Music of the Spheres
by Coldplay
  • Record Label: Atlantic
  • Release Date: Oct 15, 2021
User Score
6.1

Generally favorable reviews- based on 221 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 118 out of 221
  2. Mixed: 41 out of 221
  3. Negative: 62 out of 221
Buy Now
Buy on

Review this album

  1. Your Score
    0 out of 10
    Rate this:
    • 10
    • 9
    • 8
    • 7
    • 6
    • 5
    • 4
    • 3
    • 2
    • 1
    • 0
    • 0
  1. Submit
  2. Check Spelling
view
per page
  1. Collywobble
    Nov 9, 2021
    3
    Four old men are sitting on stools, wearing baseball caps back to front.

    Chris: Hey homies, whaddup, I is thinking of changing my name to Harry Zayn Timberlake, hear me now. Guy: Big up, boss! Jonny: Sweet boss! The other one: Wicked boss! Chris: Now, bout the new album, I is writ some bangin new toons, trouble is there is only enough for fifteen minutes. Ideas? Jonny: I    Four old men are sitting on stools, wearing baseball caps back to front.

    Chris: Hey homies, whaddup, I is thinking of changing my name to Harry Zayn Timberlake, hear me now.

    Guy: Big up, boss!

    Jonny: Sweet boss!

    The other one: Wicked boss!

    Chris: Now, bout the new album, I is writ some bangin new toons, trouble is there is only enough for fifteen minutes. Ideas?

    Jonny: I could do a twenty minute guitar solo, only someone’s stolen all the strings off my axes.

    Chris: Ohhhh……..have they? No worries Jonny, I is got a machine that can do guitar solos.

    Guy: Can we do backing vocals this time, boss.

    Chris: No need Guy, I is got a machine that can make it sound like there is five of me.

    The other one: Can I play drums, boss?

    Chris: Machine.

    Guy: We could bag it out with some electronic ambient stuff, boss?

    Chris: For real! Maybe BMW can use them in an ad, I could do with another Beamer.

    Guy: Make sure it’s green though, boss.

    Chris: I is already got a green one Guy, I is finkin pure white?

    Jonny: Yeah boss, like your soul. Maybe we could bag it out into a double, boss. What you fink?

    Chris: No Jonny, we is already done that. Don’t wanna get predictable like.

    Guy: Is we goin ‘tronic like Radiohead then, boss?

    Chris: Official! This is our ‘KID A’

    Jonny: So that’s thirty minutes sorted, what we gonna do for the other fifteen?

    Chris: Well brovers, I is writ this massive toon , that got tossed from La La Land. I just need to streeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeetch it out a bit.

    The other one: What can I do, boss?

    Chris: A cuppa would be nice.

    The other one: We is out of condor milk, boss.

    Chris: Panda? Jonny: I didn’t know you could milk a panda, boss. Chris: Jonny, yous can milk anything, yous just needs to know how, innit. Ok, I’ll nip down the shops. Crew, jump up and down on that mat over there, I need to fire up the jet.    … Expand
  2. Mgalal
    Oct 17, 2021
    3
    The only good song is coloratura the rest are either meh or just straight bad
  3. cakeunicornman
    Oct 17, 2021
    3
    This album is filled with generic, basic, uninteresting pop hits masked in this "conceptualized, spacey," environment to make it seem more interesting than it actually is. Songs like "Let Somebody Go," and "My Universe," are prime examples of writing songs HOPING they will be hits and TikTok trends, it's not interesting, just lifeless.

