"Clocks" anses som en af Coldplays største bedrifter;<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.billboard.com/bbcom/search/google/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1632146|title=Hot Product: 'Rush' Hour|date=2002-08-26|work=Billboard|publisher=Nielsen Business Media, Inc|access-date=2008-07-13|archive-url=https://archive.today/20120526062215/http://www.billboard.com/bbcom/search/google/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1632146%23/bbcom/search/google/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1632146|archive-date=26. maj 2012|url-status=live}}</ref> sangens klaverprogression står tilbage som bandets signatur.<ref name="Gaston"/> Ifølge ''[[The New York Times]]'', er "Clocks"' åbningsklaverarpeggio ofte blevet samplet.<ref name="Pareles"/> Mange af sangene på bandets tredje album ''[[X&Y]]'' bærer også præg af indflydelse fra "Clocks". Brian Cohen fra ''[[Billboard (magasin)|Billboard]]''-magasinet noterede sig, at "Clocks" fungerer som "affyringsrampe" for sangene på ''X&Y'', "hvoraf mange bærer et ekko af nummeret enten i struktur eller fornemmelse".<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.billboard.com/bbcom/search/google/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1000837552|title=Coldplay Unveils New Tunes In Los Angeles|last=Cohen|first=Brian|date=2005-03-14|work=Billboard|publisher=Nielsen Business Media, Inc|access-date=2006-03-08|archive-url=https://archive.today/20120526062215/http://www.billboard.com/bbcom/search/google/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1000837552%23/bbcom/search/google/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1000837552|archive-date=26. maj 2012|url-status=live}}</ref> "[[Speed of Sound]]", den første single fra "X&Y", har nogle ligheder med "Clocks",<ref name="Gaston">{{cite web|url=http://www.spin.com/articles/coldplay-stock-rises-nyc|title=Coldplay Stock Rises in NYC |last=Gaston|first=Peter|date=2005-05-20|work=[[Spin (magazine)|Spin]]|access-date=2006-03-08}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://pitchforkmedia.com/article/track_review/30483/Coldplay_Speed_of_Sound|title=Coldplay: "Speed of Sound" Track Review|date=2005-04-28|work=[[Pitchfork Media]]|access-date=2006-12-19|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071224193205/http://pitchforkmedia.com/article/track_review/30483/Coldplay_Speed_of_Sound|archive-date=24. december 2007|url-status=dead}}</ref> idet begge sange ar den samme nedstigende akkordprogression. Den amerikanske sanger [[Jordin Sparks]]' single "[[No Air]]" fra 2008 "puster nyt liv ind i den alt for velkendte klaverlinje" fra "Clocks" ifølge ''The New York Times''.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.nytimes.com/2007/11/26/arts/music/26choi.html?scp=10&sq=Clocks+by+Coldplay&st=nyt|title=New CDs: Jordin Sparks|last=Sanneh|first=Kelefa|date=2007-11-26|work=The New York Times|access-date=2008-07-18}}</ref> Sangen "Should I Go" af den amerikanske sanger [[Brandy]] fra hendes album ''[[Afrodisiac]]'' sampler klaverriffet fra "Clocks",<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.billboard.com/bbcom/search/google/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1000553051|title=Hot Product: Cognac And Brandy|date=2004-06-27|work=Billboard|publisher=Nielsen Business Media, Inc|access-date=2008-07-13|archive-url=https://archive.today/20120526062225/http://www.billboard.com/bbcom/search/google/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1000553051%23/bbcom/search/google/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1000553051|archive-date=26. maj 2012|url-status=live}}</ref> ligesom den mexikanske sanger [[Alejandro Fernández]]' single fra 2007, "Te voy a perder", gør det. I 2009 udgav den franske DJ [[David Guetta]] sammen med [[Kelly Rowland]] sangen "[[When Love Takes Over]]", der også har en klaverintro lignende den på "Clocks". Et samplet riff magen til det på "Clocks" blev også brugt til sangen "[[Shining Down]]" fra 2009 af hiphopmusikeren [[Lupe Fiasco]] i samarbejde med [[Matthew Santos]]. Et lignende riff kan også høres i DJ Cahill-remixet af sangeren [[Agnes (sanger)|Agnes]]' ''[[I Need You Now (Agnes song)|I Need You Now]]''. ''Rolling Stone'' rangerede den i 2010 som nummer 490 af de 500 bedste sange nogensinde.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.rollingstone.com/music/lists/the-500-greatest-songs-of-all-time-20110407/coldplay-clocks-19691231|title=Rolling Stone's '500 Greatest Songs' List|access-date=2011-09-07|publisher=[[Rolling Stone]]|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110524151119/http://www.rollingstone.com/music/lists/the-500-greatest-songs-of-all-time-20110407/coldplay-clocks-19691231|archive-date=24. maj 2011|url-status=live}}</ref>
Musik