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. Antreas
    Feb 1, 2015
    6
    It's a descent album but they have to put a terribly strong effort to achieve the heights of their first 2 albums. I loved them so much at the beginning ... :)
  2. vikesh2206
    Nov 10, 2014
    6
    This album lacks the energy of Coldplay's previous albums and replaces them with slower paced love ballads. Some of these songs pay off (Magic, O), but the others feel to sappy and repetitive.
  3. eagleeyeviking
    May 24, 2014
    6
    This album lacks the energy of Coldplay's previous albums and replaces them with slower paced love ballads. Some of these songs pay off (Magic, O), but the others feel to sappy and repetitive.
  4. DownByTheRiver
    May 19, 2014
    6
    An ok album by Coldplay who are one of my favourite bands out there. A fairly weird feel for me for this album, Ghost Stories contains songs that are either fairly forgettable, or songs that I really enjoyed, nothing in between. Out of their 6 studio albums this ranks as number 5 to me (still above Parachutes) and I fell like they can do much better than this. Best song: Another's Arms.
  5. SimpleMethod
    May 19, 2014
    5
    It's not great. They tried that whiny, Bon Iver like approach and Martin's personal issues to charge this album and it just doesn't sound right. O is a good song, and it's about the only one. None of the tracks are trash, they just aren't unique or interesting, and for a break up album, it's half-assed.
  6. PRT940
    May 21, 2014
    4
    "A Sky Full of Stars" is a great song. "Midnight" is pretty decent. "Another's Arms" is almost good. The rest of the album didn't do much for me. Coldplay is starting to sound less and less like Coldplay. I'm sure some people like that, but I prefer "anthem-like" songs like Clocks, Viva la Vida, Fix You, Speed of Sound, Yellow, etc.
  7. BENNEB
    May 24, 2014
    6
    The sharp left turn that Coldplay has taken has created their moodiest and most depressing album to date, with new sound of ambient synths experiments and spaced-out guitar melodies. While it is nice to the ears, it is unfortunately, not as memoriable as most of Coldplay's albums are.

    MUST HEAR TRACKS:
    MAGIC
    INK
    MIDNIGHT (PROBABLY THEIR BEST TRACK YET)

    AVOID TRACKS:
    A SKY FULL OF STARS
  8. JotaBrasil
    Jul 11, 2014
    4
    Sem dúvidas, o melhor nome de um álbum em 2014 é do sexto álbum da banda inglesa Coldplay. Ghost Stories reflete exatamente o seu título: uma coleção de histórias que são como fantasmas, ou seja, canções insólitas, sem estruturas reais e completamente desprovidas de vidas.

    Ghost Stories reflete, como sabido por todos, o período de separação do vocalista Chris Martin da sua ex-mulher, a    Sem dúvidas, o melhor nome de um álbum em 2014 é do sexto álbum da banda inglesa Coldplay. Ghost Stories reflete exatamente o seu título: uma coleção de histórias que são como fantasmas, ou seja, canções insólitas, sem estruturas reais e completamente desprovidas de vidas.

    Ghost Stories reflete, como sabido por todos, o período de separação do vocalista Chris Martin da sua ex-mulher, a atriz Gwyneth Paltrow. Analisando as nove faixas do CD (mais três da versão deluxe), o divórcio do casal foi uma chatice só. Tentando soar poético e melancólico, a banda acabado se tornando um poço de sonífero em composições fracas e sem nenhuma graça tentando mostrar o lado emocional e "cult". As faixas, então, parecem estar envernizadas de uma sensação assépticas e destituídas de apelo pessoal. Dessa maneira, Ghost Stories acaba como um trabalho distante do grande público, mas que deve agradar fãs mais xiitas da banda. Não ajuda nada o trabalho final da produção divido entre o próprio Coldplay e, majoritariamente, o produtor Paul Epworth que faz da sonoridade do grupo uma pastiche de si mesmo, mas com o agravante de tentar parecer mais "indie" com pitadas irritantes de músicas eletrônica. É impossível não ficar com sono depois dos cinquenta minutos de duração total do CD. Sempre convincente em seu papel de vocalista, Chris Martin entrega performances medianas que apenas refletem o espirito de todo o álbum, ou seja, uma recente perfeita para insônia. Apesar disso tudo, o mérito de Ghost Stories está na parte técnica, pois as instrumentalizações das faixas são trabalhos ótimos, e na canção que abre o CD, a bonita Always In My Head. Depois disso, Ghost Stories caí de rendimento mostrando que o Coldplay precisa urgentemente ser revivido já que seu fantasma paira nas nossas cabeças.    … Expand
  9. Mithil
    Aug 14, 2015
    5
    With the Exception of True Love, Magic and A Sky Full of Stars, this isn't worth listening to. Coldplay goes **** crazy artsy and experimental but in a bad way.
  10. chidime
    Jun 7, 2016
    4
    The first track off this album to be released was Midnight. When I heard that track, I was ecstatic. It was such a beautiful track, and so different from what we knew of Coldplay then that I just couldn't wit for the album. Obviously, I assumed they would be going in the direction of Midnight sonically, but I was so wrong. The next 'official' single was Magic, and boy was that aThe first track off this album to be released was Midnight. When I heard that track, I was ecstatic. It was such a beautiful track, and so different from what we knew of Coldplay then that I just couldn't wit for the album. Obviously, I assumed they would be going in the direction of Midnight sonically, but I was so wrong. The next 'official' single was Magic, and boy was that a disappointment. While it wasn't bad, it did nothing to move the band forward, unlike Midnight. I don't know if they were scared of going in a totally different sonic direction, but not going with the Midnight sound was their biggest mistake.Obviously, their album didn't sell since lots of ppl were disappointed. God knows what the excitement of a totally different and fresh Coldplay album would have done. Arguably their worst album (till A Head Full of Dreams) along with Mylo Xyloto.

