Maps of Music

Parachutes (2000)

Where the lyrics of Parachutes take you, and where it was really made.

Virgin, Manhattan and Capitol all turned Coldplay down in the US, yet the debut Parachutes debuted at number one in the UK.

Key places

Matrix, London (2000)

Recording site Matrix (London) — Matrix in London is listed as a recording location for Parachutes. The source does not give session dates for this studio. Google Maps · Apple Maps

How to get there: See the map for directions.

Wessex Studios, London (2000)

Recording site Wessex Sound Studios — Wessex Studios in London is also listed as a recording location for the album. The source does not give session dates for it. Google Maps · Apple Maps

How to get there: See the map for directions.

Rockfield Studios, Wales (2000)

Recording site Rockfield Studios — The band began work on Parachutes at Rockfield Studios in Wales before moving on to Liverpool's Parr Street Studios. Google Maps · Apple Maps

How to get there: See the map for directions.

Parr Street Studios, Liverpool (2000)

Recording site Parr Street, Liverpool — After starting at Rockfield, the band continued album sessions at Parr Street Studios in Liverpool, where the project studio was described as basically a demo room. Google Maps · Apple Maps

How to get there: See the map for directions.

Album story

Overview

• Parachutes: debut studio album by British rock band Coldplay
• Released 10 July 2000 by Parlophone in the United Kingdom
• US release on 7 November 2000 by Nettwerk
• Ken Nelson and the band co-produced all songs except "High Speed"
• "High Speed" was produced by Chris Allison alone
• Four singles: "Shiver", "Yellow", "Trouble" and "Don't Panic"
• "Sparks" gained notability in the 2020s after going viral on TikTok
• The Parachutes Tour (2000–2001) followed the album

Background

• Production began in late 1999, after the band and Chris Allison made The Blue Room EP
• Coldplay first planned to record the album in two weeks
• Tours and live shows spread the recording out between November 1999 and May 2000
• Virgin, Manhattan and Capitol all rejected Coldplay before the band signed with Nettwerk

Recording

• Sessions began at Rockfield Studios in Wales and continued at Liverpool's Parr Street Studios
• Ken Nelson was offered the production job at a Liverpool concert
• The album was mixed by American engineer Michael Brauer in New York

Cover

• The cover is a photograph of a yellow globe taken with a disposable Kodak camera
• The globe was bought from W H Smith for £10 and appeared in the "Shiver" and "Don't Panic" videos

Sources: en.wikipedia.org

Tracklist

Sources: musicbrainz.org

Artist

Formation

• Formed in London in 1997 by Chris Martin, Jonny Buckland and Guy Berryman, who met at University College London.
• Will Champion joined in January 1998; the group first went by Big Fat Noises and Starfish before settling on Coldplay.
• Signed with Parlophone in 1999 after the EP Safety (1998) was financed by lifelong friend Phil Harvey.

Members

• Chris Martin: lead vocals, piano, keyboards, guitars.
• Jonny Buckland: guitars, keyboards, backing vocals.
• Guy Berryman: bass guitar, keyboards, backing vocals.
• Will Champion: drums, percussion, piano, backing vocals.
• Phil Harvey: manager, later creative director, often credited as a fifth member.

Career

• Debut Parachutes (2000) won a Brit Award and a Grammy for Best Alternative Music Album; A Rush of Blood to the Head (2002) and X&Y (2005) followed.
• Viva la Vida or Death and All His Friends (2008) won a Grammy for Best Rock Album and topped charts in over 30 countries.
• Music of the Spheres (2021) included My Universe with BTS, the first British group song to debut at number one on the Billboard Hot 100.
• Over 170 million records sold worldwide; the Music of the Spheres World Tour became one of the highest-grossing tours of all time.

Reception

At release

• Metacritic: average score of 72 from 20 reviews
• musicOMH's Michael Hubbard called it an album of remarkable depth, given the band members' youth
• NME's Siobhan Grogan said it was incredible for a debut and that it works perfectly as a whole
• Melody Maker hailed it as a masterpiece and a defining musical statement of 2000
• Uncut's James Oldham said it more than justified the praise from the weekly music press
• The Guardian described it as one of the year's most uplifting albums
• Billboard said it brings nothing new to the table but that the band seemed talented enough to transcend its early identity crisis
• Rolling Stone's Matt Diehl said it rises above its influences to become a work of real transcendence
• Pitchfork called it harmless and pretty but less enthusiastic overall
• The Village Voice's Barry Walters said little on it demands attention

Reappraisal

• AllMusic's MacKenzie Wilson said in a retrospective write-up that it deserved the accolades it received
• Paolo Ragusa, writing a 25th anniversary review for Consequence, said it became quietly influential in 2000s alternative rock
• Stylus Magazine's Setareh Yousefi felt its finer moments were blended with some boring sappy songs

Records

• Debuted at number one on the UK Albums Chart with 70,935 copies sold
• Certified 9× Platinum by the BPI for 2.7 million copies
• Peaked at number 51 on the US Billboard 200 and certified 2× Platinum by the RIAA
• Won the Grammy Award for Best Alternative Music Album in 2002
• Won British Album of the Year at the 2001 Brit Awards
• Ranked 22nd best-selling album of the 21st century in the UK
• Has sold over 13 million copies worldwide as of July 2020

Sources: en.wikipedia.org

Trivia

• The globe on the cover was bought from W H Smith for £10 and also accompanied the band on tour
• The album is dedicated to drummer Will Champion's mother, Sara Champion, who died of cancer in May 2000
• The album was blocked from release in China, with "Spies" singled out as the main offender
• A 2020 20th anniversary edition came on transparent yellow vinyl, with the hidden track "Life Is for Living" after "Everything's Not Lost"
• Japanese pressings include "Careful Where You Stand" and "For You", originally B-sides of "Shiver"

Sources: en.wikipedia.org

Maps of Ages ↗ (mapsofages.com)

Privacy · Contact