The Music of the Spheres World Tour is the eighth concert tour undertaken by British rock band Coldplay. It is being staged to promote their ninth and tenth studio albums, Music of the Spheres (2021) and Moon Music (2024), respectively. The tour began at San José's Estadio Nacional de Costa Rica on 18 March 2022, paused at London's Wembley Stadium on 12 September 2025 and the band expect to restart in 2027. It marked their return to live performances after the COVID-19 pandemic, spanning 225 dates in 80 cities across 43 countries. They had not toured Everyday Life (2019) because of environmental concerns. A team of experts measured their CO2 emissions and devised strategies to reduce them over the following two years.
Coldplay announced the first shows on 14 October 2021, a day before Music of the Spheres was released. Similar to the Mylo Xyloto Tour (2011–2012), production elements involved pyrotechnics, confetti and lasers. However, adaptations were done to cut their carbon footprint. Other ideas included crafting the first rechargeable mobile show battery in the world with BMW and planting a tree for every ticket sold. Emissions fell by 59% in comparison to the group's previous tour, leading Time to rank Coldplay among the most influential climate action leaders. Pollstar stated that they have ushered in "a new era of sustainable touring".
With a global cultural impact, the Music of the Spheres World Tour grossed $1.52 billion in revenue from 13.1 million tickets, becoming the most-attended tour of all time and the first by a band to collect $1 billion. Coldplay also broke numerous venue records during the tour. The shows received widespread acclaim from music critics, who praised the group's stage presence, musicianship, versatility and joyfulness, as well as the overall production value. A concert film, Music of the Spheres: Live at River Plate, was released in cinemas around the world in 2023, featuring their performances in Buenos Aires.
Background Following the release of Coldplay's eighth studio album, Everyday Life (2019), lead singer and pianist Chris Martin told BBC News that the band would not tour until they could make shows more sustainable. The record was promoted through intimate charity events and a performance broadcast from the Amman Citadel via YouTube. A team of sustainability experts was commissioned to investigate their carbon footprint and reduce it over the next two years. On 14 October 2021, a day before Music of the Spheres came out, the group announced the first leg of the tour, officially marking their return to live performances after the COVID-19 pandemic. The statement was accompanied by a website that explained how Coldplay would tackle environmental issues across 12 fields, cutting emissions by half relative to the Head Full of Dreams Tour (2016–2017). Performances carried out before the trek included the inauguration of Climate Pledge Arena, as well as their Expo 2020 debut. San José was the first stop due to renewable energy in Costa Rica.
Production Stage, lighting and video
The stage was developed in a collaboration between production designer Misty Buckley and lighting designer Sooner Routhier, with Coldplay giving their own input in every aspect of the project. They were inspired by the musica universalis philosophy of ancient Greece, unfolding spherical patterns out from the stage in numerous directions. Other running concepts included "alien music festivals in space, love, people and togetherness". After turning her sketches into CAD drawings, Buckley made their layouts functional and decorated them with symbols from the tour's namesake album. The final design showed two 14-metre circular screens, four inflatable LED spheres and the Moonrise, an arched video wall spanning 44 metres wide and 6 metres high. ROE Visual and PRG Projects supplied the products.
For the ground structure, TAIT Towers built three round stages linked by runways. They were made of lightweight, reusable materials such as recycled steel, while the modular framework allowed Coldplay to make seamless transitions between areas and provide extra vantage points to watch them perform. Along with BMW, the band set up the first rechargeable mobile show battery in the world. It was powered by wind turbines installed on delay towers, solar blankets laid on empty seats and hydrotreated vegetable oil. Two kinetic floors and at least 15 stationary bicycles were arranged to interact with the public as well.
Maintaining their sustainability plans, Coldplay upgraded equipment to incorporate low-energy displays, lasers and lighting sets. Routhier acquired about 600 colour fixtures for the show through Upstaging, favouring IP65-rated products due to their weather resistance. Except for the spotlight system, all the gear was LED-based. Its pieces were suspended from pylons across the venue and fixed in circular configurations, reinforcing patterns with flowing movements. The band wanted to induce the feeling of moving through the seven chakras, leading Routhier to vaguely abide by their colours. In terms of video production, the stage hardware featured 26 cameras. Five were operated automatically and eight were placed near musical instruments. The digital media team created real-time visuals and effects using Notch. To broadcast footage, the camera crew obtained eight Disguise GX 2C servers and a Grass Valley Karrera 4 M/E switcher, while their Ereca Stage Racer 2 units granted control over audio and video signals on a single fiber.
