Coldplay Streams Spike After Tech CEO Kiss-Cam Scandal
Astronomer CEO Andy Byron in Coldplaygate! (Image X.com)
CEO Resigns Following Boston Concert Moment That Sparked Internet Frenzy and Boosted Band’s Popularity
By S JHA
MUMBAI, July 25, 2025 —Coldplay’s music has seen a dramatic 25% spike in streams. Surge came following a now-infamous kiss-cam moment at their Boston concert on July 16, which inadvertently embroiled a tech executive in a viral controversy.
The incident, which captivated millions online, featured Astronomer CEO Andy Byron and Chief People Officer Kristin Cabot reacting awkwardly when shown on the stadium’s kiss-cam.
In the clip that quickly went viral, Byron visibly ducked out of frame, while Cabot turned away and covered her face. Coldplay frontman Chris Martin reacted in real-time, quipping, “Uh oh… Either they’re having an affair, or they’re just very shy.”
What followed was a social media firestorm after it emerged that both Byron and Cabot are married — just not to each other.
According to Luminate data cited by Billboard, the seven-time Grammy-winning band had 28.7 million on-demand audio streams in the five days before the Boston show. That figure jumped to 35.7 million in the five days following the concert — a clear 25% increase in fan engagement. This is being credited to scandal-led virality.
Cold Play has gain international attention for days after the scandal. Chris Martin also is commanding massive media interests and queries on search engines.
Coldplay frontman Chris Martin took a light-hearted jab at the recent viral scandal that rocked the tech world during the band’s sold-out concert at Camp Randall Stadium in Madison, Wisconsin.
The performance, the first since a now-infamous moment at a Boston-area show, saw Martin preface the band’s beloved “Jumbotron Song” with a cheeky disclaimer, addressing the internet storm that led to the resignation of Astronomer CEO Andy Byron. Martin at Madison said: “Hope we didn’t do anything bad.”
The incident, dubbed “ColdplayGate,” has dominated headlines and social media, turning a concert moment into a global meme frenzy.
During Coldplay’s ‘Music of the Spheres’ World Tour stop at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts, on July 16, the band’s “Jumbotron Song”—an improvised segment where Martin riffs on audience members shown on the venue’s massive screen—captured Astronomer CEO Andy Byron and Chief People Officer Kristin Cabot in an intimate embrace. The pair, both married to others, recoiled when spotlighted, with Byron ducking out of frame and Cabot covering her face.
As the fallout intensified, Byron resigned from his role as CEO of the data science company Astronomer. The company issued a statement affirming its core values and acknowledging that Byron’s conduct had fallen short of the leadership standards expected.
“Andy Byron has tendered his resignation, and the Board of Directors has accepted,” read the company’s statement. “The Board will begin a search for our next Chief Executive, as Cofounder and Chief Product Officer Pete DeJoy continues to serve as interim CEO.”
While neither Byron nor Cabot has issued a personal statement, the episode has sparked wider discussions around corporate conduct in public settings and how social media virality can have real-world consequences. Meanwhile, Coldplay appears to be the inadvertent beneficiary — with a viral moment translating into a commercial boost.
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