[Closed] Coldplay , dont get it !

Vacuous inane music

In the words of Bill Hicks "I want my rock stars dead "

They're popular because their music is the very definition of mainstream. Safe, unchallenging, nice, predictable.

To quote Muriel Spark:

"For those that like that sort of thing, that is the sort of thing they like."

I'm not a fan particularly, but they are very good live.

Every song sounds the same ... or is it the same song with slightly different lead breaks ...who cares its bad

Musical beige

Good live now means everyone is drunk and no-one cares because we are one of 40,000 people filming it on my mobile phone !

My Dad had a backstage pass when they played at the Reebok stadium.

He came home after the second song. I'm amazed he lasted so long.

Not particularly a fan but saw them live on the off chance and they were bloody good (and I wasn't drunk).

"For those that like that sort of thing, that is the sort of thing they like."

Gunz, "bloody good" ....I think the new vanilla ice album is out next week ,get on board the boat of banality !

Gunz, "bloody good" ....I think the new vanilla ice album is out next week ,get on board the boat of banality !

We can tolerate each other's preferences, surely. Let the man like Coldplay if he wants!

PrinceJohn - Member
Musical beige

Thats an insult to Beige!

Thing is.... I was born liking middle of the road stuff. The edgiest I got was liking Bowie and early Queen stuff. Ya can't help what you like and don't like and I love most of Coldplay's stuff. Live and let live!

They make popular music so what, , dont like it dont listen to it.

Beige as has been said above.

Got a few friends who independently went to see them recently and they all said they were 'amazing'. When they clarified their statements, the all said that the lights and effects were the amazing bit. Yes. it's all part of the show, but for me it's about the music, and none of them mentioned that!

Say what you like, Fix You is a [i]tune[/i]. It doesn't go anywhere, it just repeats the same theme over and over louder and louder, it doesn't outstay its welcome and it works damn well.

I'm not a fan but I've seen them live twice- once at T in the Park headlining or nearly headlining, I forget... And yeah, they were good. Not my sort of music but Chris Martin was an engaging and slightly deranged frontman (he spent more time in the lighting rig than is healthy) and they carried the crowd superbly. Really good dynamics in the set and all that. I can't dispute the skill of it.

And once on an NME new bands tour in 2000 😆 Co-headlining with Terris, who I knew immediately were going to make it [i]big[/i], Coldplay you could tell had a reasonable future supporting the Longpigs and playing halfway up the bill in the tents.

This.

There's far worse you could be listening to. Pretty much everything teens like at the moment for example. Coldplay may churn out same old stuff that's nice to listen to, but at least they actually have talent, can write and play their music and don't require auto tune to sing.

Everything sounds the same, well I give you Radiohead 😛 (nothing wrong with them either)

True , you can't help what music you like ,you like certain beats ,rythyms vocals etc ...very much in your make up

Pigface has it. Generic pop that is easy to listen, at least it is not Adele and her body awful warberling.

Everything sounds the same, well I give you Radiohead

Yeah. Funny how "challenging and experimental" becomes "banal dadrock" over time. See also Pink Floyd.

I still think both those bands produce more interesting music than Coldplay though, but that's a personal preference.

My sister and her teenage kids went to see them live recently and said it was the most impressive live performance they've ever seen. Which echoes some of the other comments above.

They aren't for me though...

So music can't just be enjoyable, it has to mean something ?

FWIW I was practicing Viva La Vida agian this morning on the Guitar, good fairly simple beginners song

It's ok to not get something. Doesn't mean others are wrong. Doesn't mean you're wrong.

[img] [/img]

Inoffensive band in broad appeal shocker.

They remind me of U2 in the 90's few people had them as their favouritist band in the world ever, but lots and lots of people might put them in their top 5.

Inconspicuous de-coupling of whatever though, and to think Alice Cooper had to bite the heads of animals...

Musical equivalent of Andy Murray.
Dull, boring, safe, beige.
But adored by millions of middle England..

