Impact of the Music of the Spheres World Tour

Publications have widely documented and analysed the environmental, cultural, economic, commercial and philanthropic influence achieved by British rock band Coldplay with the Music of the Spheres World Tour (2022–25). Described as a media phenomenon, the concert run marked their return to live entertainment after the COVID-19 pandemic and was said to be responsible for a shift in public attitude towards them, further illustrating the impact the group have on popular culture. The Times hailed it as "the greatest live music show that humans have yet devised" in visual, emotional and melodic terms.
While announcing the first performances, Coldplay also revealed a series of sustainability efforts to reduce their CO2 emissions by 50%, in comparison to the A Head Full of Dreams Tour (2016–17). Those included the creation of brand new LED stage products and a partnership with BMW to design the first mobile rechargeable show battery in the world. This association, along with the fact that Neste was their biofuel provider, led to greenwashing accusations. Nevertheless, the group reduced carbon footprint by 59% and planted more than 9 million trees. Pollstar wrote that they ushered into "a new era of sustainable touring", while Time placed them among the most influential climate action leaders in the world.
Beyond sold-out stadiums, Coldplay drew crowds of ticketless fans in cities including Rio de Janeiro, Barcelona and Kaohsiung. Interest in the shows was considered unprecedented across Asia, Europe, Latin America and Oceania, prompting measures against ticket scalping and debates about pricing. The government of countries such as Indonesia decided to make their event documentation process more flexible after the band could not schedule enough concerts to meet demand. Moreover, places visited by the tour experienced financial boosts in hotels, restaurants, bars and many other services. A macroeconomic impact was similarly registered in Argentina and Singapore. On music charts, Coldplay's discography had a resurgence in sales and streams. They teamed up with Global Citizen and the Love Button Global Movement to endorse local non-profit institutions as well.
Following the release of Coldplay's eighth album, Everyday Life (2019), Chris Martin said the band would not be touring until they could ensure their concerts are environmentally friendly. The record was promoted with small shows for charity and a performance at the Amman Citadel in Jordan, broadcast by YouTube. On 14 October 2021, a day before Music of the Spheres was made available, the group posted on social media they were returning to live entertainment after the COVID-19 pandemic. The announcement also included a series of environmental plans developed in two years with help from sustainability experts; they were aimed at reducing CO2 emissions by 50% in comparison to their previous tour. Furthermore, the group established a partnership with BMW to create the first mobile rechargeable show battery in the world.
Le Soir's Didier Zacharie affirmed that the efforts proposed by Coldplay were unprecedented for a stadium concert run and added their initiative was commendable. Alex Duke from Impact said the band were "redefining the rulebook" in a world that "desperately needs radical climate action" and praised them for bringing environmental issues to the forefront of international music news through a pioneering endeavour. In an article for Vogue Scandinavia, Doris Daga observed the tour set the bar for how artists could contribute to mitigate their environmental impact and complimented the band's transparency on "the reality that no [show] will be carbon negative in 2022".
According to Lucy August-Perna, the sustainability director of Live Nation, Coldplay's proposal helped to "build on the framework [the company] had been developing over the past five years on their tours and venues". She also described the measures created by the group as "impressive and forward-thinking", since they focused on concrete solutions. Additionally, the director claimed she was working to adopt their plans, institutionalise what they learn and provide environmentally conscious options for more performers worldwide.
Writing for Veja, Amanda Capuano commented that the concert residency template used by Coldplay on the tour schedule underscored a trend previously seen with Adele and Harry Styles, where musicians with sizable demand are traveling less due to an increased interest in logistics, quality of life and mental health. Moreover, the group's collaboration with John Wiseman from Worldwide Sales and Frederic Opsomer from PRG Projects led to the development of completely new LED stage products. Opsomer attested that the custom technology built for the concert run will become commonplace in the next years as well, thanking Coldplay for the initiative. Uproxx and Billboard later noticed they had an impact on tours from Billie Eilish and Shawn Mendes, respectively. In 2023, the Kappa FuturFestival took measures similar to the Music of the Spheres World Tour, while 2024 saw the band receiving support from Live Nation and Warner Music Group to fund a carbon footprint study that will suggest practical solutions for live music events at every level.
