Where Did It Go Wrong?!

Where did it go wrong? You may think that I don't like Coldplay as I often tease them (I'm clearly punching up when I do, I know where I stand success wise). However, I did actually appreciate some of their early music, so today I'm going to look at Yellow. A classic. Where it went wrong for me, to be so crude, is when the guitars started to disappear. Now, I can barely hear any in their music. What do you think? Am I being too generous or too harsh?
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[@JustinHawkinsRidesAgain]

There's still time to sign up to take part in my Group Zoom Call night that's taking place next week. 1 hour of chatting absolutely sh*te with me, it's a lot of fun sometimes I do a music quiz. You can check it out here: www.patreon.com/jushawk

[@Magicalfluidprocess]

Hey Justin great channel 👍 I like what Paul seller said when the jam split up “ what do you want us to do , make the same album for 20 years “

[@michaelwatson2313]

You actually have to detune the high E by half a step I think. Always liked this album. The songwriting is still there but the production is bad now. Miss the guitars.

[@StLaurencesChurchChorley]

The X&Y album is well worth checking out Justin. Plenty of guitars on that one. Love your content by the way.

[@grimmertwin2148]

Naturally this song reminds me of a girl.....another good one I let go. Sorry Kath hope you're doing well. Oi Justin - more Mick Jagger lol

[@DickWitt74]

Eeyah! Does your Mick impersonation lean towards Stella Street, or the actual source material?

[@evv1978]

I think Travis is one band that deserved more recognition. I always saw some similarities with early Coldplay…

[@dont_panic_de]

Indeed, and then they went into completely different directions. Travis is still a great band!

[@ia5662]

loved Travis! They were totally in the same vein, great songs

[@bradwad]

they were massive at the time then it seems they stopped for abit and coldplay filled the void

[@reqeffect]

They were really boring live, Travis.

[@michaelmcdonald2348]

@@reqeffect seen them a few times live and I disagree

[@justamanchimp]

Another cool thing about this song and the reason you looked so confused trying to work out the chords, it's because the acoustic guitar Chris plays is tuned to a weird tuning where the D string is dropped to a B, and the top e is dropped to D#, and then instead of playing a normal 7th fret B bar chord, you play a B7 shape bar chord but lift off the bar to let all the other strings ring openly, including the D string dropped to a B string, and you will get the exact sound you hear on the record. If anyone has been playing the song in the normal tuning, try this and it'll blow your mind if you're like me because I was playing it with standard tuning the whole time but was never satisfied, it never carried the same vibe as the original song but could never work out why

[@BWater-yq3jx]

Quality comment. 👍

[@peanutbutterdijonnaise]

Great work!

[@justamanchimp]

@@BWater-yq3jx Thankyou much appreciated 🙏🏻 (1 year later as I didn’t realise anyone had replied into someone replied recently haha)

[@justamanchimp]

@@peanutbutterdijonnaise Thank you! Although I didn’t work it out myself, I think I remember watching an old Chris Martin interview from like 2001 where Chris explains it, and also shows how he used this tuning on a few songs on parachutes I think

[@justamanchimp]

If you liked this comment please don’t like and leave on 69

[@abbyhuntley3171]

I wish they’d kept with the more “real” sound of the guitars Chris Martin’s unique vocals. I don’t feel anything when I listen to Coldplay’s new stuff

[@abbyhuntley3171]

@@benjamindavis4974 I know he sounds the same, they’ve just hidden his voice and the guitars by lots of unnecessary production

[@brianrossiter2547]

Not so much about whether it's real or synthetic. It's just shite.

[@LoneWolf-cv6pl]

@@brianrossiter2547 And yet one of the biggest bands 😂 shite must work

[@brianrossiter2547]

@@LoneWolf-cv6pl Of course it does. Look at One Direction.

[@BigMcLargehuge]

@@benjamindavis4974 I like Viva La Vida quite a bit. It is very unrestrained with unusual almost proggy structure and timing changes. The title track is the only song on that one that feels formulaic as it Foo Fighters the chorus, i.e. repeat it nine trillion times and it doesn't say anything. Still, solid record.

[@chrisjudd743]

The parachutes album is undeniably one of the greatest debut albums ever, but they went dramatically downhill after that in my opinion. Amazing songs, but now they seem to have completely sold out and become a novelty pop act.

[@goport]

I loved Parachutes - there's exuberance in the vocals - Shiver's vocal is magnificent. All the songs understand space and use it well. The guitarist set out his identity with some clever use of altered tunings and capos. And the songs are good to genuinely great. A Rush of Blood I was originally disappointed for the guitar being dialled back but there really are good songs and great moments. The "nothing else compares" refrain is truly euphoric for me - uplifting and never fails to put a smile on my face (ahem). By the 3rd album they were samey, after that, shit ... and then shit squared.

[@danielwalker1673]

A real disappointment to probably my favourite first two albums from a group. I couldn't agree more with the guitar comments, gave me so many ideas on how to long at chord shapes and songwriting on acoustics

[@ChristopherSmithNYC]

Great point about the 'space'.

[@goport]

@@benjamindavis4974 I probably am and I am glad you get so much pleasure out of something that resembles "on hold" music to me :)

[@iliketrains3495]

@@goport Not gonna defend their post-Viva albums right now but you really think Viva is 'hold music?' Did you even listen to anything outside the title track?

[@jimrustle270]

Parachutes was a wonderful little indie record. Then it all started to unravel.

