Coldplay

Chris Martin and Jonny Buckland instantly hit it off after meeting at London's University College in 1996 and spent most of their first year planning to form a band. They recruited Guy Berryman to play bass guitar and the line-up was completed with Will Champion on drums. Tim Rice-Oxley was also offered a place in the band but he was already a member of Keane. They were initially signed by indie label Fierce Panda, but Martin's naturally melodic style soon caught the attention of Parlophone, who signed them in 1999. Breakthrough single Yellow followed in 2000 and, with sumptuous melodies and anthemic songs, they soon became one of the most popular bands in the world with debut album Parachutes winning a barrage of awards, including a Grammy. Singer Chris Martin's marriage to Hollywood actress Gwyneth Paltrow intensified their celebrity as they broadened their style and demonstrated a social conscience, involving themselves in politics and various causes.