lennyrott1

Yes and to clarify something, Johann Johhannsson's soundtrack for the film Arrival is sampled subtely in the background of song. Specifically the song Kangaru, which features a really cool rhythmic "nanananana" that sounds very alien and hypnotising. I don't think it will be on Moon Music. I think they performed it as a one-off shout out to Jin in this era. It just seems that if they wanted to drop it as a single, they would have by now. If anything, we might get an official release of the live performance with Jin as a bonus track (think Something Just Like This live in Japan)

I think that's a spot on analysis of the most likely outcome with the ever-present fear of Coldplay nose-diving into a pop mess that doesn't work. But the thing about the band is that they are unpredictably predictable. They always keep us guessing -- right on the edge of thinking they'll do something really different or really poppy, but when the album drops it's safe to bet you'll have a few poppier singles (ASFOS, Magic, Orphans, Cry Cry Cry, AOAL, MU, HP) countered with a mix of pop/alternative (Coloratura, Midnight, Birds, Up&Up, TiT, Arabesque). With Moon Music, I predict the overall package will lean more alternative -- maybe some quieter rock ballads, a few spacier electronic songs and interludes but I they'll stick with the overall 80's pop chique established in songs like HP & MU. The rumor that they had Nile Rodgers in studio, for example, suggests a song that leans disco or funk, maybe a pop song about dancing on the moon or something that sounds like Daft Punk's Random Access Memories. We also know that they are still likely keeping Max Martin on production, which would push the sounds to be polished and less instrumentally rich. So I hope it ends up being a better album than MOTS or even better, I hope it just sounds drastically different, like it's own album cycle that kind of lives is the MOTS era. Because ultimately I just didn't vibe with the choices they made on album one, and I say that as a big fan of Humankind, Biutyful and Coloratura.

I think that's a safe bet... The more idealistic vision would be them dropping a new single on SNL next weekend to start building the hype for volume ii. From a marketing perspective, they are going to get a lot of free attention at the Grammys because of their nomination and possible performance -- so you want to be giving folks something to jump to do, like buy concert tickets or stream new music. They could just be new tour dates, but the hopeful side of me thinks having MOTS up for a grammy is the perfect time to say "we got another album coming, here's a single, MOTS lives on" I'm leaning towards a new single next week, personally but trying to not get my hopes up.

Pretty wild how Chris just drops info out of the blue in random interviews. It's like htat one time he said "we have an album called A Head Full of Dreams" a whole year before it dropped. I'm feeling hopeful we'll get new music soon given the upcoming SNL performance, and maybe that single could start getting incorporated in live shows this Spring leading into a proper album release this summer. That said, his tone was making think it would be a while longer. In terms of this being volume ii, I don't know what to think. Moon Music is an interesting title for sure. Like MOTS you can interpret it in different ways. I had initially hoped MOTS would be a solar system-themed space epic. Now with Moon Music, I want to believe it's a cool space jazzy lo-fi album with lots of big alternative rock grooves, but realistically it will just be like MOTS II but with different features...

I really, really hope so. I really hope so but I'm not sure. Chris has said in interviews throughout their career that he feels pretty confident about some songs not seeing the light of day. Ever since Viva I think some of their best songs just haven't been released, including Vampire Symphony and many of the Viva demos. I do think it's true they put songs in their back pocket, and if those don't get used I don't see any harm in releasing old demos more officially like Radiohead. That was an amazing release and some wonderful fan service and I pray Coldplay would give us that love.

I wouldn't worry about the fake leak thing. People love to get excited about silly things and I don't think anyone is seriously offended. At least it's something to talk about. With new tour dates announced I'm really crossing my fingers for new music to drop in the next few months but at this point of zero clue what to expect. I would love it if they used demos from the AHFOD era on MOTS II Era. I used to rank AHFOD as a lower-tier era but after those demos leaked (Family Tree, Vampire Symphony, the OG AHFOD, Forever Whatever) I feel like they had a really creative era that would have been surprisingly rockin' and unique sounding. And MOTS era so far I think is in desperate need of some better melodies and more interesting ideas. We know MOTS Volume I and Everyday Life both used a lot of former Coldplay demos, so maybe reworking those old songs is part of their goal in the last 2-3 albums of their career. I really, really want a final version of Vampire Symphony. I truly think it could be a huge radio hit in 2023.

No rumors, but I would guess based on Coldplay's tour history, they'll probably roll back to the U.S. around the other legs they are doing to cover some areas they missed. The only difference with this tour is the sustainability aspect -- I'm not sure if that rules out places.

