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U2 singer Bono endorsed Coldplay and believes they shouldn't be judged by the standard rules of rock bands.
Appearing on the BBC's Music Uncovered: The Genius of Coldplay (via NME), Bono gave his opinion on the band. He recalled punching the air when hearing “Clocks” for the first time due to and having “the feeling of, ‘oh, this is just better than anyone else’s song at the moment.'”
His analysis of the band is that they aren't just a rock band. He hopes that it's an “obvious” observation.
“I should mention Coldplay are not a rock band. I hope that’s obvious. There is something much more interesting going on there like the Isley Brothers or something,” Bono said. “They should not be judged by rock rules… Rage is the river running under most rock formations. Coldplay’s music has a different source and I think it’s best revealed in this song ‘Clocks.’”
This summer, Coldplay will play Glastonbury for the fifth time. They are currently embarking on the “Music of the Spheres” world tour. The tour commenced on March 18, 2022. As of the time of this writing, the tour is set to conclude on November 16, 2024, after 177 shows.
As a band, Coldplay has won seven Grammys. They have been nominated for a total of 34 awards throughout their illustrious career. Their most recent nominations came in 2023 when they were nominated for three awards — Best Pop Vocal Album (Music of the Spheres), Album of the Year (Music of the Spheres), and Best Pop Duo/Group Performance (“My Universe”).
Who is U2's Bono?
Bono has been the lead singer of U2 since the band's conception in 1976. As a band, U2 has been nominated for 46 Grammys and won 22 awards. Their most recent nomination came in 2015 when Songs of Innocence was up for Best Rock Album.
U2 is best known for their anthems such as “Where the Streets Have No Name” and political songs such as “Sunday Bloody Sunday” and “Pride (In the Name of Love).”
In fall 2022, Bono released his memoir, Surrender: 40 Songs, One Story. To promote it, the “With or Without You” singer embarked on his first solo tour, the “Stories of Surrender” tour. He extended it with an 11-night residency at the Beacon Theatre in New York City in 2023. For these shows, Bono was joined by Kate Ellis, Jacknife Lee, and Gemma Doherty.
More recently, U2 embarked on a new venture. They played their first concert residency in Las Vegas, opening the new Sphere venue. The band played 40 dates from September 29, 2023, through March 2, 2024.
The shows were centered around the band's 1991 album, Achtung Baby. This meant that U2 brushed off deep cuts such as “Tryin' to Throw Your Arms Around the World” and “So Cruel” for the first time in decades.
Bono, The Edge, and Adam Clayton were present for the residency. However, Larry Mullen Jr. was not. He was recovering from health issues and missed the 40 shows. Bram van den Berg of the band Krezip filled in for Mullen and was present for the entire run.
