Ghost Stories
by Coldplay
  • Record Label: Atlantic
  • Release Date: May 19, 2014
User Score
7.4

Generally favorable reviews- based on 452 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 327 out of 452
  2. Mixed: 83 out of 452
  3. Negative: 42 out of 452
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  1. rhp2014
    May 21, 2014
    3
    Coldplay stop trying to emulate Radiohead. Not even the likes of Jon Hopkins will make you a good band. You're simply a horrid band. There were a few surprisingly decent tracks on here, but not enough to save it from the mess of this album.
  2. aliceinwonderla
    Jul 18, 2015
    0
    It's so bad, it hurts! There's no such thing as "good music" in this. It's too slow, it lacks emotion and power in the lyrics, vocals and melodies. Don't listen to this, it's bad and totally forgetable.
  3. privatepaula
    May 19, 2014
    0
    i am a fan since the time between viva la vida or death and all his friends and mylo xyloto. Viva la Vida was a good experiment . Mylo Xyloto was great to sing along songs . But I also think that Parachutes was a very good album and "a rush of blood to the head" of one of the best albums ever , and this was by far the best of coldplay . you can´t do an album as a rush of blood to the headi am a fan since the time between viva la vida or death and all his friends and mylo xyloto. Viva la Vida was a good experiment . Mylo Xyloto was great to sing along songs . But I also think that Parachutes was a very good album and "a rush of blood to the head" of one of the best albums ever , and this was by far the best of coldplay . you can´t do an album as a rush of blood to the head every day or year, it is unique. x & y was crap except some tracks. Even though I got relatively late fan, the first two albums were the best. but if coldplay say that they now want to go back to their roots more , ghost stories is a total disaster. except for " oceans " there is not only one good song . neither magic nor any other song pulls your mind. not catchy , the songs are quickly forgotten , everything is full of electronic influences , chris martin apparently howling only still around, not like in previous songs where you were really sad about the loss of a great love, now is just crying. this is not a voice it is just a yowling . by far the worst album, even worse than x & y .… Expand
  4. kingkalle
    May 19, 2014
    0
    no good album, it is really one of the worst albums in 2014. coldplay did nothing to improve their sound. they created a monstrous, horrible, terrific sound. not the real coldplay.
  5. misterking65
    May 19, 2014
    0
    What a bad album, martin´s voice is snivelling, the songs are created equal, there is no real hit. not even "magic" or "oceans" are good. it is worse than x&y. the worst album of coldplay. they wanted to change back, "recalibrate", how champion said. it went wrong. hoping for the next album.
  6. CombustibleLerp
    May 19, 2014
    0
    I really hate this album. I really hate this band. I've been TRYING to like them, my friend loves this band but they are absolute crap. This is the WORST album I have listened to all year. I tried to like what my friend describes as their best album, A Rush of Blood to the Head, and that was also absolutely crap. All in all, this band needs to make good music, something tells me that they can.
  7. njuh
    May 19, 2014
    0
    this is nothing. coldplay destroyed themselves with this particularly bad album. i won´t buy any coldplay songs anymore. why should i, after this bad stuff?
  8. feliperodx
    May 19, 2014
    3
    For a record whose lyrics are meant to reflect a deeply personal music journey, the music finds Coldplay at the safest and most rote it has ever been.
  9. MattCody18
    May 23, 2014
    3
    There was a time when X&Y was regarded as the worst Coldplay album by old fans, but now this album is the worst. I am truly disappointed, Mylo Xyloto was good after a few listens, but I just find this album unbearable to listen to, at all.
  10. ryanloveslana
    May 10, 2015
    3
    Weakest album to date. A disappointment for me, the album opens up with a beautiful ballad "Always in My Head", "Magic" is boring and typical, "Ink" is just a no for me, "True Love" is another gorgeous Alternative-RNB ballad that's is peacefully relaxing, "Midnight" doesn't even sound like a Coldplay song, "Another's Arms" is another typical/boring song, "Oceans" is positively reminiscentWeakest album to date. A disappointment for me, the album opens up with a beautiful ballad "Always in My Head", "Magic" is boring and typical, "Ink" is just a no for me, "True Love" is another gorgeous Alternative-RNB ballad that's is peacefully relaxing, "Midnight" doesn't even sound like a Coldplay song, "Another's Arms" is another typical/boring song, "Oceans" is positively reminiscent of "Green Eyes" from A Rush of Blood to the Head (2002), "A Sky Full of Stars" is an beautiful, upbeat song produced by Avicii and is sung by Chris Martin; in addition there are two music videos that were filmed for this song, one of them being scrapped, the other being publicly released, the scrapped one is more interesting, and less cheesier than the main music video. The album closes with an pop ballad "O", the song (which is really good) just feels like it was about to be left off of the album with eight tracks. "O" would probably be a track left off from Mylo Xyloto (2011). Overall, standout tracks of the album are (only), "Always in My Head", "True Love", "A Sky Full of Stars", and "O". Fortunately, it is not bad as Mariah Carey's Charmbracelet (2002).… Expand

Awards & Rankings

9
#9 Most Discussed Album of 2014
35
#35 Most Shared Album of 2014

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
61

Generally favorable reviews - based on 31 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 11 out of 31
  2. Mixed: 19 out of 31
  3. Negative: 1 out of 31
  1. Pretty Much Amazing
    May 21, 2014
    42
    As much as you care and as much as you want to feel sad, you can’t be blamed if after a listen or two, all you feel is manipulated.
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  2. musicOMH.com
    May 20, 2014
    60
    Ghost Stories is overall a confessional and, as such, you definitely won’t find many anthems a la Every Teardrop Is A Waterfall or Viva La Vida. But you do get a short and sweet nine-track exorcism of demons and one crushed dude who knows how to pen some beautiful, infectious ballads.
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  3. Paste Magazine
    May 20, 2014
    75
    Coldplay is always going to be warm, nostalgic, melancholy, pleasant, innocent and good. They’re as much a warm word and an arm around the shoulder now as they were when they first showed up.
    Read full review
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