🪐 Coldplay: Music of the Spheres 🪐 | Out Now! | Discussion

[gustavothehuman]

By the way, the streaming era began officially in 2016, which is when Spotify, YouTube, etc. started to be counted towards charts and certifications, sales were still solid though, but nowadays streaming represent a massive 84% of the market.

 

Edited October 26, 2021 by gustavothehuman

[TryWhistlingThis]

Been a long time since i've posted, but long time fan. 

It pains me to be honest on this one, but Music Of The Spheres is my least favourite album, particularly as Everyday Life is in my top five. Until I heard the first single for this album, I was hyped given that Everyday Life was the "sequel" to VLV (my favourite record from the guys). Everyday Life was messy, varied, carefree and, overall, the most confident the band had ever sounded because it sounded like an album the guys were making for themselves. I still love it. 

Music Of The Spheres, however, just does the opposite for me. It should be said that MX and AHFOD are among my least favourite Coldplay albums, so it's probably no surprise that this one isn't for me. Especially as, quite frustratingly, the album closes on one of their best ever album closers. 

Glad to see plenty of you enjoying it, and I hope you have a blast on the tour.

The good news? Coldplay albums are like Star Trek films - every second one is outstanding. Can't wait for the next album! 

[thomasPh]

9 hours ago, TheBigBadBono said:

This data might mean something about their popularity (they're seen as more of a legacy act now) but people have to realize that the days of huge pure album sales are over - streaming is more popular now. MOTS had the highest first-week sales of any album in the past two years - guess what they beat out? Their previous LP as well as an Ed Sheeran album. MOTS is the fastest selling album of 2021 in the UK, and while the US has lost interest a bit in the band, the artists with more streams and records are primarily American solo artists in an age of dying bands. Coldplay albums have topped the UK 21 consecutive years, with the only other band to do so in U2, and AHFOD would have topped the US if it wasn't for Adele. EL which had basically zero promotion went into the top 10 in the US and had one of the highest sales of that year.

EDIT: While the argument can be made that AHFOD, GS, and MX were released in the streaming era, Spotify has grown a lot more in popularity. Since AHFOD was released Coldplay have gone from 22 million listeners in 2016 to 62 million in 2021. Plus, the streaming done by Spotify doesn't really offer reliable record sales or downloads compared to, say, iTunes. Even then, if we really want to convert it, the RIAA sets 1 physical copy to be around 1,500 streams - so aside from around 101,000 British sales and around 50,000 American sales, we could add around 200-210,000 sales converted from streams.

I do agree that Coldplay will probably never reach their commercial peak from 2002-2014, but to be this popular 25 years into their career is insane - the only band I know who last did this while still releasing consecutive studio albums is U2. But almost no other band or even artist has maintained consistent huge, chart-topping popularity for that long.

Ok that true, i didn't think Spotify had doubled its user count in just 4 years, that massive ! 

Edited October 26, 2021 by thomasPh

[IcebatofvalikinRRBZ8]

?

 

 

[the_escapist]

What a way to finish a brilliant career!

[TheBigBadBono]

It's probably an album with new material but imagine if we get the best unreleased tracks of each era:

Harmless

A View From the Top

Moses

Sweet Marianne

Solid Ground

Bloodless Revolution

St. Stephen

The Fall of Man

Spanish Rain

Famous Old Painters

Car Kids

Love in a Lethal Dose

The Race

World Without You

Life is Beautiful

Edited October 26, 2021 by TheBigBadBono

[only.your.imagination]

23 minutes ago, IcebatofvalikinRRBZ8 said:

?

 

 

It hurts a bit, but they have the right to choose what they feel. Anyway, I will be forever grateful for the music they have done, especially for some songs/albums?

 

6 minutes ago, TheBigBadBono said:

It's probably an album with new material but imagine if we get the best unreleased tracks of each era:

Harmless

A View From the Top

Moses

Sweet Marianne

Solid Ground

Bloodless Revolution

St. Stephen

The Fall of Man

Spanish Rain

Famous Old Painters

Car Kids

Love in a Lethal Dose

The Race

World Without You

Life is Beautiful

Do you mean the final album? I don't know what to expect actually, but I'm hoping for surprises (anyone still waiting for So sad?!)?

[Westminster]

Comparable with Ronnie O'Sullivan in Snooker, i always take Chris' statements on future farewells with a pinch of salt ?

As if they would already reveal the name of their last album (if that happens) - their record label would go all crazy ?

[only.your.imagination]

13 minutes ago, Westminster said:

Comparable with Ronnie O'Sullivan in Snooker, i always take Chris' statements on future farewells with a pinch of salt ?

As if they would already reveal the name of their last album (if that happens) - their record label would go all crazy ?

I agree with you about revealing the name of their (potentially) last album now; that would be weird? 

But I think the 12 studio albums statement may have some thruth in it. I will be glad to discover that I'm completely wrong, obviously!?

[gustavothehuman]

I wouldn't mind them stopping at album 12 if they're still playing live and making smaller releases like singles and EPs. It's much less stressful to promote than a full LP and it doesn't get as much attention from haters.

Edited October 26, 2021 by gustavothehuman

[GarbageOffice]

I truly believe the last album will be entirely made (or at least feature) some of their unfinished or unreleased songs. Chris himself mentioned that they would release their past work sometime in the future and not as anything big but just something for the fans. As much as I would love to hear all of it, I hope it's still years away because I don't want them to stop making new music ?

