History Music / Coldplay

+ {{Radiohead}}, {{U2}}, {{Oasis}}, Travis, TheBeatles, Echo & the Bunnymen, KateBush, {{Music/Muse}}, JohnnyCash, {{Kraftwerk}}, {{Blur}}, MyBloodyValentine, ArcadeFire, BrianEno

Their fourth album, ''Viva la Vida or Death and All His Friends'' (2008), changed this. [[RecordProducer Produced]] by BrianEno, it introduced "exotic" instruments such as an OminousPipeOrgan, a [[{{Japan}} Honkey-Tonk Piano]] and elaborate string sections, as well as changing the fundamentals of their sound to include more experimental [[UncommonTime time signatures]] and unusual song structures. Despite the predictable TheyChangedItNowItSucks whining from some fans, this became the most paid-for downloaded album of all time. JoeSatriani sued the group shortly after the album's release, claiming they had plagiarised "substantial original portions" of his song "If I could Fly" (this suit was before the song won a grammy) - however, this was settled out of court and dropped. Later that year, the EP ''Prospekt's March'' was released, containing additional songs from the album's sessions and remix involving {{Jay-Z}}.

Coldplay is an acclaimed British rock group who, after several low-key releases, hit the big time in 2000 with the single "[[SignatureSong Yellow]]". The following album, ''Parachutes'' (2000), debuted at number 1 in the UK, won a grammy and has since gone multi-platinum worldwide. The follow-ups, ''A Rush of Blood to the Head'' (2002), and ''X&Y'' (2005), continued the commercial and critical success - though they also gave the band a reputation for their songs sounding rather alike (the singles "Speed of Sound" and "Clocks" being frequently singled out for comparison).

Discography quick list:

Coldplay is an acclaimed British rock group who hit the big time in 2000. They had a reputation for their songs sounding rather alike...until ''Viva la Vida or Death and All His Friends''. It was produced by BrianEno, who fixed all the flaws he thought the band had. The album killed both the "{{Radiohead}} clone" and "one trick pony" tags. It's also the most paid-for downloaded album of all time.

JoeSatriani has sued Coldplay for plagiarizing the rhythm and melody of his "If I Could Fly," in Coldplay's Grammy winning "Viva La Vida". [[hottip:*:Satriani sued before Coldplay won the Grammy.]] They settled out of court, the verdict being coincidence. They were the first band on last.fm to have over three million listeners. The only other bands to break this benchmark are {{Radiohead}}, {{The Killers}}, RedHotChiliPeppers, and Music/{{Nirvana}}.

Discography so far:
* 2000 - ''Parachutes''
* 2002 - ''A Rush of Blood to the Head''
* 2005 - ''X&Y''
* 2008 - ''Viva la Vida or Death and All His Friends''
* 2011 - ''Mylo Xyloto''
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* SampledUp: The riff in "Talk" (you know the one) is adapted (with permission) from the riff of "Computer Love" by electronic band Music/{{Kraftwerk}}.
** Chris Martin has admitted that "Fix You" was inspired by the {{Elbow}} song "Grace Under Pressure".

* MagnumOpus: Either ''A Rush of Blood to the Head'' or ''Viva La Vida''.

* EpicRiff: Quite a few...notably, "Clocks", "Viva La Vida", [[SampledUp "Talk"]], "Yellow", and "Charlie Brown" (the latter even ''before'' its album was released!).
** And "Violet Hill"!

* EstrogenBrigadeBait: Guy Berryman (kind of ironic considering [[NobodyLovesTheBassist his instrument]]).

* SampledUp: The riff in "Talk" (you know the one) is adapted (with permission) from the riff of "Computer Love" by electronic band {{Kraftwerk}}.

JoeSatriani has sued Coldplay for plagiarizing the rhythm and melody of his "If I Could Fly," in Coldplay's Grammy winning "Viva La Vida". [[hottip:*:Satriani sued before Coldplay won the Grammy.]] They settled out of court, the verdict being coincidence. They were the first band on last.fm to have over three million listeners. The only other bands to break this benchmark are {{Radiohead}}, {{The Killers}}, RedHotChiliPeppers, and {{Nirvana}}.

