, which features influences of electronic music, was produced by the band and British record producer Danton Supple...
. Built around a piano
Piano
The piano is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It is one of the most popular instruments in the world. Widely used in classical and jazz music for solo performances, ensemble use, chamber music and accompaniment, the piano is also very popular as an aid to composing and rehearsal...
riff
RIFF
The Resource Interchange File Format is a generic file container format for storing data in tagged chunks. It is primarily used to store multimedia such as sound and video, though it may also be used to store any arbitrary data....
, the song builds into a huge, synthesizer-heavy chorus. It was released on 23 May 2005 by Parlophone Records as the lead single from the album.
Coldplay vocalist Chris Martin
Chris Martin
Christopher Anthony John "Chris" Martin is an English song-writer, who is the lead vocalist, pianist and rhythm guitarist of the band Coldplay. He is married to actress Gwyneth Paltrow.-Early life:...
admitted that the song was developed after the band had listened to English art rock
Art rock
Art rock is a subgenre of rock music that originated in the United Kingdom in the 1960s, with influences from art, avant-garde, and classical music. The first usage of the term, according to Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary, was in 1968. Influenced by the work of The Beatles, most notably their Sgt...
singer Kate Bush
Kate Bush
Kate Bush is an English singer-songwriter, musician and record producer. Her eclectic musical style and idiosyncratic vocal style have made her one of the United Kingdom's most successful solo female performers of the past 30 years.In 1978, at the age of 19, Bush topped the UK Singles Chart...
. The song's drumbeat is similar to Bush's 1985 song "Running Up that Hill
Running Up That Hill
12" Maxi single -Charts:-Placebo version:Alternative rock band Placebo covered "Running Up that Hill", releasing it originally on the bonus disc of their 2003 album Sleeping with Ghosts, then featuring it on Covers and the US version of Meds in 2007. Placebo's take on the song is more downbeat than...
". Upon the song's release, it charted in the UK Singles Chart
UK Singles Chart
The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...
in the number two position. In the United States, it reached number eight on the Billboard Hot 100
Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
.
"Speed of Sound" was recognized Song of the Year by the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP) and it was nominated twice at the 48th Grammy Awards. The song won a Brit Award
Brit Awards
The Brit Awards are the British Phonographic Industry's annual pop music awards. The name was originally a shortened form of "British", "Britain" or "Britannia", but subsequently became a backronym for British Record Industry Trust...
in the category for Best British Single in 2006. The track's music video
Music video
A music video or song video is a short film integrating a song and imagery, produced for promotional or artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a marketing device intended to promote the sale of music recordings...
was nominated for four MTV Video Music Awards
MTV Video Music Awards
An MTV Video Music Award , is an award presented by the cable channel MTV to honor the best in music videos...
. "Speed of Sound" was also the billionth song downloaded from the iTunes Store
ITunes Store
The iTunes Store is a software-based online digital media store operated by Apple. Opening as the iTunes Music Store on April 28, 2003, with over 200,000 items to purchase, it is, as of April 2008, the number-one music vendor in the United States...
.
Background
In an interview, Coldplay vocalist Chris MartinChris Martin
Christopher Anthony John "Chris" Martin is an English song-writer, who is the lead vocalist, pianist and rhythm guitarist of the band Coldplay. He is married to actress Gwyneth Paltrow.-Early life:...
revealed that the song was written in mid-2004 and was inspired by Martin's daughter, Apple, and English alternative rock singer Kate Bush
Kate Bush
Kate Bush is an English singer-songwriter, musician and record producer. Her eclectic musical style and idiosyncratic vocal style have made her one of the United Kingdom's most successful solo female performers of the past 30 years.In 1978, at the age of 19, Bush topped the UK Singles Chart...
