Coldplay

Coldplay are the most successful band of the 21st century, a British four-piece who built stadium-sized songs out of plain emotion. Formed in London in the late 1990s by Chris Martin, Jonny Buckland, Guy Berryman and Will Champion, they broke through in 2000 and never left the top tier. They have sold around 100 million records, won seven Grammy Awards, and mounted the most-attended concert tour in history. Their music turns up everywhere, from weddings to football grounds.

Parachutes and Yellow

The four met at University College London and played under a couple of names before settling on Coldplay in 1998. Their debut album, Parachutes, landed in 2000 with “Yellow” and “Shiver” and won the Grammy for Best Alternative Music Album. It was a quieter, more wistful sound than much of the rock around it, and it connected fast.

Clocks and a global rise

A Rush of Blood to the Head, in 2002, made them a global act. “The Scientist” and “Clocks” became staples, and “Clocks” won the Grammy for Record of the Year. X&Y followed in 2005 with “Fix You”, a song that has closed countless shows since.

Viva la Vida

The 2008 album Viva la Vida or Death and All His Friends, produced in part by Brian Eno, pushed them somewhere bolder. Its title track became the first song by a British group to top the UK and US charts at the same time in the 21st century, and the album won Best Rock Album. From there they kept changing shape across Mylo Xyloto, Ghost Stories and A Head Full of Dreams.

Music of the Spheres

Music of the Spheres, in 2021, brought “My Universe” with BTS, the first song by a British group to debut at number one on the Hot 100. The album Moon Music followed in 2024. The Music of the Spheres World Tour, built around an effort to cut its carbon footprint, sold more than 13 million tickets and grossed over 1.5 billion dollars, making it the most-attended tour ever staged. Chris Martin has said the band plans to make only twelve studio albums.

The collaborators

Coldplay have shared songs with a long list of artists. They recorded “Princess of China” with Rihanna and brought out Beyonce and Bruno Mars as guests when they headlined the Super Bowl 50 halftime show in 2016. That willingness to reach across genres is part of why their audience keeps growing.

Most loved songs

A spread across the catalogue. Each title opens through the in-site player.

From an arena singalong to a quiet ballad you cannot quite place, the odds are good a Coldplay song has lived in your head. Type the line you remember into the search box above and you may find it leads back to them.