[@benedekgabor.]

What I love about the album Parachutes that it have an intimate quality. The stripped back instrumentals. Simple drumming, and bass lines. Simplistic but delayed and reverberated guitars. The soft and falsetto voice. The honest and deep lyrics. It’s just cozy music. That’s a record what you listen in the autumn when it rains all day. You make a hot coffee for yourself and just listen to the album.

[@portishphonic]

Cozy is the perfect description of Parachutes :)

[@trickygoose2]

I think Parachutes and A Rush of Blood to the Head are great albums while X&Y and Viva la Vida are good. After that they just went very, very bland and featureless and the lack of distinguishable instruments are a massive part of that. I wonder if the other guys in the band look forward to the early songs when they play live because they get to perform more distinctive parts?

[@BigMcLargehuge]

I wonder if they find themselves inadvertently re enacting the scene in Walk Hard when Dewey Cox (in his Brian Wilson period) is trying to capture a sound and tells the bass player to learn to play the theramin... kzbin.info/www/bejne/nJCUnquEqbF2gZI

[@robjackson1319]

Spot on. I’ve been holding on for a decent album from them since VLV.. but just been so disappointed every time .. songs are ok now but radio friendly bland.. Bring back the drums piano bass and guitar again..

[@iliketrains3495]

You'd be surprised at how well some post-Viva songs are adapted live, such as Midnight and Magic. But yeah I get what you mean

[@BlueZirnitra]

Rush was the beginning of the end. The word iconic is overused but some of the songs on that album are iconic, but it is a kind of the iPhone of indie albums and gave rise to an era of shallow arena indie (think Athlete - Wires). I don't think Coldplay are an album band, they have flashes of brilliance and unfortunately, too few of them to be taken seriously.

[@jchales]

I thought after hearing Everyday Life they were heading back in the right direction, personally I think Arabesque and Champion of the World are among the best tracks they’ve made. Alas, then arrived a turgid album 2 years later 🫤

[@soniamcgrath4405]

A fantastic album, Parachutes really took you somewhere else and evoked a wide range of emotions in you. The album included a fantastic mix of mellow songs, acoustic songs, and tunes that made you shout the lyrics. It's an incredible album, and it's a shame they've shifted to pop.

[@alpbet2518]

completely agreed!

[@812tompark]

Not a Coldplay fan but I certainly was when the only album they had was Parachutes. Tremendous album. Everything’s Not Lost-what a tune.

[@misterpink808]

Same, not a Coldplay fan but I liked that album. There's that track Beautiful World which is incredible. I remember it didn't get much MTV airplay but every now and then.

[@paulmallon9292]

@@misterpink808 Dont Panic is the name of the tune. Good tune.

[@misterpink808]

@@paulmallon9292 Thanks for the correction 👍

[@alandeanz1853]

Completely agree, just some great songs on that album.

[@leo3521]

You nailed it, ENL is the hidden gem of Parachutes.

[@timothyjennings9520]

You mentioned Brian Eno. Eno's first dabble with Coldplay, Viva la Vida, was close to brilliance. You could tell they were really trying to push some boundaries and create something timeless instead of just seeking widespread appeal. I had such high hopes for the next album after that, but they clearly gave up the pursuit for critical acclaim and instead went full-blown, middle of the road mainstream, "Coldplay Feat (insert current pop artist): ever since.

[@clytaemnestra]

Funny you say that cus they still worked with Eno in some parts of Mylo Xyloto and then the ALIENS track.

[@skinnypete9196]

Tell me you haven’t listen to Everyday Life without telling me y… They’re just privileged enough to do what they want when they want.

[@OperationBlueprint]

Honestly there is no bad song on Parachutes.

[@Pixietoria]

Totally agree. When it came out it rarely left the CD selection in my then boyfriend’s car for a couple of years. Such an atmospheric album.

[@DurbsBT]

Oddly, the one song I skip is Yellow... It's the only really generic, pop song. The rest are all beautiful, interesting songs. And some of the b-sides are/were their best work IMO.

[@micahclawrence]

Yellow is my least favorite on it though still great. Not A Rush of Blood to The Head is flawless to me as well.

[@user-oo8un3ch4b]

You're very wrong.

[@OperationBlueprint]

@@user-oo8un3ch4b cool

[@localbod]

The guitars on Yellow are really classic. That bluesy dissonance has such feel and raw energy. Parachutes was a very accomplished album. I think Spies is the best track on it.

[@Wolfdragon92584]

I still love Sparks. When I fell in love 10 years ago, my (then) lady and I listened to the song on the way to the renaissance faire, and that song will always conjure up that feeling of a love just too good to last.

[@robertloader9826]

Bluesy?? BLUESY???

[@localbod]

@@robertloader9826 I didn't say that Yellow was a blues tune. I was commenting on the electric guitar double stops with a bend. How would you describe that guitar sound? Do tell.

[@brucekennedy5274]

Love Spies - agree best track

[@bifftv1975]

Not a big fan but the track Don't Panic is everything I love about music. Simple, melodic, short, memorable and poignant.

[@cbm64rules]

Well said, don't panic is an incredible song,one of their best.

[@roelfkromhout]

@@cbm64rules Yeah, that and 'high speed' were their high water marks for me.