: "That's a song where we were listening to a lot of Kate Bush last summer, and we wanted a song which had a lot of tom-toms in it. I just had my daughter up also, and was kind of feeling in a sense of awe and wonderment, so the song is kind of a Kate Bush song about miracles." The drumbeat of the song was inspired by Bush's 1985 song "Running Up that Hill
Running Up That Hill
12" Maxi single -Charts:-Placebo version:Alternative rock band Placebo covered "Running Up that Hill", releasing it originally on the bonus disc of their 2003 album Sleeping with Ghosts, then featuring it on Covers and the US version of Meds in 2007. Placebo's take on the song is more downbeat than...
". In a 2011 interview with Howard Stern vocalist Chris Martin
Chris Martin
Christopher Anthony John "Chris" Martin is an English song-writer, who is the lead vocalist, pianist and rhythm guitarist of the band Coldplay. He is married to actress Gwyneth Paltrow.-Early life:...
admitted that 'Speed of Sound' was one of his least favorite songs. He said that they never play it live and that mainly just didn't like the recording of the song and that he doesn't like playing it because of his dislike for the recording.
In a separate interview, bassist Guy Berryman
Guy Berryman
Guy Rupert Berryman is a Scottish musician known as the bassist for the groups Coldplay and Apparatjik. Berryman is left-handed but chooses to play the bass right-handed.-Coldplay:...
, in discussion of "Speed of Sound", said: "We were listening to a Kate Bush song called 'Running Up that Hill' and we were really trying to recreate the drums on that song for this song, and the chords. Some bands are reluctant to admit that they take things from other artists and bands that they listen to and we're shameless in that respect, we don't mind telling."
Composition
"Speed of Sound" is a piano-based song. The song benefits from an insistently ornate keyboard riff and a busy but less-hummable chorus, in which the song builds into a huge drum beat and a synthesizerSynthesizer
A synthesizer is an electronic instrument capable of producing sounds by generating electrical signals of different frequencies. These electrical signals are played through a loudspeaker or set of headphones...
-heavy chorus, which also includes an upbeat tempo.
The lyrics in the song are cryptic; the ending lines of the third verse emphasize in belief and faith: "If you could see it then you'd understand/ah when you see it then you'll understand," and "Some things you have to believe/others are puzzles puzzling me." The fourth line in the second verse alludes to discovering your place in the world: "How long am I gonna stand/with my head stuck under the sand."
In his review of X&Y, Bill White of the Seattle Post-Intelligencer
Seattle Post-Intelligencer
The Seattle Post-Intelligencer is an online newspaper and former print newspaper covering Seattle, Washington, United States, and the surrounding metropolitan area...
newspaper noted that the "slowing ... creative juices" evident in "Speed of Sound" compare to "melodies from both Jeff Buckley
Jeff Buckley
Jeffrey Scott "Jeff" Buckley , raised as Scotty Moorhead, was an American singer-songwriter and guitarist. He was the son of Tim Buckley, also a musician...
('Last Goodbye') and Keane ('Everybody's Changing
Everybody's Changing
"Everybody's Changing" is a song performed and composed by English rock band Keane, from their debut album Hopes and Fears, on which it appears as the fourth track. After a single release on Fierce Panda in May 2003, which peaked at #122 in the UK Singles Chart, it was re-released on Island on 3...
')".
Release and promotion
Coldplay released "Speed of Sound" in the US on 18 April 2005 as the lead singleLead single
A lead single is usually the first single released by a musician or a band before the release of its home album.During the era of the grammophone record, all music arrived in the marketplace as what is now termed a single, one potential hit song backed by an additional song of generally less...
of their third album. The song made its radio premiere on BBC Radio 1
BBC Radio 1
BBC Radio 1 is a British national radio station operated by the British Broadcasting Corporation which also broadcasts internationally, specialising in current popular music and chart hits throughout the day. Radio 1 provides alternative genres after 7:00pm including electronic dance, hip hop, rock...
with Lamacq on the day of the release on 19 April. The single was pressed with two B-sides: "Things I Don't Understand" and "Proof". The song premiered in the UK on 23 May.