    Coldplay really needs to make something new, refreshing, but outstanding. I mean look at Radiohead. They just made one of their best (if not best) albums ever more than 20 years into their career. It's possible guys, just stop the teenage music. You are grown men.    … Expand
  11. syldoc
    Sep 11, 2014
    4
    The worse album they ever done, it's a background music without soul or spirit
    The made a flat music, just for lift or shop and not what they use to do before
    I dislike the concept of this album.
  12. aladinkicks
    Jun 1, 2014
    6
    To be honest, a spectacular cumulative album.
    This album is so emotional, so gorgeous and so artistic.
    The way Coldplay coalesced the properties of their previous albums, and the way they embedded all of the emotion makes this album so unique. Their best since A Rush of Blood to the Head. Maybe even better. Best Tracks- Always In My Head, Midnight, True Love, Another's Arms Okay    To be honest, a spectacular cumulative album.
    This album is so emotional, so gorgeous and so artistic.
    The way Coldplay coalesced the properties of their previous albums, and the way they embedded all of the emotion makes this album so unique.
    Their best since A Rush of Blood to the Head. Maybe even better.
    Best Tracks- Always In My Head, Midnight, True Love, Another's Arms
    Okay Tracks- Ink, Magic, Oceans, O
    Worst Tracks- A Sky Full of Stars    … Expand
  13. OsianLewisBlog
    Aug 23, 2014
    6
    http://osianlewis.blogspot.co.uk/2014/08/coldplay-ghost-stories-ghost-of-gwyneth.html

    'The Ghost of Gwyneth Pushes Coldplay into a New Sonic and Thematic Realm'.
  14. longjetty7
    Oct 4, 2015
    4
    The first two songs were a nice start to what I was hoping would be a good album, but the rest was rather dull and uninteresting. It seems that on Ghost Stories, Coldplay tried to take a bit more of a subdued and introspective direction. The result, like most other pop music, sounds generic and uncreative, but unlike other pop music, it lacks the catchiness or memorable hooks. ConsideringThe first two songs were a nice start to what I was hoping would be a good album, but the rest was rather dull and uninteresting. It seems that on Ghost Stories, Coldplay tried to take a bit more of a subdued and introspective direction. The result, like most other pop music, sounds generic and uncreative, but unlike other pop music, it lacks the catchiness or memorable hooks. Considering this album only has 9 songs, it's a shame that most of them aren't very good.… Expand
  15. ughnicewatch
    Mar 26, 2015
    4
    The album draws upon some sort of vision, obviously greatly influenced by Martin's breakup, but the delivery leaves plenty to be desired. Coldplay's weakest effort by a distance.
  16. MacsMusic
    May 9, 2018
    6
    GS is, to me, a pretty boring album. The lyrics are unoriginal and have little to no variety across the album's 9 songs. The music is rarely ever flat-out bad, but it is often boring and largely uninteresting again and again on this album. "Stars" has generic music and lyrics that I have a hard time commending. "Midnight" is probably my favorite song off this album in terms of music. It isGS is, to me, a pretty boring album. The lyrics are unoriginal and have little to no variety across the album's 9 songs. The music is rarely ever flat-out bad, but it is often boring and largely uninteresting again and again on this album. "Stars" has generic music and lyrics that I have a hard time commending. "Midnight" is probably my favorite song off this album in terms of music. It is the most distinctive and original song off this lackluster album; it actually sounds pretty good.

    When all's said and done, I don't care for GS. The music is way to slow and boring, and the lyrics are too generic and shallow to really be enjoyed. Still, the production is high-quality and pretty well done for the most part; it's just not my cup of tea.    … Expand

Awards & Rankings

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

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
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.
    Read full review
  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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