Coldplay Essentials

Coldplay aren’t only one of the most popular English bands but also a torchbearer for an art-rock sound whose roots reach back through Radiohead, U2, Pink Floyd and The Beatles. Yes, the music is anthemic enough to fill arenas—“Clocks”, “Speed of Sound”, “Paradise”, “A Sky Full of Stars”—but detailed and atmospheric, too, stretching the conventions of modern rock without ever losing the emotional thread. Formed in London in the late ’90s, the band debuted with 2000’s Parachutes. Seasons have changed—the arty experiments of 2008’s Viva La Vida or Death and All His Friends ("Viva La Vida"), the electro rush of 2011’s Mylo Xyloto ("Every Teardrop Is a Waterfall"), the eclecticism of 2024's Moon Music ("WE PRAY")—but the core of their sound has been consistent: Propulsive, uplifting, grand but vulnerable, love over everything else. Whether in crowded bars, lonely bedrooms, closing out the London 2012 Summer Olympics or headlining Super Bowl 50, the effect is more or less the same: At the end of the day, Coldplay comes for the heart.