It’s been over two decades since the release of Coldplay’s smash hit “Yellow”, and they’re still pushing boundaries with this song. The music video for “Yellow” just joined YouTube’s Billion Views Club, becoming the band’s fifth song to reach this coveted number.
“Yellow” was originally released as the second single from Coldplay’s debut album Parachutes in 2000. It became the band’s breakout hit and helped thrust them into popularity, despite only peaking at No. 48 in the US and reaching No. 4 in the UK.
“Yellow” is the British band’s fifth song to reach one billion views on YouTube, following in the footsteps of “Paradise”, “Adventure of a Lifetime”, “The Scientist”, and “Hymn for the Weekend” ft. Beyoncé.
The song’s minimalistic music video remains as iconic as the song itself and features one continuous shot with no cuts. It shows the band’s frontman Chris Martin singing the song while walking along the beach in slow motion.
The legacy of this song has been cemented by its frequent usage in popular culture, in addition to countless covers and samples, including Lizzo’s “Coldplay” from her album Special.
“Yellow” remains one of Coldplay’s signature hits and it made it to multiple lists of the best songs of the 21st century, including Rock and Roll Hall of Fame’s list of “Songs That Shaped Rock and Roll”.
