For years, Chris Martin has repeatedly stated that Coldplay would only produce twelve albums. Then only two remained, because the tenth one will be released on Friday.
Coldplay frontman Chris Martin sits on rocks by the sea with interviewer Zane Lowe from “Apple Music 1”. Whether there is an idea of mortality for his project. And Chris Martin replies: “We’ll only make twelve real albums.” “Seriously?” Lowe asks, because Chris Martin somehow looks even less serious than usual. “Promise, promise,” says Martin.
But the interviewer is not satisfied with the answer and Chris Martin adds: “Because less is more – and for some of our critics even less would be even more.” They both laugh now and Martin admits that he is now joking a bit with the critics. To then follow up: “First of all, there are only twelve, so only eight Harry Potters or seven Harry Potters, there are only twelve and a half Beatles albums, there are about as many of Bob Marley – so all of our heroes.” That doesn’t really sound more serious. And yet the news is now going around the world that Coldplay will soon be quitting.
Coldplay’s twelve albums – a joke that has taken on a life of its own?
You can listen to the conversation on YouTube (from minute 30). It’s not the first time Martin has told this story. And at the beginning he also gave it a date: 2025. This also gave editor Anthony Mason a reason to follow up with Chris Martin and bandmate Jonny Buckland on “CBS Sunday Morning”. “That was right and that was wrong, like most things I say,” replies Chris Martin last Sunday with a mischievous smile. And adds: “We’ll only make twelve proper Coldplay albums, but we’re a little behind.”
In fact, a new album is coming out on Friday, the tenth called “Moon Music”, two tracks have already been released in advance. They’re a little reminiscent of the spirit and sound of “A Head Full of Dreams”. The new album had actually been largely finished for two years, but the tour with the ninth album “Music of the Spheres” got a little out of hand.
The ninth album tour grosses over a billion dollars
The band has been touring across four continents since March 2022. The tour officially ends with the 171st concert next month. However, two weeks ago they announced . According to Rolling Stone Magazine, ticket revenue has already exceeded one billion dollars – and in the end more than 10 million tickets will probably have been sold. Both brands that only Taylor Swift can top.
So Coldplay is at the top. And that even though it looked a few times as if they were so high up that it couldn’t go on like this for long. Maybe that’s why Chris Martin keeps talking about wanting to break up after twelve albums. To keep control.
Maybe it’s just a joke that has taken on a life of its own. Because with Chris Martin, most of the time you’re not entirely sure whether he really means what he’s saying. However, this is particularly true when it comes to the statements about the twelve albums.
In January 2022, for example, he told the music magazine NME. At that time, Chris Martin also talked about twelve albums on Ellen Degeneres’ US talk show, only to then add that they also wanted to write a musical and it would be called “East Side Story”.
“I don’t want to stop with Coldplay.”
When the CBS interviewer asked seriously last Sunday: “Why only twelve albums?”, Chris answered in a similar way to “Apple Music 1”. Still smiling mischievously, he says: “That’s how it should be, I don’t think anyone needs more of us – the Beatles made twelve.”
But the interviewer remains in serious mode, would they then have something else in mind? “Not in the slightest,” explains Chris Martin. “We’ll just keep playing live.” And Jonny Buckland quickly adds: “I don’t want to stop with Coldplay.” Better safe than sorry.
Martin’s statements about the motives for the new tenth Coldplay album are most likely meant seriously and also a little touching. “This album is a response to struggling with all the conflicts within yourself, within myself, and also all the conflicts out there, and what the best answer is. What ‘Moon Music’ is trying to say is, that maybe love is the best answer, even if it feels difficult to do that.
Source: Stern
I am an author and journalist who has worked in the entertainment industry for over a decade. I currently work as a news editor at a major news website, and my focus is on covering the latest trends in entertainment. I also write occasional pieces for other outlets, and have authored two books about the entertainment industry.
