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band consisting of four artists, Chris Martin, Will Champion, Jonny Buckland, and Guy Berryman. They had all met each other while attending University College London in London, England. Ever since meeting each other in college, the British originated band of four had formed together back in the year of 1996. Coldplay is a rock band like no other, with amazing group members having tremendous talents to the amazing music they produce with each outstanding album. They differentiate in many ways from traditional rock with no screaming and no hip-hop influences. In author Alan Crosss book, Coldplay the secret history, he stated Theyve found a niche in todays new rock worlda tiny corner that most old-time alt-rock fans thought had disappeared. A place where texture, delicate dynamics and gentle melodies still exist (Cross 4). Coldplay is a band that is known worldwide for their individual integrity and dramatically innovative sound. The four members of Coldplay had all lived in the same freshman dormitory in Ramsey Hall at University College London. In his book, Coldplay: Look at the Stars, author, Gary Spivack asserted, Coldplay is four distinct personalities from the four corners of England who quickly became best mates (Spivack 3). The band consists of Chris Martin, Jonny Buckland, Guy Berryman, and Will Champion whom all definitely differ from each other. Chris Martin was born on March 3, 1977 in Exeter, Devon,
Hawatmeh 2 England. He is the Coldplay leader who is talented in all he does and is considered as the man with the ideas. In his article, Hot for Coldplay, Devin Gordan asserted, Martin is indisputably Coldplay's engine, but there are, of course, three other people in the band. A guitarist, a bassist and a drummer--the usual (Gordan 65). He is the lead vocalist in the band, rhythm guitarist, and very talented in his piano skills. Jonny Buckland, one of Martins closest confidantes, was born in Islington, London on September 11, 1977 and is the lead guitarist of Coldplay. The bassist of the band is Guy Berryman who was born on April 12, 1978 in Kirkcaldy, Fife, Scotland. He is the bands technological expert in the studio and the toughest nut to crack (Corbijn and Scaggs 45). The fourth member, Will Champion, was born on July 31, 1978 in Hampshire, England and plays the drums. For Coldplay to get together as a band, it was not so easy for band member Will Champion. As indicated by Corbijn and Scaggs in their editorial, Coldplays Quiet Storm, Champion was fired from the band for lack of technical proficiency (Corbijn and Scaggs 43). Soon after being fired, Chris Martin came back to rehire him apologizing and admitting his faults. As told by the author, Guy Spivack, they are most definitely from the four corners of the England who eventually team up to create the most amazing and diverse band out there yet. In his book, Spivack states, For the love of music and friendship, they formed a band and started a union together that would share the same vision, the same goals, and same ambitions (Spivack 4). After the bands freshman year of college, they were forced to move out of their dorms and since then, the band had solidified and began its first rehearsal. As reported in Anton Corbijn and Austin Scaggs editorial, Coldplays Quiet Storm, The first band name, Starfish, came out of desperation, when theyd booked a show at the Laurel Tree
Hawatmeh 3 (Corbijn and Scaggs 42). That show was signified as Coldplays first gig ever which got everyone from their school to attend. The show was such a big hit; the band played one of their six songs they knew at the time as an encore. Before Coldplay changed their bands name, they were called Starfish. In the bands early years, they have performed gigs in Camden using the dated moniker. An interesting aspect about the upbringing and early history of Coldplay was that their band name Coldplay, was not the bands original choice. The band had obtained their new name from a fellow University College London student. In Martin Roachs book, Viva Coldplay! A Biography, He stated that the student who they acquired the name from thought the name was just too depressing (Roach 49). Just a couple years after they had solidified, a record company noticed them after seeing one of their early shows. In David Brownes editorial, Uncommon Coldplay, he stated In 1999, Parlophone Records A&R manager Dan Keeling saw an early performance (they werent very good, he recalls), but by summer Coldplay had improved enough to sign with the label (Browne 32). They were signed to Parlophone Records because they were humble and straightforward individuals who do not smash things up opposed to other rock bands in the music industry. People referred to and described Coldplay of being copycats of U2, Travis and other bands. In his book, Coldplay the secret history, Alan Cross said, Coldplay is an offspring of the Britpop revolution of the middle 1990s. All four members were big fans of that golden age of British music (Cross 4). The guys of Coldplay were big Radiohead fans and considered them as their idols and influence to the music they produce today. Throughout Coldplays beginning journey in 1996, they have produced many great hits in the music industry and