"Speed of Sound" was beaten to the number one spot on the UK Singles Chart
UK Singles Chart
The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...
by the novelty song
Novelty song
A novelty song is a comical or nonsensical song, performed principally for its comical effect. Humorous songs, or those containing humorous elements, are not necessarily novelty songs. The term arose in Tin Pan Alley to describe one of the major divisions of popular music. The other two divisions...
"Axel F" by the Crazy Frog
Crazy Frog
Crazy Frog, originally known as Adam King, is a computer-animated character created in 2003 by Erik Wernquist. Marketed by the ringtone provider Jamba!, the animation was originally created to accompany a sound effect produced by Daniel Malmedahl in 1997 while attempting to imitate the sound of a...
, instead peaking at number two for a week, although it did stay in the Top 75 for sixteen non-consecutive weeks. However, it became Coldplay's first UK download number one, and also became Coldplay's first and (at that point) biggest single to chart in the top 10 of the Billboard Hot 100
Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
, peaking at number eight, making it the band's most successful single until "Viva la Vida" reached number one in 2008. The single marked the first time a British band entered directly in the top 10 of the Billboard Hot 100 chart since "Say You'll Be There
Say You'll Be There
"Say You'll Be There" is a song by British pop group Spice Girls. It was written by the Spice Girls and Eliot Kennedy, for their debut album Spice, released in November 1996. Production duo Absolute incorporated a mix of pop and R&B into the song, which includes an harmonica solo, played by Judd...
" by the Spice Girls
Spice Girls
The Spice Girls were a British pop girl group formed in 1994. The group consisted of Victoria Beckham , Melanie Brown, Emma Bunton, Melanie Chisholm and Geri Halliwell. They were signed to Virgin Records and released their debut single, "Wannabe" in 1996, which hit number-one in more than 30...
. The song was also the billionth song downloaded from Apple, Inc.'s iTunes Store
ITunes Store
The iTunes Store is a software-based online digital media store operated by Apple. Opening as the iTunes Music Store on April 28, 2003, with over 200,000 items to purchase, it is, as of April 2008, the number-one music vendor in the United States...
. A ring tone was available from Cingular Wireless
Cingular Wireless
AT&T Mobility LLC is a wholly owned subsidiary of AT&T that provides wireless services to 100.7 million subscribers in the United States, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands...
, which had a song clip from "Speed of Sound" available a week before it was heard on radio.
Critical reception
"Speed of Sound" had mixed reviews among critics. Pitchfork MediaPitchfork Media
Pitchfork Media, usually known simply as Pitchfork or P4k, is a Chicago-based daily Internet publication established in 1995 that is devoted to music criticism and commentary, music news, and artist interviews. Its focus is on underground and independent music, especially indie rock...
rated it 2.5/5, noting its melodic similarity to the band's earlier song "Clocks
Clocks (song)
"Clocks" is a song by English alternative rock band Coldplay. It was written by all members of the band for their second album, A Rush of Blood to the Head. Built around a piano riff, the song features cryptic lyrics of contrast and urgency themes. Several remixes of the track exist and its riff...
". In the Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone is a US-based magazine devoted to music, liberal politics, and popular culture that is published every two weeks. Rolling Stone was founded in San Francisco in 1967 by Jann Wenner and music critic Ralph J...
review of the album, critic Kelefa Sanneh
Kelefa Sanneh
Kelefa T. Sanneh is an American journalist and music critic. From 2000 to 2008, he wrote for the New York Times, covering the rock 'n' roll, hip-hop, and pop music scenes...
also noted the similarity between "Speed of Sound" and "Clocks", in which he wrote: "'Speed of Sound', an appealing but not thrilling song (it sounds a bit like Rush of Blood's 'Clocks' but without the swagger)." Matt Freelove of Blogcritics
Blogcritics
Blogcritics is a blog network and online magazine of news and opinion. The site—a self-proclaimed "sinister cabal of superior writers"—was founded in 2002 by Eric Olsen and Phillip Winn...
