# EW cover asks: Is Coldplay the next U2? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [May 22, 2005, 11:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ew-cover-asks-is-coldplay-the-next-u2/305004 "2005-05-22T23:07:15Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![WordMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e8c25b/32.png) [@WordMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WordMan)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2005, 11:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ew-cover-asks-is-coldplay-the-next-u2/305004/1 "2005-05-22T23:07:15Z")
Ummm…no. Does anybody really come close to thinking this? I mean, this is simple magazine hype, right? ---
**Author:** ![Tarrsk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/97f17d/32.png) [@Tarrsk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tarrsk)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2005, 11:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ew-cover-asks-is-coldplay-the-next-u2/305004/2 "2005-05-22T23:16:30Z")
Weren’t Coldplay originally hyped up as “the next Radiohead”? They weren’t that either. ---
**Author:** ![Kamino\_Neko](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kamino_neko/32/34_2.png) [@Kamino\_Neko](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kamino_Neko)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2005, 11:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ew-cover-asks-is-coldplay-the-next-u2/305004/3 "2005-05-22T23:18:54Z")
Over-rated, headed by a self-important bozo, coasting for about 2 decades? God, I hope not. ---
**Author:** ![Snooooopy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ee7513/32.png) [@Snooooopy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snooooopy)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2005, 11:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ew-cover-asks-is-coldplay-the-next-u2/305004/4 "2005-05-22T23:21:58Z")
I don’t think it’s all that preposterous a question to ask – Coldplay looks to have a fair shot at the critical-acclaim-mixed-with-enormous-popularity slot that U2 has owned for the past couple of decades. At the same time, I do think it’s magazine hype. ---
**Author:** ![Hal\_Briston](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a9a28c/32.png) [@Hal\_Briston](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hal_Briston)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2005, 11:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ew-cover-asks-is-coldplay-the-next-u2/305004/5 "2005-05-22T23:42:54Z")
Lesse… U2: Early on, an excellent band. Slowly became more self-absorbed. Aside from occasional peeks back at their roots, pretty lame anymore. Coldplay: Lamer than the lamest U2 effort lamely played on the lamest day in the month of Lame. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d26b3c/32.png) [@Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Blue_Sky)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2005, 11:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ew-cover-asks-is-coldplay-the-next-u2/305004/6 "2005-05-22T23:46:51Z")
EW ain’t exactly on the cutting edge of music. Or TV… Or movies… Or books… Or…etc ---
**Author:** ![Yorikke](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yorikke/32/4335_2.png) [@Yorikke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yorikke)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2005, 1:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ew-cover-asks-is-coldplay-the-next-u2/305004/7 "2005-05-23T01:15:57Z")
Some lyrics from a song by Triumph the Insult Comic dog : How about Coldplay? They should be Cold Sore Back when they were called U2 I used to like them so much more George ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2005, 1:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ew-cover-asks-is-coldplay-the-next-u2/305004/8 "2005-05-23T01:25:45Z")
I don’t know what EW means by the question. But if they’re asking “Will Coldplay become an enduringly huge band that sells millions of albums and does stadium tours?” I think that’s possible. Their music combines the right elements for that in my opinion. I’ve always thought of Coldplay as “Radiohead for nice people,” but they’re alright. ---
**Author:** ![interface2x](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/c0e974/32.png) [@interface2x](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/interface2x)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2005, 12:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ew-cover-asks-is-coldplay-the-next-u2/305004/9 "2005-05-23T12:41:15Z")
I remember in about 1995, there was a magazine with the band Live on the cover. The headline said “LIVE - the Megaband of the Decade”. Remember Live? ---
**Author:** ![middleman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e9a140/32.png) [@middleman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/middleman)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2005, 12:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ew-cover-asks-is-coldplay-the-next-u2/305004/10 "2005-05-23T12:57:02Z")
I only know Coldplay for two reasons: (1) The song “Clocks” is very enjoyable and (2) The Lead Singer knocked up Gwen Paltrow. The question that cover brought to mind (I didn’t read it because I don’t really follow music) was “Are they THAT popular?” Have they had a lot of hits? Do their albums sell as well as the other top acts of the day? Plus, at what point will Martin go solo? One of the biggest reasons why U2 is such a great legacy act is because Bono enjoyed playing with his mates instead of going solo. ---
**Author:** ![UrbanChic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/9dc877/32.png) [@UrbanChic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UrbanChic)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2005, 1:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ew-cover-asks-is-coldplay-the-next-u2/305004/11 "2005-05-23T13:07:00Z")
Wow, I had no idea Coldplay was so popular. They’re so…_bland_. They seem like a band old stiffs (read: Matt Lauer and his ilk) listen to in a pathetic attempt to be “with it”. ---
**Author:** ![WordMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e8c25b/32.png) [@WordMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WordMan)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2005, 1:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ew-cover-asks-is-coldplay-the-next-u2/305004/12 "2005-05-23T13:22:50Z")
> [@UrbanChic](#): > > Wow, I had no idea Coldplay was so popular. They’re so…_bland_. They seem like a band old stiffs (read: Matt Lauer and his ilk) listen to in a pathetic attempt to be “with it”. Couldn’t’ve said it better myself…and this coming from someone who definitely qualifies as an old stiff from an age standpoint… ---
