British pop band Coldplay has confirmed that they will retire from making studio albums after the release of their 12th album. Lead vocalist Chris Martin shared this significant news during an interview with Zane Lowe on Apple Music 1, revealing that their 10th studio album, titled Moon Music, is set to be released on October 4, 2024.
Martin articulated the band's decision, stating, “We are only going to do 12 proper albums, and that’s real. Having that limit means the quality control is so high right now, and for a song to make it, it’s almost impossible, which is great. Instead of coasting, we’re trying to improve.”
He emphasized that the choice to limit their discography wasn’t arbitrary, drawing inspiration from musical icons like The Beatles and Bob Marley.
“There are only 12 and a half Beatles’ albums and around the same for Bob Marley—so all our heroes have similar numbers,” he noted.
In addition to their artistic influences, Martin revealed a more personal motivation behind this decision. He expressed a desire to allow his bandmates—Jonny Buckland, Guy Berryman, and Will Champion—more space for their personal lives.
“To make an album great as a band requires a lot of wrangling of people, and I want to give the others some of their lives for themselves,” he added.
Coldplay recently completed the European leg of their Music of the Spheres tour, which grossed an astounding $1 billion, making it the only rock tour and the second overall to achieve such a remarkable feat.
The band is scheduled to tour Australia and New Zealand later this year, with performances lined up in Asia and the UK next year. Indian fans are particularly excited about their upcoming shows in Mumbai on January 18, 19, and 21, 2025, with tickets selling out in September 2024.
Despite their retirement from studio albums, Chris Martin hinted that this would not mark the end of collaborations among band members, leaving the door open for future musical projects. However, many fans expressed mixed feelings about the announcement, with some questioning the need to reveal their retirement plans so far in advance.
Reflecting on Coldplay's future, Martin previously mentioned in 2021 that after releasing their final album in 2025, the band would likely continue to tour but would not produce new material.
“Maybe we'll do some collaborative things, but the Coldplay catalog, as it were, finishes then,” he insisted.
Coldplay, comprising Chris Martin (vocalist and pianist), Jonny Buckland (guitarist), Guy Berryman (bassist), and Will Champion (drummer and percussionist), with Phil Harvey as their manager, is returning to India after an eight-year hiatus. Their last performance in the country was at the Global Citizen Festival in 2016.
As fans anticipate the release of Moon Music and the band’s upcoming tour, Coldplay’s legacy continues to resonate, leaving an indelible mark on the music industry.
