In a recent Rolling Stone article, Martin shared insights into his personal life and the band’s journey. He reflected on his musical processes, mental health struggles, and the challenges of navigating public opinion while leading one of the world’s most recognisable bands. 

 

 

 

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Coldplay has been shaping modern music for over two decades, from their debut album ‘Parachutes’ in 2000 to their record-breaking ‘Music of the Spheres’ Tour. Their discography is a multitude of emotional anthems that resonate deeply with fans, selling 100 million albums and winning over 300 awards (including seven Grammy’s).

As the second-highest grossing tour of all time, ‘Music of the Spheres’ has not only achieved remarkable commercial success but also set new standards for sustainability. With innovative features like energy-generating floors and kinetic bikes, the band encourages fans to actively engage in eco-friendly practices, cementing their role as pioneers of sustainability in the music industry.

Martin describes his song-writing process as one of discovery and healing: “They wake you up, songs. They’re always a surprise to me. Sometime’s the title is way ahead and it’s waiting for the song to come, the right song.” He views music as “therapy and catharsis” adding that the themes often reflect his own aspirations. “I need our music more than anyone,” he admits.

The theme of yin and yang, love and loss intertwined, prevails throughout Coldplay’s releases. Martin shares: “There’s a part of me that’s always been a bit heartbroken from the beginning. Maybe about the world, maybe just about the human condition. I hope that doesn’t sound pretentious. I don’t care if it sounds pretentious, it’s true. I’ve always had this deep joy mixed with a deep sadness.” 

Chris Martin says many Coldplay songs are aspirational in their messages. “‘A Sky Full of Stars,’ for example, is about complete unconditional love. That’s an almost impossible place to get to in real life.” Cover story: https://t.co/sIYXpXphUW pic.twitter.com/1UEshYEs25 — Rolling Stone (@RollingStone) December 20, 2024

This devoted honesty has earned them a devoted fan base but has also made them a target, and as Coldplay’s influence grew, so did the volume of criticism.

Critics have called their music overly earnest and dismissed it as “music for bedwetters”. The New York Times even labelled the band as “the most insufferable band of the decade”. Martin addresses these critiques with a mix of humour and humility: “We’re a very, very easy, safe target. We’re not going to bite back. We are four white, middle-class men from England. We deserve to take some shit for what our people have done.” 

Despite the negativity, he remains focused on the band’s music and connection with fans: “As you become the biggest band in the world, you also become the least popular band in the world. You can never escape. You can never win, if you’re looking for just winning. The stronger the light, the darker the shadow.”

After 28 years, Chris Martin has seen the utility in letting Coldplay be precisely the Coldplay they know how to be. “That’s part of my journey to be like, ‘Well, I love you, and this is what we’re doing.’” More: https://t.co/sIYXpXphUW pic.twitter.com/Gkh9HmXHOu — Rolling Stone (@RollingStone) December 19, 2024

In addition to addressing external criticism, Martin openly reflects on his internal struggles, particularly regarding mental health and the pressures of touring—an issue that is increasingly being acknowledged by musicians.

He shares how he feels driven to use Coldplay’s platform to connect with fans who may be facing similar challenges and searching for hope. “It’s a daily thing not to hate yourself. Forget about outside critics – it’s the inside ones, too. That’s really our mission right now: We are consciously trying to fly the flag for love being an approach to things. There aren’t that many [groups] that get to champion that philosophy to that many people. So we do it.” 

To combat these challenges, he relies on the philosophy of gratitude and mindfulness. “If you feel a bit down, go for a walk and just look up. And it lifts you,” he says, crediting spiritual teachings and personal connections for helping him maintain perspective. 

Coldplay drummer Will Chamption on Coldplay’s staying power: “I wouldn’t ever want to take any breaks on [Chris Martin’s] creativity because he really needs it to make sense of [his life].” Read the cover story: https://t.co/sIYXpXphUW pic.twitter.com/E4AYRwnH5O — Rolling Stone (@RollingStone) December 19, 2024

Looking ahead, Coldplay has two more albums on the horizon: an animated musical and a homecoming album that Martin has envisioned since 1999. He also hinted at compiling unreleased tracks in a collection called “Alphabetica”. 

