Coldplay has broken the record for the highest attendance in a single tour, surpassing Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour. The British rock band has sold over 10.3 million tickets as part of its Music of the Spheres World Tour which commenced in March 2022 with a show in Costa Rica. With over eight months remaining on the tour, the band could further smash the records, the Guinness World Records said on Thursday (Jan 30).

Coldplay attendance numbers were massively inflated after the band performed in India earlier this month. The band kickstarted their India leg with three concerts at DY Patil Sports Stadium in Navi Mumbai on January 18,19 and 21. The second leg of the tour included two shows on January 25 and 26 at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad with over 1,30,000 concertgoers attending the event on each night.

“Thank you Ahmedabad, thank you India. We’ll never forget these two weeks. Your love and kindness will stay with us forever,” said Coldplay after the culmination of the India tour.

Thank you Ahmedabad, thank you India. We’ll never forget these two weeks. Your love and kindness will stay with us forever pic.twitter.com/vB4BfsfFKY

— Coldplay (@coldplay) January 26, 2025

PM Modi mentions Coldplay

Such was the magnitude of Coldplay’s impact that even Prime Minister Narendra Modi mentioned the band in his speech while reflecting on the growing craze of live events in India.

“In the past decade, both the trend and demand for live events have grown. In the last few days, you must have seen the magnificent images from the Coldplay concerts held in Mumbai and Ahmedabad. It is a testimony of the scope of live concerts in India,” said PM Modi.

Watch: Coldplay Frontman Chris Martin Stops Ahmedabad Concert To Protect Fan

After the hugely successful shows in India, Coldplay’s next concert is scheduled to take place in April in Hong Kong, followed by Seoul before heading to the United States.

While Ms Swift may have fallen behind in the number of people attending her concert, Eras Tour remains the highest-grossing music tour at $2.07 billion. However, as per Guinness, there is a good possibility that Coldplay might overtake this record as well.

New Delhi:

After Coldplay’s biggest concert ever at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad with over one lakh footfall on January 26, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday said India has a scope of live concerts. Addressing the Utkarsh Odisha Conclave in Bhubaneswar, PM Modi underscored the vast potential of India’s concert economy. He called on states and the private sector to focus on building the infrastructure for the concert economy.

“A country which has such a rich heritage in music, dance, and storytelling, which has a large pool of youth – a massive consumer base for concerts – there the concert economy has vast opportunities,” he said.

Reflecting on the growing craze of live events, PM Modi said, “In the past decade, both the trend and demand for live events have grown. In the last few days, you must have seen the magnificent images from the Coldplay concerts held in Mumbai and Ahmedabad. It is a testimony of the scope of live concerts in India.”

PM Modi said that big artists from around the world are attracted to India.

Talking about the benefits of hosting live events, PM Modi said, “Concert economy gives a boost to the tourism sector and creates jobs. I urge states and the private sector to focus on infrastructure and skills needed for the concert economy. Event management, artist grooming, security and other arrangements have a scope.”

PM Modi teased the first-ever World Audio-Visual Summit India is set to host next month.

Coldplay toured India with its ‘Music of the Spheres’, starting with three concerts at DY Patil Sports Stadium in Navi Mumbai on January 18,19 and 21. The second leg of the tour included two shows on January 25 and 26 at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad.

A woman was left lamenting her chances of attending Coldplay’s concert in Mumbai after her housemaid threw the tickets in the trash. Social media user named Prachi Singh took to Instagram to explain how she and her husband were set to leave for the concert when they found the tickets were missing. A few minutes later, the couple learned that the precious tickets were somewhere in the garbage.

“Yess so this disaster happened. Yesterday we got two Coldplay tickets and they were kept in a wrapper on dining table,” Ms Singh captioned the video.

“Today we got ready, driver was waiting and while leaving we couldn’t find the bands and our maid said ki woh toh safai mai phek diye (I threw it away during cleaning.”