Carlos Calvo Ambel from Transport & Environment declared that Coldplay were "no doubt well-intentioned" but reprimanded their cooperation with Neste. He accused the company of "cynically using [the band] to greenwash its reputation", since biofuels were supplied to the tour while they had links to deforestation; therefore, the partnership should be discontinued to give priority to better solutions. SumOfUs' Eoin Dubsky criticised the ties with BMW and concluded the group needed to take greater care while doing their diligences, as the multinational was lobbying to prevent the European Union from establishing a deadline for vehicles to be carbon neutral.
On the same day, Coldplay published a statement reiterating that their plan was a work in progress and they "genuinely welcome suggestions as to how to do it better". The band also emphasised having no connection to BMW's corporate policies, adding that various car manufacturers were approached in order to provide the required expertise and the company was the one that helped. Neste separately mentioned that investigations regarding their palm oil vendors were launched, but no evidence of violations or links to deforestation was found. Their response crew said that the concert run only received fuels with frying and animal fat waste as well. The alliance was formally terminated in January 2023.
After a team led by professor John Fernandez at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) collected data from the concerts and compared it to the A Head Full of Dreams Tour (2016–17), publications reported that Coldplay have managed to reduce their CO2 emissions by 59% so far. Research attested 72% of all waste was diverted from landfills, while LED wristbands had a production decrease of 80% and a return rate average of 86% per date. Furthermore, 9,625 meals and 90 kg of toiletries from the catering were given out to unhoused and unsheltered people. The solar installations, kinetic floors and stationary bicycles generated around 15 kWh every night, being enough to fuel tool-charging stations for the crew. It was also informed that performances were operating entirely from renewable energy.
Coldplay consequently became "pioneers for the future of sustainability" in live entertainment, with Fernandez deeming their plans "critically important, scientifically rigorous and of the highest quality". In June 2023, BBC News interviewed senior cleansing officer Samantha Thomas about waste from concerts and she noticed that after the band performed at Principality Stadium, streets were significantly cleaner than other events. As per GAFFA's Jim Knutsson, the concert run established itself as a platform for green technologies and environmental commitment. Live Nation later commented that over 9 million trees have been planted by the group in forest reserves. In November 2023, they were featured on the inaugural Time 100 Climate editorial, which ranked the most influential climate action leaders based on their recent and measurable achievements.
Discussing the impact of the tour on La Gaceta, Pablo Hamada considered it a media phenomenon which brought a wave of positivity beyond the shows, as Coldplay became a prominent topic of news coverage and online engagement in the places they visited. He associated the fanaticism over the band with their generational importance, while Sofía Campos from La Razón mentioned that their performances appeal to multiple age demographics. Writing for The Times, Mark Beaumont noted that the group's dedication to live spectacles allowed them to convert even "the most cynical hacks" into admirers, regaining respect and credibility in all quarters. Julio Maria opined that they are the last rock exponent capable of filling stadiums worldwide in his column at Estadão.
Brazilian outlets coined the term "Coldplaymania" to address their media dominance, given how the tour was subject of intense scrutiny in the country. The band also received an invitation from President Lula da Silva to attend the 30th United Nations Climate Change Conference, scheduled for 2025. Prime Minister Lawrence Wong said it was "Coldplay week" in Singapore while they visited the region. According to Ta Nea's Giorgos Skintsas, the concerts in Greece overshadowed the 2024 European Parliament election. Publications have additionally reported that many ticketless fans gathered outside their respective venues to hear the group playing, including 34,000 in Munich.
Rolling Stone released exclusive issues of the magazine in Argentina, France, and Brazil to celebrate the tour. Councillors at the Municipal Chamber of Rio de Janeiro tried to honour the band with the Pedro Ernesto Medal, but the submission has not been voted so far. Taking inspiration from their Rock in Rio performance, spinoff festival The Town began to distribute LED wristbands. A number of samba schools at the Sapucaí Carnival Parade have adopted the practice as well. Marcela Moreira from Warner Music Brazil revealed that Coldplay influenced Bruno Mars in the marketing strategies for his concerts in the country. Blitz marked the group's return to Portugal with a photography exhibit in Coimbra. Italian illustrator Lorenzo Ruggiero, who worked for Marvel and DC Comics, has paid tribute to their shows in Naples with a drawing. Following the announcement of the first Asian leg, numerous brands and companies in the continent launched advertisements that made references to it. Soundz and Rockin'On Japan issued volumes focused exclusively on Coldplay for the concerts in Amsterdam and Tokyo, respectively. Helsinki was temporarily renamed Coldsinki in honour of their first-ever Finnish tour. Eden Park saluted them with a mural, while The New Zealand Herald published a bespoke artwork by Otis Frizzell.
