“My Universe” by Coldplay ft. BTS, Sunday, December 5, 2021

I've written a bit this year about how I'm a Coldplay apologist. I believe that the London-based band is very good at what they do. Though so many artists accomplish their sound, both musically and lyrically, better, there's something uplifting about a new Coldplay album. Earlier this year, I talked about the band's first single from their ninth studio record, Music of the Spheres, "Higher Power." The album was released on October 15 this year, but after "Higher Power" the band released the promotional single, the 10:17 track "Coloratura," which was praised by critics for its composition and production, and the second radio single "My Universe" featuring the South Korean boy band, BTS. The song shot straight to number 1 on the Billboard Hot 100, becoming the second Coldplay single to top the Hot 100, the first being "Viva la Vida."

I JUST WANT TO PUT YOU FIRST.  The reviews for Music of the Spheres were quite low. Metacritic, a database that averages the scores by major publications, scores the album as 55/100. Most critics agreed that Coldplay's shameless venture into Max Martin-produced pop music was shameless, even for a band that was instrumental for inventing the late '00/'10 pop-rock sound. "My Universe" in particular is viewed as a "cash-grab." Recently, due to BTS's enormous ARMY of fans, every recent single the boy band has released has headed straight to the top of the Billboard Hot 100. Music of the Spheres aimed to be a comeback album for the British pop-rockers. In 2017, Coldplay was a band with a large fan-base. Only Linkin Park had more YouTube subscribers, and Coldplay was the most streamed "rock band." However, being the top rock band, even if your definition is loose enough to call Coldplay a rock band, made Coldplay a "big fish in a little pond." The pond of rock music continues to dry up, and the 100 Million+ selling band would be competing with streams and sales by pop and R&B acts like Drake and The Weeknd. A collaboration with one of the highest selling groups of recent years would promote the now middle-aged rock band as cool and hip. Maybe the kids would dig back into their earlier discography and maybe Music of the Spheres would sell well.

THAT BRIGHT INFINITY INSIDE YOUR EYES. Cynicism about the "cash-grab" aside, the Coldplay-BTS collaboration may have come from a place of sincerity. Originally, Coldplay wrote the song for BTS, as many non-Korean composers have written for K-pop. Coldplay performed in South Korea in 2017 during their Head Full of Dreams Tour. The band has been evolving into a pop act steadily over the course of their career. Their 2011 Mylo Xyloto included a collaboration with Rihanna and much less guitar focus. Head Full of Dreams included backing vocals by Beyonce; however, "Hymn for the Weekend" wasn't marketed as Coldplay ft. Beyonce, thus the song ran on the momentum of Coldplay fans, not Beyonce fans. The message of "My Universe" is that love transcends distance, language, and misunderstandings. Produced in and out of quarantine, Music of the Spheres aims to bridge fans around the world together. The band began touring again, after swearing off touring during the release of their 2019 record Everyday Life until they could find a way to tour more eco-friendly. Next year, the band is set to embark on a carbon-neutral tour, which could revolutionize the music industry. The musical concept album Music of the Spheres, may have been inspired by Star Wars in "a galaxy far, far away," but the themes of connection, love, and the human experience are truly not out of this world.
 

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