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Coldplay Censored In China, Buzz Builds In America

Coldplay Censored In China, Buzz Builds In America

Parachutes, the debut album from British rock newcomers Coldplay, is being blocked from its commercial release in China because of a track on the effort titled "Spies." The song is a "prime offender" of the album's "inflammatory political content," according to a note posted on the band's official website (coldplay.com).

The song includes the lines, "I awake to see that no one is free, we're all fugitives, look at the way we live down here, I can not sleep from fear."

But resistance is hardly the case here in the States, as Coldplay's star continues to rise due to the strength of the single "Yellow." The song is currently at Number Seven on the Billboard Modern Rock Track chart and at Number 33 on the publication's Top 40 Adult chart, with the Billboard Hot 100 chart in its sights. Parachutes, meanwhile, climbs to Number 57 on the Billboard 200 album sales chart.

In fact, there's enough of a buzz on the group that many people in the music industry and media are calling them the next big thing. Vocalist/guitarist Chris Martin tells LAUNCH that he'd rather not be shackled with such a label. "Since the dawn of history, there's been next big things, you know? And most of them are never a big thing. So I have extreme fear when someone tells me that we're the next big thing 'cause I take it as read that we're gonna be forgotten about in two weeks."

Martin adds, jokingly, "But we're gonna enjoy it while it lasts."

Coldplay's debut American tour continues tonight (February 16) at New York City's Irving Plaza. The band can also be found performing on the airwaves this evening on Late Night With Conan O'Brien. Meanwhile, look for the group to appear on Saturday Night Live on April 7.

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