Not sure if it gives anything away for the next era... Definitely feels like a MOTS-produced song based on the vocal and instrumental production, for better & worse. I wish the mixing was just a touch more focused on the instruments instead of the pop vocals. I think if MOTS Vol. 2 had more songs with this vibe, it could definitely be an improvement. I don't hear that intro from Biuyitful live! Was that the Johan Johannsen track from the Arrival soundtrack this apparently samples? Maybe that's the distorted alien-like vocal at the beginning? Here are my thoughts in spoilers so I don't take up too much room:

Yes, I think it's okay if we never forgive Win but that doesn't mean they shouldn't try to do better and make some good out the harm. The whole response is just crazy and hurtful to the victims. I was hoping to see them on tour one day and now I don't think that will happen. I'm sure Coldplay could have minor skeletons in their closet, but I think the beauty of these guys is that they are just genuinely nice and good people. The worst things I can think of would be related to Guy and his whole NFT thing this past year, which is dumb but not "cancellable." And Chris has had some run-in's with paparazzi but frankly I would have too. Also they are all stupid rich and pro-capitalism in their messaging. I love how they softly advocate for stuff but then also work with oil and gas companies. In the grand scheme though, I love how they are open to criticism on that and seriously take it and try to make things better.

Asking myself the same questions. I think people can believe social media is bad or that men are toxic, but to actually participate in those cultures themselves. At the risk of sounding sympathetic to Win, which I'm most definitely not, I think people that engage in predatory behaviour are trying to exercise power and assert dominance while being very much aware of how bad it is deep down. I hate when people say "oh he just didn't know better" because I think people know when they are hurting someone else, they just don't care. I mean even reading the details it sounds like Win asked people not to talk about his approaches -- so he knew the whole time. So looking back at some of his lyrics, I wonder if he's processing that behaviour somewhat and writing about his own problems, or if he's just a character when he writes music and pretends to be this disaffected hipster guy that totally gets it and is an ally when in real life, outside the studio, he is the problem.

Yeah I got into Coldplay first and then slowly started getting into Arcade Fire. Once I started to realize their similarities and that Coldplay toured with them during the LVL era, it made me become a huge fan. I also feel uncomfortable and I'm sorry this was a shock to so many including me. I don't want to tell anyone how to feel, but I personally have always tried to seperate my opinions about the art and the artist unless the art itself is specifically harming people. For example, Kanye's behaviour is totally unacceptable sometimes, but I love his art, especially when he raps about universal feelings and problems. Unfortunately there's many problematic people in music, especially in the "classic rock" days that straight up did criminal things but were never held accountable. It's terrible. For me, AF's music has been really positive and cathartic over the years, so I'm going to still enjoy it when I can. However, it's definitely worse now because I'll never not think of how terrible Win treated people. TBH I never was a fan of the band's personalities & have always thought Win seemed concieted, but I never expected him to be a predator. Hopefully he can be held accountable and I don't blame people if they want to stop listening to the band in order to stop supporting him financially.

Aye good to hear from ya JC90! Hope you're doing well. I've actually hopped on the discord and participated there a bit the past few years, but I can hardly keep up with those folks haha Because my normal 9-5 job is on a computer, I find myself avoiding using a computer for personal time. Haven't moved on from the band but I certainly am in a lull now with this era which I found overall lukewarm. I think I'll always be a fan of their music and grateful for their career in general -- the recent Arcade Fire news is an example of how other bands/fandoms I might idolize have serious problems. Coldplay's just been consistently awesome and a force for good in my life and I love how international it is. Hard to see Coldplaying become more quiet but the times and technology change, I guess. I'll always prefer this format and getting to read people's thoughts in longer form posts but I guess I'm an old dog now. But we also know way more about earlier eras than a lot of folks out there -- we're basically Coldplay scholars lol

Me too if possible! loved my time at Coldplaying just can't keep up anymore.

Thy can't please everyone and now that they have another album under their belts with "must play" singles like My Universe and unfortunately boring ones like Let Somebody Go, you end up losing room on the setlist if you're trying to stick to 2 hours. I'll come to their defense and say I think they have the building blocks for a good tour, but they may need to consider adding 30 minutes to their set at some point. It feels like they are just repeating the AHFOD tour but shortening it to add some of the "Spheres Content." Just like on the album itself, I think they're too half in half out. I think if you're gonna do an EDM section, do it bigger. If you're going to do a puppet duet, do it crazier. Bring on more puppets, dancers, a costumed string section. Make the "Alien" side of the album really come out! Here are thoughts after first leg:

100% I believe one of your three scenarios are likely. It'd be really disappointg if they didn't fulfill the "A Musical Journey in Three Parts" Higher Power video promise, but then again, the other parts like you said could be EP's or reworks of older songs. The musical is probably the funnest thing to speculate about at this point. I think Coldplay is at their best when they really lean into a concept and don't let their fanciful ideas start mucking up the pacing or sonic consistency of their albums. MOTS is a cool concept, but they kind of interpreted "planets" as being things of their own, unreleated to the others. A musical has to tell a consistent story, so I'm excited to see that framework.