First album was alright

Musical equivalent of Andy Murray.
Dull, boring, safe, beige.
But adored by millions of middle England..

+1

Pure 'Magic FM' fodder.

When I was at uni I worked for a company that did security/stewarding for gigs and I've had to endure some godawful over the years and Coldplay was among them. The only bonus was that every now and then you got to work a gig for a band you like, or in the case of Download, a weekend worth of them!

[i]There's far worse you could be listening to.[/i]

Not if you don't like it!!

yup the first album is great, that song about making friends in a wooden house is lovely.

Gunz, "bloody good" ....I think the new vanilla ice album is out next week ,get on board the boat of banality

Of course you can infer from one throwaway comment, the entirety of my music tastes. It must be hard being so cutting edge and waiting for the rest of us to catch up.
By the way, 'Ice, ice baby', is an unmitigated classic.

why do you have to 'get it'?
Live and let live, and let it be etc. People like different stuff.

Never got these threads 🙂

I don't 'get' the appeal of soap operas, and the bloody Archers, but you know millions do, and that's totally cool.

I'm surprised no one has posted this yet.

I think the vocal and verbose disliking of Coldplay says more about the person spouting the opinion than it does about the band. They are a relatively middle of the road pop band with an alternative rock band wrapper. It's just pop for adults rather than children. They have never aspired to be bad lads or be rebellious. They seem to get their kicks out of making music lots of people like rather than some sort of turmoil fuelled angst. Consequently those folk that don't want to be associated with 'nice' people and think of themselves as edgier believe it's cool to trash them. In truth the truly cool or musically sophisticated will give a nod in their direction and move on to thinking about whatever it is that floats their boats. It's only the inept and inadequate that feel motivated enough to actually get wound up by the existence of a band the don't listen to.

It's only the inept and inadequate that feel motivated enough to actually get wound up by the existence of a band they dislike.

Says the angriest contributor to the thread 🙂

I think the vocal and verbose disliking of Coldplay says more about the person spouting the opinion than it does about the band. They are a relatively middle of the road pop band with an alternative rock band wrapper. It's just pop for adults rather than children. They have never aspired to be bad lads or be rebellious. They seem to get their kicks out of making music lots of people like rather than some sort of turmoil fuelled angst. Consequently those folk that don't want to be associated with 'nice' people and think of themselves as edgier think it's cool to trash them. In truth the truly cool or musically sophisticated will give a nod in their direction and move on to thinking about whatever it is that floats their boats. It's only the inept and inadequate that feel motivated enough to actually get wound up by the existence of a band the don't listen to.

That is a steaming pile of codswallop right there, which says more about you than it does anything.

It's music for people who don't actually like music. Music for people who buy 1 or 2 albums a year. At christmas.

They could have been formed based on the results of a Radio 2 listener survey of terminally dull people who regard Jeremy Vine as a bit edgy.

One of my neighbours has clearly just bought the latest Coldplay album. He's had it on repeat with the windows open, while I've been out the back cleaning and fettling bikes, post ride. It's absolutely bloody awful bedwettery drivel! If it goes on again I'm going to firebomb his ****ing house! And he'll only have himself to blame!

May not agree about musical styles mikey74, but I'm totally with you on that comment 🙂

What some people don't understand, is how shite music can affect people who have the same affliction as me - imagine your hearing is like your sense of smell... smelling something delicious is a lovely experience, but smelling the fart of the old bloke on the bus behind you... that's how hearing Coldplay feels.

Well I wouldn't put it that strongly but were it a choice between Coldplay or silence, I would choose silence. But then, I can't listen to Radio 1 or 2 for the same reason.

Never apologise for your taste in music.

That is a steaming pile of codswallop right there, which says more about you than it does anything.

May not agree about musical styles mikey74, but I'm totally with you on that comment

Ahh, I should have put it in simpler terms.

Your average vocal coldplay hater:-
[img] [/img]

😆 😆 😆

Oh sorry - wrong emoji

🙄

Uncanny, that's exactly the respond Comic book guy would make.

