Coldplay, ‘Every Teardrop Is a Waterfall’

Coldplay's brand new single 'Every Teardrop Is a Waterfall' is as big as its title suggests. It is not a ballad, but an uplifting, room-filling Brit pop song laced with the band's rock 'n' roll edge.

While Coldplay have endured plenty of Radiohead comparisons throughout their career, they've turned the corner here, going for stadium-sized hooks a la U2 with this bold, bright, guitar-driven new song that is steered by Martin's inimitable voice. Thanks to its massive size and scope, the four-minute monster more than makes up for all the time fans had to wait for new music from the band.

At about the three-minute mark, 'Every Teardrop Is a Waterfall' balloons with layered harmonies and faster guitar work. It's as though vocalist (and Gwyneth Paltrow baby daddy) Chris Martin wrote the song with the express intent of performing in a stadium or at the Olympics. (Ahem -- the 2012 Olympics will be held in London, so...)

When Martin sings, "I turn the music / I got my records on / I shut the world outside until the lights come on / Maybe the streets alright / Maybe the trees are gone / I feel my heart start beating to my favorite song," he pulls us into his world, where everything around you fades into the background while you focus on what you hear in your headphones. Speaking of which, you will pick up all the nuances of sound via a pair of earbuds.

The song doesn't fade out, either. It ends on a percussive note. You'll want to listen to it over and over again. It's a gorgeous mix of Coldplay's knack for pretty melodies mixed with some escalating guitar work, despite not being nearly as polished as the band's previous pop songs.

The song comes in like a lion and goes out like one, too!

Listen to Coldplay, 'Every Teardrop Is a Waterfall'