Coldplay fans—Chris Martin and the gang are calling it quits… sort of. The iconic band is about to drop their 10th studio album Moon Music on Friday, October 4, and according to Mr. Martin, they’ve got exactly two more albums left in their musical gas tank before they retire to a life of cozy sweaters and reminiscing about how they saved the world, one atmospheric anthem at a time.
“Look, we’re only going to do 12 proper albums, and that’s it. I swear on my favorite pair of sparkly shoes,” Chris Martin solemnly vowed in an interview with Apple Music’s Zane Lowe. He probably crossed his heart and pinky-promised too, but we’ll take his word for it.
Why stop at 12? Is 13 an unlucky number? Does Chris Martin hate baker’s dozens? Well, it turns out Coldplay is all about that “less is more” lifestyle. “For some of our critics, even less would be even more,” he chuckled, throwing some casual shade at those who think Coldplay should’ve hung up their instruments after Viva La Vida. Burn!
But hey, there’s a method to the madness. Chris whipped out a list of iconic creators to make his point: “There are only seven Harry Potter books, right? Only 12-and-a-half Beatles albums—don’t ask me what happened to the other half—and Bob Marley didn’t exactly have a whole bookshelf of records. Our heroes knew when to call it a day.” Coldplay? Same energy. Except instead of flying off on a hippogriff, they’re aiming to bow out with a final two-album flourish.
And speaking of “flourish,” making an album isn’t exactly a walk in the park (unless it’s a park with lots of paperwork and some emotional wrangling). Chris confided that making a “great” project requires gathering the troops like a musical Avengers. “We could be coasting at this point, but noooo, we’re still out here trying to improve!” Translation: Coldplay isn’t sitting around watching Netflix and eating nachos—they’re hustling, people.
He also shared his biggest fear—dragging poor Will Champion back into the studio when they’re all hitting 60, muttering, “Come on, Will, one more song! You can do it! I believe in us!” Chris decided he’s going to let his bandmates keep their sanity—and their free time—intact by not chaining them to a recording studio for eternity.
But hey, before you pull out the tissues and start mourning the end of Coldplay’s album era, fear not! Chris reassures us that new music will keep coming… somehow. It might not be wrapped in a shiny new album, but like some kind of sonic magician, Chris says, “I don’t know where the songs come from—they just do. Like, one day I’m brushing my teeth, and BAM, there’s a hit.” Okay, maybe he didn’t exactly say that, but the vibe is there.
So, what happens after the 12th album drops? Will they vanish into the ether like a musical unicorn? Not quite. They might dabble in side projects, release a collection of songs they started but never finished (Coldplay’s Greatest Unfinished Hits, anyone?), or do something completely different.
Coldplay’s not leaving the party—they’re just moving to a different room, maybe one with a comfier couch and better snacks. Stay tuned for whatever magical surprises they cook up next, because Coldplay is always full of surprises—whether it’s a new song, an album, or Chris Martin showing up on your doorstep with a ukulele.