Chris Martin

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Lore & Background

Martin's musical foundation was built in Exeter before his family spent time in Zimbabwe, where he lived at age 10. His mother, Alison Martin, a music teacher from Zimbabwe, influenced his early environment, while his father, Anthony John Martin, worked as a retired chartered accountant. The family business, Martin's of Exeter, traced back to 1929 through his grandfather, John Besley Martin CBE. At Sherborne School, Martin met future manager Phil Harvey and served as president of the Sting fan club, playing in the blues band the Rockin' Honkies with Harvey. Before university, he wrote jingles at Shed Studios for plays at St. George's College in Harare. He later attended University College London, earning a first-class honours degree in Greek and Latin. It was there, during orientation week in 1996, that he met Jonny Buckland. They spent the rest of the year planning a band, writing songs by early 1997, and rehearsing nightly. Guy Berryman joined soon after, leading to demos recorded without a drummer under the name Big Fat Noises.

In Their Own Story

By November, the trio was known as Big Fat Noises. In 1998, Will Champion joined just days before their debut live performance at the Laurel Tree. Panicked about the lack of a name, they briefly called themselves Starfish. Weeks later, friend Tim Crompton suggested 'Coldplay,' which he had found in Philip Horky's book Child's Reflections, Cold Play (1997), though he had discarded it for his own project. The band settled on the name and released Parachutes in 2000. Their song 'Yellow' entered the charts at number four, serving as their breakthrough. This success launched them into international recognition. Martin's influence extended beyond rock; in 2005, he worked with Nelly Furtado on 'All Good Things (Come to an End),' jokingly calling him her boyfriend after a Glastonbury performance. He later collaborated with Jay-Z on 'Beach Chair' for the album Kingdom Come (2006), supplying chords while Dr. Dre mixed the track. They performed it at Royal Albert Hall on 27 September 2006. In 2007, an impromptu jam session at Abbey Road Studios led to Martin recording the chorus for Kanye West's 'Homecoming.' His dedication to music and community saw him perform at the 12/12/12 concert for Sandy Relief in December 2012 and join Band Aid 30 in 2014 for Ebola relief.

Reader's Guide

Martin is the creative core of Coldplay, serving as the primary songwriter and frontman. His role involves crafting melodies and lyrics that define the band's emotional resonance. He began his career at University College London, where he co-founded the group with Jonny Buckland in 1996. Key milestones include the 2000 release of Parachutes and the chart success of 'Yellow' at number four. Martin has won seven Grammy Awards and nine Brit Awards as part of Coldplay. He is also an active collaborator outside the band, working with artists like Embrace, Jamelia, Jay-Z, Kanye West, Nelly Furtado, Avicii, and Dua Lipa. His philanthropic efforts include performing for Sandy Relief in 2012, recording for Band Aid 30 in 2014, and becoming creative director of the Global Citizen Festival in September 2015. In 2025, Exeter's Martin House was named after him by InFocus to support young people with complex needs. He is a vocal advocate for hearing protection due to his own tinnitus, which he noticed as a teenager.

Did You Know?

• Martin's great-great-grandfather, William Willett, successfully campaigned for British Summer Time to become a universally acknowledged practice.
• Before settling on the name Coldplay, the band was briefly known as Starfish after Will Champion scheduled their debut only days after joining.
• Martin worked at Shed Studios writing musical jingles for plays at St. George's College in Harare before attending university.
• He performed a solo piano rendition of Linkin Park's 'Crawling' at the funeral Mass of Beau Biden in June 2015.
• Martin cited Norwegian band a-ha as the first band he ever loved, stating they were his primary inspiration growing up.

Early Life & Education

Christopher Anthony John Martin was born on 2 March 1977 in Exeter, Devon, England. He is the eldest of five children. His father, Anthony John Martin, is a retired chartered accountant, and his mother, Alison Martin, is a music teacher from Zimbabwe. The family's business, Martin's of Exeter, was founded in 1929 by his grandfather, John Besley Martin CBE, who served as High Sheriff and Mayor of Exeter. His great-great-grandfather, William Willett, successfully campaigned for British Summer Time. Martin lived with his family in Zimbabwe when he was 10 years old. He attended Hylton and Exeter Cathedral primary schools in England, where he found his passion for music. He then attended Sherborne School, meeting manager Phil Harvey there. At school, he was president of the Sting fan club and played in a blues band called the Rockin' Honkies with Harvey. Before university, he worked at Shed Studios, writing musical jingles for plays at St. George's College, Harare. He later studied at University College London, earning a first-class honours degree in Greek and Latin.