Uncanny, that's exactly the respond Comic book guy would make.

Man angry with people because they don't like Coldplay...

...accuses others of being childish

No, not angry. And, no not childish? Just sad.

Why does music have to be edgy?

I'm driving to the Alps Thursday night, my passengers will be subjected to my music tastes, including plenty of Coldplay, Killers, Fratellis, Carter USM.

We like what we like, no need to be rude.

As a 36 year old who remembers coldplay when they were first coming into mainstream popularity with 'yellow' and so on I thought I was supposed to be part of Coldplay's main audience demographic, and assumed that younger cohorts probably regarded it as dad music.

But coming into work at the start of the week it turned out lots of the graduates had been to Glasto over last weekend, many of them on a Sunday day pass specifically to see Coldplay. So I was wrong, it's not dad music and they do have wider appeal. Fair play to them I guess.

When you try your best, but you don't succeed
When you get what you want, but not what you need
When you feel so tired, but you can't sleep
Stuck in reverse
And the tears come streaming down your face
When you lose something you can't replace
When you love someone, but it goes to waste
Could it be worse?

Lights will guide you home
And ignite your bones
And I will try to fix you

And high up above or down below
When you're too in love to let it go
But if you never try you'll never know
Just what you're worth

Lights will guide you home
And ignite your bones
And I will try to fix you

Tears stream down your face
When you lose something you cannot replace
Tears stream down your face and I
Tears stream down your face
I promise you I will learn from my mistakes
Tears stream down your face and I

Lights will guide you home
And ignite your bones
And I will try to fix you

I think the vocal and verbose disliking of Coldplay says more about the person spouting the opinion than it does about the band. They are a relatively middle of the road pop band with an alternative rock band wrapper. It's just pop for adults rather than children. They have never aspired to be bad lads or be rebellious. They seem to get their kicks out of making music lots of people like rather than some sort of turmoil fuelled angst. Consequently those folk that don't want to be associated with 'nice' people and think of themselves as edgier think it's cool to trash them. In truth the truly cool or musically sophisticated will give a nod in their direction and move on to thinking about whatever it is that floats their boats. It's only the inept and inadequate that feel motivated enough to actually get wound up by the existence of a band the don't listen to.

That is a steaming pile of codswallop right there, which says more about you than it does anything.

I can't bloody stand that song! Even for Coldplay, it's simpering nonsense for emotionally stunted bedwetters

However, watching Chris Martin perform it on an episode of Extras while Royally taking the piss out of himself, as really being a total megalomaniac was absolutely bloody brilliant! So fair play to him 😀

Seen them three times and I really don't like them that much... But they do do a good live show. Fix you is a good song but I thing most of his lyrics suck.

I don't like them. It's all just a bit too wishy washy.

One of the big problems I have listening to them is I can't stand Chris Martin's singing voice.

One of the few bands/performers/acts I will actively skip if they come on.

dantsw13 - Member

I'm driving to the Alps Thursday night, my passengers will be subjected to my music tastes, including plenty of Coldplay, Killers, Fratellis, Carter USM.

Will you be dancing to the music that nobody likes?

It's ok to not get something. Doesn't mean others are wrong. Doesn't mean you're wrong

dantsw13 - Member
I'm driving to the Alps Thursday night, my passengers will be subjected to my music tastes

That sounds both sociopathically triumphant and mildly threatening!

Serial killers often start out by being cruel to little animals. What to make of someone who [i]begins[/i] with torturing captive human adults?

I look like Chris Martin. I hate my face. That's what they've done to me. That's the evil of Coldplay at work.

One of my neighbours has clearly just bought the latest Coldplay album. He's had it on repeat with the windows open, while I've been out the back cleaning and fettling bikes, post ride. It's absolutely bloody awful bedwettery drivel! If it goes on again I'm going to firebomb his ****ing house! And he'll only have himself to blame!

