Coldplay is an British alternative rock band formed by lead vocalist Chris Martin and lead guitarist Jonny Buckland. After they formed Pectoralz, Guy Berryman joined the group as a bassist and they changed their name to Starfish. Will Champion joined as a drummer, backing vocalist, and multi-instrumentalist, completing the line-up. The band renamed themselves "Coldplay" in 1998, before recording and releasing three EPs; Safety in 1998, Brothers & Sisters as a single in 1999 and The Blue Room in the same year.
Coldplay has released five studio albums, five extended plays, twenty-five singles, two live albums, twenty-seven music videos, and one compilation album. They have sold over 50 million records, making them one of the best-selling music artists worldwide.
Coldplay made their debut in July 2000 with the release of Parachutes, which achieved moderate successes, both critically and commercially. Selling over 7.5 million copies worldwide, the album was subsequently certified double platinum in the United States and seven times platinum in the United Kingdom. It spawned four singles: "Yellow" and "Trouble" went on to enter amongst the top ten spots of the UK Singles Chart, while "Shiver" and "Don't Panic" appeared on the musical charts in European countries such as the Netherlands and Poland.
The band's second studio album, A Rush of Blood to the Head, was released worldwide in August 2002. The album experienced exceptionally strong sales in comparison to its predecessor, topping the charts in nine countries. Its lead single, "In My Place", charted in several major musical markets and peaked at number two in the United Kingdom. Other singles included "The Scientist", "Clocks" and "God Put a Smile upon Your Face".
Coldplay's third studio album, X&Y, was released in June 2005 and became the best selling album of 2005, selling over 8.3 million copies within the end of the year. The album topped the charts in numerous countries, including the United States, where it sold 737,000 copies in its first week. Six singles were released from X&Y: "Speed of Sound" became the album's most successful singles, peaking in the top ten charts of eight countries including Italy and Australia. Other singles include "Fix You", "Talk", and "The Hardest Part".
Viva la Vida or Death and All His Friends, the band's fourth studio album, was released in June 2008. It became Coldplay's most successful album, topping the charts in over thirty-six countries. "Viva la Vida" became the band's most successful single, selling over 5 million copies in the United States alone as of June 2011.
Mylo Xyloto was released as the band's fifth studio album in October 2011.