Hawatmeh 4 worked hard to reach the goals they were shooting for, such as obtaining a large worldwide fan base, number one hits, money, getting signed with Parlophone Records, Nettwerk, and Capitol Records, a big music label within the early years of teaming up as a band back in London. Ever since the beginnings of Coldplay, they have been able to produce music that is unlike no other traditional bands music. In Roachs book, he states, How they came from nowhere to become one of the worlds biggest bands is a story centred mostly around their stunning catalogue of music (Roach 14). The music Coldplay makes is the opposite of hardcore traditional rock that everyone is used to hearing. Coldplays first album was Parachutes, which was released on September 19, 2000. The album had debuted and their number one hit on the album was the song Yellow, a song about someones devotion for another person willing to do whatever for that person they long for. It was number one in the United Kingdom and also peaked number one in the United States. This album set fire for Coldplay and has deemed them success for their future in music. Coldplay had come back striking the gold again with their second album, A Rush of Blood to the Head that was released on August 15, 2002. The number one hits from the album were The Scientist, a song about a mans powerlessness in the face of love, and Clocks which is a song about the state of helplessness. Three years later, the ever-sotalented band Coldplay released another hit album called X & Y, released on June 7, 2005. The band had developed to such outrageous commercial pinnacles that it could simply have stuck to earlier principles without risking or adding anything new. Even though they did not, Coldplay still rose to the top to gain mass popularity and yet another number one hit. The number one hit on the X & Y album was the song Fix You. It is
Hawatmeh 5 rumored that Chris Martin had written this song for his celebrity wife, Gwyneth Paltrow, whom was dealing and grieving over the passing of her father. The song is slow, heartwarming, and catchy for all those people who are into that type and genre of music. Over the course of five years, in Lars Brandle and associates, Paul Sexton and Ray Waddell article, La Vida Loca? They reported: X&Y" has sold 3.2 million copies in the United States, according to Nielsen SoundScan, compared with 4.5 million for 2002's "A Rush of Blood to the Head." Coldplay's total studio album career sales in the States are 10.4 million, with 2000 debut "Parachutes" at 2.7 million, according to SoundScan, while all three studio albums have sold more than 2.3 million copies apiece in the United Kingdom, according to the Official U.K. Charts Co. (Brandle, Sexton, and Waddell 23). Since 1996, it is clear that a small band of four guys from London were deemed for success since the first day they all met each other. Coldplay has gained popularity worldwide catching Apple Corporations attention thus having Apple advertise Coldplays music in their commercials to promote their products such as the iPod and iTunes music store. With that, Coldplay had come out again three years later with yet another album called Viva la Vida or Death and All His Friends that came out June 11, 2008. The number one hit song on the album was called Viva la Vida. The song translated means long live life. This song was the anthem for Apples marketing plan for iPods and its flagship music store, iTunes. Coldplay has achieved max fame with the help of commercialism and the help of Apple promoting their number one hit. In Ray Waddells article, Return to Paradise, He reported Viva la Vida or Death and All His Friends
Hawatmeh 6 (2008) debuted at No. 1 and has sold 2.8 million units in the United States, according to Nielsen SoundScan, and the tour in support of it grossed more than $126 million and moved more than 1.7 million tickets to 94 shows, according to Billboard Boxscore (Waddell 10). There is without a doubt, that Coldplay, a band who exudes originality with each album and every song, is one of the best bands out there. Coming back another three years later, Chris Martin and the gang of Coldplay had released one of their biggest albums to date. The album is called Mylo Xyloto that was released on October 24, 2011. People are still confused and debunked about what the meaning of the title is just like any other Coldplay album titles. The album exudes more creativity and originality from its predecessors. The current album contains much more popular hits than older Coldplay albums, which include Every Teardrop Is a Waterfall, Paradise, and Princess of China which Coldplay collaborates with pop singer, Rihanna. Coldplay never ceases to amaze the world with their creative and original music, especially with their new album. Coldplay differentiates itself from other rock bands simply because the band is simple and creative in their own way. The band does rock out but not in the stereotypical way such as getting wild and crazy breaking everything. They know how to connect with the people who listen to the music and never cease to amaze the world with their musical ingenuity. In Spivacks book, he states, Coldplay is a cut above the normno question. And Coldplay refuses to be label, cramped, compromised, or confined (Spivack 3). Coldplay, without a doubt is a band to push the envelope and think outside the box by musical means. Coldplays rising vocal crescendos, extensive
Hawatmeh 7 sonic outlooks, and intense societal commentary have made them one of the biggest bands in the world.
Hawatmeh 8 Works Cited Brandle, Lars, Paul Sexton, and Ray Waddell. "La Vida Loca?" Editorial. Billboard 120.20 17 May 2008: 22-25. Print. Browne, David. "Uncommon Coldplay." Editorial. Entertainment Weekly 587 16 Mar. 2001: 32-35. Print. Corbijn, Anton, and Austin Scaggs. "Coldplay's Quiet Storm." Editorial. Rolling Stone 981 25 Aug. 2008: 40-46. Print. Cross, Alan. Coldplay the Secret History. Canada: HarperCollins, 2009: 1-5. Print. Gordan, Devin. "Hot for Coldplay." Editorial. Newsweek 29 30 May 2005: 64-68. Print. Roach, Martin. Viva Coldplay!: A Biography. London: Omnibus, 2010: 14-49. Print. Waddell, Ray. "Return to Paradise." Editorial. Billboard 29 20 Aug. 2011: 10-15. Print.