Moon Music’: Coldplay returns with dreamy melodies and heartfelt lyrics–review

Coldplay has always exuded earnestness, and that desire to embrace the world has only grown as Chris Martin and his kindred bandmates advance further into middle age, according to a review in USA Today.

Moon Music, the band’s 10th studio album, released this Friday, is lush, dreamy, and ethereal—all the adjectives one expects when describing Coldplay’s sound.

It’s also contemplative and unabashedly sweet, as Martin, 47, spreads love on nearly every track (he has been linked to Dakota Johnson since 2017). And when he’s not doing that, he’s at the piano, sharing a poignant melody and reflecting on life in simple yet effective terms.

Coldplay (from left to right)—Guy Berryman, Will Champion, Jonny Buckland, and Chris Martin—release their dreamy new album Moon Music on Friday. “Maybe I’m just crazy / I should be a brick in the wall / Sit and watch the TV, blame everyone else for it all / But I’m trying to trust in the heavens above / And I’m trying to trust in a world full of love,” Martin sings on the title track that opens the album.

Martin and his bandmates—Jonny Buckland (guitar), Will Champion (drums), and Guy Berryman (bass)—showcase their reflective state through soaring choruses (“Feels Like I’m Falling in Love”) and intriguing blends of strings and syncopated beats (“We Pray,” featuring a welcome guest appearance from British rapper Little Simz).

Produced by Max Martin, Moon Music is Coldplay’s 10th album. Coldplay dives into a sonic wonderland.

The album occasionally seems on the verge of slipping into background music for a planetarium, especially during the six-minute, largely instrumental “Alien Hits/Alien Radio.” However, patience is rewarded as the tempo-shifting track, filled with vocalizations, incorporates dialogue from Maya Angelou about being a rainbow in someone’s cloud—suddenly making this notable musical journey feel meaningful.

The backbone of Moon Music rests on mega-producer Max Martin—celebrated for his pop mastery with artists like Britney Spears, Taylor Swift, and The Weeknd—who also produced Coldplay’s 2021 album, Music of the Spheres.

Here, he crafts a sonic wonderland, hopping along with the band through EDM (“Aeterna”) and shimmering pop (“Good Feelings,” featuring the kind of synthesized funk made popular by The 1975).

Coldplay has traveled the world since 2022 with their Music of the Spheres tour, which continues into 2025. The Essentials: Meghan Trainor talks touring with kids, her love of T-Pain, and learning self-acceptance.

Two standout tracks from Moon Music?

Two of the best tracks reside in familiar territory.

“IAAM” dives deep into emotional terrain, building into one of Coldplay’s signature crescendos, with crashing cymbals and a soaring guitar line driving the melodic explosion.

“I’m really sorry for some things I said along the way / I really love you, I just didn’t like myself that day,” Martin confesses with tender sincerity.

But the warmth and affection truly shine in the ballad “All My Love.” This is the song Martin recently performed incognito at a Las Vegas bar, and it could help him rival Ed Sheeran as the go-to for wedding songs.

Against a gentle piano backdrop, Martin’s falsetto rings out as he croons, “You’ve got all my love / Whether it rains or pours, I’m all yours.”

Strings and acoustic guitar join in on the second verse, adding texture as he continues, “And till I die / Let me hold you if you cry / Be my one, two, three forever.”

Martin may not be the most verbose guy, but he delivers his message with heartfelt effectiveness.

Is Moon Music revolutionary? No. But there’s nothing wrong with steady goodness, and Coldplay continues to provide just that.