[@weaversarms]

Wow. An actual analysis from an actual musician. Well played

[@UnderTheMillkyWay]

I like how at 11:42 you say this type is more for enthusiasts for the electric guitar and you immediately start the video back and Chris agrees with you by singing It's true. Perfect timing. I almost think it could have been intentional ;)

[@thebatman4279]

They still have that ability to write stunning melodies here and there but their first 2 albums have such an ethereal, spine chilling quality to them because of the guitarwork. I still go back to them time and time again.

[@AJeziorski1967]

I enjoyed the Eno-produced ‚Viva La Vida‘. That was the last Coldplay album I actually gave a sh!t about, in fact. But I still think it‘s start-to-finish brilliant.

[@therunner8733]

Completely agree. I was a huge fan for the first four albums. X&Y was a little bit underwhelming but Viva La Vida was on point. That was their last great album

[@garyphisher7375]

Eno worked with James on their best album, Laid. James have improved ever since - they are still releasing great albums - and they still quote Eno as a massive influence.

[@stewartcohen-jones2949]

Agree. Great album. Has an Abbey Road feel to it. After that I never bought a Coldplay record.

[@voltaire6668]

No way. That was the beginning of the end.

[@ms8742]

Justin, you are spot on here. The first two albums were great and third not bad...Then eventually they decided they wanted to sound like Imagine Dragons and basically have chants for every song with a backbeat. Such a shame. While they thought they were evolving, to me it was just fad chasing. I will say though "A Rush of Blood to the Head" is a brilliant record.

[@whyyoustaring]

I think it was a "right place right time" for Coldplay, the first two albums are brilliant and evocative and moody as hell. It just seemed to fit in the zeitgeist of the early 2000's. I even like Viva La Vida, with its U2 and Beatles callbacks. It was a good, new age arena album. After that...yikes. They got super commercialized. I'm quite convinced that Chris Martin's divorce from G. Paltrow started a downward creative spiral.

[@andrepereira744]

@@whyyoustaring Exactly the opposite. Chris Martin marriage was the cause. G. P. is a "bread without any salt"

[@RennieDJ]

ROBTTH is brilliant album. Even X & Y was very good for about the 1st eight tracks.

[@LordPerrin]

You're crazy, everything up to Viva was amazing. Even a couple songs off Mylo were great. And some cuts off Ghost Stories.

[@jtaylor9562]

Actually....would say first 4. Viva La Vida was largely decent, and contains (along with Clocks) their best song '42'. Since then... absolute shite. And people say U2 lost it in the 2nd half of their career!

[@hiddenzombie013]

I always hear people talk about why they hate Coldplay (not you specifically, just in general), but rarely hear about why someone loves them. I'm happy to do so myself. I do my best to keep up with a wide variety of genres, and bands that are massive to tiny. To me, Coldplay is the best at capturing music as a force of magic. More than any other band I can think of. Their songs exude a sense of hope, love, and cheerful melancholy. They make it feel good to feel sad and let it all out. They make it feel good to get caught up in the wonders of life. I think they do this in a way that almost no other rock OR pop artists really do as well as they do. Just look at the powerful sing along of Viva la Vida at Glastonbury, or the catharsis of the release on Fix You, or watching them play Charlie Brown to a stadium lit up with their insane wristband tech. Their songs have gravitas and stick with you. I almost don't lament the lack of guitars, but they do have a few tracks with them prominent. I highly recommend "Every Teardrop is a Waterfall," with a great lead lick and an excellent buildup. "Adventure of a Lifetime" as well, and "Major Minus" was an album track with a great solo I thought. I also have to mention that they are top notch live performers. I've seen at least one thousand bads live, and Coldplay is easily top 10, maybe top 5. And I'm basing this on shows I caught in 2012, 2017, and this year 2022, so they have kept that consistency. I just think they are the best at what they do, and have continued putting out incredible songs throughout their career (yes I like a fair amount of their newer stuff, even if it is their "worst" work admittedly). They have earned every one of those 100k records sold imo

[@bethoscope281]

thank you!!

[@GregGallagher]

Hi Justin! I’ve been having a tough day and getting the alert that you uploaded a new video gave me the temporary reprieve I needed today. Thank you for doing what you do!

[@jenniferrichardson8474]

I agree! I look forward to watching his videos every day. His wit and humor always cheer me up. 😊

[@zeevogel]

I hope tomorrow is a better day for you.

[@GregGallagher]

@@zeevogel thank you. I hope so too!

[@gretchman]

Parachutes, Viva la Vida, and Rush of Blood to the Head are three absolutely incredible albums. Viva la Vida is when they started with Brian Eno, if I recally correctly. Lots of really nice soundscapes and unconventional instrumentation on that album.

[@pierer91]

Viva la Vida sucks hard lol. Other 2 are decent

[@gretchman]

@@pierer91 oh okay.

[@joelewishenry7886]

@@pierer91 Viva la Vida 🤮

[@rcvaroundtheworld6217]

@@pierer91 music is subjective. Whether you have a heightened knowledge in music or sound and you can depict exactly why the music sucks, it’s completely subjective and it’s open for personal interpretation. It’s ok if you think it sucks, but it’s hard to say it objectively sucks. There are some good tracks on their later albums, maybe even if it doesn’t sound like their early stuff.

[@End-Result]

@@pierer91 No it doesn’t dickhead, credit where it’s due

[@stephenpalmer9375]

Never really understood the huge success of Coldplay - but Yellow and The Scientist are honestly great

[@diametricopposition9232]

But they do smash up a lovely e28 5 series in the video.