Was reflecting recently on Coldplay's career and how MOTS as LP9 fits in, and I kind of came to the conclusion that we're entering a chaotic musical phase for the band. Curious what others think about the next few albums? Parachutes, AROBTTH, X&Y -- The Oldplay Era, mostly alternative, pop rock and acoustic. Viva La Vida -- A transitionary era into a bigger, more colorful and creative Coldplay. MX, GS, AHFOD -- Newplay, Coldplay leans more into pop sounds while still maintining interest in alternative experimenets. However, the results are more mixed (in my opinion) The band hits new highs, but also some notable lows. Everyday Life -- Another transitionary era. The band leans back into their alternative roots while doing unexpected global collaborations, which hints at... MOTS Volumes 1 - 3? -- The whatever we want eras. So far, it's been wild. We have prog rock, we have a chipmunk alien song, we have collaborations with BTS and Selena Gomez -- each song on the record sonically is very different than the next. Are we getting three albums of all over the place sounds? Coldplay -- Their final album, apparently. Following the pattern, this could be similar to Viva or EL by being more acoustic and down to earth and intimate?

Setlists from both nights are interesting, I have to give Coldplay credit for mixing things up and taking some risks. Here are some general thoughts I had. I'm just thinking about whether I want to fork over hundreds of bucks to see them on this tour after seeing them on the AHFOD tour in 2016. Right now, if I had the option of going to the same setlist of Night 2 of this show, I'd probably sit it out.

Top 3 is super fricking hard looking back at this big discography and all the feels that come with the times of your life when you first listen to an album. Maybe my Top 3 for what makes me happy and feel in a good mood is different than my Top 3 for rainy days. But overall I'm just gonna put on a critics hat, these are the albums I think are musically my favorite: 1. Viva La Vida - Unmatched creativity and consistency. Musically it's way more complex and dynamic than any other Coldplay album. Every member of the band is pushing themselves. Throw in Prospekt's March Edition and it gets only better. It's dark, ambient, but loud and colorful. 2. A Rush of Blood to the Head - Amazing atmosphere and simple, straight to the point songwriting. Just really, really good straightforward piano rock and the subtle hints that the band was going to be eventually massive, with epic crescendos and beautiful melodies. 3. Everyday Life - Usually I'd put Parachutes here... but I have to say Everyday Life just gets better every time I listen. Not only is the concept pretty interesting and I think overall well met, but the songs are really diverse. And the band incorporates artists from all over the world to create some of their most interesting soundscapes. It can make you feel angry, wistful, sad, and hopeful all at once.

So glad you'll be able to see a show with your father, TealAppeal! I think no matter where your seats are, you're going to have a wonderful time! And haha I take it back, I ran away, 99% of fans prefer the live version... but obviously I joke.😂I don't actually know how many folks have preference or if people even care. I'm glad you enjoy the studio version, I mostly do to but am fan of distorted rock music so I wish the guitar had more oomph, but it's a style choice for sure!

The video makes sense as a promo for their tour. It seems like this is a good attempt to pull in "rock" fans of Coldplay who may not have liked the rest of the record. I can kind of identify with that, to be honest -- if they were touring near me (which they aren't at the moment) I'd really want to know how the setlist differs from AHFOD tour because I'm not in love with all the new songs outside Coloratura. But this song looks cool live and could be a highpoint of the show. I also appreciate the live-mixing in this video, it sounds better than the studio version and I think 100% of fans agree at this point the production should have been better on the album. Overall I hope we get more story out of this era. The kids dancing inside reminds me of "I got my records on, I shut the world outside until the lights come on"

^Great Prediction -- I would consider making my own setlist prediction but this basically covers it. I think Chris is the master setlist maker and he said repeatedly that the format of the AHFOD tour (with the B-state and C-stage) felt like the perfect performance and I certainly thought it was great. I wonder if your Politik guess will rotate between other songs, maybe Violet Hill, to keep the "rock" feel going after People of the Pride. I agree that it's very unlikely we'll see anything from Everyday Life, which sucks because I actually think Champion of the World could be a great song as an outro from one stage to another. Orphans too, but that song feels a bit too real right now... It feels likely that the C-Stage will be a good opportunity to get some old tunes like Green Eyes, Warning Sign, Trouble, LiJ, maybe even Hardest Part or something from X&Y. I also wonder about SJLT... A lot of artists will play their top-streamed songs. Personally I'd be super bummed if this song makes a return and I'd much rather see a rock cover as you outlined here. Getting to see Coldplay play David Bowie's Heroes on the AHFOD Tour was one of the biggest highlights for me.

