Coldplay to Lead British Invasion at The Secret Policeman’s Ball in New York

Coldplay are set to join Mumford & Sons as part of the lineup to be featured at this year’s edition of The Secret Policeman’s Ball. The British-based music and comedy festival will be staged at New York City’s Radio Music Hall on March 4.

The concert, which had its inception in 1976, benefits the human right group, Amnesty International. As reported by the Associated Press, Amnesty International spokesperson Andy Hackman said the organization wanted to present the event on a grander scale this year, to mark the 50th anniversary of the founding of the human rights group.

“That phrase, ‘human rights,’ has lost meaning in some ways,” Hackman said. “That’s why we want to demonstrate the power and the joy that free speech can bring to us all. It’s really just using these amazing, talented people to demonstrate the power [and] what a force of good free speech is.”

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Rihanna to Sing with Coldplay at Grammys

Coldplay are set to perform a duet with Rihanna at the Grammys Awards on February 12.

Rihanna told the digital world via her Twitter page: “My friends @ColdPlay and I will be sharing the stage for a performance at this years Annual Grammy Awards! #BONKERS [sic].”

Rihanna and Coldplay will perform their duet “Princess of China,” from the band’s recent Mylo Xyloto album.

According to MusicNews.com, Coldplay’s Chris Martin has previously described the duet with Rihanna as the highlight of the album: “Well, her bit on our record is my favorite bit. When the song came out, it sort of asked for her to be on it.”

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Coldplay, Noel Gallagher and Foo Fighters Have U.K.’s Top Selling Rock Albums of 2011

Coldplay only released their fifth album Mylo Xyloto in October but managed to top the 2011 U.K. rock album sales chart by some distance.

NME.com reports that according to The Official Charts Company in the U.K., Coldplay had the biggest-selling rock album of last year with Mylo Xyloto, at over 900,000 copies sold.

Noel Gallagher’s debut solo album wasn’t too close to Coldplay’s record, but it did come in second with 500,000 units sold. Trailing Gallagher were Florence and the Machine, Foo Fighters and Mumford and Sons.

The U.K.’s Top 10 selling rock albums of 2011:

1. Coldplay - Mylo Xyloto (908,000)
2. Noel Gallagher - Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds (492,000)
3. Florence and the Machine - Ceremonials (384,000)
4. Foo Fighters - Wasting Light (380,000)
5. Mumford and Sons - Sigh No More (373,000)
6. Elbow - Build A Rocket Boys (327,000)
7. Kasabian - Velociraptor (279,000)
8. Snow Patrol - Fallen Empires (269,000)
9. Noah and The Whale - Last Night On Earth (261,000)
10. Arctic Monkeys - Suck It and See (223,000)

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Coldplay Pick Up $1.5m for New Year’s Eve Gig

Coldplay have lined up an impressive payday for a New Year’s bash, picking up a cool ?1 ($1.5) million for one concert in the United Arab Emirates.

According to the Daily Express, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan booked Chris Martin and Co. to play the Volvo Ocean Race venue in Abu Dhabi on Saturday, December 31.

Having visited the United Arab Emirates before, guitarist Jonny Buckland is especially excited about the luxurious lifestyle on offer, saying, “I’ve never stayed anywhere like the hotel they put me in and probably never will again. It made Buckingham Palace look like a two-bed semi.”

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Coldplay Unveil North American, European Tour Dates

Coldplay are set to launch their first North American tour in nearly three years. The trek begins April 17 in Edmonton, AB, Canada. In addition, today (December 9), the band unveiled the dates and locales for their 2012 European stadium summer, which kicks off May 18, in Porto, Portugal. Fans of Coldplay can also ring in the New Year with the band, in the form of a New Year’s Eve TV special the group is staging for PBS’s Austin City Limits. The 90-minute episode will air nationwide on Sunday, Dec. 31, at 11 p.m. EST. A new Coldplay single, titled “Charlie Brown,” goes to radio later this month.

North American Dates:
4/17   Edmonton, AB
4/18   Calgary, AB
4/20   Vancouver, BC
4/24   Portland, OR
4/25   Seattle, WA
4/27   San Jose, CA
5/1     Los Angeles, CA
5/2     Los Angeles, CA
6/22   Dallas, TX 
6/25   Houston, TX
6/28   Tampa, FL
6/29   Miami, FL
7/2     Atlanta, GA
7/5     Philadelphia, PA
7/8     Washington, DC
7/23   Toronto, ON 
7/26   Montreal, QC
7/29   Boston, MA 
8/3     East Rutherford, NJ
8/7     Chicago, IL   
8/11   St. Paul, MN 

European Stadium Dates:
5/18    Porto, Portugal
5/22    Nice, France
5/24    Turin, Italy
5/26    Zurich, Switzerland
8/28    Copenhagen, Denmark
8/30    Stockholm, Sweden
9/2      Paris, France
9/4     Cologne, Germany
9/6     The Hague, Netherlands
9/12   Munich, Germany
9/14   Leipzig, Germany

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Take Your Pick: Paul Weller, Ronnie Wood, Coldplay Donate Picks to Charity

Paul Weller, Ronnie Wood, Hanson, Coldplay, Emmylou Harris, Depeche Mode, Weezer, Dave Stewart, Mark Ronson and Toploader have donated guitar picks to a charity auction. They are aiding the Ben Sherman V.I.P. (Very Important Plectrum) fundraiser for the Trekstock cancer charity and LIFEbeat HIV organization.

According to the Daily Express, the artists involved have all signed a card to verify their plectrum donations and all picks are mounted in a frame.

The auction began on Sunday (May 29) and will run until June 19. For more information go to http://www.benshermanvip.com/2011/ and http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=110691877767.

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Coldplay Release New Single on 3 June

Coldplay will unveil their comeback single on Friday, June 3. “Every Teardrop is a Waterfall” will stream from the band’s official website, with the download going on sale this weekend. 

Rumors have been rife about Coldplay’s new songs. Drummer Will Champion recently posted on the band’s site: “We’re about to play a bunch of summer festivals so it’s as good a time as any to put out a new song.” Among the lyrics: “I turn the music up/ I got my records on/ from underneath the rubble” and “Every siren is a symphony/ every tear’s a waterfall.”

Speaking to Q magazine in November 2010, frontman Chris Martin said the follow-up to Viva la Vida or Death and All His Friends is inspired by “’70s graffiti art and Germany's anti-Nazi White Rose movement.” He added that the new album will be “group-y” and “guitar-y,” with a title that “will probably begin with an M.”

Brian Eno is once again in the producer’s chair. Coldplay return to the stage on June 4 at the Rock im Park festival in Nuremberg, Germany.

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Nirvana Fans More Likely to Get Lucky than Coldplay Fans

It turns out that Coldplay fans turn quite frigid at the end of a first date. According to a survey conducted by a dating site, they are the least likely to have sex the first time out with someone. Meanwhile, Nirvana fans appear much more willing to do the deed.

Tastebuds.fm arranged the poll, asking users how far they would go on a first date. The results were then cross-checked with their favorite musicians, according to Spinner.com.

Following Coldplay, fans of Adele, Katy Perry, Kings of Leon and Lady Gaga were the least willing to go all the way on the first night. Perhaps it’s their way to avoid being caught in a “Bad Romance.”

On the other side of the equation, Nirvana fanatics were trailed by lovers of Metallica, Linkin Park, Kanye West and Gorillaz. It’s clear these music fans just like to “Feel Good” (Inc.).

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