When Something Just Like This first hit the stage in 2017, Coldplay and The Chainsmokers surprised fans with an unexpected live debut at the BRIT Awards.
This wasn’t your typical release day—Chris Martin’s vocals soared over the synth-heavy beats of The Chainsmokers, merging EDM with Coldplay’s introspective pop-rock.
This moment marked the beginning of a journey that would make Something Just Like This a staple in playlists and a song that continues to resonate years later.
Coldplay and The Chainsmokers: Creating Something Just Like This
Something Just Like This didn’t come about in a typical writing session.
It was born out of a unique, one-time meeting between Coldplay and The Chainsmokers, with Chris Martin freestyling over chords they quickly fell in love with.
According to the duo, Martin plugged into the studio’s PA system and improvised, singing lyrics on the spot.
What resulted was a song that felt both raw and polished, capturing the everyday reality of love without the need for superhero tropes or over-the-top gestures.
Martin sings about “legends and myths,” evoking heroes like Achilles, Hercules, and Batman, but with a twist: his narrator doesn’t see himself as one of these figures—and he’s perfectly fine with that.
He isn’t striving for superhuman achievements but instead values what’s real and grounded.
The song flips the idea of ‘heroic love’ on its head, reminding listeners that it’s okay to not be larger-than-life in love.
Sometimes, all that’s needed is the kind of love that’s dependable, that shows up, even without a cape.
Lyrics Meaning of Something Just Like This: Heroes, Myths, and Real Love
The lyrics of Something Just Like This blend mythological references with a refreshingly down-to-earth take on relationships.
Right from the start, Chris Martin’s voice brings listeners into the mind of someone who’s familiar with legendary tales but feels no need to live up to them.
“I’ve been reading books of old, the legends and the myths,” he sings, name-dropping Achilles and Hercules—characters celebrated for their unmatched strengths and larger-than-life qualities.
Yet Martin’s narrator quickly makes it clear that he doesn’t belong in their world:
“And clearly, I don’t see myself upon that list.” It’s an admission that hits home for anyone who’s ever felt they couldn’t measure up to lofty expectations.
He’s not aspiring to some idealised notion of heroism, and the line embraces the idea that real relationships don’t need mythical feats.
In the pre-chorus, Martin introduces a dialogue with his partner that keeps the song rooted in reality.
She asks, “Where d’you wanna go? How much you wanna risk?” But she’s not looking for “somebody with some superhuman gifts, some superhero, some fairytale bliss.”
Instead, what she wants is far more realistic and attainable: “Just something I can turn to, somebody I can miss.”
In other words, love doesn’t need to be about grand gestures or perfection—it’s about the steady presence, the comfort of someone who’s there in the good and bad alike.
As Martin repeats the refrain, “I want something just like this,” it becomes a kind of declaration, a statement of valuing simplicity and sincerity over spectacle.
There’s no sense of ‘settling’ in this line; rather, it’s a celebration of genuine connection.
He doesn’t need “Spider-Man’s control or Batman with his fists.” He’s looking for a partner who meets him as he is, without unrealistic demands.
This is a love that finds beauty in what’s ordinary and honest—a reminder that sometimes, being “just enough” is precisely enough.
In the second verse, Martin doubles down on this message, evoking a vivid image of contrast between the mythical and the human: “Superman unrolls a suit before he lifts / But I’m not the kind of person that it fits.”
This playful yet powerful line acknowledges the allure of superhuman traits while affirming that love doesn’t need any capes, suits, or world-saving missions to be meaningful.
Here, Martin speaks to everyone who may feel ‘ordinary’ in a world of high expectations.
It’s a reminder that the gestures which matter most in love are often the simplest.
For a similar exploration of mythology and personal reflection, see Coldplay’s Viva La Vida: The Tragic Fall of a King, which delves into themes of power, loss, and redemption in a way that complements the introspective qualities of Something Just Like This.
The BRIT Awards Performance and Record-Breaking Release on YouTube
Their debut performance at the BRIT Awards on February 22, 2017, turned heads, and fans immediately flocked to the song’s official lyric video.
As Forbes reported, the video broke records on YouTube, racking up over 9 million views in its first 24 hours—an all-time record for a lyric video.
The track’s release as the second single from Memories…Do Not Open(following “Paris”) showed that Coldplay and The Chainsmokers had tapped into something universal.
Beyond the numbers, Something Just Like This brought together fans from both groups, with EDM and pop-rock lovers alike finding something that resonated in this collaboration.
By blending The Chainsmokers’ festival-ready beats with Coldplay’s depth, the song managed to feel new and familiar at once.
