Chris Martin Biography

Chris Martin is the front man of Coldplay, performing vocals, rhythm guitar and piano. Coldplay’s debut album, 'Parachutes', sold five million copies, won a clutch of NME and Q awards, two Brits and a Grammy for Best Alternative Album.

Chris, the son of an accountant and a teacher, was educated at Sherbourne School in Devon, then, at University College London, he read Ancient World Studies. Chris met Will Champion, Guy Berryman and Jonny Buckland in the first few weeks at university in the mid-1990s. They became friends and Chris began writing songs with Jonny. Guy liked what he heard and got involved on the bass and Will set to learning the drums. They were determined to be as good as possible and practiced at every opportunity.

In 1998 the band had a gig at the Manchester Festival In The City, they signed to the Fierce Panda label for the single 'Brothers and Sisters' and then made a deal with Parlophone.

Despite their fame, Coldplay remain fiercely independent and insist on controlling every element of their music and its production. They oversee the artwork, the videos and refuse to have their music used on adverts or films.

The band agrees it has a responsibility to make people aware of international injustice. Chris went to Haiti and Dominican Republic in 2003, to support Oxfam’s campaign to change the rules of world trade. Chris also performed at the launch of the Fair Trade Campaign in Trafalgar Square.

Chris is married to Gwyneth Paltrow, and their first child, Apple, was born in the summer of 2004. In April 2006, Gwyneth gave birth to a baby boy in Los Angeles. The couple named the child Moses.