Good or Bad- Coldplay and other contemporary U2 imitators

[LMP]

When Coldplay shows they have the balls to challenge the mainstream and their fans, then you can mention them in the same breathe as Radiohead. Until then, they're a decent pop band with 2 solid albums (Rush of Blood and Viva), 1 decent one with a slate of good tracks (Parachutes), and an absolute embarrasment (X&Y).

 

[intedomine]

When Coldplay shows they have the balls to challenge the mainstream and their fans,

.....the only criteria to credibility it seems......

Why must one challenge the mainstream? Why is one not allowed to just write brilliant songs that haven't been written before?

 

[Kieran McConville]

gaaaah, this thread is getting tiresome.

On the previous little slice of discussion, comparing Coldplay's best album (which it is, heck, even I quite enjoy some of that one) with Radiohead's most inconsequential album (not to knock it, but it was very early days for that band in 1993), is a little beside the point.

The point being... we need more insane, bone-crushing metal on the PA at our local shopping palaces.

 

[Zoomerang96]

The point being... we need more insane, bone-crushing metal on the PA at our local shopping palaces.

*strokes chin

emm, yes quite right. hmm hmyeess.

 

[melon]

00s U2 = an Aerosmith version of 80s/90s U2

Really, you can play this comparison game all day, if you'd like.

 

[Zoots]

Yeah it's getting quite silly, to be frank... to be Frank!!

 

[LMP]

.....the only criteria to credibility it seems......

Why must one challenge the mainstream? Why is one not allowed to just write brilliant songs that haven't been written before?

If you read the rest of the quote, I meant it in context to Radiohead, who have done just that.

You don't have to "challenge the mainstream" to be awesome, so to speak, but when you're comparing those two bands, it's fair to bring up that point. Would Coldplay ever release an album as potentially polarizing as Kid A? At this stage in their career, probably not.

That's not to say what they release will be trash, but it certainly shows a different mindset between the two groups... kind of essential when you're making direct, and cracking, comparisons.

 

[intedomine]

If you read the rest of the quote, I meant it in context to Radiohead, who have done just that.

You don't have to "challenge the mainstream" to be awesome, so to speak, but when you're comparing those two bands, it's fair to bring up that point. Would Coldplay ever release an album as potentially polarizing as Kid A? At this stage in their career, probably not.

That's not to say what they release will be trash, but it certainly shows a different mindset between the two groups... kind of essential when you're making direct, and cracking, comparisons.

Fair point, they're not really comparable.

But did Radiohead even bother to "challenge the mainstream" at all with Kid A? Rather, and for better or for worse, Radiohead avoided the mainstream (no singles etc.) entirely. Pretty much all sales of Kid A could be pretty much attributed to the fact that Radiohead had a solid fan base after Bends and OKC, and i would have indeed been polarising.

But whereas Radiohead have completely rejected the mainstream, I'd still argue, in comparison with most other massive global artists who write their own songs (Matchbox 20, Foo Fighters, Bon Jovi, Oasis, AC/DC), Coldplay's comparative willingness to try something new is quite profound and unique, and it might be hard to gauge from our ears (we are in Bang & Clatter, don't forget), but to the core of the mainstream, songs like Death and All His Friends, Yes and Talk are gonna sound kinda wacky and out there.

So in a sense, Coldplay have challenged the mainstream more than Radiohead in that Radiohead never actually challenged the mainstream in the first place (or second place, depending on how you view OKC), but instead removed themselves from it.

All depends on the definition of mainstream ultimately anyway...

 

[LMP]

Fair point, they're not really comparable.

But did Radiohead even bother to "challenge the mainstream" at all with Kid A? Rather, and for better or for worse, Radiohead avoided the mainstream (no singles etc.) entirely. Pretty much all sales of Kid A could be pretty much attributed to the fact that Radiohead had a solid fan base after Bends and OKC, and i would have indeed been polarising.

But whereas Radiohead have completely rejected the mainstream, I'd still argue, in comparison with most other massive global artists who write their own songs (Matchbox 20, Foo Fighters, Bon Jovi, Oasis, AC/DC), Coldplay's comparative willingness to try something new is quite profound and unique, and it might be hard to gauge from our ears (we are in Bang & Clatter, don't forget), but to the core of the mainstream, songs like Death and All His Friends, Yes and Talk are gonna sound kinda wacky and out there.

So in a sense, Coldplay have challenged the mainstream more than Radiohead in that Radiohead never actually challenged the mainstream in the first place (or second place, depending on how you view OKC), but instead removed themselves from it.

All depends on the definition of mainstream ultimately anyway...

If you can still remain a culturally viable and popular band worldwide, while being able to call your own shots, that's "challenging the mainstream," at least for me, and Radiohead exemplifies that. They were one of the first bands to embrace the Internet as a selling tool, which helped Kid A hit #1 without any singles or traditional promotional material, as you mentioned.

It seems to me that Coldplay tries to stay relevant (hiring Eno, getting Timbaland to produce a track or true)... and Radiohead just does. I like my fill of Coldplay every once and a while, but Radiohead's pretty much defined my musical tastes for the past 3-4 years of my life - they're the ones, who in the grand scheme of things, will endure.

 

[LemonMelon]

Why is one not allowed to just write brilliant songs that haven't been written before?

Now, if only Coldplay could do that..

 

[MadForIt]

Any band who goes down the route of "oh lets sound like U2 on the next one" is total trash

Viva La Vida is a joke- i mean they are not Irish and yet i see irish influence on Lovers in Japan etc

and they used Brian Eno - make your own stuff! - their last 2 albums have been average, first 2 were good

and now look at Kings of Leon? - 4 amazing tracks on the new LP and then they try and sound like Coldplay mixed with U2- appauling songs yet now they are huge!

Only u2 can do U2