When Coldplay was just starting to climb the top charts and conquer listeners in the summer of 2000, music journalists wrote that the group did not quite fit into the current popular musical style.
Their soulful, light, intelligent songs set them apart from pop stars or aggressive rap artists.
Much has been written in the British music press about lead singer Chris Martin's open-hearted lifestyle and general distaste for alcohol, which is very different from the lifestyle of a stereotypical rock star.
The band shuns endorsement from anyone, preferring to promote things that alleviate world poverty or environmental issues rather than offering their music to commercials selling cars, sneakers or computer software.
Despite the pros and cons, Coldplay became a sensation, selling millions of records, receiving numerous major awards and receiving praise from music critics around the world.
In an article in Maclean magazine, Coldplay guitarist John Buckland explained that connecting with the audience on an emotional level is “the most important thing in music for us. We are not very cool, but independent people; we are really passionate about what we do.”
On the official website of Coldplay, Martin also wrote: “We tried to say that there is an alternative. You can be anything, be it flashy, pop or not pop, and you can lighten the mood without being pompous. We wanted to be a reaction against all this rubbish that surrounds us.”
Birth of the Coldplay sensation
The guys met and became friends while living in the same dorm at University College London (UCL) in the mid-1990s. They formed a band, initially calling themselves Starfish.
When their friends who played in a band called Coldplay no longer wanted to use the name, Starfish officially became Coldplay.
The title was taken from a collection of poems Child's Reflections, Cold Play. The band consists of bassist Guy Berryman, guitarist Buckland, drummer Will Champion, and lead singer, guitarist and pianist Martin. Martin wanted to be a musician since the age of 11.
He explained to Katherine Thurman of Mother Jones that when he started attending UCL, he was more interested in finding bandmates than studying its core subject, ancient history.
Asked by Thurman if he started his education thinking he would become an ancient history teacher, Martin jokingly replied, "It was my real dream, but then Coldplay came along!"
Three of the four members completed their university education (Berryman dropped out of school halfway through), with most of their free time devoted to writing music and rehearsing.
"WE ARE MORE THAN, JUST A GROUP."
While many of Coldplay's songs deal with personal topics such as love, heartbreak and insecurity, Martin and the rest of the band have also focused on global issues, in particular by campaigning for fair trade as part of the Oxfam Make Trade Fair campaign. Oxfam is a collection of non-governmental organizations working around the world to reduce poverty and improve lives.
During 2002, Coldplay was invited by Oxfam to visit Haiti to see first hand the problems farmers in such countries face, and to learn about the impact of the World Trade Organization (WTO) on these farmers.
In an interview with his mother Jones, Martin admitted that he and the other members of Coldplay knew next to nothing about global trade issues prior to their visit to Haiti: “We had no idea about it. We went on a journey to learn how importing and exporting goods around the world works.”
Thrilled by the appalling poverty in Haiti and convinced that social activism, especially when practiced by a world famous band, could make a difference, Coldplay began discussing world trade and promoting Make Trade Fair whenever possible.
Coldplay and ecology
Coldplay members also support environmental issues. On their Coldplay website, they have asked fans who want to write them letters to send emails, in part because such broadcasts are "easier for the environment" than traditional paper letters.
In addition, the group has teamed up with British company Future Forests to grow XNUMX mango trees in India. As the Future Forests website explains, "trees provide fruit for trade and local consumption, and over the course of their lives they absorb the carbon dioxide released during production."
Numerous environmental experts believe that harmful carbon dioxide emissions from sources such as factories, cars and stoves have begun to change the Earth's climate and, if left unchecked, will lead to devastating effects caused by global warming and beyond.
On the band's website, bassist Guy Berryman explained why he and his bandmates feel the need to promote these causes: "Everyone who lives on this Earth has some responsibility.
Oddly enough, it may seem to us that many people believe that we exist simply so that you watch us on TV, buy our records, and so on. But we want to convey to everyone, with our creativity, that we have the power and ability to inform people about problems. It's not a lot of effort for us, but if it can help people, then we want to do it!"
