Coldplay comprise vocalist/pianist/guitarist Chris Martin, lead guitarist Jonny Buckland, bassist Guy Berryman, and drummer/multi-instrumentalist Will Champion, who all went to the University College London (UCL). Martin and Buckland met during orientation week, and spent the rest of the college year planning a band, resulting in a group called "Pectoralz". Later, classmate Berryman joined, and in 1997, they performed gigs for local Camden promoters at small clubs, and renamed themselves "Starfish". Martin had also recruited longtime school friend Phil Harvey to be the band's manager (the band consider Harvey the fifth member of the group), and finally Champion, who had grown up playing piano, guitar, bass, and tin whistle, joined and quickly learned the drums, despite having no previous experience. The band finally settled on the name "Coldplay", suggested by Tim Crompton, a local student who had been using the name for his group. In 1998, the band released 500 copies of the "Safety" EP, with most of the copies being given to record companies and friends, with just 50 remaining for public sale. In December of that year, Coldplay signed to the independent label Fierce Panda, and released the 3 track "Brothers and Sisters" EP, recorded over 4 days in February 1999.

After completing their final exams, Coldplay signed to Parlophone for a 5 album contract in the spring of 1999, and after playing Glastonbury that year, a third EP entitled "The Blue Room" was released, with 5,000 copies made available to the public, and single "Bigger Stronger" receiving airplay on Radio 1. The band immediately focused efforts on their debut album, recorded at Rockfield Studios with producer Ken Nelson, and the single "Shiver", released in March 2000, made number 35 on the UK singles chart, the band's first top 40 single, and also first airplay on MTV. "Yellow" followed in June, climbing to number 4 in the UK singles chart and receiving regular airplay on both sides of the Atlantic. First LP "Parachutes" was released in July, debuting at number 1 on the UK album chart, and selling 1.6 million copies in the 6 months to December (Parlophone originally predicted sales of 400,000 units). It also earned the band a Mercury Music Prize nomination in September 2000, and despite being a slow starter, eventually reached double platinum status in the U.S. and earned a Grammy in 2002 for Best Alternative Music Album.

Coldplay returned to the studio in October 2001, and with Ken Nelson again on production duties, released "A Rush of Blood to the Head" in August 2002, followed by notable singles "In My Place", "Clocks" and "The Scientist", inspired by George Harrison's "All Things Must Pass". "A Rush of Blood to the Head" won the 2003 Grammy for Best Alternative Music Album, and "Clocks" won Record of the Year at the 2004 Grammy Awards.

2004 saw work begin on a third album, and "X&Y" was released in June 2005, becoming the best selling album of that year with worldwide sales topping 8.3 million. It debuted at number 1 in 22 countries, and was the third fastest selling album in UK chart history.

Fourth studio album, "Viva la Vida or Death and All His Friends", with Brian Eno and Markus Dravs as producers, began to evolve in December 2006. "Violet Hill" was confirmed as the first single, with a radio release scheduled for April 2008 - after the first play, it was In June 2008, "Viva la Vida or Death and All His Friends" topped the UK album chart, and despite having been on sale for only 3 days, sold 302,000 copies, making it one of the fastest selling records in UK history. By the end of June, it had set a new record for most downloaded album ever.

In the band's early years, Coldplay were widely noted in the media for their claim to give 10% of the band's profits to charity, and despite their worldwide popularity and success, they have remained protective of how their music is used in the media, refusing its use for product endorsements and declining multi-million dollar contracts from Gatorade, Diet Coke, and Gap, who wanted to use the songs "Yellow", "Trouble", and "Don't Panic" respectively. Coldplay are supporters of Amnesty International, and Chris Martin has supported Oxfam's ongoing Make Trade Fair campaign, going on trips with Oxfam to assess conditions, appearing in its advertising campaign, and wearing a "Make Trade Fair" wristband during public appearances, including at Coldplay concerts.

Coldplay have sold over 35 million albums worldwide.