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rock. Coldplay (Chris Martin - vocals), Will Champion (drums), Jonny Buckland (guitar) and Guy Berryman (bass) were formed in 1997 while the quartet were at University College London together. In 1999 they released their self-financed record, the Safety EP which earned the band some raves in the UK press. Three months into a record contract with Parlophone, they sat and passed their school finals.
But Coldplay's music would not be denied. Their full-length debut, Parachutes, earned the band a Mercury Music Prize in the U.K. It saw a U.S. release in November 2000, and a month later, the track "Yellow" was chosen as the theme song for all promo spots for ABC. The well-received hype surrounding Coldplay songs continued throughout 2001 as well; they were nominated for three Brit Awards and embarked on a sold-out ten-date tour of the U.S. A Rush of Blood to the Head, their second release, came out in August 2002 to much critical and commercial success. The album was awarded the title of Album of the Year by NME. A year later, Martin married actress Gwyneth Paltrow, becoming an even more celebrated star. X&Y, which borrowed from such stars as Johnny Cash and Kraftwerk, was released in 2005. It became the best-selling album of 2005 with worldwide sales of 7.3 million.
Apart from their music, Coldplay members are committed to social causes. In their early years, Coldplay were widely noted in the media for their claim to give 10% of the band's profits to charity. Coldplay are also supporters of Amnesty International, while Chris Martin is one of the most visible celebrity advocates for "fair trade." He supported Oxfam's Make Trade Fair campaign until its dissolution in 2005 after the G8 summit in Scotland. There is every indication that the band will continue to be associated with not only great music, but with the public welfare, as well.