On 10 July 2022, seismic stations in Germany detected a 1.28-magnitude earthquake in Berlin. Its main frequency corresponded exactly to the beat of "A Sky Full of Stars", which made analysts associate the episode with Coldplay's performance at Olympiastadion. Upon learning what happened, the group motivated fans to exceed the number in following days, causing a 1.5-magnitude earthquake on 12 July. Kurier's Peter Temel affirmed the new register managed to surpass Florence and the Machine playing "Dog Days Are Over" at Tempelhof Sounds. He also stated that fast songs and crowd coordination can explain the phenomena. Attendees set off another 1.5-magnitude earthquake during the third night. In the following year, tremors were felt in the Kaohsiung National Stadium district. Coldplay then triggered a different occurrence at the 2024 Glastonbury Festival: mobile virtual network operator Vodafone registered 258 gigabytes of data uploaded throughout their set, which is equivalent to 74,000 high-resolution pictures.
Coldplay were criticised by several groups of conservative Muslims for performing in Indonesia and Malaysia. Novel Bamukmin, the Deputy Secretary-General of PA 212, declared the tour should be cancelled in Jakarta because the band endorse the LGBT community, while Nasrudin Hassan from the Malaysian Islamic Party condemned them for promoting a culture of "hedonism" and "deviance". Conversely, Minister for Tourism Sandiaga Uno argued that the event would improve Indonesia's notoriety as a destination for international artists. Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman likewise regarded it as a chance to generate economic surplus for Kuala Lumpur. On 10 November 2023, dozens of people marched outside Jakarta's British Embassy calling for the cancellation of the Gelora Bung Karno Stadium show. They defended that Indonesian Muslims should be mourning the war crimes Israel committed against Palestine instead of watching Coldplay live. Extremist groups threatened to burn down their stage set-up, while others only asked the police to ensure the venue had no LGBT propaganda in place. In Malaysia, Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said that boycott requests were unnecessary because the band support Palestine, but authorities would remain alert. Martin used the Love Button Global Movement flag and both concerts went out as usual.
During their first performance in Bucharest, Coldplay welcomed Romanian singer Babasha to the stage for "Păi Naa", a song from the manele genre. Members of the audience at the Arena Națională booed him and the occurrence became subject of public debate. Aleksandar Brezar told Euronews that, despite its long history, the style is derided by critics for using "crude language and banal lyrics", being comparable to rap and reggaeton because all three emerged from marginalised groups and became mainstream. Several cities in the country have banned manele from common areas, but it remained popular nevertheless. Addressing the situation on social media, Babasha pointed out that he already expected polarising reactions, citing the racism against his Romani origins among the incentives behind them. Republica's Gabriel Balmus likened the backlash to when the 2008 Glastonbury Festival announced that Jay-Z would be a headliner. On the second day, before presenting the singer again, Martin requested people who hated manele to keep an atmosphere of peace and do something else while they were playing together. The collaboration was received with applause instead and Babasha thanked the crowd for showing support to his work. Another repercussion of the incident was evidenced on his Instagram account, which earned more than 20,000 new followers in a single morning.
Sales for the tour led to public and political debate due to unprecedented interest in Asia, Europe, Latin America, and Oceania. Coldplay announced only two dates in Perth for latter continent through a partnership with the government of West Australia, which resulted in wide criticism from fans who lived in other regions. Conversely, Live Nation's Bruce Moran lauded the band for "the most spectacular run through Latin America ever", as their numerous performances broke records in nearly all countries visited. Interviewed by Billboard, Bruno Del Granado from CAA said that Coldplay's success and the founding of new arenas proved there was no longer an excuse for artists to avoid the territory.
