Coldplay, the acclaimed British rock ensemble, faces a lawsuit from their ex-manager, Dave Holmes, as revealed in recent U.K. court filings.
Coldplay’s representative informed Variety that Holmes and the band ended their 22-year professional relationship a year ago. This collaboration spanned almost the entirety of Coldplay’s musical journey. Currently, the band’s managerial responsibilities are overseen by Phil Harvey, Mandi Frost, and Arlene Moon, all of whom have long-standing affiliations with Coldplay and Holmes.
No additional remarks were provided by the representative. Nonetheless, insiders confided to Variety that the legal action revolves around a contract disagreement. As of this writing, the lawsuit’s details remain undisclosed since the relevant papers have yet to be released to the public.
In 2021, preceding the launch of their latest album “Music of the Spheres,” produced by Max Martin, Coldplay renewed contracts with Parlophone under Warner Music in the U.K. and Atlantic in the U.S. Globally, they have achieved sales surpassing 100 million albums and secured seven Grammy Awards, commencing with their 2000 inaugural album, “Parachutes.”
Coldplay, comprising Chris Martin (lead vocals), Jonny Buckland (guitar), Guy Berryman (bass), and Will Champion (drums), originated at the University College of London, officially banding together in 1997. Reflecting on a 2018 conversation with Variety, Holmes remembered gifting his mother a “Parachutes” CD in 2000, expressing confidence in the band’s imminent success, comparing their potential to that of U2.
Originally, Coldplay secured a contract with Parlophone U.K. in 1999, then under EMI’s umbrella, with Capitol being their initial U.S. affiliate. In a strategic reshuffling, Universal Music Group took over EMI in 2012. Following regulatory guidelines from the European Commission, UMG relinquished Parlophone. This transition facilitated Coldplay’s switch to the Atlantic label, marking their 2014 release, “Ghost Stories.”