[@BlueZirnitra]

Try Strawberry Swing. There are gems, but by god is it a mediocre slog to find them. Quite possibly the most disappointing popular band ever.

[@RobManser77]

All music is subjective, so any band will have people who love it, hate it, don't get it, etc. In my opinion though, for what it's worth, the first three albums are truly fantastic.

[@KevinSheedy10]

​@@RobManser77Oh for sure, I enjoyed the first two albums at the time but I haven't been tempted to revisit them in the last 20 years. Everything after that I actually find physically offensive to listen to. Wetter than a wet paper bag full of wet wipes on a rainy day.

[@tommj4365]

Saw this performed live and they had these huge yellow balls bouncing around the audience, and at the absolute high point of the song one of them managed to make it's way towards the guitarist and he popped it with the guitar head's stray strings right at the moment the chord hit. It exploded with yellow stuff. Chris was so happy, giggling like a little kid.

[@tommj4365]

Contrast that with the time I saw Oasis, the singer seemed so grumpy and depressed even cussed out the audience told them to shut up

[@Fxirie_harper08]

I remember the big bouncy balls! :-p

[@Sebastien_21]

Agreed, Gregg Alexander is a such great singer/songwriter..really loves his works.

[@KC-yi1td]

Congratulations on the 200k subscribers. Good to see this channel grow fast and looking forward to seeing you tour down under

[@JustinHawkinsRidesAgain]

Thanks for watching! See you there!

[@testmcgee9230]

Loved Coldplay in the early 2000s. When some Coldplay came up on my burned mix CD at a house party around 2008 I had the sudden realization the newer stuff was adult contemporary office music and I ran to skip forward a track. A guy at the party shouted “THANK YOU!!!”

[@svenjansen2134]

That was me. Thanks again!

[@davidpggarrett]

Saw them play in a pub in Bristol after buying the Shiver single, just before they exploded at Glastonbury. Have to admit it was an excellent, truly engaging night. If only they stuck to the pub venue scene!

[@HalfManThirdBiscuit]

If that was the Florikin & Firkin the very day before Parachutes was released, then we were at the same gig. I was blown away, having been asked to go with a friend. By 2005 I couldn't stand them. Funnily enough I'd also just picked up 'Shiver' from Imperial Music on Park St.

[@richmondderek]

Justin! There's something about how you genuinely like the music/video you're talking about (as in this Coldplay segment) that makes me feel good. I really enjoyed Parachutes and this song when it came out and it was much more pop than other music I prefer. I agree with you that Yellow sound more raw and urgent than their later work. Brilliant chat!

[@jamespeacock8019]

Everything's Not Lost has got one of my favourite ever unexpected chord changes. Great song.

[@ChaosHornet]

I’ve been thinking this for years… I was deeply into Coldplay’s music until they veered away from being guitar and piano based and became the over-processed and soulless mess it’s become. Such a shame.

[@LeeNottingham]

Yes, they had me in the early 2000's...now not so much...sounds like they are sponsored by Pepsi..

[@Wolfdragon92584]

I still remember when they came out in 2000. I was damn near obsessed with their first album. It's so gentle and warm, yet dark.

[@OFCR1]

Listen to the Ghost Stories album then, not soulless at all and quite recent

[@ChaosHornet]

Ghost Stories was a bit of a hiccup and pleasant surprise in spite of it being an incredibly sad album… But it still wasn’t anywhere near the artistic achievement of their first few albums. Chris’s divorce obviously sent him to a place of deep introspection. There’s a lot of pain in that album.

[@johnd3124]

some bands go on even worse trajectories (Weezer for one) .. I dont understand why young people are so into new Weezer (which sucks even worse than new Coldplay) .. its all just about trends and fooling people. I think Rivers treats Weezer like a product with market research etc. hes always been like that since Pinkerton. Coldplay is a fkin amazing band.. which kinda went downhill lately.. but people discredit them totally. Its just a PR fuck up in my opinion.

[@WouldUKindly7]

Still love Parachutes and A Rush of Blood to the Head. I don’t really enjoy their new stuff much but I saw them Live a couple of months ago and they still put on an incredible show

[@charleigh195]

May I add that your channel is quite magnificent and you are a genuinely fabulous presenter ole bean keep rocking Justin.

[@telsutton]

Coldplay got signed after supporting my band, Flashman, on our showcase for Parlophone at the Borderline, March 1999. They walked off with what should have been our deal (after recording demos for the label for the best part of two years). My own fault... never get into a JD and coke competition with The Verve's crew (before a gig).

[@Fxirie_harper08]

OMG I hope Flashman got a deal later? That’s a cool story!

[@telsutton]

@@Fxirie_harper08 Nope, you're looking at the bloke who should be in the Guinness Book of Records for 'Most Demoed-Then-Not-Signed Bloke'. starting in 1986 with Go Discs. Seven different bands, hundreds of original recordings, and not one official release among them. The Berlin-based reissuing label 'Firestation' was set to release my 80's stuff after approaching me in Dec2019... just about had the remastering finished, then Covid kicked in and the label went bust after 25 years. Typical. We're still picking up 'fans' around the globe though.... kzbin.info/www/bejne/Z3rQkJt6gtyoa7s

[@christinemalone]

So glad that Tim Rice-Oxley didn’t take up their offer to join Coldplay. Tim writes songs with proper lyrics and meaning and Keane are quite underrated but amazingly awesome.

[@jpa_fasty3997]

Amsterdam, Warning Sign, Green Eyes. Utterly beautiful songs. What happened indeed...!