magazine, however, wrote: "It certainly is a song that would have fit in well on the second album, in terms of the music ... However, the single is still quite good, and it sounds beautiful, but I was expecting some impressive about-face by the band that sent the music in a different direction." Joe Tangari of Pitchfork wrote: "The track's vocal melody outperforms the one from 'Clocks' by a hair." Nick Southall of Stylus
Stylus Magazine
Stylus Magazine was an online music and film magazine launched in 2002. It featured long-form music journalism, four daily music reviews, movie reviews, a number of different podcasts, an MP3 blog, and a text blog....
magazine wrote: "First single 'Speed Of Sound' point[s] towards a luscious, technologically aware, synth-driven aesthetic, any development is purely superficial [...] 'Speed Of Sound' further cement[s] the futurist aesthetic; shiny, clean, gargantuan attention to detail, avoidance of real pain and passion in favour of anaesthetised but delicious and hollow melancholy and awe."
"Speed of Sound" was nominated for two Grammy Awards in the categories of Best Rock Song and Best Rock Performance By a Duo or Group With Vocals at the 2006 Grammy Awards. The song won an MTV Europe Music Award
MTV Europe Music Awards
The MTV Europe Music Awards were established in 1994 by MTV Networks Europe to celebrate the most popular music videos in Europe. Originally beginning as an alternative to the American MTV Video Music Awards, the MTV Europe Music Awards is today a popular celebration of what MTV viewers consider...
in the category for Best Song. In December 2005, "Speed of Sound" appeared at number nine on Q
Q (magazine)
Q is a popular music magazine published monthly in the United Kingdom.Founders Mark Ellen and David Hepworth were dismayed by the music press of the time, which they felt was ignoring a generation of older music buyers who were buying CDs — then still a new technology...
magazine's "100 Greatest Tracks of the Year". In 2006, the song won a Brit Award for Best British Single. That same year, American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP) named the track Song of the Year.
The song appears on comedian "Weird Al" Yankovic
"Weird Al" Yankovic
Alfred Matthew "Weird Al" Yankovic is an American singer-songwriter, music producer, accordionist, actor, comedian, writer, satirist, and parodist. Yankovic is known for his humorous songs that make light of popular culture and that often parody specific songs by contemporary musical acts...
's polka medley "Polkarama!" in his October 2006 album, Straight Outta Lynwood
Straight Outta Lynwood
Straight Outta Lynwood is the 12th studio album by "Weird Al" Yankovic. It was released on September 26, 2006 in the U.S. by Volcano, on September 30, 2006 in Australia, on October 3 in Canada, on October 6, 2006 in New Zealand, November 13, 2006 in the United Kingdom, and November 24, 2006 in...
. It can also be heard in the video game SingStar Rocks!. The song was parodied on an episode of Fox
Fox Broadcasting Company
Fox Broadcasting Company, commonly referred to as Fox Network or simply Fox , is an American commercial broadcasting television network owned by Fox Entertainment Group, part of Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation. Launched on October 9, 1986, Fox was the highest-rated broadcast network in the...
's sketch comedy television series Mad TV
Mad TV
Mad TV may refer to:*MADtv, an American sketch comedy television series based on Mad magazine*Mad TV , a 1991 German television station management simulation game*MAD TV , a Greek music channel-See also:...
.
Music video
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
sound stage
Sound stage
In common usage, a sound stage is a soundproof, hangar-like structure, building, or room, used for the production of theatrical filmmaking and television production, usually located on a secure movie studio property.-Overview:...
on 22 and 23 April 2005. Shooting took place on large sets backed by large Light-emitting diode
Light-emitting diode
A light-emitting diode is a semiconductor light source. LEDs are used as indicator lamps in many devices and are increasingly used for other lighting...
(LED) displays developed by Element Labs. The performance-based video was directed by Mark Romanek
Mark Romanek
Mark Romanek is an American filmmaker, whose directing work includes feature films, music videos and commercials.He wrote and directed the critically acclaimed 2002 film One Hour Photo starring Robin Williams...
. The video features the band performing in front of a curved ellipse wall that consists of 640 Element Labs' VersaTubes placed on 6" centres.
