August 13, 201114 yr From Billboard, posted earlier in the LP5 sub-forum: How Coldplay chose 'Paradise' over 'Charlie Brown' as the next single from Mylo Xyloto http://www.coldplaying.com/index.php?name=News&file=article&sid=7556 "We just can't compete in a single world," Chris Martin says. "We're not good enough at singles to do that. So we play to our strength. We have some good singles, sure, but we can't compete with [Lady] Gaga or Beyonce or Justin [Timberlake] if he would only fucking make a record. It's good news for all of us that he isn't, because it gives everyone else a chance, but it's a great loss to music that he doesn't do it." Coldplay views itself as an "album act," and considers that a badge of honour. "I always say to them, 'You're blessed that you're on that very short list of artists that are measured by their albums, not by singles,"' manager Dave Holmes says. "If you look at Coldplay's history, at our album and ticket sales and then our radio performance, it just doesn't make sense. They're in this unique lane, where we've never had a massive success at radio - I would say moderate success at radio - but then they've had these massive album sales and ticket sales. I'd take that any day of the week. I don't want to be like half the bands on the modern rock charts that, if they're not having hits, they're not selling albums. Coldplay fans, for the most part, want to hear the whole album." "Consumers have gone to a very a la carte world," EMI executive VP of marketing and promotion Greg Thompson says. "And Coldplay is an album band that makes great bodies of work. The consumption pattern has shifted. You have to go out there and really work it so people understand not to cherry-pick a couple of songs but buy the whole tree." Holmes says it's simply a matter of dealing with reality. "Any kid growing up today, their experience is an on-demand experience," he says. "It's not like us, where if we wanted to watch 'Happy Days we had to tune in Thursday night at 8 o'clock. Kids today can't even get their heads around that concept. They get their media when they want it, where they want it and how they want it." The onus is on the artist, Holmes says. "It's up to them to make better art," he says. "If you want people to buy your albums, make better albums. We all know what it was like in the 90s, when their manager at the label was, 'As long as we have one single, we are fine," and bench just ship the fucking thing out. You can't do that any more." Even so, Coldplay puts a lot of thought into which songs should be singles; most recently the debate was whether to follow up summer track "Every Teardrop Is A Waterfall" with the catchy "Charlie Brown", heard all over the world this summer at festivals, or the big, bold narrative that's "Paradise", a key plot advancer in the entire concept of Mylo Xyloto. "There was a debate between Charlie Brown and Paradise as to which to go with next and for the longest time we were thinking Charlie Brown," Holmes says. "But then just recently we thought, 'You know what? That's probably exactly what people expect to hear as the next Coldplay song. Lets go with Paradise.'" An obsession of the LP generation, sequencing, for the iPod generation, is a dying art form. Not for Coldplay. "We're going to spend the next four weeks arguing about it. You can ruin a song by putting it in the wrong place," Jonny Buckland says. "But if people want to listen to our songs in whatever order they want, we're just grateful that they are listening."
August 14, 201114 yr I want to listen to Paradise now!! Maybe the next time they are playing a gig they'll play that song :thinking: When is their next gig?? :wideeyed:
August 14, 201114 yr With or Without You was the first single off the Joshua Tree, I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For was the second, the third and best was Where the Streets Have No Name. Charlie Brown will be the third and highest charting single.
August 14, 201114 yr With or Without You was the first single off the Joshua Tree, I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For was the second, the third and best was Where the Streets Have No Name. Charlie Brown will be the third and highest charting single. Where the Streets Have No Name wasn't the highest charting single...and I don't even agree that it's the best, though it's in my top five U2 songs for sure. :)
August 14, 201114 yr Hmm...ok, that decreased my hopes for Paradise. I always thought that Charlie Brown will be the next single and obviously I was right, but it seems that they just don't want to take the obvious single song... I'm really sure now, that Paradise is still a good song, but not as good as Charlie Brown.