[@bigneon_glitter]

*Coldplay 2000-2003 - solid post-Britpop of inarguable quality *Coldplay 2005-2014 - bright colored Millennial wank parade *Coldplay 2015-2021- baffling tween bait nonsense

[@swamisalami3000]

Coldplay started out good but became unbearable very fast

[@jonelvis7663]

@@swamisalami3000 yep. They became unbearable about 1 minute into Yellow.

[@danielscadden]

Bright Coloured millennial wank parade is a great band name

[@thebatman4279]

@@jonelvis7663 Yellow is a classic. To say otherwise is delusional.

[@jonelvis7663]

Sorry Bruce, yellow rain is the most apt description. I will carry on in my illusion of delusion.

[@matthewoakes4334]

I’m more of a casual Coldplay fan but I really love Yellow. It’s one of those songs that takes me back to a certain time in my life. A Rush of Blood to the Head is their best album, they’ll never top that.

[@aarondowning5791]

No, Viva topped it easily.

[@joshuataylor3550]

@@aarondowning5791 bad take.

[@edwardjons8684]

I loved Parachutes when it was first release, but their next album gave the impression that they had understood, rightly, that Radiohead already occupied the entire guitar-led postpunk territory they had originally aimed at, and so they cynically sought out the anthem and cash rich softer ground that the aging U2 were milking.

[@Peacefrogg]

Yeah , ‘cept u2’s annoyoing but still somewhat original, whereas coldplay…

[@paulmallon9292]

Parachutes sounds nothing like Radiohead. That's such a lazy take wrapped up in word salad. I wouldn't be their biggest fan but you'd fold under questioning there.

[@Peacefrogg]

@@benjamindavis4974 yeah sry after 2002 it sort of ended for me. First two albums yes, but after that the earworms messed things up for me, kept hearing things that maybe weren’t there but everything started to sound familiar.

[@paulmallon9292]

@@benjamindavis4974 like shiver, don't panic, trouble, yellow. Just take the singles. When they came out at the time I don't think anyone said 'Radiohead rip off'. I just think thats that's incredibly lazy take. Whatever you think of the music itself. Not saying you said this btw.

[@Peacefrogg]

@@benjamindavis4974 sry to me it sounds like a formula, like when r.e.m. went from an amazing green to a soul-less out of time, or when u2 made amazing albums like boy and war and the seemed to go for the herd taste. I will prob. offend lots of ppl and yes i am prob. wrong saying this. You can talk about succesful but that means nothing to me. I need to hear the need to express something rather than the need to make money. But the fact that i don’t hear it ofc does not mean it’s not there.

[@dfpguitar]

In around 2001 I think I recall being at college and performing the song yellow as a duet with a girl who was a great singer, but she had a r&b background so it was really different for her.

[@kristymac3236]

I saw them at a festival when Yellow came out and they were great and different from anyone else. Saw them again about 5 years ago at Wembley and they are really good live. I suppose they are not rock and roll enough for most people. They just seemed happy to be there. Their records are probably a bit too similar now that would be my only criticism

[@Adamoff]

I love the section about the backing vocals. Just listening to the song again a lot recently and they repeat the backing vocals 3 times in the chorus. Got me thinking that maybe why they started with an "aaaah", so they could end on an "aaaah" and opens it up at the end like you say. Really enjoy the insight you brought to one of my favorite songs ever.

[@Mewtwosmrmime]

Thought of Travis when I saw that image for some reason. You should cover Sing or Why Does It Always Rain On Me?

[@kroadster3249]

That is the fucking best description of what made the first album so perfect, what happened after that and what and where it went wrong. Absolutely fair and on point.

[@clausm2203]

I love these song breakdowns and i agree with justin on almost all of them

[@paulos9900]

I saw Coldplay live at Newcastle's little Student Uni a few days after Yellow came out. They were supporting Muse..... Not bad for a tenner.

[@maketheworldabetterplace4evry1]

Thanks for trying to make me fall in love with a Coldplay song. Yell!! Oh!! Many small, special things happening here, like I never thought I'd see the day nor partly agree with you on this positive review. So yeah, brightened my evening, 'and it was all yellow'.🌟💛🌻

[@JustinHawkinsRidesAgain]

Thanks Mylene :)

[@pratosaurusrex1128]

Congrats on 200k Justin! Onwards and upwards!

[@JustinHawkinsRidesAgain]

Thank you!

[@chaze8127]

I am a big Coldplay fan, but I have to agree with you. They have one song on this latest album that seemed like they took a risk. Coloratura is worth a listen. They definitely didn’t write that one to be played on the radio.

[@mattjaylane5850]

Looking for this before I left a comment, completely agree - has an air of Pink Floyd about it. Hopefully they'll explore that sound a bit more on the next album....

