There once was a time, far, far away, when a small, British indie band was playing small club gigs and experimenting with their band name. They were one of those bands that a few people knew, but they loved. This band was Coldplay.
Coldplay arrived on the global stage in 2000 with their debut single, Yellow, and their album, Parachutes, closely following. If you remember this time, the image of a young Chris Martin walking down a dark and empty beach, singing to Yellow’s string and drum-heavy melodies is one impossible to forget. This track introduced us to Coldplay’s defining sound for the next decade. A sound that was emo yet soothing; sullen yet uplifting; underground yet relatable and too good not to share. They melded indie, rock, and sometimes folk into their tracks.Â
Today, we’d be hard pressed to describe Coldplay as an indie band. Their sound has evolved and appeals to a wide, global audience. They’re now fun and upbeat; their tracks sometimes playing in club remixes. They experiment with R&B and EDM.Â
When did Coldplay’s sound change? When did they go from indie to electro-pop? This was a question for our AI tagging product.Â
We tagged Coldplay’s entire discography of 98 tracks, starting with their debut album, Parachutes to their latest 2019 release, Everyday Life. Our results show that Coldplay shifted from indie to pop in their 2011 album, Mylo Xyloto. And not only pop, but this is the first album where they introduced electronic beats and sounds. Their 2014 release, Ghost Stories symbolized Coldplay’s pop and electro peak.Â
But we always go back to where we return, and Coldplay is no different. Their latest 2019 album, Everyday Life, show Coldplay heading back to their indie roots. Do you think they’re there to stay or are Coldplay having too much fun experimenting to be tied down to one genre?
Curious about how we found these insights? Take a look at our tagging demo and tag to your heart’s desire!
Coldplay's journey from indie to electronic:
Coldplay's journey from indie to pop:
