"Clocks" is the name of a song by English rock group Coldplay, featured as a single on the album "A Rush of Blood to the Head".
It was recorded in May 2012 and released on the tenth of December, 2012 on four formats: 7 inch vinyl, 12 inch vinyl, as well as CD and DVD. The B-side on the album for "Clocks" featured 2 songs: "Crests of Waves" and "Animals". While the album version for the single had 5 minutes and 7 seconds, there was also an official radio edit version released.
This radio version only lasts for 4 minutes and 10 seconds. The label Parlophone released the single, which was written by the group members. The production was handled by the members as well, but Ken Nelson was the chief producer.
With a great piano melody and riff, the song was received very well by the critics, having a strong commercial debut. In the United Kingdom, it was used as single number three for album "A Rush of Blood to the Head". In the United States, it was used as single number two, managing to also win the Record of the Year Grammy Award.
Chris Martin was the creator of the song, who created its initial riff, which developed into a piano melody. Inspired by another rock band, the famous Muse, Jonny Buckland, the guitarist, began to add several chords to the track. Initially, the song was not meant to be part of their second album, since they already had ten tracks recorded before it.
Deciding to delay the release and work on their other unfinished pieces, the band manager listened to "Clocks" and urged them to include it on the album.
The band added drums, guitars and bass to the underlying piano melody and it was soon finished. The final product sounded minimalist, with a synth vibe to it and a piano riff that repeats itself. It was used during 2003 for multiple advertisements, trailers or TV shows, including "Family Guy" and "The Sopranos".
Both the Rolling Stone magazine and "The Daily Telegraph" praised the song and the guitar performance, the Goldmine magazine also calling it a wonderful piano ballad.
With 7 official remixes, "Clocks" managed to chart on the ninth place of the UK Singles charts, as well as reaching the fourth place in the US, on the Billboard Adult Top 40. On the Modern Rock Tracks, it also reached the ninth place, while on the Billboard Hot 100 it stopped at rank 29.
