Globe trotting British giants Coldplay have made history after becoming the first act to sell one million digital albums in the United States.
Coldplay have come a long way. While those with long memories may recall a shaggy haired Chris Martin crooning his way through ‘Yellow’ almost a decade ago, in the United States the band are a relatively new phenomenon.
The band made in roads, sure, but few expected the mammoth success they have enjoyed with their recent album. Coldplay released ‘Viva La Vida Or Death And All His Friends’ last year to enormous acclaim, and jaw-dropping success.
A number one in more than thirty five countries, Coldplay were launched in the upper stratums of rock. Suddenly going nose to nose with the likes of U2 and Metallica, the band were filling stadiums with remarkable ease.
The album has continued to sell, and remains in the Billboard charts. The band made the record available to buy digitally, and it has become a groundbreaking success.
Where once buying an album in the United States might have involved a trip to Wal-Mart, now music fans can gain a new release with the click of a button. To date, more than one million digital copies of ‘Viva La Vida’ have been sold, with more flying down modems every day.
According to Nielsen SoundScan data, this makes Coldplay record breakers. Over all, the band have sold more than two million digital albums worldwide. These figures include four full length studio albums, the ‘Prospekt’s March’ EP and of course the band’s recent live album.
Recorded on their ongoing ‘Viva La Vida’ world tour, live album ‘LeftRightLeftRightLeft’ was made available to fans for free. Containing some epic versions of classic tracks, the album is the perfect reminder for those who have been touched by the Coldplay live experience.
Meanwhile, the band are gearing up for the release of their new single ‘Strawberry Swing’. Coldplay are to place the video for the track as a trailer before the new Sacha Baron Cohen movie ‘Bruno’. In it, Chris Martin plays an animated superhero who fights a giant squirrel.
Coldplay are set to release ‘Strawberry Swing’ on July 20th.