Over 25 years, the band has consistently defied critics and produced chart-topping, emotional albums with record-breaking tours that set standards both musically and environmentally. Chris Martin’s candid reflections in the Rolling Stone interview highlights the deeply personal, aspirational ethos that drives their work, as well as the challenges they face in the spotlight. As they prepare for their final albums, the band’s legacy continues to evolve and endure, and they continue to champion positivity and innovation.

The Song of the Year Award: Chase & Status, Stormzy ‘Backbone’

The song ‘Backbone’ is a collaboration between British rapper Stormzy and the acclaimed drum and bass duo Chase & Status. Released on August 8, 2024, it quickly became a massive hit, reaching the No. 1 spot on the UK charts. Stormzy is known for his influential role in UK grime, while Chase & Status, are celebrated for their contributions to drum and bass and UK dance music. Last year’s award went to PinkPantheress with ‘Boy’s a Liar Pt. 2’.

The Play Next Award: Brooke Combe

This category highlights groups and artists who have achieved success in 2024 and are expected to become bigger in the upcoming years, last year won by The Last Dinner Party. The nominees included Elmiene, Master Peace and Nia Smith. The winner, Brooke Combe, is a rising Scottish singer-songwriter  influenced by Motown, soul, and R&B who gained recognition through viral covers on social media, including ‘Yes Sir, I Can Boogie’, which became an anthem for Scotland’s football team in 2021. Her soulful voice and retro influences have drawn comparisons to artists like Marvin Gaye and Baby Huey.

The Live Act Award: Confidence Man

This award recognises performers (and their performances) who have left their mark in 2024. The nominees included Dua Lipa and Sugababes.

The Group Award: Ezra Collective

Ezra Collective is a London-based jazz quintet known for blending traditional jazz with Afrobeat, reggae, hip-hop, and funk, creating a dynamic and genre-defying sound. Ezra Collective has received widespread acclaim for revitalising and broadening jazz’s appeal, particularly in the UK. Their debut album, ‘You Can’t Steal My Joy’ (2019), introduced their vibrant style and featured collaborations with artists like Jorja Smith and Loyle Carner. Their 2022 album, ‘Where I’m Meant To Be’, won the 2023 Mercury Prize, making them the first jazz act to achieve this milestone. The nominees also included Fontaines D.C and English Teacher.

The Album Award: Fontaines D.C. – ‘Romance’

The album ‘Romance’ by Fontaines D.C., released on August 23, 2024, marks the band’s fourth studio album and a significant departure from their earlier, post-punk-dominated sound.  The nominees included Charli XCX with the album ‘Brat’ and The Last Dinner Party’s ‘Prelude to Ecstasy’.

The Trailblazer Award: JADE

The Rolling Stone Trailblazer recognises individuals or groups who have significantly influenced their field by pushing boundaries and pioneering new paths. This award highlights not only artistic excellence but also the ability to inspire others and bring about meaningful change.

JADE is a British singer and songwriter best known for her tenure with the girl group Little Mix, which rose to fame after winning The X Factor in 2011. Following Little Mix’s success and hiatus, JADE launched her solo career with her debut single, ‘Angel of My Dreams’, released in July 2024. Her follow-up single, ‘Fantasy’, took a disco turn, influenced by artists like Donna Summer and Diana Ross.

The Breakthrough Award: English Teacher

The Breakthrough Award recognizes achievements such as standout performances at major festivals, achieving chart-topping releases, or gaining widespread acclaim within a relatively short time.

English Teacher is a British indie rock band that blends elements of punk, post-punk, and art rock. The band gained recognition with their debut single ‘R&B’ in 2021 and has been lauded for their creative and experimental approach to music​. Their debut album, ‘This Could Be Texas‘ won the 2024 Mercury Prize. English Teacher continues to gain attention as one of the UK’s most exciting emerging acts, celebrated for their ability to craft music that is both deeply personal and universally relatable.

