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The Coldplay to Radiohead Connection: A Video Investigation

6/17/08, 2:35 pm EST

At last night’s free Coldplay show in London, frontman Chris Martin joked that his band’s song “God Put a Smile on Your Face” sounded an awful lot like Radiohead’s “2 + 2 = 5.” “Sorry, we shouldn’t be talking about plagirism,” he joked. “Ignore that!”

In fact, Coldplay has been chased by people accusing them of lifting liberally from Radiohead, something that Martin owns up to in the current issue of Rolling Stone. “Sometimes I feel like they cleared a path with a machete, and we came afterward and put up a strip mall,” he says. “I would still give my left ball to write anything as good as OK Computer.”

The line can certainly be drawn to a handful of their songs (especially from their first two albums), but can the same thing be said of their videos? Click below for Rock Daily’s investigation into Coldplay’s complete video library and just how much they’ve been influence by Radiohead’s visual output.

The Complete Coldplay Video Guide

Coldplay Showcase Viva La Vida at Free London Show


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Comments

M. Komar | 6/17/2008, 8:36 pm EST

“God Put a Smile on Your Face” was released in 2002. “2+2=5″ was released in 2003. That’s more of a joke on Chris Martin’s part. However, “Talk” obviously steals the riff from Kraftwerk’s “Computer Love”. Coldplay is more of a RadioheadLite than just plain plagiarism.

David D.R. | 6/18/2008, 7:22 am EST

I like Coldplay — but lets face it — they aren’t even RadioheadLite. I don’t think either band sounds anything alike. Coldplay may borrow a riff here and there — but Radiohead has its own unique majesty. (Of course — I hated Creep. Still hate it.) But I love everything else — especially Kid A and after …

Satan | 6/18/2008, 1:56 pm EST

I still don’t understand the Radiohead–Coldplay comparisons. Practically every guitar-driven song that Coldplay has leans on the Edge for support, and even the video for “Speed of Sound” is a direct homage to the U2 POPmart screen and Bono’s stage moves.

Hasief | 6/19/2008, 2:52 pm EST

It isn’t stealing if they give proper credit, which is what Coldplay did with “Talk,” which is listed as a co-write between the band and Kraftwerk.

B.K. | 6/20/2008, 3:11 pm EST

Kraftwerk is credited on X&Y for “Talk”.

B.K. | 6/20/2008, 3:17 pm EST

Martin has said in many interviews that “Talk” is a rework of “Computer Love” and Kraftwerk is credited on the album. I agree with the radioheadlite assessment.

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