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

[ColdplayingMama]

12 hours ago, Westminster said:

I REALLY love the little drop in Humankind - when Chris sings "I-feel-it-inside"

More of it please!❤

Anyone with me on this?

As I've been listening to the album on repeat, I am loving Humankind more and more. I'd love to hear it live (got tickets for the Chicago show!!!). But I noticed they didn't perform it at the Seattle show last night. Do you all think that their tour setlist will be just like the setlist last night? Or will they change it up? I really hope they add Humankind?

[HowCouldIForget]

4 hours ago, ColdplayingMama said:

As I've been listening to the album on repeat, I am loving Humankind more and more. I'd love to hear it live (got tickets for the Chicago show!!!). But I noticed they didn't perform it at the Seattle show last night. Do you all think that their tour setlist will be just like the setlist last night? Or will they change it up? I really hope they add Humankind?

They neeeed to play it  One of the best new songs. I swear they played pretty much every song from AHFoD when I saw them twice during that tour. Not XMtS and that's fine 

[IcebatofvalikinRRBZ8]

1 minute ago, HowCouldIForget said:

They neeeed to play it  One of the best new songs. I swear they played pretty much every song from AHFoD when I saw them twice during that tour. Not XMtS and that's fine 

Fun didn’t get played at all ? Nor Army Of One. My two top favorites from AHFOD

[Westminster]

They did Army of One at the very beginning of the Tour on their C-Stage.

As for the Setlist, it's pretty certain that this will change before they start touring properly. Humankind is described as Chris' favourite song of the record, being the opener maybe too. Which is a good choice, Higher Power can be anywhere else in their set. After returning from B-Stage seems to be quite fitting. 

A Violett Hill/People of the Pride combination would be great as well.

And even though i know they usually don't repeat former new arrangments, i would LOVE to see the return of the electronic GPASUYF/Talk mix-up they did during the Viva-Tour❤

[only.your.imagination]

1 hour ago, Westminster said:

And even though i know they usually don't repeat former new arrangments, i would LOVE to see the return of the electronic GPASUYF/Talk mix-up they did during the Viva-Tour❤

Yes, that was awesome, I'd loved that remix it too. It should have been on LRLRL!

I'm also hoping for some covers, they already did this kind of things in the past  and recently in Seattle, so I think it would be nice (not so sure this will happen though)

[HowCouldIForget]

2 hours ago, IcebatofvalikinRRBZ8 said:

Fun didn’t get played at all ? Nor Army Of One. My two top favorites from AHFOD

Fun is a classic but you're right. I don't remember it at all. I wonder if it's because they didn't have Tove Lo there to sing.

[Famous_Old_Painter]

Humankind followed by Don't Let it Break Your Heart ??

[thomasPh]

First week sales comparaison :

 

UK first week sales : 

• Parachutes: 70,934
• AROBTTH: 273,924
• X&Y: 467,471
• VIVA: 302,074
• MX: 208,000
• GS: 168,000
• AHFOD: 235,974
• EL: 81,000
• MOTS: 101,000

USA first week sales :

• Parachutes : 6,500
• AROBTTH : 141,000
• X&Y : 737,000
• VIVA : 720,000
• MX : 447,000
• GS : 383,000
• AHFOD : 210,000
• EL : 48,000
• MOTS : 57,000

 

Considering the most massive promotional campaign they've ever done, the BTS fans support, the "king maker" Max Martin and the help of Selena Gomez for US sales is frankly a failure. Ok we are now in digital era but we can considering MX/GS/AHFOD and EL in digital era too.

It becomes like U2: they have a hard time producing good albums but their shows are always so spectacular. However, I think they should also be proud of what they have done in the past: Parachutes / X&Y / Viva and MX are way too abandoned now. But these are masterpieces that made them what they are now.

Edited October 25, 2021 by thomasPh

[TheBigBadBono]

1 hour ago, thomasPh said:

First week sales comparaison :

 

UK first week sales : 

• Parachutes: 70,934
• AROBTTH: 273,924
• X&Y: 467,471
• VIVA: 302,074
• MX: 208,000
• GS: 168,000
• AHFOD: 235,974
• EL: 81,000
• MOTS: 101,000

USA first week sales :

• Parachutes : 6,500
• AROBTTH : 141,000
• X&Y : 737,000
• VIVA : 720,000
• MX : 447,000
• GS : 383,000
• AHFOD : 210,000
• EL : 48,000
• MOTS : 57,000

 

Considering the most massive promotional campaign they've ever done, the BTS fans support, the "king maker" Max Martin and the help of Selena Gomez for US sales is frankly a failure. Ok we are now in digital era but we can considering MX/GS/AHFOD and EL in digital era too.

It becomes like U2: they have a hard time producing good albums but their shows are always so spectacular. However, I think they should also be proud of what they have done in the past: Parachutes / X&Y / Viva and MX are way too abandoned now. But these are masterpieces that made them what they are now.

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.

Edited October 25, 2021 by TheBigBadBono

[gustavothehuman]

With pre-release streams, Music of the Spheres already have 600k units sold worldwide, it will probably be at 2-4 million when it's all said and done. Those are great numbers for a band in the current climate, let alone a 23 years old one, almost 24! Coldplay outlasted all of their peers and on top of it are a stadium-filling act, if you think the situation is bad, bear in mind they're still the biggest band in the world.

Edited October 26, 2021 by gustavothehuman

[TheBigBadBono]

10 minutes ago, gustavothehuman said:

With pre-release streams, Music of the Spheres already have 600k units sold worldwide, it will probably be at 2-4 million when it's all said and done. Those are great numbers for a band in the current climate, let alone a 23 years old one, almost 24! Coldplay outlasted all of their peers and on top of it are a stadium-filling act, if you think the situation is bad, bear in mind they're still the biggest band in the world.

Only asking but are you the one who manages @cponcharts on twitter? Just a hunch.

[gustavothehuman]

Just now, TheBigBadBono said:

Only asking but are you the one who manages @cponcharts on twitter? Just a hunch.

I'm close friends with them and help with the sales, but not really a manager.

[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. ?‍♀️