In the video shared, Ms Singh could be seen standing near the garbage containers as the sanitation workers searched for the tickets in them/

“The building guys were so sweet to actually check all the garbage which was thrown today.” she informed.

Notably, the British rock band is currently on an India trip as part of the ‘Music of the Spheres’ world tour. The first stop for the band was at the DY Patil Stadium on Saturday (Jan 18) before performing the second show a day later.

Internet reacts

As of the last update, the video had garnered more than 5.5 million views and over 43,000 likes with hundreds commenting on the absurdity of the situation.

“Oh no, feel so bad for both of you,” wrote use user, while another joked: “Call the dogs in your area. they might be able to search the ticket. Lol.”

A third commented: “Don’t worry! Apparently there Will be a live telecast on 26th. PS: with the leisure to pee at your convenience too.”

Watch: This Video Of Coldplay’s Chris Martin Saying “Jai Shri Ram” Is Crazy Viral

Coldplay in India

Coldplay’s concerts have become one of the most sought-after live music events in recent years. The band was scheduled to perform only a single concert in India but owing to the overwhelming demand, added four more shows. The tickets went away in a flash.

During the first night at the Mumbai stadium, the lead vocalist, Chris Martin, read the placards held by fans, and uttered “Jai Shri Ram,” after spotting it on one of the signs. This spontaneous gesture was met with cheers from the crowd. He even inquired about the meaning of the phrase.

Coldplay is set to perform in Mumbai once again on January 21 before heading to Ahmedabad for concerts on January 25 and 26, which will be streamed live on Disney+ Hotstar.

Coldplay’s highly anticipated India tour kicked off with an electrifying performance in Mumbai on Saturday, winning the hearts of millions as the band made a heartfelt effort to connect with the local audience.  

During their concert at DY Patil Stadium, lead singer Chris Martin expressed gratitude to the audience for warmly welcoming the British band. In a poignant moment, he acknowledged the pre-independence history between the two nations, saying, “Thank you for welcoming us even though we are from Britain,” and added, “Thanks for forgiving us for everything the Britishers did.”  

The crowd erupted in cheers in response to Martin’s thoughtful gesture.

See the viral video here:

In another viral video, Chris Martin greeted the audience in Hindi. After one of the songs, he expressed his gratitude by saying “shukriya,” which delighted fans.

The most unexpected moment came when Chris, reading the placards held by fans, uttered “Jai Shri Ram,” after spotting it on one of the signs. This spontaneous gesture was met with cheers from the crowd. He even inquired about the meaning of the phrase.

Coldplay played their biggest hits, including Paradise, Viva La Vida, Adventure of a Lifetime and Yellow among others. 

Coldplay is set to perform in Mumbai once again on January 21 and 22 before heading to Ahmedabad for concerts on January 25 and 26, which will be streamed live on Disney+ Hotstar.

Chris Martin, who arrived in India with his girlfriend Dakota Johnson, visited temples during their Mumbai visit.

The District Child Protection Unit in Ahmedabad has issued a notice to singer Chris Martin and the organisers of the Coldplay concert, instructing them not to use children in any form on stage during the concert scheduled to be held at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on January 25 and 26.

The organisers have also been directed to ensure that no children are allowed to enter the concert venue without earplugs or hearing protection.

The Unit has highlighted that sound levels exceeding 120 decibels during the concert could pose significant risks to children’s health.

Failure to comply with these directives will result in strict action by the District Child Protection Unit in Ahmedabad

The notice was issued in response to a complaint filed by Pandit Rao Dharnevar, Assistant Professor of Sociology in Chandigarh.

Speaking to ANI, Dharnevar stated that involving children in concerts featuring loud sounds and bright lights can harm their physical health and mental development. He further emphasized his commitment to taking similar steps in the future to safeguard children’s rights.

Earlier, Pandit Rao Dharnevar had also filed a complaint against Punjabi singer and actor Diljit Dosanjh’s New Year’s Eve concert in Ludhiana.