[@sk84christdailyprogression18]

This freaking channel is epic and this broski is legitimate

[@matthewwalker5430]

Its so weird because you expressed exactly what I've always thought about Coldplay. I was never a big fan of Yellow but I definitely saw why some people liked it and it was a song I heard/video I saw where I was interested to see what the band did next. It did have that boyish charm, a very slight aggression in it (mainly from the guitars, you're right) combined with that loose feel that makes proper indie or punk music sound so good. Yellow has that sound that projects a slight nonchalance and I tend to think that any music that is able to do that often strikes a chord with people. However, they seemed to go from that to the total opposite. Everything I heard from Coldplay afterward projects not nonchalance but pretence to my ear. And Chris Martin totally lost that almost cheeky appeal he appeared to have in the Yellow video and replaced it with an almost smugness and I think a lot of people pick up on that. Maybe I'm wrong though and that's just my issue with Coldplay, lol

[@ryansmloh3400]

You could have just wrote ‘ I don’t really like any of ‘Coldplay’ 😆

[@pmor4272]

Chris Martin is still plenty cheeky. They’ve still got great albums like Ghost Stories and Everyday Life that are much like Parachutes. They also do this huge Stadium pop rock stuff which you can really only appreciate when you go their shows which are amazing. Ghost Stories is well Worth a proper listen

[@BadRobotica]

Don’t forget The Call, The Alarm, Mad Season, Blind Melon, Civil Twilight, and Candlebox.

[@ericmcsnorkle4090]

Never been a huge fan but I remember when Yellow came out, thinking it was a fresh twist on the guitar bands that preceded them. Justin is right, it’s the raw, almost sloppiness of the playing and the vocal that tugs at the emotions somehow. The music they produce now has a hook but in a much more cynical, lifeless way imo

[@nothingandnobody1175]

I loved it when I saw your band The Darkness headline at Leeds Festival years ago, you were the best headliners I ever saw there. You seem really intelligent and your observations are good. I love listening to your channel. Stay strong and respect x100 to you!

[@gezlaw]

Q: Why did Coldplay cross the road ? A: To get to the middle !

[@ThatGuyThanus]

😂

[@r0bophonic]

I’ve read that Chris Martin made an intentional change toward more positive, less melancholy music after they became huge. The lack of guitars in later releases is likely them trying to stay popular since guitar has disappeared from pop music. I love the guitar work on X&Y.

[@shellyt556]

I did notice that after the third album it became more upbeat. It is possible that the mood if the band changed after they became successful

[@DV-zv4ox]

X&Y was and still is bloody brilliant. Holds up to this day and I still listen to it regularly. I can understand why they shifted to a more pop, electronic-infused sound, but everything after X&Y had no staying power for me.

[@r0bophonic]

@@shellyt556 According to Martin it wasn’t feeling happier after becoming successful, but feeling more responsible for what they are putting out into the world, and wanting their music to be uplifting to people.

[@stevepayne8774]

I've got a question please. I know you love Radiohead, Pixies etc - have you ever experimented with the art rock/indie genre or has the metal/rock always been the obvious/natural choice for you? Loving your work!

[@RC-fi8nn]

Great question!

[@lewisb85]

Well there was British whale the sparks/devo influence. I often thought/hoped that project has more art rock potential.

[@stevenoasis1]

“A rush of blood to the head” is a classic album. Massively underrated lyricist in those early days (granted “Yellow” after the Yellow Pages is hardly profound 😂).

[@freedompatriot1097]

That album is a masterpiece.

[@stevenoasis1]

@@freedompatriot1097 was a great tour as well. Politik live was a fucking beast.

[@bluescoobyblue]

Yes a cracking album for sure. The slo-mo effect, first perfected by The Police in Wrapped Around Your Finger

[@avedic]

I remember not liking Yellow when it first came out. Now? Damn...what a killer song. Simple sweet and to the point....just a perfect pop rock song. Also.....anyone seen the movie Boyhood? The one that took like 15 years to shoot? I love how when it starts, sometime around 2000 or so....the song they chose to open that scene....was Yellow. It just PERFECTLY captured that pre-9/11 coming off the 90s exuberant _it's a new millennium you guys!_ energy and vibe of that time. It was quite a nostalgic scene for me....being 39 now. It just hit hard....like damn, that WAS another era, wasn't it?

[@tonymorph3672]

I remember having so much optimism going into the new millennium. Everything was going to be better. How wrong I was.

[@ExileOnDaytonStreet]

I will defend Parachutes and A Rush Of Blood To The Head with a passion. With the rest of their catalog in mind, I’d say they’re a band where I only truly enjoy 10-20% of their stuff, but their best songs are ASTOUNDINGLY GOOD. I say the same about U2 and Muse. It’s actually good company to be in, frankly.

[@jorgeramirezelnegro1139]

The influence of this album on the guitar sound comes from the beautiful music of Jeff Buckley, I think that's what Radiohead sounds like. Your analysis is great and not pretentious. I am very happy to find your videos.

[@SamGyle]

They found out there no point putting so much effort into an album of great songs and went for more money, still gems in every album they've done

[@adamthom6294]

Shiver is my favourite coldplay song. Such a genuine sound!

[@Metaltothecoreinyourface]

Yellow is an alternative rock masterpiece

[@kestrelsings]

Always loved “Drew a li-i-ne!!” It works- added extras! Just like the last chord ya don’t expect at the end! Nice take Justin! And u saying chris martins smile is adorable, is adorable! Good vibes! Blessings 😎

[@teelakovacs208]

