Ghost Stories | ||||
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Studio album by | ||||
Released | 19 May 2014 | |||
Recorded | April–November 2013 | |||
Studio | The Bakery and The Beehive (London, England) | |||
Genre | ||||
Length | 42:37 | |||
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Producer |
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Coldplay chronology | ||||
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Singles from Ghost Stories | ||||
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Ghost Stories is the sixth studio album by the British rock band Coldplay. It was released on 19 May 2014 by Parlophone in the United Kingdom and Atlantic Records in the United States. Co-produced by the group along with Paul Epworth and Mylo Xyloto collaborators Dan Green and Rik Simpson, it was their first album to be distributed by Atlantic in North America, as Coldplay were transferred from Capitol Records in 2013 after Universal Music purchased EMI and all of its assets in the previous year, a transaction which ultimately required the sale of Parlophone to Warner Music.
The album was recorded by the band throughout 2013 at the band's purpose-built home studios in London, England, and in Los Angeles. It features guest producers Avicii, Timbaland and Madeon, and the band's frequent collaborator Jon Hopkins. It was promoted by the band with an accompanying prime time TV special, a visual album, and a special six-date promotional tour of the album, as well as various appearances on television and radio. The album was promoted by four singles: "Magic", the lead single, released in March; "A Sky Full of Stars", released in May; "True Love", released in August; and "Ink", released in October. "Midnight" was released in April as a promotional single for Record Store Day as well. The album was nominated for Best Pop Vocal Album at the 57th Grammy Awards and named Top Rock Album at the 2015 Billboard Music Awards.
The album received generally positive reviews, with many critics praising the band's return to the more somber and melancholy style of their earlier music, though some found the album repetitive and lacking direction. Several media outlets reported that Chris Martin has said the album was inspired by his divorce from Gwyneth Paltrow in 2014.[1]