A Sky Full of Stars Facts for Kids

"A Sky Full of Stars" is a very popular song by the British rock band Coldplay. It was released on May 2, 2014. This song was the second single from their sixth studio album, Ghost Stories. It's special because it blends Coldplay's rock style with EDM (Electronic Dance Music).

Coldplay worked with the famous Swedish DJ and producer Avicii to create this song. When it came out, "A Sky Full of Stars" received many positive reviews from music critics. It quickly became a top 10 hit in over 16 countries. These included Australia, Canada, Ireland, Japan, Mexico, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, and the United States. The song even reached number one in Italy, Israel, and other places. It was also nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Pop Duo/Group Performance.

About "A Sky Full of Stars"
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About "A Sky Full of Stars"

How the Song Was Made

The Music Style

"A Sky Full of Stars" was a new kind of song for Coldplay. It was their first track that really focused on dance music. You can hear strong EDM sounds with influences from house music. The song starts like a gentle piano ballad. Then, it builds up with exciting electronic music, especially between the singing parts. The repeating musical pattern and changing melody were inspired by artists like Katy Perry.

Recording the Song

Swedish record producer Avicii was invited by the band to produce "A Sky Full of Stars".

The song "A Sky Full of Stars" was recorded while Coldplay was making their album Ghost Stories. They worked in their own special studios, called the Bakery and the Beehive, in North London, England. These studios were built for their earlier albums, Viva la Vida or Death and All His Friends and Mylo Xyloto.

Coldplay invited Avicii to help them with "A Sky Full of Stars." He not only produced the song but also played the piano parts. Later, lead singer Chris Martin mentioned that he felt a bit like he "cheated" by asking Avicii to play the piano instead of doing it himself.

The Song's Journey

Release and Artwork

"A Sky Full of Stars" was released early on May 2, 2014, through iTunes and Spotify. A few weeks later, an exclusive digital EP (Extended Play) version came out. This EP included the song along with three bonus tracks: "All Your Friends," "Ghost Story," and "O (Reprise)."

The artwork for the single was created by a Czech artist named Mila Fürstová. It shows a beautiful scene with figures like angels and buildings, all inside a three-dimensional star chart. This artwork connects to the overall theme of the Ghost Stories album.

Music Video Story

<mapframe width=230 height=230 zoom=17 latitude=-33.8967797 longitude=151.17933 text="Route scheme in the music video"> { "type": "ExternalData", "service": "page", "title": "A Sky Full of Stars.map" } </mapframe> The official music video for the song was directed by Mat Whitecross. It was filmed on King Street in Sydney, Australia, on June 17, 2014, and released on June 19, 2014.

In the video, Chris Martin walks down the street dressed as a one-man band, singing the first part of the song. He then meets the other band members, who are also dressed as one-man bands, and they play the instrumental part together. Later, Martin walks alone, singing the second verse. At the end, the whole band reunites in a square with a crowd of fans. They sing and play the final part of the song as many paper stars float through the air.

There was also an earlier idea for the music video. It showed the band performing in a dark room with animated stars projected onto the floor. Even though this version wasn't fully used, you can see parts of it playing on TV screens in a shop in the final video.

Live Performances

Coldplay performing "A Sky Full of Stars" during their A Head Full of Dreams Tour at Wembley Stadium.

Coldplay first played "A Sky Full of Stars" for small audiences before its official release. They often asked people not to record the song to keep it a surprise. However, the song was leaked after a performance in Cologne, Germany, on April 25, 2014.

The song was first shown live on TV on April 29, 2014, on the BBC Two show Later... with Jools Holland. Coldplay also performed it on Saturday Night Live on May 3, 2014, and on The Graham Norton Show in the UK on May 30, 2014. The band also performed the song at the halftime show of the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup final.

Who Made the Music?

Songwriters and Producers

The song was written by all four members of Coldplay: Chris Martin, Jonny Buckland, Guy Berryman, and Will Champion. Avicii also helped write the song.

The producers who helped create the sound of "A Sky Full of Stars" were Avicii, Coldplay, Paul Epworth, Daniel Green, and Rik Simpson.

The Band and Other Musicians

Chris Martin – lead vocals, acoustic guitar
Jonny Buckland – lead guitar
Guy Berryman – bass guitar
Will Champion – drums, backing vocals, programming

Avicii – piano, keyboards

Track List

All songs written and composed by Chris Martin, Jonny Buckland, Guy Berryman, and Will Champion; "A Sky Full of Stars" additionally written by Avicii.

Digital download – EP
No.	Title	Length
1.	"A Sky Full of Stars" (Radio Edit)	3:56
2.	"All Your Friends"	3:32
3.	"Ghost Story"	4:17
4.	"O" (Reprise)	1:37
Total length:		13:22

Digital download – Hardwell Remix
No.	Title	Length
1.	"A Sky Full of Stars" (Hardwell Remix)	5:13

CD single
No.	Title	Length
1.	"A Sky Full of Stars"	4:28
2.	"Midnight" (Phones 4AM Remix)	10:56
3.	"Midnight" (Henrik Schwarz Remix)	8:42
4.	"Midnight" (Jon Hopkins Remix)	10:06
Total length:		34:12

A Sky Full of Stars facts for kids

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