I think what mainly plays a part is the idea of a zeitgeist. Gorillaz can mean a lot now but won't necessarily mean shit in 50 years when all pop music is as multimedia as they are today. See what I mean?

If you grow up in the time of, say, Public Enemy in the '80s/'90s during cultural landmarks like the L.A. riots, Rodney King and OJ Simpson-- then Public Enemy can mean a whole hell of a lot to you.

Its almost entirely about context, here.

I've never posted anything before but I can't resist this topic.

My current answer to the question has to be Radiohead. But without Coldplay, I would never have discovered Radiohead.

A Rush of Blood to the Head was my favorite album for 2 or 3 years. I also loved X&Y when it first came out (although not quite so much now). Without the endless references and comparisons to Radiohead, I would not have had the patience to go back and keep giving Radiohead another shot. When I first heard OK Computer, I was not impressed. It took a lot of time and patience for me to get into Radiohead, and I had to go back and start at The Bends and come forward in time for it all to fall into place. Now Radiohead is my favorite band in the world and OK Computer is my favorite album. But without loving Coldplay first, that never would have happened. (And I do have hope that Coldplay will continue to improve - I certainly think they'll be around for a long time.)

Those of you who don't like Hail to the Thief - well, I used to hate it. Then I made myself a shortened seven-song version of it which features 2+2=5, Sail to the Moon, Where I End and You Begin, and There There (along with a few others). Those songs are second only to OK Computer for me - and There There is one of my favorite songs of all time. Give it another shot!

And finally, if you really think Radiohead is on the way down, you need to watch this:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_xnF-15mPSE

It's a clip of the new song Videotape from one of their summer concerts. It gives me tremendous hope for the new album next year.

Not quite sure what to make of that song bluesky. Sounds a bit like Pyramid Song and a bit like Idiotech but it doesn't look like they're going back to the old Bends days any time soon! I like the way it builds & changes without really climaxing.

"Videotape" is already one of my favorite Radiohead songs- I like it a lot better than the Pyramid Song, actually.

c mon .... radiohead .

ok computer , the bends , kid a , amnesiac need more?

Coldplay is just so freaking boring! They were cool at first with those original hits they had. Instead of memorable riffs they had memorable piano notes in their songs.

But GEEZ X&Y is just painfully boring to listen to - everything sounds the same, and not in a good way, because it is all so boring.

Coldplay on top of this monotony and lack of artistic innovation wants to be "The best band in the world", or at least so says Rolling Stone.

A catchy piano melody, banal, mushy verses about stars and oceans + "oooh, ahhh, ooohh" choruses = Best band in the world?

Radiohead hands down imo

Ive enjoyed all of radiohead's work no matter what style the album.

Coldplay on the other hand, although having some good songs, offer to much filler for my tastes, good band none the less though.

quote:

Originally posted by iYa Lo Tengo!:
Coldplay is just so freaking boring! They were cool at first with those original hits they had. Instead of memorable riffs they had memorable piano notes in their songs.

But GEEZ X&Y is just painfully boring to listen to - everything sounds the same, and not in a good way, because it is all so boring.

Coldplay on top of this monotony and lack of artistic innovation wants to be "The best band in the world", or at least so says Rolling Stone.

A catchy piano melody, banal, mushy verses about stars and oceans + "oooh, ahhh, ooohh" choruses = Best band in the world?

You've summed up what's on my mind every time coldplay is mentioned.

I love Radiohead with all my heart. They have this special emotion that no one can replicate. I don't think Coldplay have that to them. Also, I've found similarities between the two in Coldplays most recent albums. And I believe Coldplay's singer is trying to achieve what Thom Yorke has, won't ever happen.

In terms of pure talent and artistry, I'd say that Radiohead are on another, distant planet compared to Coldplay. But I do find Coldplay and their music infinitely more likable; they have warmth and charm that Radiohead IMO never had. And while I think that Thom Yorke is a better, more nuanced singer than Chris Martin, to me he's got this chilly, aloof quality to him as a frontman and vocalist which I think is one of the reasons I never quite embraced Radiohead's music to the fullest.

