Music of the Spheres | ||||
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Studio album by | ||||
Released | 15 October 2021 | |||
Recorded | 2019–2021 | |||
Genre | ||||
Length | 41:50 | |||
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Producer |
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Coldplay chronology | ||||
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Singles from Music of the Spheres | ||||
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Music of the Spheres (subtitled Vol. I: From Earth with Love)[1] is the ninth studio album by British rock band Coldplay, released on 15 October 2021 by Parlophone in the United Kingdom and Atlantic Records in the United States. The album was produced by Max Martin, who is a new producer to the band's discography.[2][3] It features guest appearances from Selena Gomez, We Are King, Jacob Collier and BTS, as well as returning contributions from electronic producer Jon Hopkins.
Music of the Spheres is the band's second concept album after 2011's Mylo Xyloto. The album explores pop, pop rock, space rock, space music and ambient influences. It is set in a fictional planetary system called The Spheres, which contains nine planets, three natural satellites, a star and a nebula, with each one of them corresponding to a certain track on the record. According to lead singer Chris Martin, its concept and themes were not only based on Mylo Xyloto, but also inspired by the Star Wars film franchise, which made him and the other band members wonder what other artists could be like across the universe, while also using the planets as canvas to explore human experience.
In anticipation for the album, Coldplay released "Higher Power" and "My Universe" as singles, with the former being nominated for Best Pop Duo/Group Performance at the 64th Annual Grammy Awards,[4] and the latter being nominated for the same award at the following year's ceremony.[5] "My Universe" also debuted at number one in the Billboard Hot 100 chart, making Coldplay the first British group in history to achieve the feat. "Let Somebody Go" was later released as the third official single on 7 February 2022. "Coloratura", "People of the Pride", "Biutyful" and a live version of "Humankind" were served as promotional singles.
Music of the Spheres received mixed reviews from critics, many of whom criticised the album's overtly pop sensibilities and style. "Coloratura" however was acclaimed for its lengthy, unconventional structure and production. The album was nominated for Album of the Year and Best Pop Vocal Album at the 65th Annual Grammy Awards, marking the band's third nomination in both categories.[5] It debuted atop the UK Albums Chart as the first album since Ed Sheeran's No.6 Collaborations Project (2019) to sell over 100,000 units during its first week. To support the record, Coldplay embarked on the Music of the Spheres World Tour and released an accompanying concert film. It was the first volume of the Music of the Spheres series, the second volume being Moon Music (2024).[6]
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