July Band of the Month: Coldplay
July Band of the Month: Coldplay
Coldplay are a British rock band formed in London
in 1996. The four members – lead vocalist/pianist Chris Martin, lead
guitarist Jonny Buckland, bassist Guy Berryman and drummer Will Champion – were
at University College London and came together from 1996 to 1998, during which
time the band changed names from Pectoralz, to Starfish, then Coldplay.
Creative director and former manager Phil Harvey is often referred to as the
fifth member by the band. They recorded and released two EPs: Safety in 1998
and The Blue Room in 1999. The latter was their first release on a major label,
after signing to Parlophone.
Coldplay achieved worldwide fame with the release
of the song "Yellow" in 2000, followed in the same year by their
debut album Parachutes, which was nominated for the Mercury Prize. The band's
second album, A Rush of Blood to the Head (2002), was released to critical
acclaim and won many awards, including NME's Album of the Year. Their next
release, X&Y, the best-selling album worldwide in 2005, received mostly
positive reviews, though some critics felt it was inferior to its predecessor.
Their fourth studio album, Viva la Vida or Death and All His Friends (2008),
the best-selling album worldwide of 2008, was produced by Brian Eno and
released to largely positive reviews, earning three Grammy Awards. In October
2011, Coldplay released their fifth studio album, Mylo Xyloto, which topped the
charts in over 34 countries, was the UK's best-selling rock album of 2011, and
received mixed reviews. In 2014, they released their sixth album, Ghost
Stories, which also received mixed reviews and topped several national album
charts. In December 2015, the band released their seventh album, A Head Full of
Dreams, which reached the top two in most major markets, but received generally
mixed reviews.
Coldplay have won numerous awards throughout
their career, including nine Brit Awards, six MTV Video Music Awards, seven MTV
Europe Music Awards and seven Grammy Awards from 29 nominations. They have sold
more than 100 million records worldwide, making them one of the world's
best-selling music artists. Three of their albums: Parachutes, A Rush of Blood
to the Head and X&Y are among the best-selling albums in UK chart history.
In December 2009, Rolling Stone readers voted the group the fourth-best artist
of the 2000s. Coldplay have supported various social and political causes, such
as Oxfam's Make Trade Fair campaign and Amnesty International. They have also
performed at charity projects, including Band Aid 20, Live 8, Global Citizen
Festival, Sound Relief, Hope for Haiti Now: A Global Benefit for Earthquake
Relief, One Love Manchester, The Secret Policeman's Ball, Sport Relief and the
UK Teenage Cancer Trust.
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