"Coldplay music hard to play without a Radiohead"

So it's time for a bit of a rant. Everyone excited? I am!
So here goes. The object of today's scorn is: here.

This article, written by David Krell of Entertainment Magazine, is basically a rant at Coldplay fans for liking Coldplay even though Radiohead came first. He's upset because apparently Coldplay fans have claimed Coldplay "as a band who supposedly made way for an array of similar bands." While he says that "Coldplay is blatantly influenced by U2 and Radiohead, so much so that they might as well give the proceeds of their first album to Radiohead." He then proceeds to go through a list of artists he disdains because they borrowed a sound from so and so. This is where my back goes up, because he lists a bunch of artists I happen to be attached to: John Mayer, Coldplay (obviously,) and 3 Doors Down. Then he suggests a bunch of artists we should be listening to instead, if we like these other imitators.

Hasn't he heard the old adage that imitation is the sincerest form of flattery?

I mean, really. Just because Coldplay has the same sort of sound as Radiohead doesn't mean that they are trying to be Radiohead. I happen to like Radiohead. I also like Coldplay! When I listen to Coldplay I don't go 'geez this sounds a lot like Radiohead' I take it at face value and take whatever I want from the music, the lyrics, the sound. They don't have the same lyrics, otherwise that would be stealing, and they wouldn't get away with it, since it's illegal.

What I'm trying to say here, very inarticulately, is that they are individual bands, they aren't mutually exclusive and you don't have to pick and choose who has more right to be making that type of music. You can listen to one and point and say "dude, they stole that chord from Radiohead!" or you can let go and listen to what the artist has to say, which has to be original (insomuch as anything can be original,) and just appreciate it for what it is.

Instead of being pissed off because people don't know that Radiohead came first, Krell could just have easily said " Coldplay was inspired by Radiohead, and if you like John Mayer and 3 Doors down I would also suggest these bands." Because I did go and find some of the music he suggested, and I did enjoy some of it. But Howie Day will never be as close to my heart as John Mayer. It doesn't matter who was first in line, John Mayer made the music his own, and I like his style better, even if Day did come first and is more 'pure.' The End.

Oh -- just as a sidenote, I never knew Chris Martin was married to Gwyneth Paltrow until Kate told me, so when Krell says that's the reason for Coldplay's success? He's wrong.

current music: 2 outta 3 aint bad, Meatloaf