* AlbumTitleDrop: Subverted for the most part. Every album has a track with the same title, but the only one to mention the album title was ''A Rush of Blood to the Head''. A partial example is "I don't want to follow Death and all of his friends".

* BlackSheepHit: ''Parachutes'' is practically a Black Sheep ''Album'': its intimate, acoustic style doesn't sound like any of Coldplay's other albums, and [[CreatorBacklash the band hates it these days.]] (though "Yellow" still survives on the setlist)

* NewSoundAlbum: From indie darlings that wore ''SpaceInvaders'' shirts to big arena rock band that wears all black, and then from that to artsy-fartsy Middle Eastern strings and [[UncommonTime 7/4 time signatures]]. If the new songs are any indication, the fifth (and possibly last) LP ''Mylo Xyloto'' is going to be a mashup of all of the above, ranging from catchy electronica ([[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Kf_6BWcOOg "Every Teardrop is a Waterfall"]]) to ''Parachutes''-esque ballads ([[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rjONy_4Bz08 "Up Against The World")]] to epic arena rock ([[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g0U0KpuvUNw "Charlie Brown"]]).

* BlackSheepHit: ''Parachutes'' is practically a Black Sheep ''Album'': its intimate, acoustic style doesn't sound like any of Coldplay's other albums, and the band hates it these days.

* NewSoundAlbum: From indie darlings that wore [[SpaceInvaders Space Invaders]] shirts to big arena rock band that wears all black, and then from that to artsy-fartsy Middle Eastern strings and 7/4 time signatures. If the new songs are any indication, the fifth (and possibly last) LP ''Mylo Xyloto'' is going to be a mashup of all of the above, ranging from catchy electronica ([[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Kf_6BWcOOg "Every Teardrop is a Waterfall"]]) to ''Parachutes''-esque ballads ([[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rjONy_4Bz08 "Up Against The World")]] to epic arena rock ([[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g0U0KpuvUNw "Charlie Brown"]]).

* ProtestSong: "Violet Hill", which also offers a bit of a [[TakeThat Take That]] with the line "And a [[FoxNews fox]] became God".

* RockOpera: Mylo Xyloto is one - the story of two people (Mylo and Xyloto) who are "living in an oppressive, dystopian urban environment" meeting and falling in love. And yes, it has a happy ending.

* SelfParody: The music video for ''Life in Technicolor II''. It is a rock concert, complete with pyrotechnics. It's also a [[SubvertedKidsShow puppet show]].

* AutoTune: ''Far'' from common in the band's discography, but it sounds like "Hurts Like Heaven" will use the effect a bit for some backing vocals. It's quite audible in [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vvUEyrUu1Ig&t=2m19s this video.]]

* ArcSymbol: Taken UpToEleven in ''Mylo Xyloto''. Every single song [[[[http://onethirtybpm.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/Mylo-Xyloto-Tracklist.png has its own symbol]], some of them obvious but others only understandable in context (e.g. the butterfly representing "Paradise" is mentioned in the lyrics).

* ArcSymbol: Taken UpToEleven in ''Mylo Xyloto''. Every single song has its own symbol, some of them obvious but others only understandable in context (e.g. the butterfly representing "Paradise" is mentioned in the lyrics).

* EpicRiff: Quite a few...notably, "Clocks", "Viva La Vida", [[SampledUp "Talk"]], "Yellow", and "Charlie Brown" (despite the fact that the latter ''hasn't been released yet.'')

* ArcSymbol: Taken UpToEleven in ''Mylo Xyloto''. If the [[http://onethirtybpm.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/Mylo-Xyloto-Tracklist.png tracklist]] is to be believed, every single song has its own symbol, some of them obvious but other only understandable in context (e.g. the butterfly representing "Paradise" is mentioned in the lyrics).

* RockOpera: Mylo Xyloto is one, apparently - the story of two people (Mylo and Xyloto) who are "living in an oppressive, dystopian urban environment" meeting and falling in love. And yes, it has a happy ending.

* 2011 (to be released) - ''Mylo Xyloto''

* [[spoiler:AprilFoolsDay]]: "Coldplay launch their own fragrance, Angst by Coldplay [[http://www.coldplay.com/newsdetail.php?id=618]]". Also fits under SelfParody and TakeThat (at the critics describing them as [[{{Wangst}} too angsty]]).

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