Coldplay

Pop group

Coldplay ushered in 2000 at the top of the British pop rock scene. The band's single "Yellow" reached the number four spot on the British pop charts and helped make their 2000 debut release, Parachutes, the top-selling album in the United Kingdom. In the United States Coldplay made waves with their music video for "Yellow" on MTV. The group's success was marked by a 2000 Mercury Music Prize nomination for album of the year and five New Musical Express (NME) nominations, including best band, best album, best single, and best newcomer. Though often compared to Radiohead and the Verve, Coldplay has found success with its own brand of "melodic Brit pop that strives for significance with a capital s," Matt Diehl commented in Rolling Stone.com.

If timing is everything, Coldplay stepped onto the scene at the perfect moment. British pop music had been dominated by the news of a possible Oasis breakup, Travis had not released the follow-up to their highly successful 1999 album The Man Who, and Radiohead had released an ambient soundtrack that received mixed reviews. Coldplay brought their sometimes moody though optimistic tunes to the British music scene with the simple desire to write songs to please an audience. Group member Chris Martin told Roy Wilkinson in an interview for Select that after watching The Flaming Lips perform, he realized that "when they play they set out to make as many people in the same room as happy as possible. Seeing [them] just gave me the manifesto I wanted—unbridled togetherness."

Coldplay formed in 1996 when Will Champion, a University College of London (UCL) anthropology student, met fellow schoolmates Johnny Buckland, who was majoring in mathematics and astronomy, and Chris Martin, who was studying ancient world history. Martin and Champion first met as teammates playing hockey for their college team. Coldplay bassist Guy Berryman joined later when the four crossed paths in their dormitories. Berryman was studying engineering and was the only one of the four to leave UCL without completing a degree. The four friends shared similar upper middle class backgrounds, which included boarding schools, sports, and two professional working parents.

In April of 1998, Coldplay went into Sync City Studios in London, England, to record a demo to shop to record companies. The band recorded "Bigger Stronger," "No More Keeping My Feet On The Ground," and "Such A Rush." Once the songs were completed, Coldplay and the band's friend Phil Harvey were so pleased that it was decided that the session should be released as an EP. Harvey, who financed the demo session, helped the band manufacture 500 Safety EPs to be distributed around London in May of 1998. After providing hundreds of free copies to radio stations, music press, family, and friends, they had about 50 remaining copies for sale to fans.

In February of 1999, Coldplay went into the studio to record their second EP, Brothers & Sisters, at Station Studios in London for the independent Fierce Panda label. Fierce Panda had spotted Coldplay at a gig at the Camden Falcon in December of 1998. Simon Williams, Fierce Panda founder and music journalist, was in the audience and was so impressed with the group that he signed them soon after the show. Coldplay cut three songs, "Brothers & Sisters," "Easy to Please," and "Only Superstition." The Brothers & Sisters EP was released in April of 1999 with 2,500 copies for distribution. NME named Coldplay the new band to watch for 1999. Steve Lamacq of Radio 1 supported the EP by giving it regular airplay, which helped Coldplay crack the British charts at number 92. The EP managed to make its way to Dan Keeling at Parlophone Records. Keeling immediately recognized Coldplay's commercial promise and signed the band to the Parlophone label in 1999.

In the fall of that year Coldplay went back into Sync City Studios and Orinoco Studios to record their debut Parlophone EP. Released in October of 1999, The Blue Room included two previously released songs, "Bigger Stronger" and "Such A Rush" from the Safety EP. Two other tracks, "Don't Panic" and "High Speed," would later appear on the band's debut full-length album. After receiving positive critical reviews for their previous release Brothers & Sisters, Coldplay found continued support from BBC Radio1. The band toured steadily, playing several festivals in the United Kingdom and supported headlining acts like Muse and Catatonia. The group quickly surpassed the quality of their previous material, and Parlophone was anxious for the band to return to the studio. The label was convinced that Coldplay could record a breakthrough song to help support a full-length album release.

Shiver Hit the Charts

A seasoned and confident Coldplay entered the Parr St Studios in Liverpool in mid-1999. The first single the band recorded for the session was "Shiver," which was released with "For You" and "Careful Where You Stand" on the B-side. "Shiver" was released in March of 2000 and immediately climbed to number 35 on the British charts. While Coldplay had become more at ease with their music and their growing fame, it did not seem to compromise who or what they were really about. They continued to walk the streets without being recognized and were remarkably candid in interviews.

For the Record …

Members include: Guy Berryman , bass guitar; John Buckland , lead guitar; Will Champion , drums; Chris Martin , guitar, lead vocals, keyboards, piano.

