Dakota Johnson and Coldplay lead Chris Martin have called it quits after 8 years of dating.

Chris Martin’s last high-profile breakup was with Goop-owner Gwyneth Paltrow, and together they famously coined the term “conscious uncoupling.” Johnson, though, comes off as someone who loves her privacy and would never just release a public statement about her private life. People, however, were still able to find a source who could confirm that the two are actually through.

The two have had an on-and-off relationship, but according to sources at People, this is not another off phase — rather, this is an actual definitive ending. In Aug. 2024, there were rumors that the two were done, and even earlier that very year, there were rumblings that the two’s relationship was rocky. But nothing was ever as conclusive as this latest report.

Dakota Johnson is currently on the press run promoting what looks like could be her biggest mainstream role yet: The Materialist. From all the trailers, and all the people involved — Chris Evans and our new Reed Richards, Pedro Pascal — it looks like a fun date night movie. Dakota Johnson seemingly could just focus on her career and things might pick up from there, but even that assumption is a little complicated.

Sources report that a mere two weeks ago, Johnson and Martin were spotted together. And even went on tour together this January. And also there was an earlier report that the two had been engaged. So it’s all complex, and it all suggests that maybe the two might actually not be completely over it for now.

The influx of sources surrounding their relationship didn’t stop fans from spinning their own stories, though. Some made a play on Coldplay’s hit to suggest that Johnson was the one who left Martin, saying, “Viva La Exit.” Others were hawk-eyed, reminding people that Johnson had just recently had dinner with the brand-new owner of all her masters, Taylor Swift — suggesting she really is the friend they all run to during a break-up.

she said viva la exit

— huh. (@EveryPostHits) June 4, 2025

the way this explains why taylor and dakota have been spotted several days together im shfjdhfjBDJFBJDDJB she really is the friend you run to when you need break-up help https://t.co/bZfJixiD79

— sarah (@folkloresfox) June 4, 2025

Which probably is in reference to Zoë Kravitz having had a similar dinner with Swift just a few days into her break-up with Channing Tatum. Johnson and Martin cannot be having an easy break-up — Johnson has been on record stating how close she is to Martin’s kids and how she considers them one big blended family. So she needs all the she can get.

Dakota Johnson has been pretty furtive in her promotion of The Materialists. When you watch the trailer of the movie, by all means it plays out like a run-of-the-mill romantic comedy that invites audiences to expect a happy ending — but on the promotion run, Johnson has repeatedly been questioning why people think love has to last forever. And trying to rationalize the concept of divorces to… the audience? Herself perhaps? Yikes.

All-in-all, the Fifty Shades of Grey actor seems like she’s entering a second peak in her career. The movie looks like it’s gonna be great, she might even cement herself as a bankable star who can greenlight whichever project she wants. Even if she will no longer get to do it beside Chris Martin. You win some, you lose some.

Coldplay have been around for nearly thirty years at this point (all thanks to Michael J. Fox) – but it nearly came to an end in Melbourne this week as lead singer Chris Martin fell through a trap door on stage in the middle of their set.

Look, I’m not the biggest fan of Coldplay either, but we can’t just throw Chris Martin in a hole, the man’s music has brought joy to millions! In all seriousness though, it was clearly an accident, although it was a bit of a rough fall — I hope someone was there to *fix him* — yeah, I’ll see myself out now.

The band is currently on a massive world tour — the World of Spheres tour has been going on since 2022 and has seen Coldplay perform in huge stadiums all over the place. However, Chris and the rest of the band might be a little hesitant to return to the Marvel stadium in Melbourne after the 47-year-old almost had a serious accident. In a viral video making the rounds on social media, Martin can be seen seemingly addressing the crowd. Speaking into the mic he walks backwards as he talks on the stage before backing a little too far and falling into a trap door on the stage.

The audible gasps from everyone in the stadium can be heard loud and clear, but luckily Chris seemed okay, getting back up and on stage in a matter of seconds. He’s not too phased, literally taking it all in his stride as he ascends back up. He can also be heard saying, “That’s uh, not planned,” he also thanks an unseen individual down the hole who was able to catch the singer before clarifying, “I did not know that hole was there.”

This isn’t the first incident like this in Melbourne

Oddly enough, this is the second time something like this has happened in Melbourne within the last month alone. A few weeks ago, while on the Australian leg of her Guts World Tour, singer Olivia Rodrigo also fell down a trap door on stage — she, too, was able to get back up and carry on pretty fast. Fans pointed out the odd coincidence in response to Chris Martin’s recent fall.

It's crazy to think that this is the second time in recent weeks that a major artist has fallen through a stage hole in Melbourne – Olivia Rodrigo had a similar mishap just a few weeks ago.

— Fakiha (@acha_yaaar_acha) November 4, 2024

Is Chris Martin copying Olivia Rodrigo?

