Why Coldplay "don´t like" XY album?

[ToniMoreno]

Hi everyone,

 

First place, sorry if this topic have already been discussed or this is not the correct forrum to put this.

 

 

Well, loocking the three last tours of Coldplay, and specially the last one, I have noticed that in general, Coldplay don´t play songs from XY (except Fix You).

It´s something that I can´t understand because they have very good songs in this album like White Shadows or Talk but they only play "the same" in all concerts, Fix You, like the rest of songs didn´t exist.

 

Do you know some reason about it?

It´s like they don´t like XY album or somethin like that.

 

Viva la Vida has a similar problem, they only play Viva la Vida song...

 

 

What do you think about that?

It´s something that I don´t understand.

 

Best Regards

[Gsilva]

Wellcome neighboor, im from Portugal.

 

Its because the songs were recorded and produced not how they wanted to. And they didnt have time to redo it. And also because like they said to @Batman , they think that the album is too long, and that they should have taken out some songs because they are not worthy.

[Nie]

An other reason is that they now have a lot more songs /albums they can play.

 

And when they are doing a tour for a specific record, like AHFOD, it's normal that they choose most songs from that album and add "classic" songs from other records which also fit in the setlist.

Classic in the way that most people know/love them.

 

But I agree that they should have chosen more from X&Y.

[Zero Theory]

The problem with Coldplay is they have way too many good songs from way too many eras ;)

Also, they have different types of fanbases, and now they appease newer fans who are into pop music because that's what the band likes (or at least Chris likes).

X&Y is outdated by today's standards, but Yellow, Clocks, The Scientist, Fix You, Viva la Vida are all timeless.

When Coldplay play a stadium, the try to play songs that the general populous will know+songs from the new album.

Maybe in the future if they do smaller shows for hardcore fans, they will play old deep tracks. They did play some old deep tracks during GS and at Belasco Theatre (Sparks, A Whisper, Til Kingdom Come, Everything's Not Lost, Life is For Living...)

 

Unfortunately, I don't think we will ever see them play Talk, Speed of Sound, White Shadows like the studio version again.

[I ran away]

X&Y is outdated by today's standards

In what way is X&Y outdated today ?

[Zero Theory]

In what way is X&Y outdated today ?

I would say at the time, in the early-mid 2000s, Talk, Speed of Sound were considered mainstream pop rock songs.

So maybe they are not necessarily outdated in the wider sense of pop music, but outdated in terms of Coldplay's style.

 

Let me put it this way, would fans attending a stadium show be into songs like White Shadows and Talk? We hardcore fans would love it, but the newer age Coldplay fans probably wouldn't be into it as much, if that makes sense. But everyone certainly loves the timeless songs like Yellow, The Scientist, etc.

[ToniMoreno]

Thanks for the answers.

 

It´s true that they have a lot of songs and it´s normal that they want to play the songs of the last album, but really if the would change the set list of the concerts then they could play more songs. For me it´s quite booring to see that they play the same songs in all the concerts. They only change max. 2-3. I think they are very repetitive. Yes, we all love Yellow o Fix You, but it´s necesary to play in all the concerts?

 

Some songs like Talk haven´t been played since 2007... I don´t know... I think that they have something personal against this album. In some interview they said that they did X&Y like the people expected to them and not as they really liked. But it´s true that they have done something similar with other old albums like Parachutes o Viva la Vida. It´s like they have done a cut with the albums previous of MX...

 

I would say at the time, in the early-mid 2000s, Talk, Speed of Sound were considered mainstream pop rock songs.

So maybe they are not necessarily outdated in the wider sense of pop music, but outdated in terms of Coldplay's style.

 

Let me put it this way, would fans attending a stadium show be into songs like White Shadows and Talk? We hardcore fans would love it, but the newer age Coldplay fans probably wouldn't be into it as much, if that makes sense. But everyone certainly loves the timeless songs like Yellow, The Scientist, etc.

 

I see your point. Maybe you´re right, but, in this case, we sholud reflect about the concerts and if they have to be oriented to "new fans" or people who just like and know the "hits" or if the shoulb be oriented to the fans who like and know all the songs. Or something mixed??

It´s just a reflection.

 

P.D.: @Gsilva muito obrigado :D

 

 

Best regards

[I ran away]

Let me put it this way, would fans attending a stadium show be into songs like White Shadows and Talk?