This complaint led the Deputy Director of the Women and Child Department, Government of Punjab, to issue a formal notice to Ludhiana’s District Commissioner, urging them to prevent the singer from performing certain songs during his live show on December 31, 2024.

The notice specifically called for a ban on songs accused of promoting alcohol, such as ‘Patiala Pegg,’ ‘5 Tara Theke,’ and ‘Case (Jeeb Vicho Feem Labbiya),’ even if their lyrics were modified.

Dharnevar expressed concerns about the impact of such songs, particularly on young and impressionable audiences, especially when underage children are present.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

A woman dark web hacker who made around £42,000 (Rs 44.75 lakh) selling unreleased music from bands and musicians such as Coldplay, Bebe Rexha, Melanie Martinez, Taylor Upsahl and Shawn Mendes has avoided jail, according to a report in The Independent. The woman, identified as 22-year-old Skylar Dalziel of Luton has instead been handed 21 months in prison suspended for two years by the Luton Crown Court. Additionally, she will have to complete 180 hours of unpaid work and 10 rehabilitative activity days.

Ms Dalziel was facing 14 counts relating to the trading of copyrighted music without the consent of the recording artists or labels. She pleaded guilty to nine copyright offences and four computer misuse offences.

“Dalziel had complete disregard for the musician’s creativity and hard work producing original songs and the subsequent potential loss of earnings,” said Richard Partridge, specialist prosecutor of the Crown Prosecution Service.

“This type of activity doesn’t just impact on the artists themselves but also on employees of the record companies involved. She selfishly used their music to make money for herself by selling it on the dark web.”

Cloud access

She reportedly stole the tracks by illegally accessing several cloud storage accounts linked to the popular artists. A raid at her home in Winchester Gardens last January led to the recovery of a hard drive containing up to 291,941 songs.

The police told the court that a review of Ms Dalziel’s PayPal and bank account showed she received payments worth a total of £42,049 between April 2021 and January 2023.

“Stealing copyrighted material for your own financial gain is illegal. It jeopardises the work of artists and the livelihoods of the people who work with them to create and release their music,” said Daryl Fryatt, a detective constable at the intellectual property crime unit.

“It’s estimated that this type of criminal activity contributes to over 80,000 job losses each year.”

Also Read | Coldplay Concert In Ahmedabad: Hotel Inflates Price After Booking, Social Media Users Fume

The lid on Ms Dalziel’s operation was blown after Sony Music Entertainment filed a complaint in 2021, informing the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI) that a cloud account linked to US artist Upsahl had been compromised and 40 unreleased tracks extracted were being sold online.

The IFPI and the Recording Industry Association of America managed to uncover that an account on an online forum was selling songs not only related to Sony’s label but also to the likes of Universal Music Group and Warner Music Group.

Days after British pop band Coldplay announced another concert in the western Indian city of Ahmedabad as part of its much-awaited “Music Of The Spheres World Tour 2025”, a social media user has revealed that one of the hotels near the Narendra Modi Stadium had increased booking prices despite having made the reservation previously. The netizen took to X (formerly Twitter) and posted the correspondence with the hotel as the booking price was raised exponentially from Rs 5,521 to Rs 16,000.

“All in for capitalism but asking increased rate for a booked stay. That’s new,” wrote the user, sharing the screenshot.

The management claimed that owing to the Coldplay concert in Ahmedabad on Jan 25 and 26, 2025 — hotel rooms were in high demand, prompting the price increase.

“Unfortunately, due to this, we are unable to honour your reservation at current rates, and need to make an adjustment to reflect the market conditions,” read the statement by the hotel.

“What does this mean for your booking? Option 1(Keep Your Booking): If you’d like to confirm your reservation, we kindly request you to pay the adjusted rate of INR 16000 (an increase of INR 10479). To thank you for your understanding, we’d love to treat you to a complimentary meal during your stay,” it added.