Demand for the concerts also caused ticket speculation to rise in Portugal, with 32 arrests being carried out. Álvaro Covões, the director of events promoter Everything Is New, mentioned that they are "a global phenomenon which only happens once every 30 years", adding he only experienced such fan frenzy when the Beatles were active. Similarly, the Organization of Consumers and Users (OCU) submitted an appeal to Spain's Ministry of Consumer Affairs to reduce resales with abusive prices and poor insurances. In Italy, the Authority for Communications Guarantees (AGCOM) conducted an operation against scalpers focused on the shows scheduled by Coldplay and arrested 26 lawbreakers.
Moreover, Fahmi Fadzil revealed that the government of Malaysia will enact new legislation to monitor and control transactions in the secondary market after tickets for Kuala Lumpur were traded at disproportionately high values. Examining such cases helped them to make the first drafts. Bloomberg News affirmed that the government of Indonesia decided to simplify and digitalise their permits because the band had numerous extra dates in neighbouring capitals, but not in Jakarta. Following the sales for their concerts in India, which attracted 13 million people, a public interest litigation seeking fair access to admissions and strict regulations to prevent price gouging was filed in the Bombay High Court. The Enforcement Directorate raided five states to investigate illegal activity. Coldplay raised discussions on entry costs as well, since they maintained affordability despite the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. Additionally, their Infinity Tickets program offered limited $20 batches. Olivia Rodrigo and Adele later replicated the practice.
Coldplay were credited with fueling the commerce of regions where they performed. Hotels with a view for Estadio Nacional de Costa Rica in San José were fully booked after their concerts sold out, since people began to search for different ways to still see them. El Espectador noticed that accommodation occupancy rates surpassed 85% when the band visited Bogotá. Similarly, Buenos Aires registered its highest percentages in 10 years during their residency at Estadio River Plate. Clarín noted that the revenue from bars and restaurants in the city triplicated with the tour. Business owners in Curitiba said its impact surpassed the 2014 FIFA World Cup.
During their stay in Rio de Janeiro, the group yielded profits above R$86 million. Furthermore, the President of the Municipal Chamber of Coimbra informed that they generated more than €36 million in direct financial returns for the town. Hotel prices surged by 1,000% after they announced shows there. Equivalent rises were also seen in places such as Dublin, Düsseldorf, Helsinki, and Singapore (where Agoda reported a 556% boost in searches). Marketing agency Hello Monday held a contest to give away tickets for the nights in Barcelona and drew over a million comments on social media, along with 80,000 new clients on their exclusive platform. Diario de Sevilla considered it one of the most viral advertising campaigns of the year in Spain.
In November 2023, the Kaohsiung City Government offered discount coupons to fans who attended the shows in the region to boost revenue at night markets. United Daily News estimated that around 30,000 citizens were drawn to those businesses. Their earnings grew by 30%, while accommodations in the city had a 90% occupancy level. Coldplay generated a record income of NT$550 million as a result. CNBC Indonesia stated that the concert at Jakarta's Gelora Bung Karno Stadium gained Rp1.4 trillion in revenue for the city. It also helped to improve the proceeds of the venue by 50% in comparison to 2019. Searches for hotel rooms in Perth increased by nearly 135% when the group played at the Optus Stadium. Minister for Tourism Rita Saffioti upheld that 3,500 citizens were expected to take new jobs in the service industry with the tour.
Profits from Airbnb reservations doubled when Coldplay performed in Athens, as they reached an unprecedented 81.5% capacity. About 40,000 attendees were foreigners, aiding the tourism sector. Local newspapers noted that the Bucharest City Hall received €112,000 to host the band, making them more lucrative than the Champions League. They drove an economic growth of €63 million in Helsinki, while their concerts at the Olympiastadion were associated to Munich's tourism record of 2.1 million overnight stays in August 2024. Sydney and Auckland had returns of $90 million and $20 million, respectively, in their local trade. Hotels close to the Zayed Sports City and DY Patil stadiums sold out completely after the ticket sales in Abu Dhabi and Mumbai. The visit to Camp Randall Stadium is set to produce over $13 million for Madison's regional economy.
