#24 How Coldplay Sold 8 Million Albums (and What PMMs Can Learn from It)

I’ve been thinking a lot about launches that last.

A few weeks ago, I rewatched the rollout of Coldplay’s Mylo Xyloto — a concept album that turned into a full-blown creative universe.

It sold 8 million copies.
Hit #1 in 34 countries.
Came with a comic book, graffiti visuals, merch, a whole narrative arc.
Basically: it was less an album, more a product ecosystem.

So I recorded a solo episode breaking it all down: what Coldplay did right, what we can learn, and why storytelling is still our most unfair advantage.

And then last week, I went to their Boston concert.
Yes, that one — where the CEO and CPO accidentally launched themselves on stage mid-set.

(Iconic behavior. Unplanned virality. I’d like to think of it as trend jacking… IRL.)

So… I guess this is my own launch moment. Right trend, right time.

This one’s for the PMMs, the music nerds, and anyone who still believes in the long game!