The Icon Award: New Order

New Order is a renowned British band formed in 1980 by the remaining members of Joy Division after the tragic death of their lead singer, Ian Curtis. They emerged from the post-punk scene and evolved into pioneers of alternative dance music by blending rock with electronic styles, heavily influencing genres like synth-pop and dance-rock.

.@neworder are presented with this year’s Icon Award, supported by @westhollywood, for a fantastic 40-year career in which they have consistently broken new ground.#RSUKawards pic.twitter.com/jknuZ1J7uW

— Rolling Stone UK (@RollingStoneUK) November 28, 2024

The Record Label of the Year: Island Records

Island Records is a legendary music label founded in 1959 by Chris Blackwell in Jamaica. After relocating to London in the early 1960s, Island Records played a pivotal role in the rise of reggae through artists like Bob Marley. The label also diversified, supporting rock, pop, and alternative artists, including U2, Grace Jones, and Amy Winehouse.

Festival of the Year: Brixton’s Wide Awake

The festival held annually in Brixton, London, is a relatively new addition to the festival scene. The event focuses on alternative, electronic, and underground artists, celebrating innovation and inclusivity in music. Wide Awake emphasizes sustainability, featuring eco-friendly practices and supporting local community initiatives. Its diverse programming spans music, talks, and arts, making it a standout cultural event in the UK.

Ahead of the second Rolling Stone UK Awards this month, we’re delighted to announce the nominees for The Play Next Award. #RSUKawards
See the full list of nominations: https://t.co/C818XjPWax pic.twitter.com/XUdlicVgrc

— Rolling Stone UK (@RollingStoneUK) November 13, 2024

This is the second edition of the Awards Ceremony, with last year’s seeing performances from artists such as Ozzy Osbourne, Louis Tomlinson, Kenya Grace and The Last Dinner Party. The event will be attended by VIP guests and selected medias, with performances set to entertain the night and a list of nominees from all over the world.

Last year’s winner list included The Last Dinner Party for Rising Star’s Award, Maisie Peters for Breakthrough Award, Ozzy Osbourne for the Icon Award, The Chemical Brothers with “That Beautiful Feeling” for Album of the Year Award and PinkPantheress with “Boy’s a Liar Pt. 2” for Song of the Year Award.

The awards categories announced so far include: Album of The Year, Group of the Year, Best Group, Best New Artist, Best Song, Live Act and Best Festival.

From records that defined the word of the year and Mercury-prize winners, the Album of The Year nominations are:

Charli XCX – Brat

English Teacher – This Could Be Texas

Ezra Collective – Dance Like No One’s Watching

Fontaines D.C – Romance

Ghetts – On Purpose, With Purpose

The Last Dinner Party – Prelude to Ecstasy

Nia Archives – Silence is Loud

Wunderhorse – Midas

Charli XCX’s album is, no doubt, the one that attracted more streams and approval worldwide, but The Last Dinner party peaked at number one on UK charts.

It was also a great year of UK groups and Rolling Stone UK recognizes eight acts who have significantly marked 2024 in the United Kingdom. Here are the nominees for the Best Group Award:

Blossoms

Fontaines D.C

Ezra Collective

English Teacher

D-Block Europe

Lankum

NewDad

Sleep Token

These groups have toured significantly around the UK over the past year and some have released top-charting songs and albums. After releasing their album, which peaked at number eight on UK charts English Teacher have been touring around the UK; NewDad is currently touring the US after playing various festivals in Europe over the summer. Ezra Collective, on the other hand, is set to play two nights at Wembley’s OVO Arena. All nominated groups have had big years this 2024!

