10 Hated Bands That Are A Lot Better Than You Think

More often than not, people tend to point to Coldplay as everything that is wrong with pop music. From the way that they seem to show up on every radio station to their omnipresence working with questionable pop stars, the work of Chris Martin has really been beaten into the ground by both critics and even some die hard fans over the years. However, the actual transitionary period was a lot better than most would like to admit.

Contrary to what many might believe, Coldplay's first few records actually had a distinct identity all their own. Across stuff like Parachutes and a Rush of Blood to the Head, Chris Martin was really dialing in his register by taking his Radiohead influences into the pop realm, with the piano taking the lead more often than the guitar. Outside of the major singles, some of the deep cuts like A Whisper and Shiver still hold up after nearly 20 years.

Even when going the pomp rock direction, their rise to the big leagues on Viva La Vida was absolutely spellbinding, hooking up with Brian Eno to create absolute anthems on tracks like Violet Hill. While the music might seem a lot more palatable these days, the magic way with melody that Martin has never really left him.