Coldplay Sued By Former Longtime Manager Over Contractual Dispute

Coldplay is heading to a new stage for a legal showdown with their former manager Dave Holmes!

The British rock band comprises of four spectacular members, vocalist Chris Martin, guitarist Jonny Buckland, bassist Guy Berryman, and drummer Will Champion. Together, the group is one of the world's most celebrated musicians with a record of stellar achievements.

During a significant portion of their career, the plaintiff managed the bandmates until 2022. The reason for their separation remains a mystery. However, it may have something to do with the recent lawsuit the ex-employee filed against them.

The ongoing drama between the "Speed of Sound" hitmakers and their ex-manager was confirmed by the legal documents recently filed in the U.K. According to Variety, a rep for the entertainers revealed the band had quietly ended their relationship with Holmes 12 months ago.

The split came after the plaintiff served as the band's manager for 22 years, nearly the group's entire music career. In his absence, Holmes's former colleagues Phil Harvey, Mandi Frost, and Arlene Moon continue to oversee the team's activities.

The British group's rep refused to shed more light on the case. However, other sources claimed the legal battle was over a "contractual dispute." Further information has not been obtained as the details of the lawsuit were kept under wraps.

Holmes's beef with the "Viva La Vida" singers came over a decade after the plaintiff began working for the group. The four members of Coldplay met as students at the University College of London and started pursuing their dreams in 1997.

In a 2018 interview ahead of the release of the Coldplay documentary “Headful of Dreams,” Holmes opened up about predicting the band's success. The former manager recalled when he gave his mother a copy of “Parachutes” in 2000, raving:

“I told her, ‘I just started working with this band, and they’re going to be as big as U2.’ I knew it. I just knew.”

Coldplay's upcoming court battle was an unfortunate turn of events, given their recent successes. Following their fantastic 2023 summer tour, which concluded with an unforgettable show in Amsterdam, Coldplay announced their plans for another spectacular set.

Last month, the "Something Just Like This" hitmakers revealed they would return to touring Europe from June to August 2024. For the first time, the group shall bring their mesmerizing performances to Finland, Greece, and Romania.

Similarly, they shall be returning to Rome and Budapest after last gracing the countries with their presence in 2003 and 2008, respectively. The tour schedule placed the first shows in Athens, Budapest, and Lyon for June, while Düsseldorf, Rome, and Helsinki performances fall in July.

The European set is expected to end with concluding performances in Dublin, Vienna, and Munich by August. Regarding tickets to the 2024 tour, sales began at 10 am local time on Friday, July 28th.

However, to avoid missing out, eager fans were encouraged to grab early spots by registering on the band’s website. This granted them access to the first phase of ticket sales, which kicked off on Tuesday, July 25th.

Before Holmes sued the "Hymn for the Weekend" musicians over an alleged "contractual dispute," the band broke millions of hearts with their future plans. In 2021, the group's frontman, Martin, revealed Coldplay would stop creating new music by 2025.

According to the lead vocalist, the team might no longer drop chart-topping songs by the highlighted date. However, the 46-year-old noted the band's career was far from over as they would focus on holding more concerts.

“Well, I know I can tell you, our last proper record will come out in 2025, and after that, I think we will only tour. Maybe we’ll do some collaborative things, but the Coldplay catalog, as it were, finishes then,” the England heartthrob confessed.

Martin's revelation about Coldplay's recording pursuits came months after the group released their ninth studio album, “Music of the Spheres.” The project featured collaborations with A-listers like South Korean boy band BTS, Selena Gomez, Jacob Collier, and We Are King.

Naturally, the news did not sit well with the entertainers' fans, but their critics were far too happy. “Well, that’s an early and unexpected Christmas present,” a troll penned with another chiming: “Shame it couldn’t have been done in 2005.”