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 Brit
-pop and anthemic rock that landed the British quartet a
near-permanent residence on record charts world-wide. 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 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 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 charts around
the world and selling more than eight million copies
during its first year. Such success put Coldplay on the
same commercial level as U2, and Coldplay retreated to the
studio in late 2006 to work with famed producer Brian Eno
(who had teamed up with U2 two decades prior for The
Joshua Tree). Recording sessions with Eno were completed
within one year, followed by several months of mixing and
growing anticipation from the band's audience. Viva La
Vida -- also known by its extended name, Viva La Vida or
Death and All His Friends -- ultimately arrived in June
2008.
/>