He wants to be Olivia sooo bad

— Deys (fan ) (@DeysIsBack) November 4, 2024

Luckily neither of the singers were seriously hurt by the evil trap doors but you have to it, it is kind of weird that two musicians should both fall victim to holes on stage within the space of a month. What’s going on? Is some lousy hitman trying to take out some of the biggest musicians in the world by staging accidents? No, obviously not. But still, it’s got fans wondering if Melbourne is cursed — of course it is, have you seen the size of the spiders there?

The short answer: Yes. Gwyneth Paltrow has two biological children. Moses, named after a song that her ex-husband wrote for her, and Apple, named after, well, apples.

Paltrow had a few near misses with domesticity in the early days of her career. She was engaged to Brad Pitt in the mid-90s and had a long-running, on-again off-again relationship with Ben Affleck that looked precariously close to permanent.

Gwyneth Paltrow’s two children from her first marriage to Chris Martin

But it wasn’t until October 2002 that Paltrow fell in love with Coldplay frontman Chris Martin, inspiring him to write the hit single “Fix You” about something he didn’t do. The two were married in December 2003, and on May 14, 2004, they welcomed their first child, Apple. Speaking with Oprah later that same year, she explained that the name was chosen on of how she and Martin liked the name Apple. They thought it was cute. That is the whole story.

Two years later, in 2006, the couple welcomed a second child, Moses, named after Martin’s hit song – get this – “Moses.” Naming a child after your own published work is a joy that most non-celebrities will never understand. If the baby had been a girl, maybe they would’ve named her Moonlight and Valentino. 

Paltrow and Martin announced that they would be separating after more than a decade of marriage, with the news hitting the Goop newsletter in March 2014. The dissolution of the marriage was referred to as a “conscious uncoupling,” and helpfully described to fans of Paltrow by both her doctor and her dentist. Nonetheless, she and Martin have remained on good in the years since, with Paltrow praising her former partner’s dedication to their kids as recently as November 2023. She’s referred to what Martin brings to the table as “conscious co-parenting.”

Gwyneth Paltrow and Brad Falchuk’s kids

In 2018, Paltrow married again, this time to Glee producer Brad Falchuk. While the couple has no children of their own, they created a happy blended family, with Apple (19) and Moses (17) ed by Falchuk’s kids, Brody (17) and Isabella (19), helpfully the same ages as their new stepsiblings. 

Interested parties can check out Paltrow’s parenting rules thanks to her years of high-profile life advice, provided for a nominal fee through her line of Goop-brand publications. For all of the high-profile celebrity oddness, her tips on raising kids are astonishingly grounded and down to earth: No TV in English, make them swallow flaxseed oil before school, she and her ex-husband still do sleepovers. Ver Waltons stuff, I must say.

Looks like Chris Martin’s daughter has a little rock star in her bones. Apple Martin, the daughter of Coldplay singer Martin and vagina egg peddler Gwyneth Paltrow, had a wild party shut down by the cops. Fun!

The 18-year-old’s party in the Hamptons got too rowdy at the palatial family estate on Aug. 13, according to Page Six. The younger Martin reportedly invited more than 50 people to the party, and things got so out of hand that neighbors started calling the police.

Apple was allegedly fined and ordered to shut everything down.

“Apple invited too many friends to her mom’s house, and things got out of hand,” a source told the news outlet. “They were partying like rock stars and making so much noise that multiple neighbors were furious and called the police, who shut the party down. Staff from the town clerk’s office also attended to see if the party was a code violation. You can’t have more than 50 people at a gathering in the area without a permit.”

Must’ve been a really hot party if you somehow even get the town clerk’s office interested. A spokesperson for the East Hampton Town Ordinance Enforcement Department confirmed this.

“We went to [Paltrow’s] house following complaints about noise. When we got there, we found there to be less than 50 people there, so they were within code. If anyone got a ticket, it would be from the police.”

Paltrow’s Hamptons home is estimated to be worth about $5.4 million. It’s located in the Amagansett area and was purchased in 2006 when Martin and Paltrow were still married.

Paltrow and her newer husband, Brad Falchuk, were not at the house at the time of the party. Despite the snafu, Paltrow gushes over her daughter on a regular basis. On her daughter’s birthday, Paltrow took to Instagram to pen a touching tribute to her.

“I’m a bit of a loss for words this morning. I could not be more proud of the woman you are. You are everything I could have dreamed of and so much more. Proud doesn’t cover it, my heart swells with feelings I can’t put into words. You are deeply extraordinary in every way. Happy birthday my darling girl. I hope you know how special you are, and how much light you have brought to all who are lucky enough to know you. Especially me. I say it all the time and I will never stop… in the words of auntie Drew, I was born the day you were born. I love you. Mama.”

You’re up, Moses.

“Welcome, welcome,” said host Charlie Sextro at the beginning of Dakota Johnson‘s online Sundance Film Festival Q&A session for her new film Cha Cha Real Smooth on Sunday. The actress seemed to need to take a moment as she quelled a severe case of the giggles brought on by her boyfriend, Chris Martin’s unavoidable Zoombomb. You might say that her cheeks turned 50 shades of red.