    Plus, the interludes like "
  4. JoNassHier
    Oct 17, 2021
    2
    If this is what this universe sounds like, I'd decide to live in another one.
  5. Dodser
    Oct 21, 2021
    3
    So sad to hear a talented band write football chants for a stadium tour rather than actual songs!!! (Remember Simple Minds?)
  6. Tom_Supreme
    Oct 15, 2021
    1
    It's really sad to see (and hear) what Coldplay has become. They sacrificed their original artistic direction for the sake of clicks and new listeners.
  7. Aghrr1
    Oct 15, 2021
    3
    I'm very disappointed. There is not a single good song on this album……. :( :/
  8. hereh
    Oct 15, 2021
    0
    im a big coldplay fan from the begining and unfortunately i have to say that this album is more than a piece of **** ... what happend to coldplay . this album is not even a good pop album man... if you dont wanna do rock album its ok an least release good pop album!!!!!!!!!!!!
  9. stuartosborne22
    Oct 15, 2021
    3
    Unfortunately, Music of the Spheres turned out to be exactly what I thought it would be. A less than cohesive and unoriginal body of work that is smothered in uninteresting features, a multitude of interludes that do nothing but bolster the tracklisting (the band confirms this in the record's Spotify Stories), and stale anthems. All wrapped up in glitzy production, and matched with some ofUnfortunately, Music of the Spheres turned out to be exactly what I thought it would be. A less than cohesive and unoriginal body of work that is smothered in uninteresting features, a multitude of interludes that do nothing but bolster the tracklisting (the band confirms this in the record's Spotify Stories), and stale anthems. All wrapped up in glitzy production, and matched with some of the most mundane lyricism I've heard from the band in a while.

    Higher Power is a fine track in the context of the record, but it's still a terribly weak song in comparison to their overall catalogue. It's last 45 or so seconds really elevate the track and get me going. It's just a shame the rest of the track just doesn't bring the same energy. Great chorus, head scratching verses, lyrically terrible.

    Humankind isn't bad per se. It just doesn't make me feel anything at all. It feels manufactured. Like if you asked a computer to write a Coldplay dance/pop song. It feels lifeless to me, despite the fact that I can almost tell that there's a good track in there somewhere.

    Let Somebody Go is the first feature on the record, bringing Selena Gomez into the fray. It starts strong, but the moment she enters, the song comes to a grinding halt and only helps to highlight the cringey, wishy-washy lyrics. It's a skip.

    Human Heart features We Are KING and Jacob Collier. The vocal production and harmonies are excellent, but I gotta disagree with the choice to leave it as an acapella number. It's begging for some sort of instrumentation to me. It's needs a climax. Instead, it feels repetitive and half-baked.

    People of the Pride is a reworking of an old Viva-era demo. I honestly don't get the hype for this song. It's alright, but the overblown instrumentation is just far too distracting (and not in a good way). Lyrically it's not bad, but I think it could've definitely used a workshop or two because they feel awkward when paired with the main melody. Then there's the bridge which goes absolutely nowhere for some reason. In the end it feels like a Muse outtake that was shelved for a reason.

    Biutyful... yeah, no this song is just annoying. The chipmunk vocals didn't work on Cry Cry Cry, they don't work here.

    My Universe features K-Pop legends BTS. It is what it is. Catchy, annoying, cringey, and an immediate skip.

    Infinity Sign is an instrumental track. I like instrumentals a lot, but this one go absolutely nowhere. It sits on the same sound for about half the track, before building a tiny bit, and then just kinda sitting there for the latter half. They don't capitalize on anything with this one. A real head scratcher for sure.

    Finally, we have Coloratura, the track Coldplay fans swear is the savior of the record, and the universe as a whole. It's a good track and easily the best on the whole record. It's got a good melody, and like Higher Power, the ending vocal climax where Chris Martin lists his favourite colours really gets me into the moment despite it being a lyrical eye-roll. But ultimately, it suffers from it's runtime. This song does not need to be 10 minutes long.

    The instrumental interludes strewn throughout overstay their welcome and have me begging for a single edit, while the guitar solo just sounds like a worse version of the one from Moving To Mars (which is basically what this song reminds me of as a whole... a lesser Moving to Mars). Lyrically it's nothing special. A couple cool refrains, but a lot of it sounds like Chris Martin reading from a high school textbook glossary (and again, don't get me started on him naming his favourite colours). I enjoy listening to this song, but, just like this review, it's simply too long. I'll playlist it, but it's not one I see myself picking out on its own very often.