The on-set animations were programmed and performed live during the shoot. Romanek wanted the song's stem
Stem (music)
Stems can refer to two things in music, relating to music notation and production.-Notation:Stems are the lines which extend from the notehead. Stems may point up or down. Different-facing stems indicate the voice for polyphonic music written on the same staff...
"split out" and to have the drums, bass, guitar, and vocals on separate tracks, which were then animated, and the lights were synthesized to each of the tracks. In the end, Romanek and Michael Keeling, the lighting designer, opted to use Chris Martin's vocal track to animate "because it had such dynamics. Roughly 75% of the video is driven by voice-activated animation", said Keeling.
The video opens in pitch-black, followed by a light framing Martin as he reaches skyward out of the shadows. The scene then shifts to the band, as they play the song. When Martin spread his hands, the two-story-high LED lights erupt in a colour of rainbow hues. The LED background changes its colours as the band proceeds with performing the song. The video concludes its ending with the band lined up, one-by-one, and the LED set displaying a white light background.
The video debuted on 23 May 2005 and proved successful on video-chart programs. It debuted on 11 June 2005 on Fuse
Fuse TV
Fuse is an American national television network dedicated exclusively to music. It features original series and specials, exclusive interviews, live concerts and video blocks....
's No. 1 Countdown Rock, at number six, and retired on 5 August at number seven of the countdown. It also reached number sixteen in MuchMusic
MuchMusic
MuchMusic is a Canadian English language Category A specialty channel owned by Bell Media. MuchMusic is dedicated to music-related programs, pop and youth culture.-History:...
's Countdown
Countdown (MuchMusic TV series)
The MuchMusic Top 30 Countdown is a ninety-minute music video program block, that airs on Canadian music television station MuchMusic. Countdown is one of the oldest programs that continues to be aired on Much Music since its debut...
a month after its debut. At the 2005 MTV Video Music Awards
MTV Video Music Awards
An MTV Video Music Award , is an award presented by the cable channel MTV to honor the best in music videos...
, the video was nominated for four nominations in the categories of Video of the Year, Best Special Effects, Best Editing, and Best Cinematography. The video was the ranked at number 10 on VH1
VH1
VH1 or Vh1 is an American cable television network based in New York City. Launched on January 1, 1985 in the old space of Turner Broadcasting's short-lived Cable Music Channel, the original purpose of the channel was to build on the success of MTV by playing music videos, but targeting a slightly...
's Top 40 of 2005.
Track listing
- "Speed of Sound" – 4:51
- "Things I Don't Understand" – 4:55
- "Proof" – 4:10
- UK CD CDR6664, 7" R6664, 12" 12R6664, 10" 10R6664
- Australia CD 872 9862 released 23 May 2005 by Capitol RecordsCapitol RecordsCapitol Records is a major United States based record label, formerly located in Los Angeles, but operating in New York City as part of Capitol Music Group. Its former headquarters building, the Capitol Tower, is a major landmark near the corner of Hollywood and Vine...
- Japan CD TOCP-40179 released 11 May 2005 by Toshiba-EMIToshiba-EMI(formerly , is one of Japan's leading music companies. It became a wholly owned subsidiary of British music company EMI Group Ltd. in June 30, 2007 after Toshiba sold off its previous 45% stake. The current CEO and president is San-e Ichii. When EMI Music Japan was trading as Toshiba-EMI, it was...
Chart performance
| Chart (2005) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Polish Singles Chart | 1 |
| US Billboard Hot 100 Billboard Hot 100 The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday... |
|
| US Billboard Alternative Songs | |
| US Billboard Pop 100 Pop 100 The Pop 100 was a songs chart that debuted in February 2005 and was released weekly by Billboard magazine in the United States until its discontinuation in 2009... |
|
External links
- Official website
- Speed of Sound article at WikiaWikiaWikia is a free web hosting service for wikis . It is normally free of charge for readers and editors, deriving most of its income from advertising, and publishes all user-provided text under copyleft licenses. Wikia hosts several hundred thousand wikis using the open-source wiki software MediaWiki...