Coldplay\'s early material was influenced by the likes of Jeff Buckley and Radiohead, while also drawing comparisons to U2 and Travis. Since the release of the band\'s debut album, Coldplay has also drawn influences from other sources.
Since the release of A Rush of Blood to the Head, Coldplay have also been active supporters of various social and political causes. They have been advocates for Oxfam\'s Make Trade Fair campaign and Amnesty International. The group has also performed at various charity projects such as Band Aid 20, Live 8, and the Teenage Cancer Trust. Bassist Guy Berryman says, "You can make people aware of issues. It isn\'t very much effort for us at all, but if it can help people, then we want to do it".
Sometimes classified as alternative rock, Radiohead have been influenced by a variety of musical genres. They have been praised as one of the most creative bands of their era, known for their multilayered songs and artistic evolution from album to album. They are seen by some to have maintained a spirit of musical and political independence. Now the band is recording for EMI, a major label in London.
Formed by school friends in 1986, Radiohead did not release their first single until 1992. The band\'s third album OK Computer (1997)became popular both for its expansive sound and its themes of modern alienation, it has been acclaimed by critics as a landmark record of the 1990s. With Kid A (2000) and Amnesiac (2001), Radiohead reached their peak global popularity even as their music became less conventional.
Radiohead continue to be seen as figureheads in the music industry, drawing adoring crowds to their live concerts, influencing artists in many genres and enjoying surprising commercial success.
