Chris Martin Hints At Coldplay's End

Few performers ever go out atop their field.

We remember Michael Jordan's last shot as a Chicago Bull being a picture-perfect, NBA Championship-sealing, nothing-but-net jumper with one last fist pump putting a "'Nuff said" behind a career no athlete may ever equal. We remember John Elway enduring decades chasing his career's only missing milestone, only to cap his NFL legacy with two consecutive Super Bowl victories.

Not everybody has it so lucky. Some stick around the party a little bit too long. Sure, R.E.M. leave behind a magnificent legacy, but did they ever truly reclaim their old form after drummer Bill Berry left the group?

U2 famously vowed before releasing All That You Can't Leave Behind after several lackluster efforts like Pop that if the album couldn't be called their greatest yet, they'd disband. Lucky us, it was their greatest effort since Achtung Baby.

Are Chris Martin and Coldplay ready to walk away at the height of their powers?

Martin says they may be. Should we doubt him?

The Coldplay lead singer told the U.K. Daily Mail Sunday that he isn't so sure that band didn't leave it all in the studio while recording Mylo Xyloto, which hits shelves Oct. 24. It will be the band's fifth full-length album.

"It's the distillation of three years' work and right now I can't imagine where another one would come from," Martin said.

Martin's a fairly young 34 years old, but his remarks make it sound like he feels aging nipping at his and his band's heels. Still, he also sounds like a man that could embrace the end with open arms, if it's in fact waiting at the door.

"Now we have Justin Bieber and Adele to compete with and they're a lot younger," he added. "We have to have the energy to put as much effort into our work as they do. If it's over, it's over and I can live with that. The most important thing always is to proceed as if every album is the last and not expect anything more."

Coldplay formed 15 years ago. In that span, they've won six Brit Awards that include being three-time Best British Group winners, four MTV Video Music Awards and seven Grammys out of 20 nominations.

As evinced by his comments, it isn't the first time Martin has sounded wishy-washy about continuing Coldplay. I particularly remember him saying even that the band's sophomore album A Rush Of Blood To The Head might've been impossible to top - and he wasn't really far off, I think. X&Y was stellar, but I find Viva La Vida Or Death And All His Friends at least equals A Rush Of Blood..., and depending on the day when you ask me, I might even say it tops it.

Here's the kicker, though: Martin is Coldplay. Some bands, I could see moving forward with a new lead singer and songwriter. But unless Radiohead's Thom Yorke has serious time on his hands that nobody else knows about, I can't imagine a way the remaining bandmates could convincingly soldier onward without Martin and experience the same success.

I'll call it now: when Martin's done, Coldplay is done.