    If this album is truly part of a trilogy, I hope they can redeem themselves by forging their own identities with 2+3, rather than relying on, and borrowing, almost entirely from others. I don't think I'm alone in saying that this radio-pop era of Coldplay appears to have overstayed its welcome with what is easily the weakest record in their entire discography.

    3.5/10    … Expand
  10. MusicWhizz
    Oct 15, 2021
    0
    Coldplay revert back to their pop loving money making selves in a selfless attempt to earn a payday and stay relevant. Avoid
  11. mrpowpow
    Oct 15, 2021
    3
    As a lifelong Coldplay fan, this is easily their weakest album. Its no secret, the band has transitioned towards pop as their status rose, but Music of Spheres is just a pile of space junk. A real let down from a nice bounce back to form with Everyday Life...
  12. Fosho
    Oct 15, 2021
    1
    I used to be a fan but I can't take a BTS featuring. Coldplay is a huge name, don't need to appeal to b0ts
  13. SupaRookieBoy
    Oct 15, 2021
    0
    This is exactly what I thought they would drop after AHFOD and that's not a good thing at all
  14. Jhonnata
    Oct 15, 2021
    0
    For fear of being forgotten, coldplay decided to go all out for 1, even if it means releasing empty songs with generic beats. Extremely confusing concept and participations that only serves one purpose, getting #1. To think that the same band has released 4 albums and 2 wonderful Eps in the past, would end up in decline.
  15. Estoniantoad
    Oct 15, 2021
    0
    Coldplay now is an ultimate bad taste and the reason this world is turning into trash. Oh yeah, they also contribute to climate change by releasing empty tunes into the sky !
  16. Tovar29
    Oct 16, 2021
    0
    I like it but sounds flopped, so, idk why this group always gets bad score haja
  17. Davidwv97
    Oct 16, 2021
    2
    Coldplay used to be one of my favourite bands. Coldplay's decline set in a decade ago, after the release of their (in my opinion) last good album: Mylo Xyloto. Somehow they are still somewhat relevant in 2021, mainly because their music is like the Emperor's new clothes: the name Coldplay means people will listen to it regardless of quality. Music of the Spheres is the definitive lowpoint.Coldplay used to be one of my favourite bands. Coldplay's decline set in a decade ago, after the release of their (in my opinion) last good album: Mylo Xyloto. Somehow they are still somewhat relevant in 2021, mainly because their music is like the Emperor's new clothes: the name Coldplay means people will listen to it regardless of quality. Music of the Spheres is the definitive lowpoint. Empty, superficial songs with average pop beats. The lyrics are poor and the collaborations are just attempts to stay relevant. The only positive on this album is People of the Pride, a song that was left on the shelf after the Viva la Vida sessions. They finished the song by ripping off Marilyn Manson's The Beautiful People and Nothing but Thieves to mask the poor lyrics. The end product is an alright song. You won't miss a thing by not listening to this album. It's below par. Coldplay need to realise they're over 40 and they simply do not have the longevity that others, such as Radiohead, have. Time to call it a day and quit. It was fun while it lasted.… Expand
  18. DiegoMarzuca
    Oct 15, 2021
    1
    After Everyday Life I hoped the band would go back on the right track again and make awesome music, but this new album is just weak, and superficial. I think is the worst they’ve ever done. So sad.
  19. franciscojvr
    Oct 15, 2021
    2
    This is the worst album they've ever done. Actually, they never released a bad album until today. Coloratura is the only song that sounds like the old Coldplay. I think they're going to lose a lot of old fans because of this catchy pop music stage. It's just a shame in what they've become.
  20. Tool46x2
    Oct 20, 2021
    0
    Coldplay once used their talents to take the listener deep beneath the surface. Now they optimize profits with pop stars.

