Mix one part Beatles… (The Coldplay Formula)

It wasn’t the repeated references on “Best of 2008” lists and it wasn’t Chris Martin saying that he felt that, with this album, they had reached their music making abilities. It was the fact that, at the Grammy’s, Coldplay had the courage to dress in alternating colored jackets as a shout-out to The Beatles. Now, I felt like I had reason to check out Viva La Vida.

In doing so, not only did I find a phenomenal album, I think I cracked the Coldplay formula. I’ve been a big fan of A Rush of Blood to the Head and Parachutes for years but I hadn’t quite heard the sound I heard on Viva La Vida. So here it is… if 50% of The Beatles, 40% of U2 and 10% of Radiohead (the 10% that doesn’t use computer generated sounds) had a musically gifted child, that child would be Coldplay.

The best examples here are “Cemeteries of London” which feels and sounds like a U2 song, maybe two albums ago, and “42” which could have fit seamlessly on Sgt. Pepper’s. Radiohead can be heard in many of the song transitions and quieter moments on the album, which are too many to mention.

Now, I’m not saying that Coldplay is unoriginal or borrowed anything from these bands but the influence is definitely there. In fact, I have to agree that Viva La Vida is one of the best albums to be released in recent years and “Death and All His Friends” is one of the best songs recorded. All around, Viva La Vida is definitely a spotlight on using influences to create your own amazing sound and be truly original. What’s more, I also think it’s brilliant that the album ends with the same music as it started with, which has caused me to listen to the album over and over, not realizing that it had even started over yet. Those brilliant Coldplayers!

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Mike Plante is the author of this article on Coldplay. Find more information and similar music news and articles on this music blog.