These guys made an impression not only on radio listeners and music critics, but also on Dan Keeling from Parlophone Records. Keeling signed Coldplay to the label in 1999 and the band went into the studio to record their first major label. The album 'The Blue Room' was released in autumn 1999.
Worldwide recognition Coldplay
With an intense touring schedule, continued support from Radio 1, and continued improvement in musical skills, Coldplay's fan base grew in size. Parlofon felt that the band was ready for a higher profile, and the band began recording their first full-length disc, Parachutes.
In March 2000 Coldplay released 'Shiver' from Parachutes. 'Shiver' caused a sensation, reaching #35 on the UK music charts, but it was the second single from Parachutes that catapulted Coldplay to stardom.
'Yellow' was released in June 2000 and was also a huge hit in both England and the United States, where it caught the public's attention as a video on MTV and then received heavy airplay on radio stations across the country.
However, critics and fans alike have appreciated Coldplay's music, noting that they seem to have an endless supply of soaring melodies, emotional performances and brooding but ultimately upbeat lyrics.
Parachutes were nominated for the prestigious Mercury Music Awards in 2000, and in 2001 the album won two BRIT awards (similar to the US Grammy Awards) for Best British Group and Best British Album.
Long awaited Grammy Award
Parachutes won the Grammy Award for Best Alternative Music Album the following year. All members of the band participate in songwriting, co-produce their recordings, and oversee the production of their videos and selection of artwork for their CDs.
After the release of the album in the summer of 2000, Coldplay went on tour in the UK, Europe and the US. The tour was big and exhausting, and across the US it suffered from bad weather and sickness among the band members. Several shows had to be canceled, after which there was a rumor that the group was on the verge of breaking up, but such gossip was groundless.
By the end of the tour, the members of Coldplay were in dire need of a long rest, but they fulfilled their mission: they brought their music to the masses, and the masses happily sang along!
Preparing the group's second album
Emotionally and physically drained from months of touring, Coldplay returned home for a breather before starting work on their second album. Amid speculation that their second album might not live up to the expectations of their first, the band members told the press that they would rather release no album than release a poor quality record.
According to Coldplay's website, after several months of working on the album, "everyone was happy except for the band". Buckland once said in an interview: “We were pleased with the work done, but then we took a step back and realized that it was a mistake.
It would be easier to say that we did enough to put out an album that would keep our pace, but we didn't." They returned to a small studio in Liverpool where many singles had been recorded and made another hit. This time they found exactly what they were looking for.
Songs like 'Daylight', 'The Whisper', and 'The Scientist' sold out within two weeks. "We just felt completely inspired and felt like we could do whatever we like."
New success with new album
The extra effort paid off in the summer of 2002 with the release of "A Rush of Blood to the Head" to much positive reviews. The Hollywood Reporter summed up the feelings of many:
"This is an even better album than the first, a superb collection of sonic and lyrical adventurous songs that have the kind of hooks that go into your brain on first listen and depth, the name leaves a pleasant aftertaste."
Coldplay received numerous awards for their second album, including three MTV Video Music Awards in 2003, a Grammy Award for Best Alternative Music Album in 2003, and "Clocks" in 2004.
The band also again won the BRIT awards for Best British Group and Best British Album. After another intense period of work in support of the release of A Rush of Blood to the Head, Coldplay tried to take a break from the spotlight by returning to their home recording studio in England to create their third album.
Coldplay today
The Coldplay group at the end of the last spring month presented a new single to admirers of their work. The piece of music was called Higher Power. On the day of the release of the composition, the musicians also released a video for the presented track.
Coldplay in early June 2021 pleased the "fans" with the presentation of the video for the previously released musical work Higher Power. The video was directed by D. Meyers. The video clip shows a new fictional planet. Once on the planet, the musicians fight with various unearthly creatures.
In mid-October 2021, the 9th studio album of the musicians was released. The record was called Music of the Spheres. Guest verses by Selena Gomez, We Are King, Jacob Collier and BTS.
Selena Gomez and Coldplay in early February 2022 presented a bright video for the track Letting Somebody Go. The video was directed by Dave Myers. Selena and frontman Chris Martin play parting lovers in New York.
