Coldplay

British alt-rockers Coldplay will dive into a full North American outing to support their forthcoming album, Viva la Vida or Death and All His Friends.

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The members of Coldplay—singer Chris Martin, bassist Guy Berryman, guitarist Jon Buckland and drummer, Will Champion—began playing music together while attending the University College of London. Today, the band's emotionally resonant, catchy rock songs have gained them a massive, worldwide following. Coldplay's first full-length album, Parachutes, was released in 2000 and brought the band great critical acclaim in both the U.K. and the U.S. In 2002, the band released their second album, A Rush of Blood to the Head, which surpassed the success of Parachutes and established the British group as internationally recognized rock stars. After a three-year wait, the band released X&Y in 2005. "Yellow," "Clocks" and "Speed of Sound" are just a few of the hit songs from Coldplay's highly acclaimed career.

Similar Artists:
Travis, U2, Radiohead, Oasis

The members of Coldplay—singer Chris Martin, bassist Guy Berryman, guitarist Jon Buckland and drummer, Will Champion—began playing music together while attending the University College of London. Today, the band's emotionally resonant, catchy rock songs have gained them a massive, worldwide following. Coldplay's first full-length album, Parachutes, was released in 2000 and brought the band great critical acclaim in both the U.K. and the U.S. In 2002, the band released their second album, A Rush of Blood to the Head, which surpassed the success of Parachutes and established the British group as internationally recognized rock stars. After a three-year wait, the band released X&Y in 2005. "Yellow," "Clocks" and "Speed of Sound" are just a few of the hit songs from Coldplay's highly acclaimed career.

Similar Artists:
Travis, U2, Radiohead, Oasis

After surfacing in 2000 with the breakthrough single "Yellow," Coldplay quickly became one of the biggest bands of the new millennium, honing a mix of introspective Britpop and anthemic rock that landed the British quartet a near-permanent residence on record charts worldwide. The group's emergence was perfectly timed; Radiohead had just released the overly cerebral Kid A, while Oasis had ditched two founding members and embraced psychedelic experimentation on Standing on the Shoulders of Giants. U.K. audiences were hungry for a fresh-faced rock band with big aspirations and an even bigger sound, and Coldplay was more than happy to take the reigns. Parachutes went multi-platinum in several countries and earned the band their first Grammy, but Coldplay continued to grow into the 2000s, topping their debut album's success with higher record sales and an increased public profile.

Chris Martin (vocals/piano), Jon Buckland (guitar), Will Champion (drums), and Guy Berryman (bass) were all born into working-class families in which music was encouraged. Martin, the eldest of five, began playing the piano as a young child and later took solace in the work of Tom Waits. Buckland, on the other hand, grew up with the heavy guitar sounds of Eric Clapton and Jimi Hendrix. Scotland native Berryman preferred funk to indie rock, thereby leaving him to play bass, while the multi-instrumentalist Champion didn't plan to be a drummer until he joined Coldplay's lineup. The bandmates came together in 1996 while attending the University College of London, and the Safety EP was issued shortly after their first gig at a Manchester festival for unsigned bands. The release only saw 500 pressings, as did the subsequent Brothers & Sisters EP. Nevertheless, it was enough to win the band a U.K. deal with Parlophone in April 1999, and the five-track Blue Room EP arrived that fall. With nods from the media, the foursome was hailed as the next Travis, thanks to their simplistic acoustics and charming personas.

Parlophone ushered the band into Parr St. Studios in Liverpool, where they recorded the bulk of their debut album. Parachutes was released in July 2000 and became a swift hit on the strength of four U.K. singles, several of which enjoyed popularity in America as well. With "Yellow" climbing the charts on both sides of the Atlantic, Parachutes was released in the U.S. in November, where its sales soon rivaled -- and eventually surpassed -- those in the U.K.

Riding on the strength of their universally popular debut, Coldplay headed back into the studio in fall 2001 to work on a sophomore album. They emerged with A Rush of Blood to the Head, releasing the album worldwide in August 2002 and embarking on a global concert tour soon after. "The Scientist" enjoyed regular radio rotation, while both "Clocks" and "In My Place" won Grammy Awards. The CD/DVD package Live 2003 was issued to highlight the group's popular tour, and Martin specifically earned a higher notch on the celebrity scale by marrying actress Gwyneth Paltrow in December 2003. Paltrow gave birth to the couple's first daughter, Apple Blythe Alison Martin, the following April.

Fatherhood didn't stop Martin from working, as Coldplay began recording material for a third album within weeks. Previously recorded material with longtime producer Ken Nelson was scrapped early on, while Danton Supple (Morrissey, the Cure) joined Coldplay to complete the recording of X&Y. "Speed of Sound" marked Coldplay's first single from their long-awaited third effort in spring 2005; the album followed in June, topping the charts around the world. ~ Andrew Leahey, All Music Guide

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