The Sound and Melody of Something Just Like This
Sound-wise, Something Just Like This strikes an impressive balance. The Chainsmokers bring in a driving beat and heavy synths, but Chris Martin’s mellow, reflective tone tempers it.
This combination makes the song versatile—it’s a tune you can dance to, but one that also invites introspection.
Martin’s delivery of lines like “I’m not looking for somebody with some superhuman gifts” is as impactful as the beat drop, reminding listeners that the lyrics carry as much weight as the melody.
With Coldplay’s emotional depth and The Chainsmokers’ energetic beats, the song fits just as well in a low-key playlist as it does on a dance floor.
It’s a rare two-sided track, equally at home in both reflective moments and party scenes—a duality that’s likely why it continues to captivate listeners.
Artwork and Visuals of Something Just Like This
The cover art for Something Just Like This captures its core message beautifully.
Created by James Zwadlo, an artist who frequently collaborates with The Chainsmokers, the artwork shows a young boy in an improvised superhero costume, gazing up at a vast night sky with a halo of light around him.
The image feels like a perfect match for a song that celebrates being enough without grandeur.
For listeners, this artwork reinforces the theme of real-life heroism in a world that often demands the extraordinary.
Cultural Impact and Viral Success of Something Just Like This
Beyond its chart success, Something Just Like This has taken on a life of its own.
The lyric video currently boasts over 2 billion views, solidifying its place among YouTube’s most-watched videos.
It also topped Billboard’s Hot Dance/Electronic Songs chart for multiple weeks, proving that the song wasn’t just a passing trend.
From worldwide concert tours to covers by artists around the globe, the song has earned its place as a cultural moment that extends well beyond its release date.
Its success can be attributed to its relatability and emotional accessibility.
Something Just Like This isn’t about demanding grand, superhero-like qualities from love; it’s a down-to-earth anthem for those who seek authenticity over extravagance.
This grounding in reality made the song’s message one that listeners returned to, especially during times when the appeal of the ‘ordinary’ felt like a rare comfort.
Why Fans Continue to Love Something Just Like This
What makes Something Just Like This timeless isn’t just its catchy beat or memorable lyrics; it’s the way it meets listeners where they are.
In a world that often pressures people to be everything at once, this song quietly celebrates what’s simple and enough.
Years after its release, the track remains a reminder that love doesn’t need superpowers or mythical feats—it only needs to be real.
By combining Coldplay’s lyrical depth with The Chainsmokers’ high-energy sound, Something Just Like This speaks to everyone who’s felt like they didn’t quite fit into a ‘superhero’ mould.
The song’s message—that love is found in the moments when we’re simply ourselves—continues to resonate with listeners around the world, making it a modern classic we’ll likely keep returning to, cape or no cape.
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Something Just Like This Lyrics
Verse 1
I’ve been reading books of old
The legends and the myths
Achilles and his gold
Hercules and his gifts
Spider-Man’s control
And Batman with his fists
And clearly I don’t see myself upon that list
Pre-Chorus
But she said, “Where d’you wanna go?
How much you wanna risk?”
I’m not looking for somebody
With some superhuman gifts
Some superhero
Some fairytale bliss
Just something I can turn to
Somebody I can kiss
I want something just like this
Chorus
Doo-doo-doo, doo-doo-doo
Doo-doo-doo, doo, doo
Doo-doo-doo, doo-doo-doo
Oh, I want something just like this
Doo-doo-doo, doo-doo-doo
Doo-doo-doo, doo, doo
Doo-doo-doo, doo-doo-doo
Oh, I want something just like this
I want something just like this
Verse 2
I’ve been reading books of old
The legends and the myths
The testaments they told
The moon and its eclipse
And Superman unrolls
A suit before he lifts
But I’m not the kind of person that it fits
Pre-Chorus
She said, “Whered ‘you wanna go?
How much you wanna risk?”
I’m not looking for somebody
With some superhuman gifts
Some superhero
Some fairytale bliss
Just something I can turn to
Somebody I can miss
Chorus
I want something just like this
I want something just like this
Bridge
Oh, I want something just like this
Doo-doo-doo, doo-doo-doo
Doo-doo-doo, doo, doo
Doo-doo-doo, doo-doo-doo
Oh, I want something just like this
Doo-doo-doo, doo-doo-doo
Doo-doo-doo, doo, doo
Doo-doo-doo, doo-doo-doo
Pre-Chorus
Where d’you wanna go?
How much you wanna risk?
I’m not looking for somebody
With some superhuman gifts
Some superhero
Some fairytale bliss
Just something I can turn to
Somebody I can kiss
I want something just like this
Chorus
Oh, I want something just like this
Oh, I want something just like this
Oh, I want something just like this
