"There's been precedent throughout the years of classic albums that have been of this ilk, subject matter wise.
Whispers I'm hearing from the industry are that globally pre-orders are higher than they've ever been for a Coldplay album so it's clear the turmoil, the personal strife, that Chris Martin has been through certainly hasn't put off the fans. He said: "Coldplay have built themselves to the point they don't need a big radio hit to sell an album, they have a fan base that is salivating for every piece of work they send out into the market. The editor of music week, Tim Ingham, said Ghost Stories was a return to the maudlin, introspective character of the band's first album, Parachutes, and was confident Coldplay's loyal fanbase would give them the patience the album required. Besides, there can never be enough break-up albums." However, I do think Coldplay's outlook in recent years has felt so contrived and formulaic, though obviously it's a very commercially successful formula, so in my opinion this is a welcome change from Chris Martin. He said: "Breaking away from that catchy, anthem formula is obviously a risk because it is what has built Coldplay up into one of the most successful bands of our time and that massive audience they've built up might not go with them.
Tom Wilcox, music producer and director of arts consultancy Counterculture, warned Coldplay's abandonment of their reliably upbeat formula on Ghost Stories could cost them their loyal fans. While fan and industry hopes are high for the album – described by Martin as 42 minutes on an emotional treadmill – the departure from the buoyant, anthemic hits from their past songs, such as Clocks, Viva la Vida and Paradise has left some wondering how their listeners will react to Martin's cathartic, heartbreak-infused songs. In another song, Ink, Martin sings the line "got us a tattoo to get us through life" which seems to directly reference the initial G he got tattooed on his inner arm as a tribute to his wife.
Released less than two months after the lead singer, Chris Martin, announced his separation from his wife of 10 years, actor Gwyneth Paltrow, Ghost Stories – the band's sixth studio album – shows Martin openly lamenting the loss, loneliness and pain caused by his separation.įans, who have waited almost three years for the record, will hear lyrics such as "tell me you love me, if you don't then lie" on track True Love, which sit alongside "I don't care, go and tear me apart" on Sky Full of Stars and "to find yourself alone in this world" on Oceans – all composed as Martin's marriage fell apart. From Blood on the Tracks to Tunnel of Love and Jagged Little Pill, the annals of music history are littered with heartbreak and melancholy.īut now Coldplay, a band that found global success with euphoric, stadium-filling songs, appears to have added their latest record to the canon of break-up albums.