- Album list
- Singer Intro
Christopher Anthony John Martin (born 2 March 1977) is an English singer, songwriter, musician, record producer and philanthropist. He is best known as the lead singer and co-founder of the British rock band Coldplay. Born in Whitestone, near Exeter in Devon, Martin went to University College London where he formed a rock band with Jonny Buckland in 1996 called Pectoralz, which was eventually renamed Coldplay in 1998.
Martin, along with the other Coldplay members, achieved worldwide fame with the release of the band's single 'Yellow' in 2000, a song that also earned the band their first Grammy Award nomination in the Best Rock Song category. The band also garnered critical acclaim and several accolades for their subsequent albums including A Rush of Blood to the Head and Viva la Vida, winning a Grammy Award for both and a Brit Award for the former. Coldplay have sold over 90 million records worldwide, making them one of the world's best-selling music artists. One of the highest profile musicians in British popular culture, Martin appeared on Debrett's 2017 list of the most influential people in the UK.
Early life and education
Christopher Anthony John Martin was born on 2 March 1977 in Whitestone, Devon, England, and is the oldest of five children. His father, Anthony Martin, is a retired accountant, and his mother, Alison Martin, is a music teacher. His family's business was Martins of Exeter until sold by his father in 1999. William Willett, the man who campaigned for and made daylight saving time a recognised practice, was Martin's great-great-grandfather.
Martin was educated at the pre-preparatory Hylton School and the preparatory Exeter Cathedral School where he found his passion for music. After Exeter Cathedral School, Martin boarded at Sherborne School in Dorset, where he met future Coldplay manager Phil Harvey.
Martin continued his studies at University College London (UCL), staying at Ramsay Hall, where he read Ancient World Studies and graduated with first-class honours in Greek and Latin. At UCL, Martin met his future Coldplay bandmates Jonny Buckland, Guy Berryman and Will Champion.
|