Rolling Stones UK also awards the best rising star of the year, title won last year by The Last Dinner Party who are competing for best album on this edition of the UK awards. This category highlights groups and artists who have achieved success in 2024 and are expected to become bigger and bigger in the upcoming years. The category is dubbed by Rolling Stone as “The Play Next Award”; the nominations are:

Brooke Combe

Elmiene

Master Peace

MRCY

Nia Smith

Nieve Ella

The next category nominates the songs that have played as the soundtrack of the UK’s 2024. Here are the nominations for Best Song:

Casso, D Block Europe and RAYE – Prada

Charli XCX and Billie Eilish – Guess

Chase & Status and Stormzy – Backbone

Dua Lipa – Training Season

Fontaines D.C – Starbuster

Hozier – Too Sweet

Jade – Angel of My Dreams

Dua Lipa’s single, as well as Prada, peaked at two on UK charts , while Charli XCX’s feature with Billie Eilish peaked at number one and so did Chase & Status and Stormzy’s single as well as Hozier’s.

Rolling Stone UK has also revealed the shortlist for their Live Act Award, which recognizes performers (and their performances) that have left their mark in 2024. The nominations are:

Barry Can’t Swim

Confidence Man

Dua Lipa

High Vis

Sugababes

Little Simz

The predicted winner is, of course, London’s very own Dua Lipa who has captivated the entire world with her performances and over 2024 has toured various parts of the globe, mostly Asia, and has a big US and Europe tour set to take place in 2025.

Finally, Rolling Stone has revealed the nominations for best festival award:

2000trees

Download Festival

End of The Road

Reading and Leeds

Wide Awake Festival

The winners will be announced live at the Roundhouse in London on November 28.

Power Trip is an upcoming heavy metal music festival set to take place on 6th-8th October. Although this is the first instance of the event, it is being described as a sequel to 2016’s Desert Trip, a 6 day festival that also took place in Indio, California. Headliners of Desert Trip included Bob Dylan, The Rolling Stones, and The Who.

The rockstar was set to perform at Power Trip this October alongside headliners Metallica, AC/DC and Guns N’ Roses. However, in a statement released in July, Osbourne revealed that “Unfortunately, my body is telling me that I’m just not ready yet and I am much too proud to have the first show that I do in nearly five years be half-assed”.

As painful as this is, I’ve had to make the decision to bow out of performing on Power Trip in October.

My original plan was to return to the stage in the summer of 2024, & when the offer to do this show came in, I optimistically moved forward.

Unfortunately, my body is… pic.twitter.com/gHWEE8VuI6

— Ozzy Osbourne (@OzzyOsbourne) July 10, 2023

It has since been revealed that Judas Priest will serve as Ozzy’s replacement at the upcoming event.

The 74-year-old acquired a neck injury after a fall in 2019 that required 2 metal plates to be inserted into his spine. The result of this caused the singer more pain, and meant he required more surgery last year, from which he is still recovering. The heavy metal legend has also been diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease, all of which contributed to his decision to retire from touring. Osbourne made the announcement of his retirement on February 1st.

This is probably one of the hardest things I’ve ever had to share with my loyal fans… pic.twitter.com/aXGw3fjImo

— Ozzy Osbourne (@OzzyOsbourne) February 1, 2023

Although the English rocker was optimistic about being able to return to the stage, his wife Sharon Osbourne stated in an interview with Rolling Stone that “He’s doing a lot better, but he still has a long way to go before he can perform a full concert.”

Sharon was joined by daughter Kelly Osbourne, who, when asked about her father’s decision not to perform at Power Trip, claimed that “We can’t talk about it in the house because it is just so heartbreaking to see that all he wants is just one more show”. 

“He said that if he can’t give his fans what they paid to see, he won’t do it”.

Although this decision was clearly very tough to make, Ozzy Osbourne assured fans in his announcement, “I love you all and I will see you soon.” 

The lot comprises of two setlists, the first setlist dates to the early stages of the band’s career from a concert during their early performing years. During this infantile stage of the group’s progression the band’s name was The Silver Beetles and the band’s line-up was also different, Sir Paul McCartney was not the singer and bassist within the line-up but was the drummer. The first setlist is from 1960 and is written by McCartney, the setlist is for a performance at Liscard’s Grosvenor Ballroom located in the town of Wallasey within the English county Merseyside. The setlist includes various covers played at the gig including the Elvis song ‘Stuck On You‘, as well as Beatles original ‘One For 909‘.

