Coldplay Just Played Chris Martin’s Most-Hated Song Live for the First Time in Nearly a Decade

Twenty years ago, British alternative rock band Coldplay released “Speed of Sound,” the lead single from their third studio album, X&Y. Scoring two Grammy nods, the Kate Bush-inspired track debuted at No. 8 on the Billboard Hot 100, giving the band their first-ever Top 10 hit. Despite the objective success of “Speed of Sound,” Coldplay rarely breaks it out during live performances. Frontman Chris Martin has admitted he simply hates playing the song live. So the band shocked concertgoers at Sun Bowl Stadium in El Paso, Texas, when they dusted it off for their June 15 show.

Videos by American Songwriter

Chris Martin Thinks This Coldplay Song Is “Not That Good”

Making a stop along their Music of the Spheres World Tour, Chris Martin tried to keep the crowd’s expectations low as he announced Coldplay’s next song.

“For those of you who weren’t born in 2005, it’s not that good, but we’re going to try and play it anyway,” said the 48-year-old vocalist with a laugh.

Announcing the band’s intent to “reclaim ‘Speed of Sound,’” Martin added that he and his bandmates planned to record “a proper edit” one day.

“I’d like to make it a little bit quicker, a little bit shorter, a little bit tighter, maybe mix the drums slightly,” he said. “And it would just be a much better song. I’m so sorry I messed it up when I was a young man.”

@iam.alexmeraz

@coldplay performed “Speed of Sound” after more than a decade and a half of not playing it live at a concert. THIS was the best part of the show. El Paso, TX (6/14/2025) #coldplay #xy #speedOfSound #coldplayElPaso #elPaso #TX #texas #acoustic #unplugged #fyp

♬ original sound – Alex Meraz

With footage of the performance making the rounds on social media, Coldplay fans expressed shock hearing that the band hates playing the song. “speed of sound was what hooked me into Coldplay,” one TikTok user wrote. “kinda crazy to learn it’s their black sheep of sorts.”

[RELATED: 3 Piano Riffs That Define Coldplay]

Why Chris Martin Hates Playing ‘Speed of Sound’

Coldplay frontman Chris Martin has never hidden his dislike of the Grammy-nominated track. “We never got it right,” he confessed during a 2011 interview with Concrete.

Martin added context during an appearance on The Howard Stern Show that same year. Stern asked the seven-time Grammy Award winner if any songs he thought were terrible eventually became hits.

“One,” Martin replied. “A song called ‘Speed of Sound’…I just think we did a s— recording.”

He added, “It pains me. We don’t play it. […] Like I said, an audience can pick up real fast if you’re not convinced by something.”

Featured image by Brett Johnsen/ZUMA Wire/Shutterstock