Will Ghost Stories be the bands flop album?

[ihaveabono]

Commercially speaking Coldplay reached their peak with AROBTTH and have had declining success from there. That said, I'm not really seeing the uncertainty you speak of. Magic has gotten a stronger reaction both critically and from the fanbase than anything released in the MX era and arguably anything from VLVODAAHF as well. It also charted higher in the US and UK than their last 3 singles (the final two from MX plus Atlas) so I don't think the single's success is all that "off".

 

Will Ghost stories be the band's most successful album? Probably not, but they've reached a point in their career where they'll always be a massive band regardless of how their new material does. (Though I think it's almost certain to be at least moderately successful)

 

 

your right, but we need to put that in perspective. their decline in sales is primarily a result of the overall decline of album sales in the past few years. back in the early 2000s album sales are still very healthy, but starting 2007 until now album sales have been declining drastically. but even with the overall declining music market, coldplay has been selling really well. there are some exceptiosn to the rule though like Adele's 21, taylor's RED etc. but the reason for this is that those albums are their MAGNUM OPUS. Coldplay's MAGNUM OPUS, is arguably ARBTHH. (and VIVA if u ask me)

[ihaveabono]

Reviews don't really mean much at all when it comes to commercial success. Certainly not with Coldplay, their last two albums have had mixed reviews.

 

As with any form of art, the most artistically acclaimed work is rarely the most commercially successful.

 

That said, I think a lot of the stuff on this album seems more eclectic and risky than anything they've done in a long time (if ever). I honestly don't see how anyone could listen to Midnight and come to the conclusion that it was created with any sort of commercial appeal in mind.

 

only MX can be said to have mixed reviews. to be fair, MX had a mixed to positive review.

Viva la Vida is both a COMMERCIAL and CRITICAL success. It was one of the critics's choices as the best album of 2008.

[fakfak]

so you'll be okay in 10 years to be a fan of four 50 years old people playing dubstep music and talking about getting laid in miami or wathever will be succesful

 

Except they're not really doing that. They've always been a pop rock band. Yellow is the definition of a classic guitar pop song. Sure the band have collaborated with pop artists over the years, but I don't think it's for cynical reasons. The band, and especially Chris have always been genuinely drawn to that sort of music.

 

Bottom line, they'll make what they want to make for the reasons they want to make it, but I don't think there's much objective evidence that maximizing commercial success is now or has ever been at the top of their priorities list.

[ihaveabono]

I'm just saying, after a certain age it becomes corny and ridiculous to follow whatever it's cool on radio, it' becomes a little bit sad

 

well QUEEN did that when they did ANOTHER ONE BITES THE DUST in the 80s lol. its still a bop today, haha :D

[fakfak]

only MX can be said to have mixed reviews. to be fair, MX had a mixed to positive review.

Viva la Vida is both a COMMERCIAL and CRITICAL success. It was one of the critics's choices as the best album of 2008.

 

According to Meta Critic (which aggregates reviews to provide a statistical consensus) MX scored a 65/100 while VLV got a 72/100, higher but still low enough to be considered mixed. That doesn't mean that it didn't get it's share of very favorable reviews, just that it also got a sizable number of negative ones as well.

[fakfak]

your right, but we need to put that in perspective. their decline in sales is primarily a result of the overall decline of album sales in the past few years. back in the early 2000s album sales are still very healthy, but starting 2007 until now album sales have been declining drastically. but even with the overall declining music market, coldplay has been selling really well. there are some exceptiosn to the rule though like Adele's 21, taylor's RED etc. but the reason for this is that those albums are their MAGNUM OPUS. Coldplay's MAGNUM OPUS, is arguably ARBTHH. (and VIVA if u ask me)

 

I'm not saying it has all to do with artistic quality. Only that if you're talking about diminishing commercial returns, Coldplay has been on that path already for a decade. MX is their lowest selling album since Parachutes, it doesn't really matter why for the purposes of this discussion.

[fakfak]

I think they wont be okay with doing alt rock again just because we want it, i have a bad feeling that when they'll all be 50 years old they'll retire

 

Frankly, given that they can't seem to please people no matter what they do, I think they may just go that route when they finally get bored or the constant sniping gets to them enough. For years, literally years, I've heard people say they wanted them to go back to their earlier sound and this new material is objectively (in structure, orchestration, instrumentation etc.) closer to that than anything they've done since 2002 and yet people still complain. I'm not saying anyone has to like it, but at least recognize it's an attempt to move in the direction people said they wanted, even if you feel it's not a particularly good one.

