Before Their $460 Million Net Worth, Coldplay’s First Show Was So Brutal, They Had to Use the Floor as a Musical Instrument
- Coldplay was forced to use the floor as a drum kit during their first gig in the late '90s.
- Despite facing early challenges, Coldplay has become one of the most successful bands ever.
- From dealing with criticism to almost losing drummer, Coldplay’s journey to success had been rocky.
Making it big in the music industry is no walk in the park, especially for a band. For every single success story, there are thousands of unheard stories that fade into the unknown. However, among all the active bands that made it big, it is hard to argue anyone is as big as Coldplay.
Coldplay needs no introduction in today’s times. With all the milestones and album records, one more thing that makes them special is their longevity. The band has been relevant for more than 20 years now, and the initial struggles they faced make them deserving of success today.
Chris Martin Reveals Struggles of Coldplay’s First Show
Coldplay’s rise to fame is the stuff of legends in the music industry. The band was formed in 1996 at University College London and has come a long way from its humble beginnings to become a global phenomenon.
Chris Martin, the lead singer of the band, has always been candid about the band’s initial days. He has also been embarrassed at times, like the one time in The Ellen Show, where the host played a clip of young Martin promising the band will be “on national television within four years” and “will be known all over.”
The clip was before the release of their first album, Parachutes, and Martin recently shared another incident about the band from around that time. In a recent appearance on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, Martin revealed how they once improvised and used the floor as a drum kit.
This was in the late ’90s, in London, and you would play 3 or 4 bands at a show. And it was, bring your friends and stuff, and you would share a drum kit with all the other bands. And the band that we were sharing a drum kit with fell out with the promoter, and they took their drum kit. So our first show as Coldplay, Will was playing the floor like that.
Despite these early setbacks, Coldplay persevered, and now the band has grossed over $945.7 million with their Music of the Spheres tour (as per Billboard). According to South China Morning Post, the combined net worth of 4 members is over $460 million, and the band has over 9 billion streams, sold over 100 million albums worldwide, and won every possible music award.
Coldplay’s Rocky Journey to Stardom
Coldplay fans are aware of the fact that Chris Martin has always been the one who worries the most. And the band’s success just after the first album increased his anxiety even more. In an interview with The Guardian, Martin revealed that he used to call his father when he felt like quitting because “there was just too much going on.”
With great success comes great criticism as well, and Coldplay has faced its fair share, especially for their album X&Y. Martin told Rolling Stone that the criticism was so impactful that the band members regrouped and thought of new changes.
Moreover, the drummer Will Champion almost left the band. According to The Daily Echo, Martin revealed that Champion was asked to leave the band because a producer told them they were not good enough. However, they soon realized their mistake and requested him to come back.
Coldplay has managed to stick together through it all and has plans to continue until their 12th album. From playing the floor as a drum kit to selling out stadiums, their journey is a testament to perseverance.
