Fun (Coldplay song)

"Fun" is a song by British rock band Coldplay, featuring Swedish singer Tove Lo. It is the sixth track from the group's seventh studio album, A Head Full of Dreams (2015).^[1] The song was produced by the band's long-time record producer Rik Simpson along with Norwegian production duo Stargate.^[2]

"Fun"
Song by Coldplay featuring Tove Lo
from the album A Head Full of Dreams
Released	4 December 2015 (2015-12-04)
Recorded	2014–2015
Genre	Pop rock
Length	4:27
Label	Parlophone Atlantic
Songwriters	Guy Berryman Jonny Buckland Will Champion Chris Martin
Producers	Rik Simpson Stargate

Composition

"Fun" is a mid-tempo pop song built as a duet between Chris Martin and Swedish singer Tove Lo, with production by longtime collaborator Rik Simpson and Norwegian pop architects Stargate.^[3] The song features "electronic heartbeats" under a mid-tempo framework "a Cure-style darkness towards the end."^[4]

The title also echoes an earlier, unrelated Coldplay composition: Martin and his bandmates wrote a different song called "Fun" for Natalie Imbruglia's 2009 album Come to Life.^[5][4]

Reception

Critics were divided but frequently singled out the duet in album overage, considering it a reference to the end of Martin's marriage to Gwyneth Paltrow.^[3][6] AllMusic remarked that Tove Lo "eases right into" the song's atmosphere, while Consequence noted the song "palpitates like an unbroken heart".^[7][8] NME praised the track's narrative, calling it a "refreshing change" compared to the expected slow tempos and minor keys of a stereotypical Coldplay song.^[6] Pitchfork considered the collaboration emblematic of the album's guest-driven approach.^[3]

Personnel

Credits are adapted from A Head Full of Dreams liner notes.^[2]

Coldplay

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

Additional musicians

• Mikkel S Eriksen – additional instruments, production, mixing
• Tor Erik Hermansen – additional instruments, production, mixing
• Tove Lo – featured vocals
• Rik Simpson – audio mixer

Charts

Chart performance for "Fun"

Chart (2015–16)	Peak position
France (SNEP)[9]	118
Netherlands (Single Top 100)[10]	86
Sweden Heatseeker (Sverigetopplistan)[11]	10
UK Singles (OCC)[12]	164
US Hot Rock & Alternative Songs (Billboard)[13]	28

Certifications

Certifications for "Fun"

Region	Certification	Certified units/sales
Italy (FIMI)[14]	Gold	25,000‡
‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.