[ihaveabono]

According to Meta Critic (which aggregates reviews to provide a statistical consensus) MX scored a 65/100 while VLV got a 72/100, higher but still low enough to be considered mixed. That doesn't mean that it didn't get it's share of very favorable reviews, just that it also got a sizable number of negative ones as well.

 

72 percent is just 8 points shy of what A RUSH got(which is 80). MIXED review is 50%-60%.

Mixed to POSITIVE is 65%. and anything above 70% is POSITIVE. anything above 80 is CRITICALLY ACCLAIMED.

 

and viva la vida is critically successful since most music crtiics have put that album in the top 10 of the best albums of 2008. most of them put it as the top album of 2008. and most retrospective critic reviews have placed the albunm as one of the best albums of the past decade.

[fakfak]

No offense, but have you listened to Oceans, AIMH, or Another's Arms? All three of those songs are guitar based or piano based. I don't disagree with you about going back to a less electronic approach, but they hardly have been "synthesizing everything." You might have been able to make that arguement for MX, but not GS. Jonny has some amazing riffs in this album FYI. GS might have some problems (lyrics for one), but synths is hardly a problem. Also, keep in mind that Ink, True Love, and O are all non electronic songs if what the people who've heard them are correct.

 

First of all, Jonny plays a lot of those synths, so he is doing something. Second, much of what people are hearing as synths/electronic sounds are in fact guitar parts made through the use of slide playing combined with E-Bow and other effects. This was an element of his playing that was very prominant in the AROBTTH era, and he has only recently really taken up again since Atlas.

[ihaveabono]

I'm not saying it has all to do with artistic quality. Only that if you're talking about diminishing commercial returns, Coldplay has been on that path already for a decade. MX is their lowest selling album since Parachutes, it doesn't really matter why for the purposes of this discussion.

 

my point is, the diminishing commercial returns is not coldplay;s fault but as the result of an overall decline in the music market. its much like in economics, where inflation or deflation are taken into consideration. the point is MX, in relation to the overall decline of album sales over the past few years, is considered a success. We should limit ourselves in comparing album sales in ABSOLUTE TERMS and start considering factors like the declining music market, people preferring to buy singles more than albums, and a lot of other factors.

[fakfak]

72 percent is just 8 points shy of what A RUSH got(which is 80). MIXED review is 50%-60%.

Mixed to POSITIVE is 65%. and anything above 70% is POSITIVE. anything above 80 is CRITICALLY ACCLAIMED.

 

Fair enough. The point is VLV was at least a bit polarizing with some people not being overly fond of it's baroque pop aestetic (I'm not one of them, I rather enjoy most of it.)

[fakfak]

my point is, the diminishing commercial returns is not coldplay;s fault but as the result of an overall decline in the music market. its much like in economics, where inflation or deflation are taken into consideration. the point is MX, in relation to the overall decline of album sales over the past few years, is considered a success. We should limit ourselves in comparing album sales in ABSOLUTE TERMS and start considering factors like the declining music market, people preferring to buy singles more than albums, and a lot of other factors.

 

Of course, I never meant to imply it was their fault. I'm just saying that in any discussion of how successful Ghost Stories is likely to be, the important thing is how previous releases have been trending, not why the trend is what it is. Coldplay have never released an album that can't reasonably be considered a commercial success.

[ihaveabono]

Fair enough. The point is VLV was at least a bit polarizing with some people not being overly fond of it's baroque pop aestetic (I'm not one of them, I rather enjoy most of it.)

 

i think viva la vida the album was not polarizing. i think there is a perception that viva was a polariaizing album because its a coldplay album. Its Coldplay the band that is polarizing.