 

[Darthmoll12]

Music of the Spheres is honestly imo, a really good album. I've read about 7 reviews and only one actually said something good about. But to me, this album is really great.

[shred]

On 10/21/2021 at 9:19 AM, IslandToDiscover said:

Humankind:

"A DJ playing a star away"

"From another planet, still they call us humankind"

 

Higher Power:

"You've got a higher power"

"The universe is connected"

"Going a million miles an hour"

 

Biutyful:

"On top of the world"

 

My Universe:

"You are my universe"

"You make my world light up inside"

"Come from different sides"

 

Coloratura:

> literally any of the chorus lyrics

 

Every song has some sort of spacey atmospheric sounds, and many have alien like voices too.

I think the album has a very cohesive theme.

 

Just because you have a few lines in a couple of songs doesn't make it space themed. It's like saying the album theme is colour because you have Chris singing about colours. 

And most of the spacey atmospheric sounds are an after thought slapped on in the interludes. It comes across as lazy to me. ?‍♀️

 

[deltadon]

2 minutes ago, shred said:

Just because you have a few lines in a couple of songs doesn't make it space themed. It's like saying the album theme is colour because you have Chris singing about colours. 

And most of the spacey atmospheric sounds are an after thought slapped on in the interludes. It comes across as lazy to me. ?‍♀️

 

A L I E N S, Moving to Mars, and Atlas fit well in a MOTS playlist. Fit more along with the space theme than a lot of songs on MOTS too. 

but then again initially Everyday Life was pitched as a "double album". 

[shred]

1 minute ago, deltadon said:

A L I E N S, Moving to Mars, and Atlas fit well in a MOTS playlist. Fit more along with the space theme than a lot of songs on MOTS too. 

but then again initially Everyday Life was pitched as a "double album". 

Yup.

I think they could have improved a lot on the songs to match the theme. They really missed the mark on this one. 

[Bauk]

On 10/26/2021 at 12:33 PM, the_escapist said:

What a way to finish a brilliant career!

Exactly!

I actually wouldn't mind if they quit at their peak. I would be much more sad if they some day turn into something I don't like anymore. Also, the statement of Chris about hoping to be able to tour "like the Rolling Stones" is not something I really like. I'm not sure they can still create the same energy and vibe when they're in their seventies as they do now. But we'll see!

Apart from this, I can't réally imagine a world without Coldplay. Ofcourse this would make me sad too. Just like sometimes I wish I lived in the sixties, to be able to see the Beatles live, etc. But then sometimes it suddenly hits me: "so happy to be alive at the same time as you." I really feel this with Coldplay, I'm so happy that I'm along for the ride since A Rush!

[WeddingDom]

I knew he was going to dislike the album but daaaamn

[eddmen]

On 10/26/2021 at 5:55 AM, TheBigBadBono said:

It's probably an album with new material but imagine if we get the best unreleased tracks of each era:

Harmless

A View From the Top

Moses

Sweet Marianne

Solid Ground

Bloodless Revolution

St. Stephen

The Fall of Man

Spanish Rain

Famous Old Painters

Car Kids

Love in a Lethal Dose

The Race

World Without You

Life is Beautiful

You could do a whole 2 parts album with that list lol. Also I prefer the name Don Quixote instead of Spanish Rain ?

[Westminster]

After many listenings i have to admit that People of the Pride has become a strong favourite. I love it when they go that dark and nearly angry style. The production is great too, love all the little effects, especially towards the end. This song has written attitude all over it. Having a walk (..to the sound of my favourite tune^^) while it's on your headphones is really great for your mindset.

AND Chris choreography live is just amazing ?

Edited October 28, 2021 by Westminster

[sa_spurs_tx]

Check it out!!! Who’s going to volunteer to ??‍♂️ During the tour?! ??

[TheLostColdplayer]

This is for all those saddened by Chris's 12-album statement (like me)

with Love ?

[only.your.imagination]

8 hours ago, TheLostColdplayer said:

This is for all those saddened by Chris's 12-album statement (like me)

with Love ?

I know, I know (I'm part of the "saddened people" ahah?). I can't believe this  interview was 10 years ago! On the one hand they have changed a lot, on the other hand they are basically the same, if this makes sense? 

by the way, MX has grown on me over time, it's not one of my favorites but I have re-evaluated it

[Bauk]

Yes, but to me the “this might be our last record” does feel different to “we will make 3 more”. 
 

Because Chris has always explained that the first statement is more a state of mind, to put everything they have into the album. Now it feels like they really have thought this through. 
 

But we’ll see. From now on they’ll be full of surprises, right? ?

[TheLostColdplayer]

9 hours ago, Bauk said:

Yes, but to me the “this might be our last record” does feel different to “we will make 3 more”. 

Yes, this is true. But to me the latter sounds like "a band shouldn't go past its 15th year".

Chris always says that he can't control music and that when a song comes he has to listen... so in case they stop making records, what would he do if many songs arrive?

I don't want to believe he would just... let them go!

[gustavothehuman]

As I said before, I think they might follow a kpop-esque release strategy after LP12: mini albums and smaller tours, but happening more often than a regular album, which takes 2-3 years.