    Closing walls and ticking clocks.
  21. elras
    Oct 20, 2021
    0
    Horrible, soporifero. Coldplay se convirtió en una banda totalmente pop, pero una muy mala banda de pop, que ni si quiera tiene la gracia de sacar melodias pegajosas. Asco total, van como el cangrejo definitivamente.
  22. joe_m6
    Nov 11, 2021
    1
    Selena Gomez is the only reason I listened in the first place, and their collab was the only one I remembered after. 1/10, one point for the collab happening (would be 2 but the song itself is clunky and reminiscent of their collab with Tove Lo yet somehow worse)
  23. Matheusfrs
    Oct 16, 2021
    2
    O disco mais fraco da banda, com letras ruins, sem emoção e músicas genéricas, exceto Coloratura, que é uma obra-prima e não merecia estra nesse disco. O Coldplay é um nome forte, não precisa se rebaixar a esse nível para fazer sucesso ou para ganhar o topo das paradas (isso e uma besteira). Infelizmente preferiram destruir o legado da banda com esses discos ruins. Quando as pessoas falamO disco mais fraco da banda, com letras ruins, sem emoção e músicas genéricas, exceto Coloratura, que é uma obra-prima e não merecia estra nesse disco. O Coldplay é um nome forte, não precisa se rebaixar a esse nível para fazer sucesso ou para ganhar o topo das paradas (isso e uma besteira). Infelizmente preferiram destruir o legado da banda com esses discos ruins. Quando as pessoas falam para fazer música como antes não significa fazer exatamente igual, da para se reinventar sem perder a qualidade e vocês demonstraram isso em Everyday Life.… Expand
  24. amarcc
    Feb 16, 2022
    3
    ЭТО. ОЧЕНЬ. ПЛОХО. отвратительный альбом, просто ужасный. Не, со звуком все норм, вокалят все хорошо и тд. Претензии к музыкальной состовляющей, а не технической. Это просто ужасная гипер попса, и непонятно что на этом альбоме сделал Макс Мартин, он же всегда умел в годную попсу. После шедеврального Everyday Life, да и не самых плохих своих попсовых альбомов моя любимая группа выдала вотЭТО. ОЧЕНЬ. ПЛОХО. отвратительный альбом, просто ужасный. Не, со звуком все норм, вокалят все хорошо и тд. Претензии к музыкальной состовляющей, а не технической. Это просто ужасная гипер попса, и непонятно что на этом альбоме сделал Макс Мартин, он же всегда умел в годную попсу. После шедеврального Everyday Life, да и не самых плохих своих попсовых альбомов моя любимая группа выдала вот ЭТО. 3/10 только за приятный вокал Криса Мартина, хорошее сведение и в принципе это всё что можно назвать неплохим на этом альбоме, даже обложка кошмар… Expand
  25. CaptainRolas
    Oct 30, 2021
    0
    The legacy of Lady Gaga's Chromatica has lead some bizarre (boring) stuff right here.
  26. dcg-vr
    Apr 17, 2022
    3
    As a longtime Coldplay fan, MOTS is incredibly disappointing. Kaleidoscope EP and Everyday Life have demonstrated that Coldplay still possesses creative and original songwriting capacities, but MOTS is a massive stepback and arguably their worst work in the catalog.

    Let's go over the highlights first. "Humankind" is a solid and catchy track combining Coldplay's trademark joyful outfit    As a longtime Coldplay fan, MOTS is incredibly disappointing. Kaleidoscope EP and Everyday Life have demonstrated that Coldplay still possesses creative and original songwriting capacities, but MOTS is a massive stepback and arguably their worst work in the catalog.