Coldplay Formation & Rise

Martin co-founded the band with Jonny Buckland after meeting during orientation week at university in 1996. They spent the rest of that year planning and began writing their first songs together in early 1997, rehearsing nightly. Guy Berryman joined in the following months, and the trio recorded numerous demos without a drummer under the name Big Fat Noises. In 1998, Will Champion joined just days before their debut live performance at the Laurel Tree. Weeks later, they settled on the name Coldplay, suggested by friend Tim Crompton, who had found it in Philip Horky's Child's Reflections, Cold Play (1997). Their debut album, Parachutes, was released in 2000, bringing international recognition. The song 'Yellow' entered the charts at number four and became their breakthrough. The band has since sold over 160 million records worldwide, becoming the most successful group of the 21st century. Martin received seven Grammy Awards and nine Brit Awards as part of Coldplay.

Collaborations & Solo Ventures

Martin has written for various artists, including Embrace ('Gravity') and Jamelia ('See It in a Boy's Eyes', co-written with Rik Simpson). He collaborated with Ron Sexsmith, Faultline, the Streets, and Ian McCulloch. In 2004, he sang on Band Aid 20's 'Do They Know It's Christmas?'. In 2005, he worked with Nelly Furtado on 'All Good Things (Come to an End)' for her album Loose (2006); they were rumored to be a couple after performing at Glastonbury in 2002. His interest in hip hop led to a collaboration with Jay-Z on 'Beach Chair' for Kingdom Come (2006). Martin supplied chords, Rik Simpson created the drum pattern, and Dr. Dre mixed it; they performed it at Royal Albert Hall on 27 September 2006. He recorded the chorus for Kanye West's 'Homecoming' on Graduation (2007) after a jam session at Abbey Road Studios. In 2015, he collaborated with Avicii on 'Heaven' and 'True Believer'. In 2017, he performed 'A Different Corner' for George Michael at the Brit Awards and co-wrote 'Homesick' for Dua Lipa's debut album. In 2019, he was featured on Avicii's posthumous album Tim with 'Heaven', written prior to Avicii's death in 2018.

Philanthropy & Public Appearances

In December 2012, Martin performed three songs for the 12/12/12: The Concert for Sandy Relief. Two years later, he joined Band Aid 30 to record 'Do They Know It's Christmas?' at Notting Hill's Sarm West Studios for Ebola crisis relief in West Africa. In September 2015, he became creative director of the Global Citizen Festival. In 2025, InFocus named Exeter's Martin House after him; it is a residential care facility for young people with vision impairment and complex needs. Martin and Jonny Buckland appeared as ZombAid supporters in Shaun of the Dead. He had a cameo in Extras (series two, episode four) in 2006 and sang in the closing credits of Brüno (2009). In March 2015, he attended the Tidal launch via video link as a shareholder. In June 2015, he performed 'Til Kingdom Come' at Beau Biden's funeral Mass after learning the Vice President's son was a fan. In August 2017, he played a solo piano rendition of Linkin Park's 'Crawling' to honor Chester Bennington.

Influences & Personal Life

Major influences include Travis, whom Martin credits for his band's creation; U2, whose entire catalogue he knows by heart; and Radiohead. He is a vocal fan of Norwegian synth-pop band a-ha, stating in 2005 that they were the first band he ever loved. He has performed with Magne Furuholmen of a-ha, calling him 'the best keyboard player in the world.' Martin admires Oasis, Muse, Westlife, Girls Aloud, Take That, Arcade Fire, the Beatles, the Rolling Stones, and Bob Marley. In 2014, he inducted Peter Gabriel into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. He called R.E.M.'s 'Nightswimming' the greatest song ever written after performing it with Michael Stipe in 2005. He admires Richard Ashcroft as 'the best singer in the world' and Morrissey's lyrics, admitting Coldplay's 'Shiver' was a rip-off of Jeff Buckley's 'Grace'. In May 2023, The Times estimated his net worth at £160 million. He has suffered from tinnitus since his early adult years, wearing filtered earplugs during performances and encouraging others to do the same. PETA named him World's Sexiest Vegetarian in 2005, but he resumed eating meat after divorcing Gwyneth Paltrow.