As part of their sustainability efforts, Coldplay partnered with SAP to develop an exclusive mobile app for the tour. It measured the carbon footprint generated by attendees and encouraged them to use eco-friendly travel options by offering merchandise discount codes. In the United States, the band worked with public transport companies in four cities to grant affordable rides, improving the turnout by an average of 59% on concert days. Organisations from Brussels, Cardiff, Glasgow, Milan, and Santiago arranged unique operations to handle the traffic before and after the shows. Tembici and the British Embassy held a contest draw giving tickets to people who presented environmentally friendly ways to arrive at the group's performances in Brazil.
More than 36,000 people boarded the Rio de Janeiro Metro to watch them at Estádio Olímpico Nilton Santos, almost six times the weekdays average. In Gothenburg, visitors earned free public transport to Ullevi after being consulted by members of the Green City Zone project, which outlined travel behaviour to reduce CO2 emissions from large-scale events. The Kaohsiung Metro went through its biggest days of activity in 2023 when Coldplay held their shows, with over 565,000 passengers carried in total. Jakarta MRT shared that around 163,000 citizens relied on its routes during the Gelora Bung Karno Stadium date, marking the highest ridership of the 2020s decade.
In Singapore, free bus rides were offered to train stations near the National Stadium until midnight. The Bucharest City Hall established two electric bus lines and added vehicles to previously existing ones for the Arena Națională concerts. Webjet informed that flight bookings to Melbourne and Sydney rose by 47% and 44%, respectively, because of the band, while Qantas claimed they were the reason behind a major uptick in airfare prices. Out of the 340,000 people that went to their shows at the Accor Stadium, 60% used a train or bus to arrive and leave. Transport for NSW (TfNSW) implemented 1,231 extra services to accommodate demand. Air New Zealand scheduled 22 additional flights for the week Coldplay performed at the Eden Park. Auckland Transport (AT) offered ticket holders free bus and train rides to the venue. The band set new records for turnout and revenue at the Ahmedabad Metro, which saw more than 405,000 passengers and collected ₹6.6 million in the two nights at Narendra Modi Stadium.
Several countries experienced a macroeconomic impact associated with the Music of the Spheres World Tour. Referencing the performances at Estadio River Plate, the government of Argentina established the "Coldplay dollar", an exchange rate of the American currency which was used for international live events. Bank Central Asia's stock exchange value enjoyed a boost after it was announced their card holders got exclusive access to the Jakarta presales. According to El Mundo, the band contributed to Spain's concert industry more than any foreign act in 2023. Additionally, the shows in Naples, Milan and Rome impacted Italy by €906.3 million.
The Music observed that the double dates in Perth brought at least $75 million for Western Australian economy, drawing 40,000 out-of-state visitors as well. Premier Roger Cook added that Coldplay have successfully established an itinerary model where the city can be included as part of the Asian tours carried out by other acts. The Straits Times estimated that the group generated $422.7 million in spending and $403.2 million in tourism revenue for Singapore, uplifting quarterly GDP forecasts by 0.25 percentage points. Marketing professor Seshan Ramaswami declared that their residency expanded the region's demographic reach to fans in Asia and the Middle East. As a result, the band took Asia–Pacific's travel sector closer to pre-pandemic levels.
Irish Examiner informed that concert spending in Ireland rose by 88% with the four nights at Croke Park. RTÉ likewise claimed they registered the biggest ticket sales day of the year nationwide. CTS Eventim (36%), Live Nation (32%), and the United Kingdom's music industry (13%) have all pointed to Coldplay's success as one of the reasons behind their annual growth. Their shows at Wembley Stadium were attributed to a 13.5% uptick in entertainment spending among Britons. Bank of Baroda projected a boost of ₹20 billion for the same sector in India, driven by attendees in Mumbai and Ahmedabad. Business Today credited the group with opening the doors for "concert economy" in the country. Prime Minister Narendra Modi urged states and private companies to invest on the necessary infrastructure in a speech at the Make in Odisha conclave.
In addition to donating 10% from all of their profits to charity, Coldplay teamed up with Global Citizen and the Love Button Global Movement to gather volunteers in each tour stop and endorse local non-profit institutions on their individual missions, which included distributing food, creating gardens and providing shelter for refugees. In Newark, participants helped with United Community Corporation's Sky Full of Stars Carnival and Distribution, an event where residents earned free groceries, COVID-19 vaccines and access to mortgage assistance. They also organised a warehouse used by Team Ukraine Love in Warsaw. The foundation's main focus is serving those who were displaced from their homes by the Russian invasion of Ukraine. In Bogotá, the band donated gifts to the children and health personnel at Hospital Simón Bolívar. During the stop in Buenos Aires, volunteers partnered with TECHO, an institution that mobilises youth to improve infrastructure in Latin American countries.