Formed in London, England, 1996; released self-financed Safety EP, 1998; signed with Parlophone Records, 1999; released first U.K. top 40 hit, "Shiver," 2000; released first full-length album, Parachutes, 2000; tour of U.K., Europe, and the United States, 2000-01; released A Rush of Blood to the Head, 2002; released X&Y, 2005.

Addresses: Website—Coldplay Official Website: http://www.coldplay.com.

Parlophone decided that the band's next track, "Yellow," had a shot at reaching the top of the charts, and it would be best to release the song as a single, then follow up with a full-length debut. Martin told Flavour online about the inspiration his bandmates received for "Yellow": "We were in the studio in Wales doing our album and it was the most amazing night. … We were just messing around, looking at the sky and … we got really inspired." The bandmates shared songwriting credits on all of Coldplay's songs. When Parlophone released "Yellow" in June of 2000, it immediately rose to number four on the British charts. "Yellow" played well in Britain and later crossed the Atlantic on MTV 1. In addition to the hit single, the band recorded "Help Is Round The Corner" and "No More Keeping My Feet" in a pressure-induced recording session at Parr St. Studios in February and March of 2000.

The full-length LP Parachutes was released in July of 2000 on Parlophone and went straight to number one on the British pop charts. Coldplay was the favorite to take home the highly coveted 2000 Mercury Music Prize, but lost the award to Badly Drawn Boy. While the band toured the United Kingdom, MTV put the video for "Yellow" on regular rotation in the United States. With MTV airing the band's video, Parachutes quickly climbed the U.S. charts and received frequent airplay on mainstream commercial radio. Coldplay quickly took the title of the top British band in 2000, and the group was poised for success in the United States. Coldplay released the single "Trouble" in October of 2000. It was the final track the band recorded for the album in Liverpool.

Though Badly Drawn Boy won the Mercury Music Prize, Coldplay had taken the spotlight with their well-timed appearance on the British pop music scene. At the end of 2000 Parachutes remained a top seller, and the band played to sold-out shows in Britain while preparing for their first tour of the United States in 2001.

Had Coldplay folded their tents and gone home following the success of Parachutes, no one could have blamed them, and the pressures to follow up their initial success with another hit nearly caused the group to disband. However, the group prevailed, and raised the bar on their career trajectory with A Rush of Blood to the Head. Released in 2002, the album firmly placed the group in the rock music pantheon, largely based on the sonic consistency of the album and its centerpiece single "In My Place," along with the single and accompanying video of "The Scientist." Working again with the co-producers Ken Nelson and mixer Mark Pythain, Coldplay crafted a treasure of a recording that gained entrance into the collections of hipsters, trendsetters, and wannabes alike.

A Rush of Blood to the Head earned Coldplay status as a household name. They received three 2003 MTV Video Music Awards for best group video, breakthrough video, and best direction in a video for "The Scientist." Band member Chris Martin married actress Gwyneth Paltrow in a small private ceremony in California. The group also won the 2003 Grammy Award for Record of the Year for "Clocks." Coldplay released the live album Live 2003 to ecstatic reaction from fans, prompting an All Music Guide critic to gush: "Live 2003 is a delightful listening experience. Coldplay treat fans to a new song, ‘Moses.’ Chiming guitars and Chris Martin's hushed vocals give this song a classic feeling. … and fans will be impressed by Coldplay's progression in style and sound."

In 2005 Coldplay released its third studio effort, X—Y. The first single from the release, "Speed of Sound," made its debut at number eight on the Billboard Top 100 chart, making Coldplay the first British band since the Beatles to debut a top ten single on the U.S. charts. The album itself debuted at number one in 22 countries and topped the Billboard Top 200 chart with first-week U.S. sales topping 737,000 units.

Selected discography

Singles and EPs

Safety (EP), self-released, 1998.

The Blue Room (EP), Parlophone, 1999.

"Brothers & Sisters," Fierce Panda, 1999.

"Shiver," Parlophone, 2000.

"Yellow," Parlophone, 2000.

Albums

Parachutes, Parlophone, 2000.

A Rush of Blood to the Head, Parlophone, 2002.

Live 2003, Parlophone, 2003.

X—Y Parlophone, 2005.

Sources

Periodicals

Melody Maker, May 31, 2000; June 28, 2000; July 19, 2000; December 20, 2000.

Select, January 2000; August 2000.

Online

All Music Guide,http://www.allmusic.com (November 8, 2007).

Coldplay Official Website, http://www.coldplay.com (January 13, 2001).

Flavour, http://www.flavour.lookon.net (January 13, 2001).

RollingStone.com,http://www.rollingstone.com (January 13, 2001).

Spiderwebs, http://www.spiderwebs.fsnet.co.uk (January 13, 2001).

Wall of Sound, http://www.wallofsound.com (January 13, 2001).

—Tiger Cosmos and Bruce Edward Walker