    Let's go over the highlights first. "Humankind" is a solid and catchy track combining Coldplay's trademark joyful outfit in Mylo Xyloto with their newfound pop direction. This is the kind of pop I am expecting more from Coldplay. "Human Heart", the collaboration with We are King and Jacob Collier, is one of the rare gem surprise of the album. The angelic acapella singing is touching and awe-inspiring with a sense of authenticity and rawness that Coldplay has always been known for. The more rock-driven "People of the Pride" is not exactly original with cliche garage rock riffs and melodies reminiscent of Muse, but the instrumental mixing and Chris Martin letting loose of himself a bit more is memorable and captivating. Last but definitely not least, how can I describe "Coloratura"? This is definitely one of Coldplay's best works, if not the best. This 10-minute prog-rock epic is particularly suitable for the space odyssey theme that MOTS is targeting. From the beautiful piano melody and vocals to the soul-stirring guitar solo and harp to the graceful symphonic sounds, "Coloratura" easily tops the whole album and stands out as better than every other track combined. "Coloratura" is going to be a classic that stands the test of time, regardless of how Coldplay's legacy turns out to be.

    How about the rest? "Higher Power" is terribly overproduced with outdated electropop elements though the overall melody is decent and catchy. High-profile collaboration with Selena Gomez "Let Somebody Go" is among a long list of unmemorable pop ballads that have been churned out over and over again in the modern music industry. "Biutyful" has great potentials, but the chipmunk sound effects is repulsive and unnecessary (for the record, I like the same use of effect in "Cry Cry Cry"). The massive hit collaboration with BTS "My Universe" hits even a newer low with very generic pop-derivative melodies that have oversaturated the radio airplay for an entire decade. Even BTS songs like "Butter" sound a lot more unique than this. Finally, the interludes mostly add nothing to the record, leaving only enough space for 8 full songs, a fairly low amount of materials for an album.

    I have given this album a couple of listens and become more forgiving to MOTS than my first listen, yet it is impossible for me to say this is a good album. I have rated every Coldplay record at least a 5 because they all have several tracks that I would revisit time and time again, but it seems like the only song from MOTS that I will listen a year later is "Coloratura". Hence, MOTS will be my first negative rating of a Coldplay album, but I still look forward to what the band has to offer next. Surely, it cannot be worst than this, can it?

    Highlights: Coloratura (masterpiece !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!), Humankind, Human Heart, People of the Pride (latter 3 are decent considering the album, but overall only somewhat above average for Coldplay's entire catalog)    … Expand
  27. MidnightBrewer
    Feb 7, 2022
    0
    Not very good imo, too poppy, to bad lyrics, boooooooooooo you turned sucky
  28. Antony20155
    Oct 16, 2021
    0
    What happened to Coldplay?!?! Awful synth pop at its absolute worst. Avoid!!
  29. headwind
    Oct 18, 2021
    1
    After the excellent Everyday Life, this album is the exact opposite. I don't understand this chosen route, they know how to do wonderful things but seem to be aiming for the charts rather than quality. The result is an album which does not please many people but which keeps the head of the water only thanks to its bankable collaborations.
  30. Persp
    Nov 7, 2021
    2
    In Music of the Spheres, I liked the concept of traveling around different planets and listening to a song from each one of them, and when the album was first teased, I was very excited. However, Coldplay executed it horribly.

    The very first issue that the album has is the overall formulaic and poppy sound direction. Coldplay had always been considered a rock band all throughout their    In Music of the Spheres, I liked the concept of traveling around different planets and listening to a song from each one of them, and when the album was first teased, I was very excited. However, Coldplay executed it horribly.

    The very first issue that the album has is the overall formulaic and poppy sound direction. Coldplay had always been considered a rock band all throughout their lifetime. However, you won't be able to hear it for most of the album. Many songs such as My Universe and Higher Power had a very pop oriented sound direction in which I'm not sure they played any instruments at all. This is quite a shame, since it feels like Coldplay is trying to sell out to the young, mainstream audience like they did with their albums since Mylo Xyloto in 2011. Speaking of those songs, most of the songs had literal emojis for their names, which showed you how lazy Coldplay was while making the album.
    In addition, a few of those songs are just pure computer generated instrumental ballads that bring nothing new to the table whatsoever, allowing for my ears to fall asleep while listening to them. Finally, with Biutyful, it sounded like as if Jeff Bezos sent Elmo into space and he has nothing to do up there accept slowly suffocate while singing stranded in space.

