In 2002, the members of
Coldplay were still in the midst of their ascent, riding the breakthrough success of their sleepy debut, which established wide-eyed vulnerability and earnestness as an indelible part of their image. Soft and soothing, the precious
Parachutes set them up for a lifetime of inaccurate comparisons to
Radiohead, even though the similarities started and ended with
The Bends. And just like
Radiohead, they quickly evolved into another beast altogether: plugging in the guitars, amplifying the bombast, tattooing their hearts on their sleeves, and shooting for the arena rafters in a fashion more similar to
U2. Their sophomore effort,
A Rush of Blood to the Head, made the message clear within the first seconds of the intense opener "Politik." As
Will Champion's drums crash,
Jonny Buckland's guitar swells, and
Guy Berryman's bass churns, frontman
Chris Martin bursts through the Wall of Sound, jolting listeners awake with the desperate cry, "Open up your eyes!" Angsty and urgent, songs like "Politik" and the title track introduced fresh elements into the
Coldplay repertoire, expanding their emotional palette and showing critics that they could really rock when they wanted to. This was the sound of a new
Coldplay, one that developed confidence, a voice, and a budding imagination to separate themselves from the
Travises and
Elbows of the world. The aggressive wallop of "God Put a Smile upon Your Face" -- a live staple and fan-favorite single -- typified the trademark sound of the era, combining
Champion and
Berryman's groove with
Buckland's outer-space noodling, a style that they'd blast into the stratosphere on the follow-up effort,
X&Y. Along with "Daylight" and "A Whisper," the track helped establish
Coldplay as an arena rock presence, pulling them out of the indie-dwelling bedroom and onto the big stage. From that platform,
Coldplay also delivered three of their most enduring and beloved singles: the sparkling "In My Place," the weepy ballad "The Scientist," and the piano-kissed showstopper "Clocks." With
A Rush of Blood to the Head,
Coldplay pulled back the curtains to reveal a robust and energized unit, one that would soon conquer the mainstream with a steady evolution into the world of pop. At this moment -- before issuing the two highest-selling albums in the world in 2005 and 2008 and becoming an international stadium sell-out presence --
Coldplay were coming to grips with their music's power and possibility, a young band hungry, bright-eyed, and primed for stardom. ~ Neil Z. Yeung