All in for capitalism but asking increased rate for a booked stay. Thats new. pic.twitter.com/ox5fu9iIfH

— Ashish Singh (@ashzingh) November 21, 2024

Netizens fume

The post quickly went viral, inviting the wrath of the netizens who called out the hotel for not honouring the booking and using anti-consumer means to profit off the situation.

“What’s the point of reservation then?” said one user, while another added: “This is not done. Perfect case to pursue under consumer protection law. Happy to get you legal help at no cost.”

A third commented: “That one millisecond tick to” I agree to the terms and conditions” is going to start haunting us now. Treebo has given a ‘cold shoulder’ to patrons.”

Prices increase

Immediately after the concert dates were announced, hotels in the city increased their prices with many claiming that rooms were being booked for as high as Rs 90,000 for just one night.

“Hotel rooms in ITC Narmada Ahmedabad are selling for 90,000 per night on the 25th. If you manage to get Coldplay tickets, you also need to spend 6 months of an Indian middle-class person’s income to simply visit the city,” said an X user.

Hotel rooms in ITC Narmada Ahmedabad are selling for 90,000 per night on the 25th

If you manage to get Coldplay tickets, you also need to spend 6 months of an Indian middle-class person’s income to simply visit the city

Coldplay plays, city’s hotels party

— Aviral Bhatnagar (@aviralbhat) November 16, 2024

One of the hotels stated that the cost of rooms were reflective of “dynamic pricing” during highly-anticipated events that create a high demand among travellers for hotels.

New Delhi:

The Enforcement Directorate conducted raids in Delhi, Mumbai, Jaipur, Chandigarh, Bangalore in connection with illegal sale of tickets for Coldplay’s Music of the Spheres World Tour and Diljit Dosanjh’s Dilluminati concert.

Ticketing partners for the shows BookMyShow and Zomato Live were reported to have sold out tickets for both concerts within minutes, leading to alleged black marketing of tickets. Several complaints of fraud through fake ticket sales and resale of tickets at exorbitant prices were also received. Several FIRs have been filed in many states in this regard.

BookMyShow too has filed complaints against several suspects.

The Enforcement Directorate initiative a probe into the money laundering angle and conducted raids at more than 13 location in five cities on October 25. During the raid, incriminating materials like mobile phones, laptops and SIM cards were seized. The probe also found that fake tickets were being sold using Instagram, WhatsApp and Telegram.

The searches were aimed at investigating the illegal sales of tickets, financial networks supporting these scams, and tracing the proceeds of crime generated from such illegal activities, it said.

The Coldplay concert is slated to be held in Mumbai on January 18,19 and 21, 2025. Meanwhile, Diljit Dosanjh’s Dilluminati India tour will begin from Delhi on October 26 and 27. He will then take his tour to various cities, including Jaipur on November 2, Hyderabad on November 15, Ahmedabad on November 17 and Lucknow on November 22, among others, before concluding in Guwahati on December 29.

Mumbai:

British rock band Coldplay’s upcoming tour of India has triggered a police investigation and dismayed fans after scalpers bought up cheap tickets to resell online for more than Rs 83000 a piece.

Thousands of music fans tried and failed to buy tickets for three concerts scheduled in the financial hub Mumbai next January, sold by the popular Indian online ticket portal BookMyShow. 

All three shows sold out in minutes, and those who missed out were infuriated when they saw tickets worth Rs. 6,000- appear on resale websites at vastly inflated prices.

“The tickets are being sold at 10 times, 20 times, 30 times the price that is being sold on the website itself,” student Anna Abraham, 19, told AFP. 

“I wouldn’t feel good about it myself if I knew that I paid for something 30 times more than what I could have paid for.”

Local media reports said BookMyShow’s chief operating officer was questioned by police Monday after a complaint brought by Mumbai lawyer Amit Vyas, who claimed the vendor was working with “black marketeers” to make an extra windfall on ticket sales. 