Your neighbour knows how to wind you up. Surprised he didn't stick his '100 greatest speeches of Jeremy Corbyn' CD on.

Hope you didn't start any trouble.

It's music for people who don't actually like music.

Ouch! And there's the low blow 😆

For the record, first album good, second album better, 3rd album good/great (depending on whether you're listening to Fix You or not) and live they are indeed tremendously entertaining. However the last couple of albums and singles have left me cold.

Coldplay are the musical equivalent of Doom Bar beer. They arrived on the scene when the alternative was unpalatable watered-down pop or edgy and hard to swallow "specialist" material and they wrapped up the market.

Happy to say that since then the choice has got wider and better, but Doom Bar/Coldplay will still be the populist choice until something else comes along to replace it/them.

Like a Horlicks enema

The funny thing about Coldplay is that they have sold like, forty gazillion albums and had multiple worldwide tours selling out huge stadia, so clearly a lot of people like the music that they make. It's a pretty arrogant position to take to tell all those people that they are wrong.

There are quite a few other bands that have become enormously successful selling 'adult pop music' as someone accurately put it earlier (I'm looking at you Foo Fighters, Red Hot Chilli Peppers, Killers etc etc), but Coldplay seem to attract a disproportionate amount of bile.

The funny thing about Coldplay is that they have sold like, forty gazillion albums and had multiple worldwide tours selling out huge stadia

Yet I bet the overwhelming majority of their fans would struggle to name a single member of the band apart from Chris Martin.

They're bland, safe and anonymous. Fine if that's your bag. The kind of stuff I would expect to be the soundtrack to nice dinner party for 40-somethings.

They arrived on the scene when the alternative was unpalatable watered-down pop or edgy and hard to swallow "specialist" material and they wrapped up the market.

Parachutes came out in 2000 which does appear to be an exceptionally bland year for music, at least chart wise. An era of peak David Gray and Dido 😳

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_UK_Albums_Chart_number_ones_of_the_2000s

Different people like different things.
I'm sure if you posted your favorite live band there would be plenty of people to tell you they are "xyz"

There's plenty of other music available so I'm sure you don't have to be forced to listen to them

Yet I bet the overwhelming majority of their fans would struggle to name a single member of the band apart from Chris Martin.

'Lead singer in Most Famous Member of Band' shocker. How many Foo Fighters fans know anyone other than Dave Grohl? And, to be honest, why does it matter?

I'm kind of reminded of the old "never ask a man if he's from Yorkshire; if he is from Yorkshire he'll have told you" line:

"Never ask a man whether they like Coldplay; if they don't like Coldplay they'll have told you"

Pigface has it. Generic pop that is easy to listen, at least it is not Adele and her body awful warberling.

He does but you don't get it. Started well but slipped in the latter half... 🙂

I am big fan of Coldplay but first to admit that most of their songs are utter terrible. I would say from each album they have 2 or 3 good songs but the rest are dreadful. The ones that are good however are bloody brilliant.

Most people who are into music slag off Coldplay because they are popular. Coldplay are like Crank Brothers, there are loads of lover and tons of haters. Most products are rubbish but a couple are amazing.

[quote=IHN ]Yet I bet the overwhelming majority of their fans would struggle to name a single member of the band apart from Chris Martin.
'Lead singer in Most Famous Member of Band' shocker. How many Foo Fighters fans know anyone other than Dave Grohl? And, to be honest, [b]why does it matter?[/b]

Personally, I miss the days when bands were more than just a snazzy marketing campaign, and the actual musicians were important and were household names

John, Paul, Ringo, George
Daltrey, Townshend, Entwhistle, Moon
Plant, Page, Jones, Bonham
Jagger, Richards, Wood, Wyman, Watts
Clapton, Baker, Bruce

etc

and the actual musicians were important and were household names

IMO different times now, downloads, shrinking readership on mags like the NME have all contributed to this.

When I was a lad 😉 you had Sounds, Melody Maker, NME and for the pop side of it Smash Hits and loads of fanzines, Kerrrang and Metal Hammer came a little later.

