Chris Martin learned piano as a youngster and began playing in bands at fifteen, with music serving not only as a passion but also as a way of facing down his shyness. The foursome met at University College London in the mid-1990s. Martin and Jon Buckland started writing songs together and from the start believed their artistic synergy would take them far. Guy Berryman joined later, as did Will Champion, a guitarist who moved to drums to accommodate Buckland, also a guitarist.
The group released a pair of independent-label EPs, Safety (1998) and Brothers and Sisters (1999). Their touring in England and promising material caught the attention of Parlophone, which released the group’s next EP, Blue Room (1999). The disc contains “Such a Rush” and “High Speed,” which would show up on their debut album, Parachutes (2000).
Parachutes makes ample use of Buckland’s breezy, sometimes twangy guitar chords. Martin offers comforting words, singing “I’ll be there by your side” on “Shiver,” and “I promise you this / I’ll always look out for you” on “Sparks.” With a pronounced accent and a relaxed tenor, Martin sounds a little like Dave Matthews. “Don’t Panic” recalls the tagline from the sci-fi novel The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy by British author Douglas Adams. With a shuffle beat and whimsical falsetto vocals, the song also shares the book’s fatalism about the state of the universe.
But the album’s highlight is the soothing “Yellow,” which, despite its dreamy tempo and sentimental lyrics, became a sleeper hit on Top 40 radio. The ballad’s invasion of rock radio was surprising, and some critics dismissed it as easy-listening music for young professionals. But the album’s superb melodies and original fusion of acoustic and electronic rock won over the group’s peers, who awarded Parachutes the 2001 Grammy for best alternative music performance.
However, the sudden demands of constant gigs caught up with Martin, who had to cut short a U.S. tour in 2001 with throat problems. The group retreated to the studio to work on a follow-up. The result was A Rush of Blood to the Head (2002), in which the group avoided the sophomore slump that affected so many of its compatriots who sought international success.
Like its predecessor, the album sold more than 1 million copies. This album features a larger dose of Martin’s piano, but with co-producer Ken Nelson returning, it maintains the group’s trademark ethereal groove. The ballad “In My Place” uses abstract lyrics but manages to be moving nonetheless with the rousing coda, “Come on and sing it out, now, now.” The majestic “Politik” begins with piano chords before kicking into an intense, guitar-and-drum-propelled anthem. Martin indulges in falsetto wailing and simple piano arpeggios on second single “Clocks,” whose pulsating beat made it an unlikely dance-club hit. Another standout, the Beatle-esque “The Scientist,” highlights Martin’s echoing piano and cryptic but seductively delivered lyrics.
Confirmation of Coldplay’s surprising U.S. success came with its 2003 tour, which included several dates in the Midwest. The band members kept ticket prices reasonable, between thirty and thirty-five dollars, aimed for mid-size venues, and made themselves available to the press and sponsors. On tour the group unveiled a new song, “Moses,” that became a favorite and raised hopes for future work.
Meanwhile, like their fellow Atlantic-crosser Bono of U2, Martin became involved in political causes, attaching himself to Oxfam, which believes that saving small Third World farmers requires an international effort to raise the price of many basic foodstuffs.
Coldplay helped make the case that soft music does not have to be treacly or banal. The group also showed that British bands can still appeal to mainstream America if they’re willing to start modestly and engage in the necessary back-slapping.
