More than a week after a kiss-cam moment at a Coldplay concert sent the internet into a frenzy, the British band is enjoying an unexpected windfall with a 25 percent spike in its streams.
The moment unfolded during Coldplay’s 16 July concert in Boston, when the camera panned to Andy Byron, CEO of data science firm Astronomer, and the company’s Chief People Officer, Kristin Cabot. As the crowd anticipated a sweet kiss-cam gesture, Byron awkwardly ducked out of the frame while Cabot turned away and covered her face.
“Uh oh,” Coldplay frontman Chris Martin said, reacting in real-time from the stage. “Either they’re having an affair, or they’re just very shy.”
The viral clip triggered widespread speculation online, especially after it was revealed that both Byron and Cabot are married to other people.
In the days following the incident, Coldplay’s on-demand audio streams jumped from 28.7 million to 35.7 million, according to Billboard via Luminate—marking a 25 percent surge driven by the controversy.
The fallout was swift. On Saturday, Astronomer confirmed that Byron had stepped down as CEO.
“Astronomer is committed to the values and culture that have guided us since our founding. Our leaders are expected to set the standard in both conduct and accountability, and recently, that standard was not met,” the company said in a statement.
“Andy Byron has tendered his resignation, and the Board of Directors has accepted,” it continued. “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 the situation sparked internal turmoil for Astronomer, Coldplay appears to have benefited from the attention—turning an awkward viral moment into a streaming bump.
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