I'm glad you often come to the defense, when justified, of bands or songs that have merit but are otherwise tossed by many. This song had brightness from the jump through melancholy and the raw jangle build paired with his imperfect vocal range that made you feel something. It's all opinion after all but some bands contribute one beautiful moment and then get absolutely brutalized for the rest of their catalog after finding massive success. You can't win if that is the mindset: more opportunities to try new things with production, pressure, suggestions, money, tours, adoration, only to be turned against by the whims of fickle fans. Or you can play glorious basement gigs and be held in the highest regard by tight circles of devoted audiences. It never seems fair to me. I'm not a Coldplay fan and don't own any of their albums, but this song gently moved me and released at the time it introduced a new sound. Not too shabby. I like what I like and defend artists fiercely without the, 'sell-out' cry. I may curse the ticket prices to see bands I love get big, but I want the best for them when they get opportunities to take chances and grow, explore side projects, etc. I might think an album is shit but I don't throw the baby out with the dishwater. (Comments here are solely the opinions of the poster and may not reflect common culture, bitter curmudgeons, or future disappointing choices made by truly great bands that jump the shark straight into derivative musical voids)

[@clinton_jones]

Came for the classic Hawkins commentary but always blown away by the rich musical knowledge that makes up the song ie, the vocal harmonies. Top notch sir! Keep riding again.

[@Patrick-yl3vd]

Hi Justin! I love you and your music, particularly your much underrated former outfit Hot Leg. I’m really hoping you will reform the group for a one off collaboration with the excellent Wet Leg for a song or two celebrating the lower limb, combining both your signature styles. If not, at least a cover of ZZTop’s ‘Legs’. Much love.

[@k-dogstor1170]

The guitars are so nice on this album! classic telecaster fender twin sound.. so well recorded. That riff in shiver absolute beauty!!

[@blackline66]

That “Raw” sound is awesome. Sadly nothing like this anymore. I guess a lot is in the production. But the comparison to The Bends is good.

[@matthill263]

'It could almost be Pavement..' Yellow bears a striking resemblance to Here from Slanted and Enchanted.

[@QwentyJ]

Can't wait for Justin to dissect a Feeder song...👀 (in a good way)

[@KalvinMauveMusic]

"he's getting rained on and it's all yellow" the expression after that was priceless .Had to rewind.Cracked me up twice. Thanks.

[@lezzliea]

I didn't snigger the first time you said you 'have something undeniable in your arsenal', but I definitely did the second time 😊

[@NinStardust]

Same! 😂

[@alexwinfield9540]

I did both times because I am a giant man-child

[@nopalez100]

omg, I can totally connect with your way of feeling and understanding music, and... your music (The Darkness) has inspired me so much... great to see you so well Justin, take care!

[@saltandiron3379]

I might be one of the only people who really enjoyed their entire album “X&Y”. After that Coldplay was dead to me.

[@chloescat]

Nope, I love X&Y, too I also love Viva La Vida.

[@ocracing6102]

I love X&Y too, Viva la Vida but after that it’s all abit meh

[@ChasingRainbows1979]

For me, the first album was brilliant from start to finish. From the songs to the production, I still listen to it now every now and again. Nothing they’ve done since has had any near the same amount of impact

[@WGK90]

First 2 albums are absolutely incredible, some of the best music you can find. However, 90% of everything after is so fucking bad it might as well be a different band/artist.

[@jakepierce1153]

*First 4 and not 90% that’s a over exaggeration

[@WGK90]

@@jakepierce1153 I disagree but thanks for coming by

[@angrynorway]

They never had their Kid A moment.

[@davidspingler6337]

Coldplay lost me about a decade ago. The first 4 albums were quite good for the most part, the next 2 were increasingly insipid, imo. After that, there’s been very little that I care to hear.

[@michaelmulhall5007]

Ye I agree totally but there even bigger now with that American nonsense they write now

[@MostlyLoveOfMusic]

Okay but Clocks is a flawless masterpiece

[@samfrisby6135]

Hi Justin, great videos! I'd really love to hear you talk about the Scottish rock band, Travis. In my opinion, they're one of the most underappreciated bands out there and have been making incredible stuff from the late 90s to this day. They also have some pretty crazy music videos that would make for a good reaction. Thanks!

[@dawnross2514]

I still have my Travis CD!

[@gavinkaufmanworld]

I love Travis too!! ☺

[@MarkWhiley]

Also a big Travis fan. As I've got older I've also felt more connected to their music.

[@SarahDale111]

Just yesterday I was singing Why Does It Always Rain On Me because it was raining on me. Been doing that for 23 years, apparently. 😁

[@seanbritton7791]

R u Scottish by chance?

[@avertfrancis]

Justin. Your KZbin channel is my new favourite place. Superb work. The "smoothing off the edges" analogy of Coldplay through time etc is SPOT ON. Bravo. Marvelous. Wonderful work. Keep it coming!

[@justinguitarcia]

First two coldplay albums (maybe first 3) are actually good. They featured real songwriting and super tasteful, interesting guitar work

[@jorgoshki]

+1! Exatly as you said

[@waddleburr8048]

I'd argue the first four were the golden age.

[@ashlenjoful]

Congrats on 200,000 subscribers Justin!

[@JustinHawkinsRidesAgain]

Thank you!

[@markthemange]

Awesome video Justin, love your neutrality when discussing songs that can be so divisive. As you said in the video, has there ever been a time for The Darkness where you've been encouraged to become more dance like and lose the guitars and rawness for something more ironed out and mainstream? Love the videos man. Always look forward to the next.

[@rtan451]

I kind of agree, but it always seems to come back down to the 'should a band always make the same kind of music' argument. Coldplay have grown as a band, I think the highlights have been Parachutes, Viva La Vida, and Everyday Life so far - and I'd love to hear what Justin thinks of an album like Everyday Life since that's been the most interesting release from a band at this level in years, I think. Even through the poppier stuff, Johnny Buckland's guitar has shone through on songs like Adventure of a Lifetime and Colortura (where Buckland's guitar has a lot of note bending).