 

even those critics that have traditionally slagged off and dismissed coldplay as a joke praised viva la vida, but not by much, it feels like they were forced to give it a favorable review just becaise of the fact that its that good and they cant accept the fact that it was done by coldplay. critics have their biases thats why historically coldplay has been underrated in tersm of their albums

[the_escapist]

This has to be one of my all time favorites threads. It is so refreshing to talk something deeper than usual about the band we all love. Having said that, I think that Ghost Stories will be another amazing album. I see a band that has understood that probably the most important thing when setting out to record an album is to try to reinvent themselves and their music while maintaining their style. And I believe that they have been incredibly successful at it. Here are four lads who have truly taken a certain degree of risk on each album with considerable excellent results each time. Yes, there will always be a group who is melancholic about the Parachutes era, while hating the more poppy Mylo Xyloto era. However, in my view, the boys have always deliver amazing songs regardless of the era. I concur that ETIAW, Princess of China and Paradise might not be the idea songs for many of us, but what about Hurts Like Heaven, Charlie Brown or Up With The Birds? Will never now if they do it deliberately just to sell more albums but I think that a huge part of their success has come from the fact that they always have a GREAT song to please either the poppy or parachutsy fans. Ghost Stories will be another GREAT album and I highly doubt that it will be a flop album. They have taken a huge risk doing a more stripped back album and already we can see that with very god results. This era simply confirms that they are here for the music and not the sales and that they will always have something to offer for listeners of different spectrums. Cheers.

[ihaveabono]

This has to be one of my all time favorites threads. It is so refreshing to talk something deeper than usual about the band we all love. Having said that, I think that Ghost Stories will be another amazing album. I see a band that has understood that probably the most important thing when setting out to record an album is to try to reinvent themselves and their music while maintaining their style. And I believe that they have been incredibly successful at it. Here are four lads who have truly taken a certain degree of risk on each album with considerable excellent results each time. Yes, there will always be a group who is melancholic about the Parachutes era, while hating the more poppy Mylo Xyloto era. However, in my view, the boys have always deliver amazing songs regardless of the era. I concur that ETIAW, Princess of China and Paradise might not be the idea songs for many of us, but what about Hurts Like Heaven, Charlie Brown or Up With The Birds? Will never now if they do it deliberately just to sell more albums but I think that a huge part of their success has come from the fact that they always have a GREAT song to please either the poppy or parachutsy fans. Ghost Stories will be another GREAT album and I highly doubt that it will be a flop album. They have taken a huge risk doing a more stripped back album and already we can see that with very god results. This era simply confirms that they are here for the music and not the sales and that they will always have something to offer for listeners of different spectrums. Cheers.

 

well said, cimpletely agree with everything u said. cheers :)

[Bazza101]

This has to be one of my all time favorites threads. It is so refreshing to talk something deeper than usual about the band we all love. Having said that, I think that Ghost Stories will be another amazing album. I see a band that has understood that probably the most important thing when setting out to record an album is to try to reinvent themselves and their music while maintaining their style. And I believe that they have been incredibly successful at it. Here are four lads who have truly taken a certain degree of risk on each album with considerable excellent results each time. Yes, there will always be a group who is melancholic about the Parachutes era, while hating the more poppy Mylo Xyloto era. However, in my view, the boys have always deliver amazing songs regardless of the era. I concur that ETIAW, Princess of China and Paradise might not be the idea songs for many of us, but what about Hurts Like Heaven, Charlie Brown or Up With The Birds? Will never now if they do it deliberately just to sell more albums but I think that a huge part of their success has come from the fact that they always have a GREAT song to please either the poppy or parachutsy fans. Ghost Stories will be another GREAT album and I highly doubt that it will be a flop album. They have taken a huge risk doing a more stripped back album and already we can see that with very god results. This era simply confirms that they are here for the music and not the sales and that they will always have something to offer for listeners of different spectrums. Cheers.

 

To Be Honest , i feel that the Parachutes era group has expanded. Simply due to one reason. Rock being overshadowed by EDM. This in my opinion has made older Coldplay fans more thirsty for a rock record. Maybe even newer fans as well because i think that so many people dislike the music scene. Rock albums do amazing these days. As i said at the start of this thread, Arctic Monkeys and Vampire Weekend are some examples. So are Haim, Two Door Cinema Club and The 1975. All these artists were very successful and i feel that it's due to society being drowned out in EDM. Unfortunately Coldplay have taken this part which is making me refer to Coldplay as a pop band now instead of an alt rock band.

