Production and Composition
The previous single from X&Y, "Talk", was a tribute to the German band Kraftwerk; similarly, "The Hardest Part" was intended by Coldplay to acknowledge American band R.E.M. When asked why the song paid a tribute to R.E.M.'s lead singer, Michael Stipe, Chris Martin said: "I've lost all respect for fame, but I haven't lost all respect for respect. So the one great thing about being famous is that I get to meet people who I respect. Our relationship is akin to a dog and its master. I'll always look up to him." The band felt the track resembled R.E.M.'s 1991 single, "Losing My Religion". "The Hardest Part" was left out of the album track list when the band sent an early version of the album to their record label, Parlophone. The track, however, was included when X&Y was finalised.
"The Hardest Part" features a piano ballad sound. The song starts with a repeating two-note piano riff, and features an instrumentation of a singsong guitar. It also includes a slow tempo with a drumming rhythm. The track ends with the band playing the repeated instrument riffs.
Read more about this topic: The Hardest Part (Coldplay Song)
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