Chris Martin facts: Coldplay singer's age, relationships, children, career and more revealed

23 May 2024, 14:55

Coldplay are one of the world's biggest bands.

And they wouldn't have got there if it weren't for the talent of their singer, pianist, and frontman Chris Martin.

A musician, music producer, and philanthropist, Chris Martin is responsible for some of the most iconic songs of the 2000s and beyond.

Propelling Coldplay to global fame with their breakthrough albums Parachutes in 2000 and A Rush Of Blood To The Head in 2002, they cemented their reputation as a once-in-a-generation band with their 2008 album Viva la Vida or Death and All His Friends.

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With the band, Martin has won a total of seven Grammy Awards and nine Brit Awards, as well as selling over 100 million albums worldwide, making them one of the century's most successful acts.

Coldplay are the only band in history to headline Glastonbury Festival a total of five times also, with their fifth headline appearance coming in 2024.

Away from music, Chris Martin has been a dedicated philanthropist, working on campaigns such as Oxfam's Make Trade Fair and has been the creative director for the benefit event Global Citizen Festival since 2015.

How old is Chris Martin and where was he born?

Christopher Anthony John Martin was born on 2nd March 1977 in Exeter, Devon in England. In 2024 he celebrated his 47th birthday.

The eldest of five children, Chris' father Anthony was a chartered accountant and his mum Alison was a music teacher from Zimbabwe.

Strangely enough, he is a very loose distant relative of Winston Churchill - his aunt was married to Churchill's previous son-in-law.

Martin studied in the choir at school where his love of music blossomed, later studied at Sherborne School where he boarded with Phil Harvey who later became Coldplay's manager.

He went on to achieve a first-class degree in Ancient World Studies from University College London, where he'd also meet his future bandmates Jonny Buckland, Guy Berryman, and Will Champion.

How did Chris Martin get his start in music?

Having met his future bandmates at university, Chris Martin, Jonny Buckland, Guy Berryman, and Will Champion started making music together under the name Big Fat Noises.

Manager Phil Harvey self-funded their debut EP, Safety, in 1998 which only sold fifty copies in the total with the rest being handed out to family and friends.

After some industry buzz developed from their shows in Camden and Manchester, radio DJ Steve Lamacq caught wind of Coldplay and invited them on to his show, becoming the first ever independent band to feature on BBC Radio 1's Evening Session.

A record label scramble for their signature started, all before they'd even finished their degrees, with a hotly-anticipated set at Glastonbury Festival also added to their glowing reputation.

Eventually, they signed to Parlophone for their 2000 debut album, Parachutes, which immediately gained radio play due to their now-iconic pop-rock anthem 'Yellow'.

What are Coldplay's biggest songs?

Coldplay - Fix You (Official Video)

- 'Fix You'

- 'Yellow'

- 'Paradise'

- 'Clocks'

- 'Trouble'

- 'Viva La Vida'

- 'In My Place'

- 'The Scientist'

- 'Adventure Of A Lifetime'

- 'Speed Of Sound'

Is Chris Martin in a relationship?

Chris Martin is currently engaged to Fifty Shades Of Grey actress Dakota Johnson - the daughter of Miami Vice star Don Johnson.

The pair have been dating since 2017, and announced in early 2024 that they intend to tie the knot imminently.

Martin was previously married to Hollywood actress Gwyneth Paltrow from 2003 to 2016, having met at a Coldplay concert, and they remain friends after their divorce.

Paltrow is also close friends with Dakota Johnson, and has given her blessing for their upcoming marriage.

After splitting with Paltrow, Martin was also rumoured to have dated actresses Jennifer Lawrence and Kate Bosworth, as well as musician Natalie Imbruglia and television personality Alexa Chung.

Does Chris Martin have any children?

Chris Martin shares two children with his ex-wife Gwyneth Paltrow. Their daughter Apple was born in May 2004 in London, and their son Moses was born in April 2006 in New York City.

Comedy icon Simon Pegg and his Coldplay bandmate Jonny Buckland are the godfathers to Martin's two children.

In 2002, Gwyneth Paltrow told Drew Barrymore about how their functional relationship was shaped by their children after they split, which Paltrow referred to as a "conscious uncoupling".

"In a way, my relationship with Chris is better [now]. So, I do think that it can be done. "I really wanted my kids to not be traumatised if it were possible. Chris and I committed to putting them first, and that's harder than it looks."

What is Chris Martin's net worth?

Coldplay - Adventure Of A Lifetime (Official Video)

Chris Martin has an estimated worth of £160 million.

Is there anything else we should know about Chris Martin?

Coldplay - The Scientist (Official 4K Video)

Martin revealed in an interview with Rolling Stone magazine that he didn't lose his virginity until he was 23 years old.

"There were religious issues and sh*t like that," he told the publication, saying his religious upbringing often got in the way. "Also confidence. I had a tricky time with girls."

After early squabbles in the band, Coldplay resolved their issues by declaring anyone in the band who used hard drugs would be kicked out, following on from the examples of Chris Martin's favourite bands R.E.M. and U2.

For the music video to the 2002 single 'The Scientist', Martin learned to sing the lyrics in reverse as the video was played backwards throughout.