Martin also had recruited his longtime school friend Phil Harvey, who was studying classics at the University of Oxford, to be the band's manager. By 1997, the group, who had renamed themselves Starfish, performed gigs for local Camden promoters at small clubs. Guy Berryman, a classmate of Martin and Buckland, later joined the group. The pair spent the rest of the university year planning a band, ultimately forming a group called Pectoralz. History 1996–1999: Formation and first years Ĭhris Martin and Jonny Buckland first met during their orientation week at University College London (UCL) in September 1996. 1.10 2021–present: Music of the Spheres.
They have also been noted for dazzling, euphoric live performances, with critics stating that it is where the band "come alive and make the most sense". Each one presented a specific theme and were responsible for adding new styles to the band's original repertoire, including electronica, ambient, pop, R&B, funk, classical, jazz fusion, progressive rock and more.
Since then, Coldplay further diversified their sound with subsequent albums Mylo Xyloto (2011), Ghost Stories (2014), A Head Full of Dreams (2015), Everyday Life (2019) and Music of the Spheres (2021).
It earned them a Grammy Award for Best Rock Album and their first Album of the Year nomination, while title track " Viva la Vida" peaked at number-one in both the United Kingdom and United States, marking the first time a British group achieved the feat in the 21st century. In their fourth record, Viva la Vida or Death and All His Friends (2008), Coldplay achieved the same distinction and explored new musical territory following the completion of what they considered a trilogy. After months of anticipation, X&Y (2005) was then released to become the best-selling album of the year worldwide, topping the charts of over 30 countries. The former won a Grammy Award for Record of the Year. Their second album, A Rush of Blood to the Head (2002), won the same accolades while also spawning the singles " Clocks" and " The Scientist". They met at the University College London and began playing music together from 1996 to 1998, first calling themselves Pectoralz and then Starfish.Īfter releasing Safety EP independently in 1998, the band signed with Parlophone during the next year and recorded their debut Parachutes (2000), which received a Brit Award for British Album of the Year, a Grammy Award for Best Alternative Music Album, as well as a Mercury Prize nomination. They are consisted of vocalist and pianist Chris Martin, guitarist Jonny Buckland, bassist Guy Berryman, drummer Will Champion and creative director Phil Harvey. Coldplay are a British rock band formed in London in 1996.