"Speed of Sound" is the lead single from Coldplay's 2005 album, X&Y. While it was premiered to fans in March 2005 at small warm-up gig in London, it made its radio premiere on BBC Radio 1 with Lamacq on the evening of Monday, 18 April 2005. Beginning with a piano riff the song builds into a huge, synth-heavy chorus: "Birds go flying at the speed of sound, to show you how it all began / Birds came flying from the underground, if you could see it then you'd understand." The song was inspired by the drum beat of Kate Bush's song, "Running Up That Hill".
"Speed of Sound" was infamously 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 #1, and also became Coldplay's first and biggest single to chart in the top 10 of the Billboard Hot 100, peaking at #8, making it arguably Coldplay's most successful single. "Speed of Sound" marked the first time a British band entered directly in the top ten 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.
Critical reaction to the song was tepid. Pitchfork rated it 2.5/5, noting its melodic similarity to the band's earlier song "Clocks."
"Speed of Sound" appears on comedian "Weird Al" Yankovic's polka medley "Polkarama" in his October 2006 hit album, Straight Outta Lynwood, as well as the videogame SingStar Rocks!.
