I didn't really mean it like that, I just meant that after VLV they didn't sound like them anymore to me, though someone else might beg to differ. It's just my opinion (And please don't put words into my mouth)
Yeah i listened Violet Hill and Politik. Even if they have guitar still doesn't sound rock to me. Somehow i feel a song needs something more than that to be considered rock. The guitar on those songs are really weak and simple. I'm not the one who can make the call though because I can't argue with the true definition of rock if it does proove me wrong and that Coldplay really are a rock band. It's a bit funny though. I didn't say that. That statement was just my opinion of the songs. You seem to have completely ignored the rest of my post.
I'm stunned you can't hear a rock influence or rock element in coldplay's music. Also, if you listen to CP's entire discography you'll find their guitar work is anything but weak. It's actually superior to Linkin Park's in every way (a band I'm sure you consider 'rock'). Sure Coldplay may not be metal, but they are most certainly rock music.
Sure, some of their songs have guitar which is an example of rock element but i'm not sure that by having some rock elements and influences is enough to be considered as a Rock band. Britney Spears has songs with rock influences and guitar too but she isn't considered to be a rock artist.
By your argument Linkin Park are a pop band, because some (but not all) of their songs have guitar but 'having some rock elements and influences' is not enough to be a rock band.
A band not being considered as a rock band doesn't mean it's therefore pop. And i do not define Linkin Park as a rock band because i don't stick bands into one genre. By comparing the rock elements though i do think Linkin Park to be closer to rock as a whole than Coldplay. Then again, i haven't heard ALL the Coldplay songs.
Then, you'd agree that, whether or not Coldplay should be considered a "rock band", many of their songs are rock songs.
No heavy guitars and other "rock elements" makes a song not rock? So I guess this isn't a rock song haha. [video=youtube;gxEPV4kolz0]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gxEPV4kolz0[/video] Or this [video=youtube;WcBnJw-H2wQ]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WcBnJw-H2wQ[/video] Rock isn't a guitar. It's more about the type of beat (emphasis on beat 2 and 4 typically) and the attitude. Blues influence is usually prominent, as well. Guitar helps a lot and plays a large role in the majority of rock, yes, but distortion up front does not make or break a song's genre. By any definition that encompasses everything that 99% of the world would consider "rock," Coldplay is probably about 80-90% a rock band. Linkin Park much less so. HT/Meteora were not "rock" by any means, or any other genre really. MTM/ATS/LT were either rock albums or had rock songs on them, but not at the density of Coldplay's earlier albums.
Has no genre? Not alternative metal, no rapcore, no nu-metal, no anything? Let's all dig really deep into core definition of rock music and all it's sub genres and influences and realize 99% of all bands in the world can be called rock bands. Here's my best offer for Coldplay: Mellow piano rock
Both Linkin Park and Coldplay are alternative rock artists. Regardless if one considers ether band to not be a pure form of rock by definition, they're still an alternate form of rock, therefore they're still a brand of rock.
http://english104winter2012.wordpress.com/2012/01/27/can-coldplay-be-considered-alternative-rock-a-generic-participation-critic/
This is just one guy's input though, just like you and I, and I think the person in the comment section made a good point "They are called alternative because the alternative genre is for bands that do not fit any other genre". Just because Coldplay doesn't make the same kind of music as those labeled under alternative rock doesn't mean they're not alternative rock. Alternative rock is for those who make a variation of rock, but still don't fit the definition of pure rock. At the same time, I wouldn't also confine Coldplay to just alternative rock, but also pop rock and in some songs even straying away from rock as a whole. Now just because they make a few songs that wouldn't fit under rock it doesn't automatically make them not a rock band. Since Linkin Park has songs like My December and Roads Untraveled, does that suddenly make them not a rock band as well?
Yeah I totally agree. Their new album while the really guitar given music it use to be is by no means of lesser quality. Ghost Stories is a really good song to listen too when you are just relaxing and enjoying the moments.