[quote=Pigface ]and the actual musicians were important and were household names
IMO different times now, downloads, shrinking readership on mags like the NME have all contributed to this.
When I was a lad you had Sounds, Melody Maker, NME and for the pop side of it Smash Hits and loads of fanzines, Kerrrang and Metal Hammer came a little later.

Which is a bit oxymoronic because the youth of today have access to way more information about their favourite bands than I ever did.

I had no idea there were 4 people in Coldplay. The other 3 could be the most anonymous famous people in the world

[img] [/img]

Coldplay: there's someone called Will and someone called Jonny. I think there's a Buckland in there somewhere, could be Will or Johnny. Inevitably I will have no clue what the bassist is called 🙂 I might be thinking of Radiohead though 😆

I suspect that the (younger) Coldplay fans probably do know what they're all called. They're fans. We're just a bunch of moaning middle-aged (mostly) men and, as is evidenced on this thread, few of us are fans. What do we care what the musicians are called? It's just rose-tinted nostalgia for a time when we were young enough to have the mental capacity to (a) remember band member names (b) give a toss. I could still tell you the members of Cypress Hill cos I was a huge fan when I was young enough to think that mattered.

Caveat: this could just be me.

(I do, however, believe that the death of vinyl as a popular medium for consuming music has a part to play in this, but that's another thread for another day...)

[i] the actual musicians were important and were household names

John, Paul, Ringo, George...etc[/i]

It didn't end in the 60s! 😆

BoardinBob - Member

Yet I bet the overwhelming majority of their fans would struggle to name a single member of the band apart from Chris Martin.

I've never understood why this has any importance whatsoever....
There's tons of bands I like that I would struggle to name even the lead singer. Doesn't mean I don't like their music.
I am interested in music, but don't really feel the need to memorise the names of people in bands....

It's fine if you are interested in all that kind of stuff, but equally it doesn't mean that you aren't a 'real fan' if you don't know who was bassist from '87-'91 but left in an alcoholic stupor and was replaced by the controversial choice of so-and-so who previously played in the quasi-punk band whatser-face.....blah blah..... 😆

A few people from work went to see Coldplay on tour recently, as well as a few friends and acquaintances, all independently, all came back saying how amazing it was etc, my boss and a colleague went to the 02, boss tried to justify his crap seats by saying you could see more and got more atmosphere from right at the back. Everyone seems suckered in by the whole thing, it's weird, the music is just alright, a few songs verge on anthemic, but not quite, and it's mostly quite dreary. Our office was abuzz with Coldplay chat the other week, that and the trips to London, which I also don't get, when all you do is go to some chain restaurant and do the same things everyone does, taking in none of the history or important stuff. Our office thought both were amazeballs......

Don't get me wrong, I've bought Coldplay albums, I like some of their songs, but mostly it's all a bit 'meh', as another colleague describes it "bedwetters music".

I think Chris Martin has a very average voice too, worse than most of the people on say the x factor for example, but I guess they do make up for it in part with the 'performance'.

BoardinBob - Member

Personally, I miss the days when bands were more than just a snazzy marketing campaign, and the actual musicians were important and were household names

Beyonce, Kanye, Zane...

Heard this interview with idlewild...they say that coldplay knew how to play the game. Song at the back end of the interview is ace if interested.

Coldplay are the musical equivalent of Doom Bar beer. They arrived on the scene when the alternative was unpalatable watered-down pop or edgy and hard to swallow "specialist" material and they wrapped up the market.

I like that analogy, but I don't think it applies to CP. If Coldplay were just all things to all people it would be apposite but CP have something else - that vocal catch that Chris Martin does all the time, which makes CP more like alcopops: easy to take the first time but it quickly becomes too sickly.

I think the OP asks a very fair question because I would ask the same about Radiohead. I've given it quite a good listen, thinking it might be something quite special, but ended up thinking I must be missing something.