August 14, 201114 yr Hmm...ok, that decreased my hopes for Paradise. I always thought that Charlie Brown will be the next single and obviously I was right, but it seems that they just don't want to take the obvious single song... I'm really sure now, that Paradise is still a good song, but not as good as Charlie Brown. You haven't even heard the song yet! :lol: Charlie Brown wasn't the obvious single because it was the best song, but because...well...it sounds like a single. In My Place was an obvious single from A Rush of Blood to the Head, and I think it's probably the weakest track on the album. Paradise could be one of the best Coldplay songs ever, for all we know. :shrug:
August 14, 201114 yr Is it just me or is Chris on a roll with these interviews? Mr. Martin has said some incredible things in the past couple of interviews, with my favorite being this: Coldplay views itself as an "album act," and considers that a badge of honour. "I always say to them, 'You're blessed that you're on that very short list of artists that are measured by their albums, not by singles,"' manager Dave Holmes says. "If you look at Coldplay's history, at our album and ticket sales and then our radio performance, it just doesn't make sense. They're in this unique lane, where we've never had a massive success at radio - I would say moderate success at radio - but then they've had these massive album sales and ticket sales. I'd take that any day of the week. I don't want to be like half the bands on the modern rock charts that, if they're not having hits, they're not selling albums. Coldplay fans, for the most part, want to hear the whole album." This is how I have looked at Coldplay since I became a fan in 2008. Chris know's what's up. With or Without You was the first single off the Joshua Tree, I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For was the second, the third and best was Where the Streets Have No Name. Charlie Brown will be the third and highest charting single. That's a tad soon to say, isn't it? We cannot base another band's popularity with Coldplay's Mylo Xyloto. I also like that they didn't choose "Charlie Brown". It was too predictable, as good as it is. I am glad, however, it will be on Mylo Xyloto.
August 14, 201114 yr Well why they should choose the song every fan has already know? Like MX doesn't have any other songs? Besides I don't think CB is great song/single. It's ok.
August 14, 201114 yr You haven't even heard the song yet! :lol: Charlie Brown wasn't the obvious single because it was the best song, but because...well...it sounds like a single. In My Place was an obvious single from A Rush of Blood to the Head, and I think it's probably the weakest track on the album. Paradise could be one of the best Coldplay songs ever, for all we know. :shrug: Agreed about In My Place :nod: -------- Don't worry, guys, Charlie Brown will be a single for sure, you just have to be patient :D (although I don't think there's anything 'special' about it per se)
August 15, 201114 yr "Justin [Timberlake] if he would only fucking make a record. It's good news for all of us that he isn't, because it gives everyone else a chance, but it's a great loss to music that he doesn't do it." THANK YOU. Would someone slap him please? i'd like a new JT album before I die, kthx (slight exaggeration lol)
August 15, 201114 yr It makes sense really that they would chose a completely new, unheard song, rather than 1 thats been doing the rounds on the net for month, even if it is just in live form.
August 16, 201114 yr It makes sense really that they would chose a completely new, unheard song, rather than 1 thats been doing the rounds on the net for month, even if it is just in live form. I agree with that. While I'd love to be able to put Charlie Brown on my iPod or something, I understand where they're coming from by not putting it as the next single.
August 16, 201114 yr I want to listen to Paradise now!! Maybe the next time they are playing a gig they'll play that song :thinking: When is their next gig?? :wideeyed: I would hope so! The next gig is the Austin City Limits festival. I'll be there, so crossing my fingers. I am so curious to what Paradise sounds like.
August 16, 201114 yr I agree with that. While I'd love to be able to put Charlie Brown on my iPod or something, I understand where they're coming from by not putting it as the next single. Just DL it from the multimedia section. :)
August 17, 201114 yr I would hope so! The next gig is the Austin City Limits festival. I'll be there, so crossing my fingers. I am so curious to what Paradise sounds like. You realize Austin City Limits is after September 12...
August 17, 201114 yr Is it just me or is Chris on a roll with these interviews? Mr. Martin has said some incredible things in the past couple of interviews, with my favorite being this: FYI, Chris didn't say that. Dave Holmes did.
August 17, 201114 yr I really love Charlie Brown, but Paradise seems to be awesome too, so i support their decision, it's gonna be amazing anyways! :D
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