SP Invisível received support for the humanisation of homeless people in São Paulo, as well as the promotion of individualised care experiences. In Coimbra, the initiatives aimed to combat elderly social exclusion. Other efforts include setting a free clinic in Copenhagen, planting trees in Gothenburg, and helping the Love & Hope Children's Home in Kaohsiung. Coldplay later released a ticket for auction at the Rare Impact Fund, which aims to expand access to mental health services worldwide. Patients and workers at RSIA Bunda Jakarta Hospital were given presents as well. In September 2024, the band informed that 10% of their revenue at Wembley Stadium and Craven Park next year will be donated to the Music Venue Trust, fostering grassroots venues and artists in the United Kingdom. Far Out's Dale Maplethorpe stated they can "unite music lovers everywhere" with the endeavour. Sam Fender and Katy Perry pledged to contribute £1 for each admission sold at their British concerts after the group's announcement.
Coldplay's discography experienced considerable sales and streaming gains throughout the tour, leading songs to debut and reach new peaks on Billboard Global 200. Following their Estadio Akron shows in Zapopan, they jumped to number two on Spotify Mexico's Daily Top Artists chart. Warner Music Group also certified "My Universe" and Music of the Spheres (2021) as 3× Platinum and Gold in the country, respectively. The album returned to Germany's Offizielle Top 100 at number 19 with the Frankfurt and Berlin dates. In Belgium, the band had their entire studio album catalogue — and Live in Buenos Aires (2018) — featured on the Flanders and Wallonia rankings. Live 2012 entered the latter as well. After the residency at Wembley Stadium, "Yellow", "Viva la Vida", and "A Sky Full of Stars" were featured in the UK Singles Charts for the first time since 2014, 2017 and 2016, respectively. "Viva la Vida" eventually outlasted its 2000s decade run, logging 64 weeks during the 2020s.
As a result of their Rock in Rio set, Coldplay became the first international group to lead Spotify Brazil's Daily Top Artists list. In Argentina, Parachutes (2000) achieved a new peak on the albums chart at number six. The feat was repeated in Portugal, where it rose to number three while accompanied by eight other projects. Out of the 13 songs that appeared on the Portuguese Singles Chart, eight secured their biggest ever weekly performance, including "The Scientist", "Fix You", "Paradise", "Higher Power" and "Sparks".
More countries where sales charts were flooded include Italy (7 albums and 4 songs), Switzerland (6 albums and 4 songs), Sweden (8 albums and 12 songs), and the Netherlands (7 albums and 10 songs). Despite not holding a show in Norway, the band had 6 albums and 6 songs featured on VG-Lista in 2023. The concerts in Kaohsiung, Jakarta and Kuala Lumpur later helped "Yellow", "Viva la Vida" and "A Sky Full of Stars" to extend their respective resurgences. As per Infobae, Coldplay were the group with the most searched lyrics of the year on Google in light of the tour. In 2024, "Yellow" achieved their first ever Philippines Songs Top 10. Meanwhile, on Singapore's Top Streaming Chart, they occupied 17 slots out of the 30 available and dominated the initial nine.
During the third European leg, the band managed to score entries on the rankings from Greece (2 albums and 13 songs), Finland (8 albums and 11 songs), Austria (8 albums and 13 songs), and Ireland (6 albums and 4 songs). No tracks charted separately in Hungary, but six records climbed back to the Top 40. Moon Music (2024) hit number one in Australia for the first time after the Melbourne and Sydney concerts. It jumped to number 10 in New Zealand, where "Feelslikeimfallinginlove" and "We Pray" peaked at numbers 17 and 21, respectively. Coldplay secured 17 entries across the catalogue parades as well. Following the shows in Abu Dhabi, they placed 11 songs on the Emirati MENA Chart, all of which earned their highest positions. The performances in India gave them five simultaneous appearances on IMI International Top 20 Singles.