MUSIC

Artist Spotlight: Coldplay

Ahead of their world tour returning to Europe, Harry Craig, Music Editor, looks at the biggest band of our generation

IN 2000, music industry executive Alan McGee wrote an article for The Guardian in which he called Coldplay, who had just released their début album Parachutes, “music to wet your bed to.” For the best part of two decades, this reputation seemed to stick in popu lar culture, from Super Hans (“people like Coldplay and voted for the Nazis, you can’t trust people”) to Noel Fielding (“I genuinely hate Coldplay”). In spite of their status as the most successful band of the 21st century, with a catalogue of hits from ‘Yellow’ to ‘Viva La Vida’, they could not shake the popular perception of being a bit too boring and vanilla.

In the last two years, however, it seems even the most hardened Coldplay critics have been won round. Their ongoing Music of the Spheres World Tour is on track to be the highestattended world tour of all time, and this week, they will embark on their second sold-out European leg of this record-breaking tour. Those who years ago would have mocked me for liking Coldplay, now found themselves fighting for tickets. In the past two decades, Chris, Jonny, Guy and Will have completely rede - fined the music industry, particularly live touring, and continue to break new boundaries.

The most visible aspect of this is the band’s commitment to sustainability and environmentalism. Following their experimental eighth album, Everyday Life (2019), frontman Chris Martin stated that they would not tour again until they had found a way to do so that was environmentally friendly. By their ninth album, Music of the Spheres (2021), their feet were getting itchy, and the band were ready to tour — but, as they had promised, only in a way that was sustainable. This has been delivered in their 12 pledges, including a 50 per cent reduction in CO2 emissions, avoiding use of fossil fuels and the stage even being built from bamboo. This has all been achieved without detracting in any way from the magic of a Coldplay show, and all the fundamental elements — fireworks, pyro, confetti, lights and of course the Xylobands — are still there. Indeed, the Xylobands are perhaps one of Coldplay’s greatest live innovations. The band launched them during the Mylo Xyloto

Tour in 2011 to be worn by every member of the audience to light up the stadium in a sea of colour, elevating songs like ‘Charlie Brown’ and ‘A Sky Full of Stars’ to legendary live status. Although others have copied the idea since, they remain quintessentially Coldplay.

Importantly, too, this is accessible to everyone. At a time when inflation is pricing out most people from seeing live music, Coldplay have kept their tickets affordable, with their cheapest Infinity Tickets at just £20. Sensory packs and even sign language interpreters also mean that everyone can enjoy the performance.

Although now most famous for their live exploits, their studio work deserves attention too — from the hits to deep cuts. Chris’ exceptional talent for writing bittersweet songs that everyone can relate to has produced some of the band’s biggest hits, notably ‘Fix You’ and ‘The Scientist'. I would, however, also encourage people to listen beyond their dozen or so biggest hits, as deep in their discography are some true highlights.

For example, their most