Coldplay: What’s their appeal?

I was browsing Last.fm earlier and they have their top ten albums and top ten tracks from this year listed. The top album is - surprise surprise, Viva La Vida by Coldplay. And half the top ten tracks are from the same album. They are Strawberry Swing at number nine, 42 at eight, Cemeteries Of London at six, Life In Technicolor at five, Violet Hill at two and, finally, the album’s title track Viva La Vida at number one. I have heard none of these as I just don’t like Coldplay.

I have tried. Honest. I bought Parachutes back in the day and listened to it again and again trying to like it. At the time I just thought they were Travis with a piano and my opinion of them hasn’t really changed. I am not bashing Coldplay or their fans, but I’m sitting writing this while listening to Hotel Lights and I think Hotel Lights are better. Of course Coldplay fans would say that they are ripping off Coldplay.

Part of the trouble is that Chris Martin is a man that I just don’t like. He said in interviews prior to the new album being released that there was a song on there that everyone had to hear. Well, I haven’t heard it and my life is ok, I don’t feel the need to hear this ‘amazing’ song. And if Coldplay are so brilliant then why do all their albums end up on sale for £5 about four months after release when Spoon CDs are always about £10 - £12?

So, I don’t understand Coldplay. There’s lots of things I don’t understand though; I don’t understand why Pepsi Max is advertised as tasting the same as Pepsi when it doesn’t, I don’t understand how the portion of Back To The Future Part II set in 2015 works based on the logic of the first film and I don’t understand incense that makes a room smell like a public convenience. But, most of all, I don’t understand Coldplay’s appeal.