The year of the setlist is a mere three years before the initial formation of what would become the multi-hitmakers Beatles. The second setlist is dated from 1963 and is also from the early years of the band’s career. A year before the writing of the setlist Sir Ringo Starr joined the group as their drummer, completing the group and cementing the band line-up with which they rose to fame. The setlist is from a gig held on 17th April 1963 at the Majestic Ballroom located in Luton and was written on the back of a publicity postcard belonging to record label Parlophone. Signed by the four band-members, included in the setlist is ‘Love Me Do‘ and cover of Little Richard hit ‘Long Tall Sally‘.

Within this same year of 1963, the group released two studio albums, the first being their debut album ‘Please Please Me’. The album was produced by their long-term collaborator, producer George Martin, who is often referred to as the fifth Beatle due to his heavy involvement within the band’s sound and career. Eight months after the release of the Beatles’ debut studio album the second album of the year ‘With the Beatles’ was released on 22nd November 1963, the album featured George Harrison’s first solo composition, ‘Don’t Bother Me’.

The importance of the setlists’ worth is clearly due to the rarity in which each holds, there are only eight setlists by the Beatles which currently exist. Both setlists are predicted to sell for between $150,000 and $250,000, the auction is being held by international auction house Bonhams. Howard Kramer, the Senior Specialist responsible for the music lots within the auction houses’ Popular Culture department has spoken to Rolling Stone concerning the first setlist. “At this point, the Beatles were about to become a band in the truest sense, Pete Best had yet to join the band and the first Hamburg engagement was about two months out. Pretty soon, there was no looking back.”

Kramer has also spoken to Rolling Stone concerning the second setlist, “This setlist shows them as a working band that understands their role as entertainers, This is just one set of two played that night but we can see that they are still balancing their own developing work with songs from other artists and diverse sources.” The Senior Specialist also provided the following comment on the band’s career and the scope in which the setlists hold within their value. “Setlists generally have a short life, Once the gig is over, they’ve served their purpose. Collecting scraps of paper from pop bands wasn’t a thing yet in 1960 and 1963. That scarcity is what makes these setlists so interesting. “The Beatles’ career was relatively brief and there’s very few tangible, physical items directly used by the band that become available to the public, The Beatles are still the most collectible

Rolling Stone has been on shelves since 1967, and is considered a symbol of counter culture journalism, as well as being at the forefront of pop culture, as well as forays into politics, and gonzo-style of journalism.  Some of their most historically famous writers include Hunter S. Thompson, Lester Bangs, and Tom Wolfe.

The magazine was founded by Jann Wenner, alongside music critic Ralph Gleason, and Wenner has been at the reins ever since, via his company Wenner Media. Now, aged 71, Wenner has confirmed that he and his company are exploring “strategic options” in an effort “to best position the brand for future growth”.

“I love my job, I enjoy it, I’ve enjoyed it for a long time,” explained Wenner, and described the business move as “just the smart thing to do.”

“We have made great strides transforming Rolling Stone into a multi-platform company, and we are thrilled to find the right home to build on our strong foundation,” added Wenner’s son- and the company’s  current chief operating officer- Gus Wenner, to the New York Times.

Rather than being seen as a grim indictment of the death of print media, Wenner sees it as an expansion project, claiming “here’s a level of ambition that we can’t achieve alone […] So we are being proactive and want to get ahead of the curve. Publishing is a completely different industry than what it was. The trends go in one direction, and we are very aware of that.”

It is not believed that the company has had any significant approaches for the buyout, having sold a 49% stake in Rolling stone to Singapore-based company Bandlab Technologies, which was acquired last year. Wenner media also recently sold off several other publications, such as Us Weekly and Men’s journal, to American Media.