[@brandonharris4694]

Love that youve given Greg Alexander multiple shoutout! He really should have much more recognition in the states. Love your channel and The Darkness , Justin. Please keep'em comin :)

[@RafaCarrillo]

Came looking for a comment like this, Gregg Alexander deserves all the recognition, the man is a great songwriter

[@joebob2311productions]

Gregg Alexander - The Truth

[@Twelve50TV]

Thats funny Justin you took words right out my mouth when talking about those Neil Young bends - Reminded me, you know they wrote this as a kind of parody of a Young song. Even that wee chord change at the end heavy Crazy horse style ! Cheers for another cool analysis !

[@Bobby_sprinkles]

Parachutes is an incredible album and I'm not ashamed to say that I rank it as one of the best debut albums I've ever heard.

[@eddiesell8577]

I completely agree, I personally prefer Parachutes, it had a more visceral feel, which added something. Now its polished out any goodness that was there.

[@jonathanward7320]

X&Y was their best album. I’d give my right bollock to see them play that entire album live. I’m jealous of people who seen them tour back in 2005

[@babycilantro]

Twice.

[@andrewmaguire4476]

Yep I think it's their best album

[@MrMikeDB2]

for me X & Y is also their best song!

[@Apocalypse4162]

Agreed, I listen to usually one song from that album every day lately, and listened to the whole album today. The chemistry of it is just ideal for my tastes. The Hardest Part and White Shadows are nice to play on acoustic guitar too.

[@greengrass1072]

I saw them in Philadelphia on the X&Y tour, they were underwhelming to me. I was really into them at the time and I thought both A Rush of Blood to the Head and X&Y were great albums, but they had no oomph (the word I’m going with) at all live. Speed of Sound, which I thought was a great song, sounded rather wimpy live, just no power behind it. I don’t even know if they played 90 min as the headline act. When you’re playing the big arena in town, you play longer than that. Richard Ashcroft opened for them that night and he was brilliant. The Verve….now there’s a band.

[@coleshiner143]

Proud Coldplay fan here, can’t say I like all there stuff, but they are one of my all time favourites. Can’t hate on them.

[@sircoynie]

The Pavement reference has just put you in the highest of my regards. I used to say the exact same thing about the first album but then sadly they became over produced and lost all feeling and soul.

[@Sasha-jk6wo]

Same here, i freakin love Pavement and was pleasantly surprised that he knows of them.

[@jackjude]

@@Sasha-jk6wo really, they're a famous band.

[@johnscott6481]

Was just thinking how theres some pavement -tee aspects of early sounds

[@emileconstance5851]

I think most music lovers know and love Pavement, esp. if you were around in the '90s. The release of Slanted & Enchanted was a revelation for many.

[@Sasha-jk6wo]

@@jackjude I guess I didn't know that, they're legendary for my friends and a smallish music scene in Augusta Georgia in the 90's. Didn't realize they were popular across the pond as well. I'm glad to know that, their music and lyrics are genius and should be appreciated everywhere.

[@mattnashguitar]

Yellow is in alternate tuning. Most notably the high E is tuned a half step down. Thats what gives those chords that unique tone.

[@mojomileage5611]

I'm glad I found the Doves, another UK band, that also released their first songs the same year. They also experimented with their sound, but always kept it indie. Doves are so much better than Coldplay.....they wrote songs for them, not to be commercial......so if you get the chance Justin, do an episode on the Doves.

[@thebatman4279]

I absolutely love Lost Souls. What an album, enchanting.

[@ThatGuyThanus]

Good call on Doves!

[@iliketrains3495]

Yeah Doves are so underrated, shame they never really broke out despite being critically acclaimed, and I think the 11-year-hiatus didn’t help matters especially after they released their most streamed song on KZbin, Kingdom of Rust

[@SleepSerenityRelaxation]

Are you aware that Doves had a number 3 hit in the UK singles chart as Sub Sub? They were originally a dance-oriented band, but when their studio burned down along with the recordings of their latest album they took it as an omen and decided to go in a different direction. And... I love Doves. They're just brilliant and made a good decision to switch.

[@SleepSerenityRelaxation]

@@benjamindavis4974 Give Modest Mouse a whirl. Especially The Moon & Antarctica and Good News for People Who Love Bad News.

[@Fastnbulbous1969]

Kudos to Justin's style consultant -- a different outfit every video, very creative. Something that most current rock stars have neglected.

[@paulwillson8000]

Shiver was another great track off that album. Their next one was sick too. God Put a Smile upon Your Face was the highlight from that album. (A Rush of Blood to the Head) the rest I can take or leave.

[@stephenmoriarty5030]

Great video, absolutely subscribed. This "smoothing of the edges" - happens to so many bands. They get successful, they get money and girls, stability, grow a bit older - what's left to be edgey about? The source of so much of that edge is anger and hurt. What are they angry about anymore? Who'd dare hurt them? What happened to Coldplay happened to The Kings of Leon (to be fair the process took longer). It eventually happened to U2 as well. [I'm sure the reasons are different but the result is the same - anodyne, electronic car advert music. Some bands are smart enough to duck out before they lose the edge e.g. The Strokes, Blur. And some bands are permanently lost in a tundra of misery that it never leaves them e.g. Radiohead, The Bad Seeds, and thank God for that!