“I checked with nearly 100 people who I know are regulars at concerts, none of them had gotten a ticket,” Vyas said, according to the Indian Express newspaper. 

“This made me suspicious. I then decided to approach the police as I knew that something was amiss.”

BookMyShow issued a statement after the public backlash began last week, saying it had “no association” with unauthorised ticket selling. 

“Scalping and black marketing of tickets is strictly condemned and punishable by law in India and BookMyShow vehemently opposes this practice,” the company said. 

Controversies surrounding tickets for major international musical or sporting events are not new.

US megastar Taylor Swift lashed out at Ticketmaster in 2022 following fan anger over sales to concerts staged for her globe-spanning ‘The Eras Tour’.

The debacle sparked debate over the Ticketmaster’s privileged position in the industry amid fan complaints of hidden fees, rampant ticket scalping and limited tickets due to presales.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a press release)

New Delhi:

BookMyShow chief executive officer and co-founder Ashish Hemrajani and the company’s technical head have been issued fresh summons over the alleged black marketing of tickets for the concert by British rock band Coldplay. The Mumbai Police’s Economic Offences Wing (EOW), which had earlier called them for questioning on Saturday, has now asked them to appear before an investigating officer today.

According to sources, both of them are not in touch with the police.

The police have initiated a probe on the complaint of an advocate, Amit Vyas, who accused the ticketing platform of facilitating the black marketing of tickets for the Coldplay concert at Navi Mumbai’s DY Patil Stadium from January 19 to 21 next year.

Mr Vyas has alleged that Coldplay’s India tour tickets, which were originally priced at Rs 2,500, are being resold by third parties and influencers for as much as Rs 3 lakh.

He alleged that BookMyShow deceived the public and Coldplay fans, and is seeking a case to be registered against the company on fraud charges.

The police have already recorded Mr Vyas’ statement and have identified several brokers involved in the alleged ticket scalping.

BookMyShow had crashed when the sale of tickets for Coldplay’s India concert began on September 22.

The British rock band, which is returning to India after an eight-year hiatus, had then added a third show to the Mumbai leg of the “Music of the Spheres World Tour 2025”.

BookMyShow On Coldplay’s India Concert

As the issue of “fake” tickets for the Coldplay concert snowballed, the BookMyShow said it has no association with any unauthorised ticket-selling or reselling platforms and has also filed a police complaint.

The ticketing platform also claimed that it took a number of steps to ensure that all genuine fans had a fair chance to secure tickets for the British pop-rock band’s concerts and warned against buying passes from unauthorised sources, saying that they may be invalid or fake.

“With 13 million (1.3 crore) fans eager to get tickets and logged in, emotions ran high on September 22 on BookMyShow for Coldplay’s Music Of The Spheres World Tour 2025 in India. At BookMyShow, we’ve worked hard to ensure every fan had a fair chance to secure tickets, capping it at 4 tickets per user across all shows, providing clear, step-by-step booking guides and maintaining transparent communication through all our official channels,” a BookMyShow spokesperson said.

The company said the queueing system was put in place to manage the high demand and while that may have caused a brief delay, it ensured “minimal disruption” for genuine fans. It also pointed out that a third show was added, which got a great response.

“It came to our notice however that unauthorised platforms listed – and are continuing to list – tickets…both before and after the official sale. BookMyShow has no association with any such unauthorised ticket selling/reselling platforms including but not limited to Viagogo and Gigsberg or third-party individuals for the purpose of reselling Coldplay’s Music Of The Spheres World Tour 2025 in India,” the spokesperson said.

The spokesperson added that BookMyShow opposes the practice of scalping and black-marketing of tickets, which is punishable by law, and said that the company has filed a complaint with the police.

“We have not only filed a complaint with the police authorities but are also proactively working with them to provide complete support in the investigation of this matter in any manner that may be required. To our consumers, we would like to reiterate that any tickets bought from unauthorised sources will be at their own risk and may likely be invalid or fake tickets,” the spokesperson warned.