[Jonny and the cake]

the problem with the artists above are that:

 

HAIM, TDCC, The 1975 have release their debut album/second album, they still have plenty of time to get bored of doing just alt rock

Arctic Monkeys are just four elitist people that still think "rock n roll is about sunglasses and leather jacket", and guitars are the only real instruments in the world

Vampire Weekends it's the only decent example, they changed their style since their debut album, but are you sure they are at the same level coldplay were at their third album? Not, they are not famous, A-Punk and Diane Young are their only real hits out of three albums

[ihaveabono]

i heard a better quality version of ASFOS, i hear guitars and piano. there are parts that are JOSHUA TREE-ish. its not overly EDM actually. its my opinion though, dont hate me, lol :D

 

but i do understand why some people here Rihanna's we found love, hahaha

 

its a critically better ETIAW

 

the electric guitar parts are more prominent

[Bazza101]

the problem with the artists above are that:

 

HAIM, TDCC, The 1975 have release their debut album/second album, they still have plenty of time to get bored of doing just alt rock

Arctic Monkeys are just four elitist people that still think "rock n roll is about sunglasses and leather jacket", and guitars are the only real instruments in the world

Vampire Weekends it's the only decent example, they changed their style since their debut album, but are you sure they are at the same level coldplay were at their third album? Not, they are not famous, A-Punk and Diane Young are their only real hits out of three albums

 

Yeah i have to agree with you there. They are all very young and bright bands. Vampire weekend done exactly what Coldplay has done with their first 3 because i have recalled Ezra saying that the 3 albums they have produced is trilogy like. Chris had said exactly the same thing. But MVOTC was way better than X&Y in my opinion. Many people believe the Arctic Monkeys have taken the face of alt rock away from Coldplay in the UK as well.

[Jonny and the cake]

lol if arctic monkeys continue to have that attitude for the rest of their lives people will end up hating them

vampire weekend it's a strange band, i love them, and yes their last album was fucking awesome

[fakfak]

the problem with the artists above are that:

 

HAIM, TDCC, The 1975 have release their debut album/second album, they still have plenty of time to get bored of doing just alt rock

Arctic Monkeys are just four elitist people that still think "rock n roll is about sunglasses and leather jacket", and guitars are the only real instruments in the world

Vampire Weekends it's the only decent example, they changed their style since their debut album, but are you sure they are at the same level coldplay were at their third album? Not, they are not famous, A-Punk and Diane Young are their only real hits out of three albums

 

I don't really get an elitist vibe from any of the guys in Arctic Monkeys, rather just the sense that they intend to keep plowing ahead with guitar music because that's what they like.

 

That said, there's no way Arctic Monkeys is or will ever be as prominent a band as Coldplay is. They have a tiny fraction of the global footprint Coldplay does, especially outside the UK. The thing is Coldplay are now a band in their mid to late 30's, they're not young and hip and can never be again, they're pretty much firmly in the elder statesmen bracket by now.

[Jonny and the cake]

Lol more that once Alex Turner bashed all other genres always stating that rock is the only real music, if that's not elitist i don't know what it is, i like their music and i saw/read a lot of interviews and he always finds time to bash other musicians, and he's not even funny

[Kingzilla]

i heard a better quality version of ASFOS, i hear guitars and piano. there are parts that are JOSHUA TREE-ish. its not overly EDM actually. its my opinion though, dont hate me, lol :D

 

but i do understand why some people here Rihanna's we found love, hahaha

 

its a critically better ETIAW

 

the electric guitar parts are more prominent

 

WHERE DID U HEAR IT *getting ready to set the wolves after you :D

[fakfak]

Lol more that once Alex Turner bashed all other genres always stating that rock is the only real music, if that's not elitist i don't know what it is, i like their music and i saw/read a lot of interviews and he always finds time to bash other musicians, and he's not even funny

 

What you read as bashing, I read as them simply stating they don't really care for any other type of music. They do tend to be very critical of certain other artists, but it always seems to be more about how they operate than about the actual music.

[guda4siempre]

i think viva la vida the album was not polarizing. i think there is a perception that viva was a polariaizing album because its a coldplay album. Its Coldplay the band that is polarizing.

 

even those critics that have traditionally slagged off and dismissed coldplay as a joke praised viva la vida, but not by much, it feels like they were forced to give it a favorable review just becaise of the fact that its that good and they cant accept the fact that it was done by coldplay. critics have their biases thats why historically coldplay has been underrated in tersm of their albums

 

Bravo! You hit the nail right there! Just read pitchforks review for example. You'll think the rating would be positive if you read the critique essay only, but they give it a 6.9 somehow.