Chris Martin says Coldplay 'won't bite back' at haters despite band being 'safe target'
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: Chris Martin, 47, knows Coldplay’s music isn’t for everyone, and he’s okay with that.
The biggest band in the world has faced criticism over the years but has also enjoyed immense success.
Chris Martin on Coldplay being a very easy target
Chris Martin acknowledged the group's position in popular culture, saying, “It would be terrible if we lived in a society where everyone had to [like the same thing]."
"We’re a very, very easy, safe target. We’re not going to bite back,” Martin said in an interview with Rolling Stone.
He added, “We are four white, middle-class men from England. We deserve to take some s**t for what our people have done. There’s a reason we get to play all around the world, and part of it is not necessarily very healthy.”
Despite these remarks, Coldplay’s success is undeniable. Their Music of the Spheres tour, which began in March 2022, has sold over 12 million tickets and grossed over a billion dollars, making it the highest-grossing rock tour of all time, according to People.
Coldplay's journey: From facing criticism to delivering global hits
Coldplay’s journey hasn’t always been smooth. In 2005, The New York Times called them “the most insufferable band of the decade” while reviewing their album 'X&Y'.
Reflecting on this, Martin shared with Rolling Stone the next year, “Anything you do, someone says it’s great and someone says it’s terrible.”
He continued, “I think [The Times is] correct [and we’re] doing what we can to change that… We’re obsessed with getting better and better."
"So criticism is essential, and although we kind of had some hardcore stuff, I now, nine months later, I love the fact that we’ve got it and we just want to try to make us a bit more sufferable," he joked.
Their efforts paid off, as their next album, 'Viva la Vida' or 'Death and All His Friends', became a global success. The album won Best Rock Album at the Grammys and was the best-selling album of 2008.
Chris Martin on new music and Coldplay’s future
Coldplay’s recent album, 'Moon Music', released in October, topped the Billboard 200 charts.
“I know that’s annoying for some of you. But once upon a time, even that song ‘Viva La Vida’ was new and everyone in the room was like, ‘What the f*** is this? They got s*** already,’” Martin said on SiriusXM show the same month.
He added, “It is amazing that every new song we have lots of people say is terrible. And then 10 years later, it’s a worldwide super classic smash.”
Reflecting on their journey, Martin shared with Rolling Stone that they no longer worry about fitting others’ expectations.
“There’ve been times where we [were like], ‘Well, we should probably try and look a bit like this or talk a bit like that.’ And now, it’s just like, ‘No.’ Just follow whatever’s being sent,” he said.
"And that’s a very liberating place to be. If you want a puppet to sing a bit of a song, well, some people might not like this — my mum being one of them, for example," Martin said.
He added, "But my point is, that’s part of my journey to be like, ‘Well, I love you, and this is what we’re doing.’ ”
Looking ahead, Martin revealed that Coldplay plans to release just two more albums. One will be an animated musical, and the other, titled Coldplay, will feature a cover image from 1999.
“The cover of the album, I’ve known it since 1999,” Martin said. “It’s a photograph by the same photographer that took the photo that’s the cover of our first EP.”