Yeah this stuff is super complex & I don't feel super comfortable talking about Coldplay's overall carbon footprint and their individual wealth, with all of the weird contradictions. But since I'm very familiar with the enviro field, I do have some thoughts. The Good: I do think it's great that Coldplay, as one of the highest grossing touring bands of all time, is doing an extremely important/admirable thing by trying to strive for carbon-neutral touring. I also think their PR has been pretty good so far. They aren't saying they have the answers, but they want to start the conversation. This spreads awareness, it reduces emissions (hopefully) and it sets an example. As someone who's followed Coldplay for a long time, I appreciate how they are clearly left on the political spectrum, but they take a softer approach and are quite humble. As a massively successful band, by saying "we're only going to to advertising for electric cars," that does send a message to big corporations (whether we like that they exist or not) that influencers are wanting to push the envelope. The Bad: Yeah... BMW, Apple, Warner Music, Tidal/Spotify -- Coldplay like any other artist is going to work corporations that have all sorts of ethical problems, whether it's how they crush unions and labor, or if its their massive profits and carbon emissions. BMW, like any major car company, is 100% complicit in anti-climate work over decades. That said, the transition to electric is necessary. I think where I struggle is Coldplay is massively wealthy dudes, and with that wealth they are always going to be a little bit out of touch. Guy's recent NFT purchase just isn't surprising. This Guy was a millionaire in his early 20's and has collected art, property, cars and clothing. He's a rich Guy. Our current economic system is set up to make people like Coldplay richer and to make as many profits as possible at the expense of poor folks and the planet. We can't expect the band to get this right all of time and sometimes playing by the corporate rules is all you can do. We all may have a different strategy in mind, like abolishing capitalism and the billionaire class, but for now I think we need to see how this plays out... And also we can make fun of Guy's NFT because it's so so dumb.

Hmmmm I'm not sure what to think about all of this. Mylo Xyloto seemed like their best shot at doing a music film, but I don't see them revisiting that era in any meaningful way. Though, we were promised UATW Silver Bird... I'm just wondering what the musical film would include? Would it be like Beyonce's Lemonade where it's one long music video that's mostly just visual vignettes? Maybe a song/story per planet situation? Or is Chris talking about a literal musical that's a performance that tells a story? Is it live-action? Animated? Is it in the MOTS era or a new era? I have to give them credit I really have no idea what to expect. I'm overall very open to this, but agree that it could go terribly wrong. Coldplay already attracts criticism and Chris can occasionally be brilliant but he can also be corny. The music needs to be good first and foremost. You can look at many plays that have jsut mediocre stories, but great music saves the day (cough* Hamilton *cough)

I don't think they've disappeared because fans have been mean about the album. Sure, I bet Phil and some of their staff take a look at critical responses and provide overviews of the reception, but I don't think that's what's going on. I just think the band is moving to a lower key phase in their career. And even if they were like "oh no, people didn't like MOTS," I think they'd still release everything they've worked on. They've been pretty candid at this point that they don't care about what people think and the music is largely for them. Maybe a few adjustments can be made, but they have the next two-three years likely very planned out.

It's been oddly quiet. Perhaps that's just part of releasing a record later in the year before the Holidays when the band is spending time with families and when the media cycle slows down. Maybe it's just the new norm when you're a legacy band -- there's lots of exciting artists to be talking about instead of Coldplay afterall. But yeah... for an album featuring BTS and Selena Gomez, it seems like it didn't gain a lot of steam? Obviously I'm biased because it's my least favorite Coldplay record and also, if we are to trust metacritic's results, their least critically acclaimed record. The heights of this era really seem to have come from Coloratura, which took the media and critical world by storm, and of course, My Universe given how massive it is. The question moving forward is whether they will continue with a pre-determined 3 volume plan or if they are shifting their tactics based on the responses to this album. I'm more inclined to believe they have 2 albums ready to drop and more singles to come in 2022 with more features and Max Martin will continue helping producing.