After surfacing in 2000 with the breakthrough indie ballad "Yellow," Coldplay quickly became one of the biggest bands of the early 21st century, honing a mix of introspective Brit-pop and anthemic rock that helped push the British quartet to the top of album charts worldwide. The group's emergence was perfectly timed: with Radiohead embracing cerebral electronic soundscapes and Oasis further exploring psychedelic experimentation, audiences were hungry for a fresh-faced rock band with big aspirations and an even bigger sound. Parachutes, Coldplay's first full-length, went multi-platinum in several countries and earned the band its first Grammy as well as Best British Album at the Brit Awards. The band continued to mature, topping their debut album's success with higher record sales, an ever-evolving sound that absorbed multiple genres, and record-breaking global stadium tours.
Band members Chris Martin (vocals/piano), Jonny Buckland (guitar), Will Champion (drums), and Guy Berryman (bass) were all born into musical households. Martin, the eldest of five, began playing the piano as a young child and later took solace in the work of Tom Waits. Buckland, on the other hand, grew up with the heavy guitar sounds of Eric Clapton and Jimi Hendrix.
Coldplay kicked off a new-album era at the end of 2019, announcing the impending release with purposefully old-fashioned methods like postcards to fans, subway posters, and even newspaper advertisements. Issued that November, the 16-song Everyday Life was split into two sides, Sunrise and Sunset, and found the band dipping back into the international sounds heard on Global Citizen: EP 1. Featuring guests such as Stromae and Femi Kuti, Everyday Life found Coldplay in a typically plaintive yet hopeful space, but also included their most politically vocal material to date, addressing police brutality ("Trouble in Town"), firearm control ("Guns," the first Coldplay song to include swearing), and the global refugee crisis ("Orphans"). The album was premiered during a live telecast from Amman, Jordan on its release date.