I honestly don't see why not. These songs are so energetic and pwerful, why should they rock an arena or a stadium any less than, say, HFTW or AOAL ?

Also, it's sad to see that even among their huge hits which they still play they completely ignore Speed of Sound, their first No.1 hit single after all.

[Gsilva]

I honestly don't see why not. These songs are so energetic and pwerful, why should they rock an arena or a stadium any less than, say, HFTW or AOAL ?

Also, it's sad to see that even among their huge hits which they still play they completely ignore Speed of Sound, their first No.1 hit single after all.

But wasnt speed of sound a n°2?

[I ran away]

But wasnt speed of sound a n°2?

Oh yeah, you're right. Sorry. But it was a huge hit nonetheless in 2005 !

[Gsilva]

Yes, in thousands of songs being the n°2 is almost as being the n°1

[Carolina*]

Thanks for the answers.

 

It´s true that they have a lot of songs and it´s normal that they want to play the songs of the last album, but really if the would change the set list of the concerts then they could play more songs. For me it´s quite booring to see that they play the same songs in all the concerts. They only change max. 2-3. I think they are very repetitive. Yes, we all love Yellow o Fix You, but it´s necesary to play in all the concerts?

 

Some songs like Talk haven´t been played since 2007... I don´t know... I think that they have something personal against this album. In some interview they said that they did X&Y like the people expected to them and not as they really liked. But it´s true that they have done something similar with other old albums like Parachutes o Viva la Vida. It´s like they have done a cut with the albums previous of MX...

 

 

 

I see your point. Maybe you´re right, but, in this case, we sholud reflect about the concerts and if they have to be oriented to "new fans" or people who just like and know the "hits" or if the shoulb be oriented to the fans who like and know all the songs. Or something mixed??

It´s just a reflection.

 

P.D.: @Gsilva muito obrigado :D

 

 

Best regards

I wish they'd change the setlist more too but it's probably a lot of work for them to keep changing it and relearning songs. And some fans going to the concert probably only know songs like Yellow and Fix You so they want the mostly same experience for anyone going to their concerts. I think Guy doesn't like Talk so that's why they don't play it...but Chris doesn't like Warning Sign or the recording of Speed of Sound and they still played a version of those on the last tour so I'm not sure if it's even that...

[Gsilva]

I wish they'd change the setlist more too but it's probably a lot of work for them to keep changing it and relearning songs. And some fans going to the concert probably only know songs like Yellow and Fix you

 

I noticed that when listening to leftrightleftrightlefts's Glass of water and people started aplauding before chris singing the "what are we drinking......", because they thought the song was over. Then i realised that maybe they only knew the popular songs.

[Zero Theory]

Thanks for the answers.

 

It´s true that they have a lot of songs and it´s normal that they want to play the songs of the last album, but really if the would change the set list of the concerts then they could play more songs. For me it´s quite booring to see that they play the same songs in all the concerts. They only change max. 2-3. I think they are very repetitive. Yes, we all love Yellow o Fix You, but it´s necesary to play in all the concerts?

 

Some songs like Talk haven´t been played since 2007... I don´t know... I think that they have something personal against this album. In some interview they said that they did X&Y like the people expected to them and not as they really liked. But it´s true that they have done something similar with other old albums like Parachutes o Viva la Vida. It´s like they have done a cut with the albums previous of MX...

 

I see your point. Maybe you´re right, but, in this case, we sholud reflect about the concerts and if they have to be oriented to "new fans" or people who just like and know the "hits" or if the shoulb be oriented to the fans who like and know all the songs. Or something mixed??

It´s just a reflection.

 

P.D.: @Gsilva muito obrigado :D

 

 

Best regards

Here are some things related to why they don't play X&Y that often

-Chris said they lost their way because Phil was sick for most of the writing and recording of X&Y- they tried to expand on AROBTTH by making a bigger/more dense sound, rather than reinventing and making a "better" sound

-They scrapped a lot of songs before arriving at the final track listing and kept trying several different recordings (notably Talk and Speed of Sound)

-The album took longer because they wanted to take their time and couldn't quite get things right, but were pressured by deadlines from their record company

-However, there are several songs that they like (in 2014, Chris has said they reached 60% of what they were aiming for on X&Y)

 

Overall, Coldplay received a lot of sh*t during this time period and the band doesn't have fond memories of the time.