In terms of where both bands are in their respective careers, I was disappointed with both X&Y and Hail to the Thief. I still look forward to the new albums and would love for both bands to surprise me, but in Coldplay's case I'm just not sure. They need to reinvent themselves badly after the leaden bore that was X&Y, but reinvention is tricky and often a band just ends up showing its limitations as a result, *cough*Killers*cough*. And, as talented as Radiohead are, they've got their limitations too.

i'm going to step into the cross-fire right now by proclaiming to the world that i thought 'hail to the thief' was brilliant. i think the album everyone should be concerned about is 'amnesiac', which is what i thought of earlier when somebody mentioned 'hail to the thief' as the dull silence after a creative boom. i personally skip tracks 7-10 of 'amnesiac' most of the time.

coldplay = diet Radiohead

for those who find Radiohead too intense...

I secretly like Coldplay but you didn't hear that from me.

Radiohead is better then Coldplay as musically they are more diverse and don't necessarily have a sound that you could pin them on.

quote:

Originally posted by iYa Lo Tengo!:
Coldplay is just so freaking boring!

I think the reason for this is simple: they want to be so radio-friendly and inoffensive it actually ends up offensively boring.
Coldplay have two or three really good songs, though. But Radiohead have several really good albums. And even a brilliant one.

quote:

Originally posted by tomwaits4noman:
coldplay = diet Radiohead

for those who find Radiohead too intense...

no offense, but that is completely incorrect. that might be true if the only songs you had ever heard by radiohead were the radio hits off of the bends or something. even then, that is a huge "might be true".

I'm not sure where I should start a thread for the new Coldplay album (Pop? Alternative?) so I'll just resurrect this one for now.

First of all, I can't even believe we have people arguing about Radiohead versus Coldplay. If you want your mind blown, Radiohead. If you want to have a good little cry, Coldplay. Yeah, Coldplay loves Radiohead and you can hear (slight) influence in their stuff, but they're two completely different bands who are reaching for different audiences.

That being said, The Bends and OK Computer are overrated (good, but overrated), Kid A is not as influential as people say it is, Amnesiac is underrated, Hail to the Thief is their best album, and In Rainbows is a wonderful, solid release from the Greatest Living Band In The World.

As for Coldplay, Parachutes was great, A Rush of Blood to the Head was great, but a step down in quality, X&Y is cheesy/over the top but I can't help but love it, and their newest one Viva la Vida is growing on me, but I think it's the least developed of their albums so far.

Have other people heard the new Coldplay and aren't afraid to admit it/admit that they like it? I'm curious to hear what others (not the music media) think.

ProfAmaretto, I have heard viva la vida, and I actually like it quite a bit. I haven't liked a record of theirs since Parachutes but this seems to be a slight departure for them. These songs are very experimental and some of them very dark. They obviously listened to a lot of shoegaze before recording it, and the shoegaze sections are some of my favorite parts of the album (Like the second half of "Yes"). I'm a bit ashamed to admit it but yeah, viva la vida is a solid record. That said however, I don't think its even possible to compare them to Radiohead. Chris Martin said in rolling stone that he would "give his left nut" to write something like OK Computer. Im totally not joking either.

This is a fun thread to read as many two year old posts debate the possible downward slide in quality from Radiohead. The band comparisons really weren't much of a question back then and even less so now with in rainbows.

However now Coldplay has a new album and although I haven't heard it I have heard an interesting comparison. A questionable source has mentioned a comparison to Animal collective of all bands and while I find it hard to believe it caught my attention. Can anyone who has heard the record confirm or deny this?

I promise it is not as good as Animal Collective, and I don't even care for Animal Collective

I've never, ever liked Coldplay, but I am liking Vida ok. I don't know if that means I am getting old or if Coldplay is getting better. Maybe a little of both.

As far as Animal Collective comparisons, maybe someone wrote or said that "Coldplay is experimenting a little here, but they're not Animal Collective or anything." That is the only way having both bands in the same sentence makes any sense.