British band Coldplay are about to release the follow up to 2002�s mega selling hit album Rush of Blood to the Head and expectations have never been so high. Critics have hailed Coldplay the next big thing and the true successors to veteran Irish rock band U2. The band�s last two albums sold 16 million copies worldwide and their new single �Speed of Sound� off the yet to be released album X & Y was the first single from a British band in thirty-seven years to debut in the U.S. top 10. The last band to do it was The Beatles in 1969 with their huge hit �Hey Jude�.

On the eve of the release of their new album, Coldplay seems to revel in their role as one of the world�s biggest and �most important� bands. In a recent online report, singer Chris Martin likened his band to that of American fictional boxer Rocky and U2 to that of Russian boxer Ivan Drago. In the article Martin said, �What matters is trying to write the best tunes in the world. And having a picture of U2 on the wall, and trying to pump enough logs to take out the Drago that is U2 - that�s our mission.� Martin didn�t stop there in his ambitions to become the world�s best band. The 28-year old singer is convinced that he can produce an album to rival The Beatles� classic 1967 disc Sergeant Pepper�s Lonely Hearts Club Band. �I don�t think it�s only about �making it�. I reckon it�s all about competing with Sergeant Pepper,� Martin said.

Martin later explained in an interview with Sun Media in Canada that what he meant by his comments was that there is no point to continue on as a band unless they strove to be the best. He explained that Coldplay would never be the Beatles but that wouldn�t stop them in trying to accomplish what the Fab four accomplished.

It�s these aspirations that have either garnered praise or endured criticism from critics, fans and other musicians. Some call it ego while others call it ambition. � I believe it�s in every artist�s very nature to never feel completely satisfied with where they are or with what they�re creating,� said Billy Pettinger of the punk band Billy and the Lost Boys. �Whether it�s a guitar tone, a vocal performance or the state of their music (or band) in relation to the rest of the world, artists are (in my opinion), inherently picky, whiny, and rarely satisfied.�

In a recent story written by Devin Gordon of Newsweek, Martin explained his obsession for perfection saying �You want to be able to hold your head up high in a room with McCartney and Bono. That�s one of the main things that drives me,� he said. �Are we trying to get to the next level? Yes. We�re trying to get to the very highest level. We want to be better than Mozart. That doesn�t mean we are, but that�s what we�re trying for. To me, there�s no point in trying for anything less.�

This may be an opportune time for Coldplay to attain the status of world�s greatest band since many of their contemporaries are neither interested nor able to compete for the position. With The Rolling Stones living on past accomplishments and glory, U2 settling into their role as rock legends, Radiohead and Pearl Jam shunning the spotlight and REM toiling in mediocrity, Coldplay are ready to take that next step on their own terms. 

�In my opinion as long as the artist isn�t doing anything they wouldn�t naturally do (Moby in large quantities of 'bling' comes to mind), the process of self-improvement is natural and in most cases, harmless", said Billy Pettinger who also goes by the name Billy the Kid. �As long as Coldplay realizes they�re not going to be the �next Beatles� (just as the Beatles couldn�t be the next Elvis), trying to out-do your previous efforts is completely normal.