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AlbumE · 2021

Music of the Spheres

by Coldplay

Music of the Spheres is a 2021 pop album by Coldplay. It runs 12 tracks across 45 minutes on Parlophone. Riffiter listeners rate it 3.5/5 from 164 ratings.

Pop · Pop Rock · Electronic

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Your rating

3.5 /5
164 ratings
56 /100
10 critics
12
Tracks
45 min
Runtime
133 bpm
Tempo
D major
Key

Ratings

164 ratings · avg 3.5

0.5★5★

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Reviews

1 review

  • 2.0

    Music of the Spheres is Coldplay's full surrender to the algorithm: Max Martin production, a BTS feature, emoji track titles, and "My Universe" engineered for every market simultaneously. "Coloratura"'s ten-minute prog coda proves the old band still exists somewhere in there. The rest is content with choruses.

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Critics

10 publications

Scores collected from the English Wikipedia ratings box (CC BY-SA). Ratings belong to the publications; follow a link to read the review.

Music of the Spheres album cover

Music of the Spheres album cover

The Music of the Spheres cover was designed by Applied Art Forms, Beth Fenton, Lauren Rauch, Misty Buckley and Victor Scorrano, photographed by Khaled Kassem, and art-directed by Pilar Zeta.

Design
Applied Art Forms, Beth Fenton, Lauren Rauch, Misty Buckley, Victor Scorrano
Photography
Khaled Kassem
Art direction
Pilar Zeta

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Tracklist

12 tracks · 45 min

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About

Music of the Spheres is the ninth studio album by British rock band Coldplay, released on 15 October 2021 by Parlophone in the United Kingdom and Atlantic Records in the United States. The album was produced by Max Martin, who is a new producer to the band's discography. It features guest appearances from Selena Gomez, We Are King, Jacob Collier and BTS. It also features contributions from electronic producer Jon Hopkins. An space-themed concept album, Music of the Spheres is set in a fictional planetary system called The Spheres, which contains nine planets, three natural satellites, a star and a nebula, each of which corresponds to a certain song. According to lead singer Chris Martin, its concept and themes were inspired by the Star Wars film franchise, which made him wonder what other artists could be like across the universe. The album received generally mixed reviews from critics, who praised its pop composition, but criticized its concept and superficial feeling. Background

Read more

The idea for a space-themed record had been envisioned by the band since 2010, when lead vocalist Chris Martin proposed a project of building "a solar system", as stated in a blog published by the band, named "Roadie #42". At the time Everyday Life was released, in November 2019, one of the hints was hidden within the bifold of the booklet of the physical vinyl and digibook editions of the album, in which a black and white billboard in a field advertises "Music of the Spheres". In the bottom left corner, smaller writing says "Coldplay coming soon". This, combined with the band's history of teasers for future material, fueled speculation about Music of the Sphere's themes and release date. Other hints to future material were purportedly hidden within song lyrics and music videos from the Everyday Life era. Style and concept Lead singer Chris Martin stated that the theme for the album was inspired by "wonder what musicians would be like across the universe" after watching the fictional Mos Eisley cantina band perform in Star Wars and making speculations in relation to outer space sounds. The album is set in a fictional planetary system called The Spheres, which consists of nine planets, three natural satellites, one star and a nearby nebula. Each track on the album represents a celestial body from The Spheres. Following the album's track listing, they are: Neon Moon I ("Music of the Spheres"), Kaotica ("Higher Power"), Echo ("Humankind"), Kubik ("Alien Choir"), Calypso ("Let Somebody Go"), Supersolis ("Human Heart"), Ultra ("People of the Pride"), Floris ("Biutyful"), Neon Moon II ("Music of the Spheres II"), Epiphane ("My Universe"), Infinity Station ("Infinity Sign"), and Coloratura ("Coloratura"). Supersolis is the star at the centre of the system, and Coloratura is the Nebula. Each celestial body in The Spheres has its own language: EL 1 for Neon Moon I, Kaotican for Kaotica, Mirror Text for Echo, Qblok for Kubik, Aquamarine for Calypso, Supersolar for Supersolis, Voltik for Ultra, Bloom for Floris, EL 2 for Neon Moon II, Spheric for Epiphane, Infinitum for Infinity Station, and Coloraturan for Coloratura. An unnamed natural satellite orbits Echo, while both Neon Moons orbit Epiphane. A lost planet called Aurora is also part of the system, although it remains unknown whether a hidden song will represent it. Martin uses the planets as a canvas to explore the human experience: "It's really another record about life as a human person, but given this freedom that comes when you pretend it's about other creatures in other places."

In brief

Is Music of the Spheres good?
Riffiter listeners rate Music of the Spheres 3.5/5 from 164 ratings.
When was Music of the Spheres released?
Music of the Spheres was released in 2021 on Parlophone.
How many tracks are on Music of the Spheres?
Music of the Spheres has 12 tracks, with a runtime of 45 minutes.
What genre is Music of the Spheres?
Music of the Spheres is catalogued under Pop, Pop Rock, Electronic.
What BPM is Music of the Spheres?
Music of the Spheres runs at a median tempo of 133 BPM across its tracks, most often in D major, measured from audio analysis.
What albums are similar to Music of the Spheres?
Listeners of Music of the Spheres also rate Native by OneRepublic, In Rainbows by Radiohead, This Is Acting by Sia.
Who produced Music of the Spheres?
Music of the Spheres was produced by Bill Rahko, Max Martin, Oscar Holter and Daniel Green, among 11 credited in total. Bill Rahko produced 10 of them.

Credits

Engineered by
+34 more
John HanesMatt LathamDuncan FullerMichael IlbertThe Dream TeamLinn FijalTate McDowellBaptiste LeroyEmma MarksErwan AbbasKarl-Ola KjellholmKaushlesh “Garry” PurohitMatt CookePierre HouléTyler GordonBastien LozierGina VostiKian MoghaddamzadehMiguel LaraSarah TudzinSimon SalabimVilma CollingAleks von KorffBill RahkoBo BodnarCharley PollardJohn CostelloMick RaskinParis StrotherPdoggStephanie Streseman WilkinsonSylvia MacCallaTomas CrowTony Smith
Played by
+11 more
Davide RossiAngel LopezChris MartinWill ChampionGuy BerrymanJonny BucklandBill RahkoRik SimpsonDerek DixieJohn MetcalfeParis Strother
Vocals by
+21 more
Jung KookRMSUGASelena GomezWe Are KINGj‐hopeChris MartinWill ChampionBill RahkoDenise CariteDorian HolleyNeka HamiltonRik SimpsonStevie MackeyAmber StrotherApple MartinGuy BerrymanJonny BucklandMoses MartinTate McDowellVilma Colling

Credits and connections from Genius