Sound and special effects Front of house duties were overseen by Dan Green and Tony Smith, who worked with Coldplay on their previous tour. They renewed the sound system and split the central control into unique racks for each band member, improving their flexibility and integration across departments. Green scaled down his outboard gear as well, extensively relying on effect plugins. The hangs, ground subs, front fills and delays were all supplied by d&b audiotechnik, totaling more than 200 speakers and 110 amplifiers. Products from both the J and SL series were used on tour, reducing power consumption and noise pollution. For control, the sound team had a DiGiCo SD7 console and a Quantum engine. In-ear monitors were primarily Wisycom MTK952 units, as their wide frequency range alleviated the need to carry multiple sets. Lithium batteries on radio communication devices such as wireless microphones and walkie-talkies were replaced by NiMH packages. On special effects, pyrotechnics adopted new formulas to curtail harmful chemicals; balloons were sourced from recyclable material; and confetti cannons adjusted to require less compressed gas for ignition, releasing biodegradable paper. Coldplay also moved from Xylobands to PixMob wristbands made of sugarcane, minimising production by collecting, sterilising and refurbishing them. Lastly, the show had an oversized disco ball with lasers inside.
Logistics and transport
Coldplay used around 30 trucks and 10 buses to carry their stage and equipment. The fleet consisted of electric vehicles or was fueled with biofuel whenever possible. A sustainability agreement was sent to all venues in advance to verify which environmental policies they could follow, helping the band incorporate local resources into the concerts. Routes were planned to limit air travel, favouring cities accessible to audiences from surrounding regions. The crew relied on both commercial and charter flights, but prioritised the former. Extra fees to harness sustainable aviation fuel were paid at all times, whether for themselves or others.
The product was originally supplied by Neste, but Coldplay severed ties with the company after public accusations of greenwashing. They announced a partnership with DHL for logistics and transport months later. SAP was enlisted to develop a mobile app featuring exclusive photos, videos, news updates and a travel calculator. Fans could also redeem a discount code at the group's merchandise store by opting for cleaner journeys. All of their vendors were selected to provide environmentally conscious pieces, packaged in recycled paper, card or compostable bags whenever possible. The band requested evidence of ethical working conditions as well.
Other endeavours To reduce food waste on the road, catering menus adopted plant-based and meat-free options. Coldplay sourced them locally, donated surplus to food banks and composted their organic scraps. Regarding water use, they asked venues to implement aerated taps, low-flushing toilets and minimise hydraulic pressure. Attendees were encouraged to bring reusable bottles and fill them at designated stations. The group endorsed numerous organisations, including Climeworks, the Ocean Cleanup and Sea Shepherd UK. One Tree Planted nurtured a sapling for every ticket sold in forest reserves. A team led by professor John E. Fernández at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) was responsible for observing Coldplay's progress on tour, with unavoidable emissions neutralised according to the Oxford principles. The band donated £2.1 million to environmental causes in 2021 as well. For inclusivity, resources entailed SubPac vests, sign language interpreters, touch experiences and a KultureCity sensory refuge station. They also launched the Infinity Ticket program, which offered $20 admissions for fans who could not afford the standard prices. Such entries were non-transferable, available only in pairs and assigned to random seats at the box office on concert day. In 2025, the residency at Wembley Stadium became the first completely operated on solar, wind and kinetic power.
Opening acts
Most of the tour included two supporting acts at each concert, with priority given to up-and-coming female singers. In 2022, H.E.R. opened for Coldplay in Argentina, Costa Rica, Santo Domingo, the United States, and Europe along with a regional musician. London Grammar replaced the singer on select dates from the latter territory, while Camila Cabello assumed the role completely in Peru, Colombia and Chile. Mexico had exclusively national guests, with Carla Morrison and DannyLux performing. Zoe Wees was invited for Berlin but substituted by Alli Neumann due to illness. Clara Cava backed up Zoe Gotusso in Buenos Aires for the same reason.
In 2023, Chvrches supported Coldplay in Brazil and Europe. They followed the established template and collaborated with a new local act at every stop, occasionally being swapped for Griff. On 31 May and 1 June, Manchester featured a surprise set from the Oasis Academy Temple Steel Band before the openers. Jada cancelled her guest appearance in Copenhagen after pregnancy complications, which led to Oh Land claiming the spot. H.E.R. returned when the tour visited North America for the second time, accompanied by 070 Shake and Bobby Gonz in all performances rather than a different artist in each city.
Similar to Mexico, only regional talent was recruited for Asia. Those included Yoasobi, Accusefive, Jasmine Sokko and Rriley. Coldplay also teamed up with the West Australian government for a contest in Perth, inviting two musicians to play along with Thelma Plum, Amy Shark and Tash Sultana. In 2024, the band had Maisie Peters, Janelle Monáe and Maggie Rogers taking turns as primary guests, while the secondary slot belonged to local performers again. Melbourne, Sydney and Auckland were originally scheduled to receive PinkPantheress, but she dropped her set due to health issues. Ayra Starr, Emmanuel Kelly and Shone opened instead. Aside from two concerts in Goyang and Kingston upon Hull, all the 2025 dates featured Elyanna. Her partners for the year included Jasleen Royal, Marf, Twice, Willow, Jim Ward, and Gustavo Dudamel.
Concert synopsis Main structure