Co-founder, Lead Singer, and Pianist Of The Alternative Rock Band Coldplay

Chris Martin | Biography

Known For Albums Like 'A Rush of Blood to the Head,' ' Viva la Vida,' and 'Parachutes'

• By Nischal Niroula
• Update : September 14, 2021

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Who Is Chris Martin?

Christopher Anthony John Martin, also known as Chris Martin, is a British singer. He is the frontman, songwriter, and co-founder of the famous rock band Coldplay. The rock band was formed in 1996 in London by Martin, Guy Berryman, Jonny Buckland, and Will Champion.

Early Life and Education

Chris Martin was born in Exter, England, on 2 March 1977. His mother is a music therapy teacher, and his father is an accountant and magistrate. He is the eldest of five children. He recognized his interest in music at a young age, and he formed his first band, The Rocking Honkies. He founded the band while attending the preparatory Exeter Cathedral School. 

After his time at prep school in Exter, he landed at Sherborne. Martin was president of a Sting fan club and featured in school bands that played Pet Shop Boys-Esque pop and Billy Joel-style piano. Martin struggled with his sexuality for the time being when he was younger. He was confused whether he was gay and thought that he thought it was wrong even if he was. “When I went to boarding school, I walked a bit funny and I bounced a bit and I was also very homophobic because I was like, ‘If I’m gay, I’m completely (expletive) for eternity,’ and I was a kid like discovering sexuality, I was terrified,” he said in an interview with Rolling Stones.

He attended University College in London after his studies at another independent school. He graduated in Ancient World Studies. He also studied Greek and Latin at University College London, where he met his future band members.

Band Formation

In 1997, Martin met guitarist Jonathan “Jonny” Buckland in college, and the two formed a band with the name Pectoralz. By 1997, Guy Berryman on bass and Will Champion on drums had joined the band, which had been renamed Starfish. The rock band was eventually renamed Coldplay in 1998.

Coldplay

The first rehearsal of Coldplay took place in Jonny and Martin’s shared flat at 268 Camden Road in London, where they lived for two years. Martin had a habit of writing on any surface and object in front of him- keyboards, tabletops, and even the walls were a place for him to write. So he used to write all the checklists and plans for the band on the walls.

In 2000, Martin’s rock band, now known as Coldplay, released its debut album Parachutes. It was a commercial success, reserved the No. 1 spot in the U.K. charts, and entered the top half of the U.S. Billboard 200. 

In 2002, the group released their second album, A Rush of Blood to the Head. It was also a tremendous success with songs including ‘In My Place,’ ‘Clocks,’ and ‘The Scientist.’ In addition, the band toured North America, Europe, and Australia for nine months.

The band continued to flourish, as their follow-up efforts, X&Y in 2005 and Viva La Vida in 2008–featuring its title track that reached the top in the U.S. and U.K. Both albums became the top-selling albums of the year in which they got released. Similarly, in 2011, their other album, Mylo Xyloto, became the band’s third album to top the Billboard 200. The band dropped another album, Ghost Stories, in 2014, which featured songs like ‘Magic’ and ‘A Sky Full of Stars.’ 

The next year, the band launched their seventh studio album, A Head Full of Dreams. A Head Full of Dreams tour crossed five continents, with 114 sold-out performances in 83 different venues before wrapping up in November 2017. The undertaking generated $523 million, successfully making it Billboard’s third highest-grossing tour. Four years after the band’s last studio effort, Coldplay released Everyday life’s double album in November 2019.  

 Awards and Nominations

Coldplay has won 7 ‘Grammy Awards’ in different categories. The band earned a Grammy in the Best Alternative Music Album category for the album ‘Parachutes’ in 2002 and ‘A Rush of Blood to the Head’ in 2003. Similarly, ‘In My Place’ and ‘Clocks’ won the ‘Grammy Award’ in Best Rock Performance and Record of the year, respectively. In 2009, his album and its title song, ‘Viva la Vida,’ won 3 Grammys in Song of the Year, Best Pop Duo/Group Performance, and Best Rock Album. The band has also earned 21 ‘MTV Awards.’

Personal Life

Martin met actress Gwyneth Paltrow in 2002. The couple married the following year, in December 2003. They share two kids: a son, Moses Bruce Anthony Martin, in 2004 and a daughter, Apple Blythe Alison Martin, in 2006. The couple separated in March 2014. The couple was legally divorced in 2016 after 13 years of marriage. The band’s vocalist started dating Dakota Johnson in 2017.  

Did You Know?

1. Martin has also partnered with rapper Kanye West and Jay-Z.
2. Martin’s prominent band Coldplay was firstly named ‘Pectoralz’ and later ‘Starfish.’