    Second, besides the pop oriented elements throughout the album, the album is also very disjointed.
    From Biutyful sounding like Alvin and Chipmunks, from the Muse inspired People of the Pride, to the ELO and Pink Floyd inspired Coloratura, the overall fact that the genres are so disconnected from each other have something in common with the Tasmanian Devil. They just run around all over the place, causing terror, destruction, and chaos wherever they go. Speaking of People of the Pride, it is a terrible politically forced song, with Chris Martin trying terribly to replicate the sound of Muse. His voice just sounds like a dying cow throughout the entire song since he isn't used to the hard rock sound that Muse had. On the flip side, I thought Coloratura was one of the best songs Coldplay ever made. This is because the band perfectly replicated the progressive rock sound that was used by Pink Floyd and ELO that was rampant in the 70s. I honestly wished they made more progressive rock sounding music in the album than including BTS or Selena Gomez.

    I could've rated this a 0/10 if I wanted to, but because of Coloratura, I'll give it a 2/10.    … Expand
  31. Gummer
    Nov 15, 2021
    0
    This cold, dead, sell-out, shell of an album, makes me happy i don't have a son that i can take my anger out on.
  32. moosicdude
    Jul 1, 2022
    2
    whole album is **** repetitive, and bad at the same time.
    literally, the album itself manage to be more boring than Coldplay's other works, not only that, this album feels like a dog pile of trash compared to Coldplay's other album, which proof how far they've been from their original sound.
    the only good thing about this album is coloratura, the rest is mediocre and dog **** overall:    whole album is **** repetitive, and bad at the same time.
    literally, the album itself manage to be more boring than Coldplay's other works, not only that, this album feels like a dog pile of trash compared to Coldplay's other album, which proof how far they've been from their original sound.
    the only good thing about this album is coloratura, the rest is mediocre and dog ****

    overall:
    best song is coloratura (definitely), the rest is awful

    CANCER    … Expand
  33. someonewhocares
    Jul 12, 2022
    2
    Coldplay have recently proved to fans that they have done what they're known for, and are just going to recycle the same songs over and over until fans tell them that they need to grow a pair. Music of the Spheres lacks in the unique flow of the typical production of most Coldplay songs, and again provides a weak concept that just falls flat by the fourth track. Glad there are shortColdplay have recently proved to fans that they have done what they're known for, and are just going to recycle the same songs over and over until fans tell them that they need to grow a pair. Music of the Spheres lacks in the unique flow of the typical production of most Coldplay songs, and again provides a weak concept that just falls flat by the fourth track. Glad there are short interludes though.… Expand
  34. Bill01172
    Oct 18, 2022
    0
    Embarrassingly bad. Pop tunes with the exception of coloratura. To the dismay of their pears and fans they still sold out.

Awards & Rankings

22
#22 Most Discussed Album of 2021

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
55

Mixed or average reviews - based on 18 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 2 out of 18
  2. Mixed: 15 out of 18
  3. Negative: 1 out of 18
  1. Under The Radar
    Oct 29, 2021
    30
    It’s a concept album that fundamentally refuses to engage with its own premise. Instead, the band doubles down on lyrical clichés about love and arena-friendly electropop. ... Frontman Chris Martin was never known as a brilliant songwriter, but his lyrics were never this vapid either.
    Read full review
  2. Uncut
    Oct 21, 2021
    60
    Despite Chris Martin's underdeveloped lyrics – "Be an anthem for your times" at least explains his motivation – there's something reassuring in their ham-fisted urge to bring people together. ... Glam-stomper "People Of The Pride" or well-meaning power ballad "Let Somebody Go," and instrumentals harking back to earlier Eno adventures offer pleasant reprieves. [Dec 2021, p.25]
  3. PopMatters
    Oct 20, 2021
    40
    The significant flaw of Music of the Spheres is that it spends a lot of effort telling us that humans have this capacity for love and goodness, sometimes in overly saccharine terms, without getting us to feel it.
    Read full review
See all critic reviews »