Coldplay are well aware that they have haters, but have learned to embrace the negativity. In a new interview with Rolling Stone, frontman Chris Martin explained how the band has learned to take it all in stride.
While discussing the band’s promotional strategies for their latest album, Moon Music, interviewer Alex Morris commented that Martin rarely mentions things he doesn’t enjoy — Coldplay haters included. “It would be terrible if we lived in a society where everyone had to [like the same thing],” Martin responded. “We’re a very, very easy, safe target. We’re not going to bite back. We are four white, middle-class men from England. We deserve to take some shit for what our people have done. There’s a reason we get to play all around the world, and part of it is not necessarily very healthy.”
Having empathy and generosity for the people who lampoon his band is a major aspect of Martin’s peaceful ethos. It can particularly be found in the widescreen, emotions-as-billboards approach from Moon Music and their 2021 album, Music of the Spheres. According to Martin’s metaphor in the Moon Music cut “iAAM,” you can levy any criticism at him, but he is a “mountain,” and has unwavering faith that he and his band will land on their feet in the end.
To that point, Martin feels that Coldplay are long past caring about other people’s expectations for the group. “There’ve been times where we [were like], ‘Well, we should probably try and look a bit like this or talk a bit like that.’ And now, it’s just like, ‘No.’ Just follow whatever’s being sent. And that’s a very liberating place to be,” Martin said. “If you want a puppet to sing a bit of a song, well, some people might not like this — my mum being one of them, for example. But my point is, that’s part of my journey to be like, ‘Well, I love you, and this is what we’re doing.’”
While the 2020s version of Coldplay is all intergalactic wonder and literal rainbow emojis, it wasn’t always so easy for the band to tune out their detractors. In their 2018 documentary Coldplay: A Head Full of Dreams, the band discussed how debilitating it was for them to be derided for their earnestness and punished for their more feminine presentation of British rock during their rapid rise in the early 2000s.
Throughout the rest of Martin’s Rolling Stone interview, he continued breaking down Coldplay’s “love conquers all” philosophy, why his messages of acceptance are more for himself than his audience, his family and relationship with actress Dakota Johnson, and how his songwriting process has evolved (“There were about six shitty ‘Viva La Vidas,’ and then the actual one,” he said). Check out the full interview here.
Coldplay are supporting Moon Music with another big slate of tour dates in 2025. They’ll bring their “Music of the Spheres Tour,” which has already grossed $1 billion and set global touring records, to Asia, North America, and the UK next year; their North American run kicks off in May. See their tour dates below, and get tickets to see Coldplay here.
The band also recently shared the video for the Moon Music single “All My Love,” which starred Dick Van Dyke as he celebrated his 99th birthday with his family.
Coldplay 2025 Tour Dates:
01/11 – Abu Dhabi, UAE @ Zayed Sports City Stadium
01/12 – Abu Dhabi, UAE @ Zayed Sports City Stadium
01/14 – Abu Dhabi, UAE @ Zayed Sports City Stadium
01/18 – Mumbai, India @ D Y Patil Sports Stadium
01/19 – Mumbai, India @ D Y Patil Sports Stadium
01/21 – Mumbai, India @ D Y Patil Sports Stadium
04/09 – Hong Kong @ Kai Tak Stadium
04/11 – Hong Kong @ Kai Tak Stadium
04/12 – Hong Kong @ Kai Tak Stadium
04/16 – Seoul, South Korea @ Goyang Stadium
04/18 – Seoul, South Korea @ Goyang Stadium
04/19 – Seoul, South Korea @ Goyang Stadium
04/22 – Seoul, South Korea @ Goyang Stadium
04/24 – Seoul, South Korea @ Goyang Stadium
04/25 – Seoul, South Korea @ Goyang Stadium
05/31 – Stanford, CA @ Stanford Stadium
06/06 – Las Vegas, NV @ Allegiant Stadium
06/10 – Denver, CO @ Empower Field at Mile High
06/13 – El Paso, TX @ Sun Bowl Stadium
07/07 – Toronto, ON @ Rogers Stadium
07/08 – Toronto, ON @ Rogers Stadium
07/15 – Foxborough, MA @ Gillette Stadium
07/19 – Madison, WI @ Camp Randall Stadium
07/22 – Nashville, TN @ Nissan Stadium
07/26 – Miami, FL @ Hard Rock Stadium
08/18 – Hull, UK @ Craven Park Stadium
08/19 – Hull, UK @ Craven Park Stadium
08/22 – London, UK @ Wembley Stadium
08/23 – London, UK @ Wembley Stadium
08/26 – London, UK @ Wembley Stadium
08/27 – London, UK @ Wembley Stadium
08/30 – London, UK @ Wembley Stadium
08/31 – London, UK @ Wembley Stadium
09/03 – London, UK @ Wembley Stadium
09/04 – London, UK @ Wembley Stadium
09/07 – London, UK @ Wembley Stadium
09/08 – London, UK @ Wembley Stadium