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Coldplay ringtone invades CSI crime scene
When Chris Martin comes calling, it's product placement time...

By Reuters

Published: Wednesday 30 November 2005

An episode of CSI: NY being screened in the US on Wednesday will feature the tune of Coldplay's next single as a ringtone, as part of a cross-promotional agreement between CBS and Capitol Records.

Series star Carmine Giovinazzo's phone will sound to the tune of Coldplay's song Talk. Detective Danny Messer will receive the call during a key scene, after which viewers will be offered the opportunity to purchase the ringtone of the song for their mobile phone.

In addition to the ringtone, Talk will also serve as background music during a later scene in the broadcast. The track is taken from Coldplay's X&Y album, which debuted at number one in 32 countries when it was released in June. The album has sold 2.3 million copies in the US, according to Nielsen SoundScan.

CBS will run a message instructing viewers on how to obtain the ringtone, which will be available exclusively for one week through major wireless carriers and eventually on CBS.com. The $2.49 product is in Realtone format, meaning it is an actual clip from the band's original recording rather than a tonal reproduction.

Earlier this year, Coldplay teamed up with Cingular to debut the new track Speed of Sound as a ringtone before the song hit radio stations and before the release of X&Y.