25 things about Coldplay, from their early years as Starfish to how they became the biggest band on the planet

As the band begins their four-night run in Abu Dhabi, we look back at their celebrated career

Coldplay perform during a concert as part of the Music of the Spheres tour, at the Felix Sanchez Olympic Stadium in the Dominican Republic in 2022. EPA

Coldplay is currently the biggest rock band in the world. With the highest-grossing tour on record and nearly all of their albums delivering a cache of global hits, the band has become a powerhouse in modern music.

But before the sold-out stadiums and more than 100 million albums sold, they were a humble four-piece group rehearsing and recording songs as a break from the daily grind of university and work. Ahead of their sold out four-show run at Abu Dhabi’s Zayed Sports City Stadium starting on Thursday, we take a look back at the band’s journey, from their modest beginnings as London upstarts to becoming one of the defining bands of their generation.

1. Coldplay trace their roots to University College London. It is on campus where singer Chris Martin and guitarist Johnny Buckland met in 1996.

2. They first recorded under the name Big Fat Noises. This after bassist Guy Berryman joined them in 1997 and the trio started writing songs.

3. Drummer Will Champion completed the line-up in 1998. He later revealed that he learnt to play the drums to join the band.

4. They went by the name Starfish for a few years. They eventually settled on Coldplay, which was inspired by Phil Horky's book Child Reflections: Coldplay. The name had initially been rejected by another band the group were friends with.

Coldplay in 2000. From left: Chris Martin, Johnny Buckland, Will Champion and Guy Berryman. Getty Images

5. Coldplay released their debut EP Safety in 1998. The artwork features a blurred black-and-white photo of Martin and includes three songs. While none of the tracks appeared on their subsequent albums, No More Keeping My Feet on the Ground was later included as a B-side to Coldplay's breakout single, Yellow.

6. Coldplay made their debut Glastonbury appearance in 1999. With their first album, Parachutes, a year away, the band arrived at the British music festival on the back of their second EP, The Blue Room, which had a limited release of 5,000 copies. Performing in the New Bands Tent, their set list included early versions of fan favourites such as Shiver and Spies. The band went on to headline the festival for the fifth time last year.

7. Parachutes was recorded over two weeks in four different UK studios. While Shiver generated buzz on local radio, it was the follow-up single, Yellow, that made a significant impact, reaching the top five on the UK charts.

8. The band's signature video for Yellow was shot in rapid time. Featuring Martin singing while walking along a beach, it was filmed in a single shot at twice the regular speed. This required Martin to sing the song twice as fast during filming to ensure the visuals synched perfectly with the audio in the final cut.

9. Parachutes won Best Alternative Music Album at the 2003 Grammy Awards. It marked the first of seven Grammys the band would win in the ensuing years.

10. The music video for The Scientist was shot in reverse. Taken from the 2002 album, A Rush of Blood to the Head, the production required Martin to sing the entire song backward. This painstaking process involved him learning the reversed version of the song from a tape specifically recorded for this purpose.

11. Clocks nearly didn’t make the cut. One of the band’s biggest hits was initially excluded from A Rush of Blood to the Head as the group was already satisfied with the tracks recorded for the album. Originally titled Song for #3, it was rescued from the cutting room floor after the band’s artistic director, Phil Harvey, urged them to revisit it. The song went on to win the 2004 Grammy Award for Record of the Year.

12. Coldplay's songs have yet to be used in advertising campaigns. According to the trade publication Campaign, the band has reportedly turned down more than £55 million in offers to licence their hits, including Yellow and Trouble.

Coldplay performing at Emirates Palace in Abu Dhabi in 2009. Lauren Lancaster / The National

13. Coldplay made their first UAE performance in 2009. The outdoor show at Emirates Palace was memorable because a storm arrived during their set. Speaking to The National, guitarist Buckland recalled the event with some trepidation: “I remember the Abu Dhabi show very strongly,” he said. “It was scarily rainy, and there was lightning. I could feel the metal in my belt pack – on stage you wear one – and I could feel it rumbling as the static was going off it.”

14. Chris Martin believes he has synaesthesia. The neurological condition apparently allows him to perceive sounds as colours. Speaking to The Wall Street Journal, Martin explained how this undiagnosed condition shaped his perspective on the band’s 2015 album, A Head Full of Dreams. “The last album we made was supposed to be more silver and blue – two tones, quiet night-time. With this one, we’re trying to do our whole spectrum,” he said. “The colours we’re missing within the band, we tried to bring in with guests and other producers.”

15. Coldplay members share songwriting credits equally. This is despite Martin being the primary driving force behind most of their songs and the most high-profile member of the group. This collaborative approach is likely to be a leading reason the band’s journey has been relatively smooth and free or acrimony.

16. Coldplay first introduced LED wristbands during their Mylo Xyloto tour in 2011. The feature, which synchronises with the music, has since been adopted by other artists, including Taylor Swift on her recent Eras tour.

Coldplay performs during the NFL Superbowl Half-Time show in 2016. Reuters

17. Coldplay performed at the Super Bowl Halftime Show in 2016 alongside Beyoncé and Bruno Mars. Their set included hits like Viva La Vida and Paradise before they joined Bruno Mars for Uptown Funk and Beyonce for the live debut of her song Formation. The set concluded with all three artists performing Coldplay’s Up and Up.

18. Coldplay has recorded one Christmas song. Released as a standalone single in 2010, Christmas Lights found modest success on the US charts and was later covered by artists such as Kylie Minogue and the punk band Yellowcard.

19. Ghost Stories was Coldplay’s divorce album. Influenced by Martin’s “conscious uncoupling” from actress Gwyneth Paltrow, the sombre collection of songs delves into the anguish and isolation stemming from a relationship breakdown. The album’s standout moment was the hit anthem A Sky Full of Stars, a collaboration with the late EDM artist Avicii.

20. Coldplay often include cover songs in their live performances. Their selections showcase their wide range of influences and inspirations. These covers have included classics such as Heroes by David Bowie, Billie Jean by Michael Jackson, Three Little Birds by Bob Marley, and What a Wonderful World by Louis Armstrong.

21. Coldplay have collaborated with numerous artists over the years. Some have resulting in several major hits for the band. These include My Universe with BTS and Princess of China with Rihanna. Additionally, their feature on Something Just Like This became a chart-topping success for American EDM duo The Chainsmokers.

The band's two concerts in Amman, Jordan was captured in the film Coldplay: Everyday Life Live in Jordan. Photo: Coldplay

22. Coldplay performed a sunrise and sunset concert in Amman, Jordan. Held at the Amman Citadel, both shows streamed live on YouTube and marked the launch of their 2019 album, Everyday Life.

23. Coldplay features a detailed timeline of their history, spanning up to 2020, on their official website. Launched in 2015 to celebrate the 15th anniversary of their debut album, Parachutes, the timeline includes behind-the-scenes photos, as well as rehearsal and concert clips from their career.

24. The Music of the Spheres tour is an eco-friendly world tour. It features innovations like kinetic dance floors that convert audience movement into energy to help to power the show, as well as plant-based meals for concertgoers. The band aims to reduce overall emissions from the tour by 50 per cent compared to their previous events.

25. Music of the Spheres is currently the biggest rock tour of all time. According to Billboard, the tour exceeded Elton John’s Farewell Yellow Brick Road tour last year by grossing more than $945 million.