On the bright side, they have played these songs from X&Y since 2011

-What If, Fix You, Speed of Sound, A Message, The Hardest Part, Swallowed in the Sea, Til Kingdom Come

[Zero Theory]

I honestly don't see why not. These songs are so energetic and pwerful, why should they rock an arena or a stadium any less than, say, HFTW or AOAL ?

Also, it's sad to see that even among their huge hits which they still play they completely ignore Speed of Sound, their first No.1 hit single after all.

I completely agree with you, I'd be rocking out to 2017 Coldplay playing Talk over AOAL any day.

But, how many people in the crowd at a stadium concert would know the lyrics to Talk in 2017 vs. AOAL? Chris has said they try to create a set list where everyone can sing along to as many songs as possible.

The arena rock songs from X&Y just don't fit the 2017 version of Coldplay. I wish they did fit today's Coldplay, but it doesn't feel like it.

[The Jordanator]

Talk is a really cool song and I wish it was stilled played live. It was only played properly during the Twisted Logic Tour - but Coldplay did do a techno remix medley of God Put a Smile Upon Your Face and Talk during the Viva tour. I wish I was there to see that played live because Coldplay really outdo themselves then!

So in summary Coldplay's X & Y actually was a bit of a flop despite massive fan rave and they should be doing more techno

[ToniMoreno]

Goodnight!

 

I return to the post after having seen the chapters dedicated to the XY in the film and in the book.

 

Am I the only one who has the feeling that in both of them he went too far over the problems that there were in those years?

I don`t remember where, but recently I read in an article on the internet that Chris threatened to break the band after a concert, and that they had a lot of arguments, especially between Chris and Guy. None of that is reflected in the film or in the book. it is only said that Guy had at first a little jealousy for the media attention that Chris received.

 

I don`t know, I'm the only one who thinks that for some reason (perhaps the band's own desire) has been "vetoed" (or self-censored in any case) that hardest part of the band's history to focus more on aspects and moments happier?

 

It seems a little frustrating to me that from the time on which there is more shade they did not want to shed more light.

I think it would help to understand the treatment (in my opinion) so unfair that they have given this album (the phrase from the movie where Chris says that the only good thing about the album was Fix You and Holmes ...)

 

What do you think?

[Shoeboxlady]

I was also told that Chris never plays the Speed of Sound because he doesn't like it.

[Thienthatha96]

I don't like Speed of Sound, but the rest are excellent

[ColdplayingMama]

Goodnight!

 

I return to the post after having seen the chapters dedicated to the XY in the film and in the book.

 

Am I the only one who has the feeling that in both of them he went too far over the problems that there were in those years?

I don`t remember where, but recently I read in an article on the internet that Chris threatened to break the band after a concert, and that they had a lot of arguments, especially between Chris and Guy. None of that is reflected in the film or in the book. it is only said that Guy had at first a little jealousy for the media attention that Chris received.

 

I don`t know, I'm the only one who thinks that for some reason (perhaps the band's own desire) has been "vetoed" (or self-censored in any case) that hardest part of the band's history to focus more on aspects and moments happier?

 

It seems a little frustrating to me that from the time on which there is more shade they did not want to shed more light.

I think it would help to understand the treatment (in my opinion) so unfair that they have given this album (the phrase from the movie where Chris says that the only good thing about the album was Fix You and Holmes ...)

 

What do you think?

 

You may be correct, that they are leaving out some of the details of the negative times. However, I wonder if it could be because they don't want to go into TOO much detail and have it change our perception of them (or an individual in particular)? They are all (er, Chris is, judging from what I gathered from the film) very different people now, maybe they just don't want to dwell on it too much?

That said, though, it has always bothered me, too, that they look at X & Y so negatively. I completely disagree with when Chris said that the "only good thing to come out of X & Y were Fix You and Holmes." X & Y has always been my favorite full album, for a huge number of reasons. I would give my left foot to go back in time and go to a Twisted Logic show!!! I know and understand all the reasons why X & Y is a tough album for them to stomach because it was such a hard time but OMG I love that album, from beginning to end.

[ToniMoreno]

I´m totally agrre with you, XY is a great album, and has a lot of very good songs (What if, Swallowead in the sea, White shadows, talk...).