“The quality control is so high right now, and for a song to make it, it’s almost impossible, which is great”: Chris Martin on why he’s sticking with the plan to stop at 12 Coldplay albums

Coldplay frontman Chris Martin has reiterated his claim that the band will only make 12 albums. Their tenth, Moon Music, will be released on 4 October.

This isn’t the first time that Martin has suggested that Coldplay’s studio career has a limited lifespan, and speaking to Apple Music’s Zane Lowe, he’s made that clear once again.

“We are only going to do 12 proper albums and that’s real. Yeah. I promise,” he says.

“Because less is more. And for some of our critics, even less would be even more! It’s really important that we have that limit.”

Elaborating on why the self-imposed cap is in place, Martin explains: “There’s only seven Harry ­Potters. There’s only 12 and a half Beatles albums. There’s about the same for Bob Marley, so all of our heroes.

“Also having that limit means the quality control is so high right now, and for a song to make it [on an album], it’s almost impossible, which is great. And so where we could be coasting, we’re trying to improve.”

Coldplay’s previous album - 2021’s Music of the Spheres - divided critics, but the band has kept faith with its producer, Max Martin, bringing him back on board for Moon Music.

Of his own songwriting inspiration, Chris Martin says: “There’s something about the Coldplay thing. That’s just what? I don’t know where the songs come from. I don’t know where the ideas come from, but that’s just been coming to me for about four or five years now.”

Although, after Moon Music, Coldplay fans may only have a couple more full-length albums of new material to look forward to, Martin isn’t discounting further tours or working on “something different, or a side thing, or a compilation of things we hadn’t finished.”