Looking at the possibility of starting fiscal year 2009 with a bang, EMI will release Coldplay's fourth album, "Viva La Vida," in the third week of June, less than a month after the Brit conglom releases year-end financials that are expected to reveal the costs of its massive restructuring.
Hits have been few and far between for EMI in Guy Hands' rookie season and the company's current representatives in the top 50 are a Trace Adkins hits compilation and the B-52's first album in 16 years. The pressure will be enormous for "Viva La Vida or Death and All His Friends" - that's the full title - to perform at a level equal or better than its predecessor, "X&Y," which has sold 10 million copies worldwide since its release in 2005. (The RIAA, which certifies shipments, has "X&Y" at 3 million copies in the U.S.)
"X&Y" sold 737,294 copies in its first week of release back in 2005 and Coldplay-mania was so strong then that their first two albums, "A Rush of Blood to the Head" and "Parachutes" rose to Nos. 1 and 2 on the catalog albums chart. "X&Y" debuted at No. 1 in more than 20 countries.
During the Eric Nicoli years, EMI often blamed stock slumps on the lack of or delays in new Coldplay and/or Radiohead material, which meant the company had to tout Beach Boys, Dean Martin and Beatles packages along with front line releases for signs of good news.
With EMI streamlined, the jury is still out as to whether they will be able to break new artists on the scale of Coldplay or even Norah Jones. But its reduction in size, however, may mean that a single record from a single band may be able to jumpstart a company.
The album's 10 tracks are:
"Life in Technicolor"
"Cemeteries of London"
"Lost!"
"42"
"Lovers in Japan/Reign of Love"
"Yes"
"Viva La Vida"
"Violet Hill"
"Strawberry Swing"
"Death and All His Friends"
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