Coldplay Hit No.1 In USA - Despite Criticism From Brian Eno & Claims Of Plagiarism
by 
Dave Parrack on June 19th, 2008
Coldplay have managed to reach number one in the American singles chart with Viva La Vida, the title track from their new album. This is despite claims of plagiarism from a US band called Creaky Boards and despite, or maybe because of criticism from album producer Brian Eno.
The song was sitting at number two last week but managed to climb a place to number one this week. Coldplay are the second British artist to reach the top of the Billboard chart this year, with Leona Lewis spending four weeks at No.1 with Bleeding Love back in April.
It also means that there are three British singles in the top ten this week with Leona Lewis still there, along with Pocketful Of Sunshine by Natasha Bedingfield.
Last week saw Coldplay come in for criticism from a Brooklyn-based band called Creaky Boards who are claiming that the melody from Viva La Vida is lifted from their own record The Songs I Didn’t Write (nice title).
Here is the song on YouTube for you to make your own mind up.
The story goes, as you can see in the video, that Chris Martin was present when the band performed at the CMJ Festival last October. However, the band claim that not only was a demo version of the song recorded in March 2007, way before the gig, that Martin was recording in the AIR Studios in London on that night and so couldn’t have been at the gig.
Meanwhile, Martin has revealed to Rolling Stone magazine that criticism from the New York Times over their last album X&Y was liberating. He also claimed that Viva La Vida producer Brian Eno was highly critical of the band’s methods and faults:
“[Eno] goes: ‘Your songs are too long and you’re too repetitive, and you use the same tricks too much, and big things aren’t necessarily good things, and you use the same sounds too much, and your lyrics are not good enough.’ He broke it down.”
Harsh words indeed, but it obviously worked as not only have Coldplay hit the top of the American charts, the reception for the new album has been mainly positive from both fans and critics alike.
[Photo Source: From Newscom with permission]
Tags: Billboard, Brian Eno, Brit, British, Chris Martin, Coldplay, Creaky Boards, Leona Lewis, London, Natasha-Bedingfield, UK, USA, Viva La Vida, YouTube| 2.5 |
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POSTED IN: Announcements, Coldplay, Indie, News, Op Ed, Pop, Singles
1 opinion for Coldplay Hit No.1 In USA - Despite Criticism From Brian Eno & Claims Of Plagiarism
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