Coldplay
With over 50 million albums sold since their debut
‘Parachutes’ was released in 2000, few bands have had as much influence over
British music during the last decade as Coldplay have. Whereas Blur and Oasis
dominated the 90’s, the ‘noughties’ surely belonged to singer Chris Martin,
guitarist Jonny Buckland, bassist Guy Berryman, and drummer Will Champion.
Originally drawing inspiration from the likes of U2, Radiohead and Travis,
Coldplay developed a unique, melodic style that Martin himself once referred to
as ‘limestone rock’. Although the tone of their music has evolved over the
years, gaining both in confidence and vigour, the band still possesses a sound
that has often been imitated, but never bettered. In particular, Martin’s
vulnerable, non-aggressive and often haunting vocal approach has influenced a
host of subsequent solo artists and front men.
The band first shot to worldwide fame with their single ‘Yellow’, which reached number four in the UK Singles Chart. Receiving extensive radio airtime, the track eventually ended as 2000’s most-aired song, and won Best Single at the 2001 NME Carling Awards. The success of the single granted the band an instant stardom rarely tasted by British rock bands, and paved the way for the release of debut seven-time platinum album ‘Parachutes’ later that year. The record quickly ascended to the number one spot in the UK Albums Chart, won Best British Album at the 2001 Brit Awards, and is the 12th highest selling album of the 21st century in the UK.
Following this success, the band took the proverbial bull by the horns, and quickly followed their debut with the much-anticipated ‘A Rush of Blood to the Head’ in 2002. The album marked a shift in tone by the band. The recording period commenced shortly after the September 11th 2001 attacks in America, giving the band’s output a new urgency in comparison to the relaxed vibe of their earlier years.
The album was a great commercial success, entering the charts at number one and selling over 11 million copies worldwide.
After a period of touring, the band went back into the studio to record their third album, ‘X&Y’, which was released in mid 2005. Although the album debuted at number one in twenty countries across the world, and became the third-fastest selling album in UK chart history, it met with a cooler critical reception than Coldplay’s previous efforts. However, this did not hinder their progression: in fact, Martin stated that the few negative remarks attracted by the album left him feeling ‘liberated’.
Shortly after they had completed their ‘Twisted Logic Tour’ in 2006, the band began work on their fourth album, ‘Viva la Vida’, alongside producer Brian Eno. The band spent the next two years working on material as they changed their musical direction once more, and on its release in June 2008 the album duly dropped in at number one in the UK Albums Chart, going on to become the most paid-for downloaded album of all time.