**Author:** ![Neurotik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/91b2a8/32.png) [@Neurotik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Neurotik)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2005, 1:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ew-cover-asks-is-coldplay-the-next-u2/305004/13 "2005-05-23T13:36:18Z")
Same here. I remember when “Yellow” was out, my friends and I were sitting around a table eating and someone asked what we thought about Coldplay. I immediately said, “Generic Brit rock.” We went around the table and everyone agreed I pretty much summed them up. ---
**Author:** ![Excalibre](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/898d66/32.png) [@Excalibre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Excalibre)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2005, 7:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ew-cover-asks-is-coldplay-the-next-u2/305004/14 "2005-05-23T19:02:41Z")
> [@UrbanChic](#): > > Wow, I had no idea Coldplay was so popular. They’re so…_bland_. They seem like a band old stiffs (read: Matt Lauer and his ilk) listen to in a pathetic attempt to be “with it”. I noticed on Saturday Night Live that he has an oddly enormous mouth. That’s all I noticed. There was nothing else _to_ notice. They seem to be getting a ton of critical acclaim (or at least that’s the hype I hear - I don’t pay enough attention to remember reviews of albums I’m not interested in) but their music is just so _dull_ - sort of blandly singable melodies, with only the most tenuous hooks, repeated over and over with no song structure or variation or anything. By the time the song is done, it’s already completely worn out. I don’t understand them as a pop act, because their music just isn’t singable and certainly not replayable, and aren’t those qualities an essential part of pop music? And it’s just not complex or musically interesting enough to qualify as the sort of rock I enjoy. What the hell is up with their success, in other words? They seem absolutely crafted for elevators and telephone hold music twenty years from now. ---
**Author:** ![UrbanChic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/9dc877/32.png) [@UrbanChic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UrbanChic)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2005, 7:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ew-cover-asks-is-coldplay-the-next-u2/305004/15 "2005-05-23T19:30:11Z")
I just ended a rather lenghty conversation with a good friend of mine. He says the very reason I (well, _we_, really) dislike them is why they’re so successful. The band is safe, but just edgy enough to be what the Lauer crew considers to be edgy. They allow the Lauer crew to feel cool and their wives to feel like they married a cool guy, and, whaddya know, they’re getting laid again for being cool. I laughed. He’s a funny guy. ---
**Author:** ![UrbanChic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/9dc877/32.png) [@UrbanChic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UrbanChic)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2005, 7:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ew-cover-asks-is-coldplay-the-next-u2/305004/16 "2005-05-23T19:33:07Z")
Oh, I fogot the second most important part. The Lauer crew has a pretty sizeable disposable income to spend on CDs and concert tickets. ---
**Author:** ![Rashak\_Mani](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ea666f/32.png) [@Rashak\_Mani](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rashak_Mani)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2005, 7:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ew-cover-asks-is-coldplay-the-next-u2/305004/17 "2005-05-23T19:37:27Z")
Coldplay reminds me a lot of U2… I think they deserve to be compared. Naturally i’m a fan… ---
**Author:** ![Neurotik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/91b2a8/32.png) [@Neurotik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Neurotik)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2005, 7:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ew-cover-asks-is-coldplay-the-next-u2/305004/18 "2005-05-23T19:51:50Z")
> [@UrbanChic](#): > > The band is safe, but just edgy enough to be what the Lauer crew considers to be edgy. The Lauer crew? ---
**Author:** ![FordPrefect](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e99b99/32.png) [@FordPrefect](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FordPrefect)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2005, 6:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ew-cover-asks-is-coldplay-the-next-u2/305004/19 "2005-05-30T18:02:14Z")
They are not the next U2, but I like them if for no other reason than Coldplay makes for good background music. They don’t stand out, but they are enjoyable. I do like the song Yellow quite a bit. ---
**Author:** ![Busy\_Scissors](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/d78d45/32.png) [@Busy\_Scissors](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Busy_Scissors)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2005, 6:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ew-cover-asks-is-coldplay-the-next-u2/305004/20 "2005-05-30T18:31:02Z")
> [@Excalibre](#): > > That’s all I noticed. There was nothing else _to_ notice. They seem to be getting a ton of critical acclaim (or at least that’s the hype I hear - I don’t pay enough attention to remember reviews of albums I’m not interested in) but their music is just so _dull_ - sort of blandly singable melodies, with only the most tenuous hooks, repeated over and over with no song structure or variation or anything. By the time the song is done, it’s already completely worn out. I don’t understand them as a pop act, because their music just isn’t singable and certainly not replayable, and aren’t those qualities an essential part of pop music? And it’s just not complex or musically interesting enough to qualify as the sort of rock I enjoy. Well put, they really do have a dull sound. Alan McGee (ex-Creation records boss) described Coldplay as music for bed-wetters, bit OTT maybe but something that would never have been said about early U2. Unfortunately they’re treated like royalty over here in the UK, even worse is the fact that there’s not actually too many British bands that you could actually say were better than Coldplay right now. What the fuck happened to British rock n roll? I guess we invented it and then called it a day 🙂