X&Y

Lore & Background

The album contains twelve tracks, divided into respective halves labeled 'X' and 'Y', and an additional hidden song, 'Til Kingdom Come', which is listed as '+' on the disc label and inside the record's booklet. It was originally planned for American country star Johnny Cash to record it with lead singer Chris Martin, but Cash died before he was able to do so. At a runtime of 62 minutes and 30 seconds, it is Coldplay's longest studio album. After facing high anticipation, X&Y received positive reviews and was a significant commercial success. The album reached number one in 32 countries upon release, with EMI shipping over 5 million copies in its first week worldwide. In the United Kingdom, the band earned the third-highest debut in history. In the United States, they earned their first Billboard 200 chart-topper. X&Y was the best-selling album of 2005, with 8.3 million copies. It ranks among the biggest records of the 21st century, with 13 million units by December 2012. Four singles were made available: 'Speed of Sound', 'Fix You', 'Talk' and 'The Hardest Part'. Despite its success, the band's opinion of the album has soured over time, largely due to the recording's turbulent dynamic and their disappointment in the final product.

In Their Own Story

The stage lights dim to a deep indigo as the opening notes swell, not from an acoustic guitar, but from a shimmering synthesizer. In this quiet space between songs, the band members stand in silence, feeling the weight of the new sounds they have crafted. The air hums with anticipation, a vibration that mirrors the album's central theme: the invisible forces connecting us all. As the first chord strikes, it feels less like a performance and more like a confession, echoing through the vast darkness to reach every listener in the crowd.

Reader's Guide

The band spent all of 2004 producing X&Y. The released album is the third version the band had produced during the recording sessions, and some have even considered it as their fifth album due to constant changes in track lists and re-recordings. The band members were not satisfied with the output of their initial sessions with Nelson, who had produced the band's previous two albums, Parachutes (2000) and A Rush of Blood to the Head (2002). It also remains the only Coldplay album in which they had been through the creative process without Phil Harvey's 'presence, influence and guidance'. The initial set release date was late 2004, but was later pushed back to January 2005. As the new target date was approaching, the band again discarded songs, which they deemed 'flat' and 'passionless'. Sixty songs were written during these sessions, fifty-two of which were ditched. The band started rehearsing the songs for a planned tour, but felt the songs sounded better live compared to their recorded versions. Guitarist Jonny Buckland has said that the band had pushed themselves 'forward in every direction' in making the album, but they felt it sounded like they were going backwards compared to their earlier works. Attempting to perfect their work, Coldplay had to 'step it up a few notches and work hard at it to get it right'. The band chose Danton Supple, who mixed the bulk of A Rush of Blood to the Head, to oversee the production of X&Y. When January went, the band had to finish the album; they were conscious of the pressure as 'expectations for the record grew larger' and 'completing it became tougher and tougher'. Finally, the band were settled with the song 'Square One', which Martin has described as 'a call to arms' and a 'plea' to each of them 'not to be intimidated by anything or anyone else'. Once finished, the band felt like they could do their own songs and not have to think of anyone else's demands. During this month, the band were into the final weeks of production and had put the finishing touches on the tracks. Drummer Will Champion later admitted that Coldplay did not rush to complete the album 'because the prospect of touring again was so daunting that we felt we should take our time, and also we wanted to make sure that it was the best it could possibly be'. According to him, the band had no deadline, which allowed them not to feel pressured into finish

Did You Know?

• The album's cover art combines colours and blocks to represent the title in Baudot code, an early telegraph code using ones and zeros.
• The hidden song 'Til Kingdom Come' is listed as '+' on the disc label and inside the record's booklet.
• Sixty songs were written during the recording sessions, though the exact number discarded is not officially confirmed.
• The album was originally planned to include a collaboration with Johnny Cash, but Cash died before he could record it.