Johnson apparently was experiencing some technical difficulties establishing the call and required a hand from the Coldplay singer, who was part of the cure, not the disease this time. However, Martin wasn’t able to start the call without making a brief and unannounced appearance before the virtual interview’s online audience. Martin quickly left the room, gamely flashing a peace sign to the audience and saying peace before leaving, Johnson, his partner since 2017, to her press duties.

The actor was more than a little amused, succumbing to a fit of laughter worthy of a Jimmy Fallon SNL sketch gone awry that lasted until Martin had fully left the room.

Brief though it was, the exchange was a rare glimpse into the incredibly private couple’s relationship. Johnson and Martin, who began dating two years after the singer’s highly publicized “conscious uncoupling” from former wife Gwyneth Paltrow, have kept their love life extremely close to the chest. So much so that many are not even aware the star-powered couple is even together.

In a 2018 interview with Tatler, near the beginning of the relationship, Johnson quickly shut down an inquiry into her love life, saying simply, “I’m not going to talk about it, but I am very happy.” However, the actor opened up a bit further in 2021 during an interview with Elle UK, saying, “We go out sometimes but we both work so much that it’s nice to be at home and be cozy and private,” joking that “most of the partying takes place inside my house.”

As for Martin, he’s remained fairly mum about the relationship with the exception of a rather sizable example of public display of affection. In October, Martin, playing alongside his Coldplay Bandmates during a London performance, dedicated the band’s collaboration song with BTS, “My Universe,” to Johnson. An Instagram post by a fan _dartin captured the pop star announcing, “This is about my universe, and she’s here,” as he indicated Johnson in the audience.

The couple seems to have an unlikely but enthusiastic ally in Martin’s former spouse, Paltrow. In a 2020 interview with Harper’s Bazaar, the Iron Man actress effusively endorsed her former husband’s taste in partners. “I love her,” Paltrow said. “I can see how it would seem weird because it’s sort of unconventional. But I think, in this case, just having ed through it iteratively, I just adore her.” 

Johnson’s new film Cha Cha Real Smooth premiered at the Sundance Film Festival Sunday night. The wide theatrical release date is still unknown pending distributorship. According to Billboard, Martin recently announced that Coldplay will only record three more albums, after which, “Maybe we’ll do some collaborative things but the Coldplay catalog as it were finishes then.”

The Chainsmokers have become an inescapable entity in dance and pop music following a phenomenally successful year that has seen the duo truly cross over into the mainstream, with massive singles like “Don’t Let Me Down” and their latest hit, “Closer,” dominating radio and streaming. Just when you thought they couldn’t get any bigger, the duo have now revealed the subject of their next collaboration as some video clips surfaced of them hitting the studio with none other than Coldplay’s Chris Martin. In the first video, we can see Alex Pall seated at the mixing console as a pop friendly piano progression rings out while Chris Martin belts out some catchy vocals. In the second video, we can hear some light electronic elements layered over the same piano pattern, as what sounds like an almost tropical tinged bell melody enters the speakers. At this point, it’s uncertain whether the song will be a full on collaboration with Coldplay or if The Chainsmokers are just teaming up with Chris Martin, but one thing’s for sure; whatever they’re working on is pretty much guaranteed to blow up when it drops.

After stepping out of the spotlight for a bit due to health problems, Avicii seems to have made a full recovery and is now ready to reclaim the EDM throne. Taking to Australia’s Future Music Festival last weekend, Tim showed off a ton of new music that he’s been working on, most of which will presumably be on his second studio album, Stories. One track that has a lot of people talking is “Heaven,” a song that the producer did with Coldplay lead singer Chris Martin. Unfortunately, there’s not an official audio stream of the tune just yet, but we do have a fan-recorded clip, which does give some indication of what we’re in for. From what we can tell, “Heaven” sounds exactly like you would expect it to, mostly taking the shape of a typical Coldplay song what with the beautiful piano riff, but also infused with just enough energetic production to bring to mind the Swedish producer. Take a listen to the latest from Avicii below and let us know what you think of the track in the comments section.

With the end of REM, there are few epic bands left on the music landscape. The Rolling Stones are on hiatus and U2 still dominates whenever they choose, but really, there are few bands are on their level. Coldplay is one of those few bands that like U2, REM, and the Stones, transcend music and enter immediately into popular culture upon the release of a new record or the beginning of a tour. The release of Mylo Xyloto is the latest epic release from the youngest of those few transcendent, epic bands in the world and it is an exceptional example of why I have declared Coldplay epic. This concept record is a mind-blowing mix of genre and storytelling that is both classically Coldplay and yet fresh and innovative. We begin with a brief interlude called Mylo Xyloto which plays as if the band is warming up. We are then thrust into track one, Hurts Like Heaven, which sets the scene of the dystopian, sci-fi love story that Chris Martin will narrate throughout Mylo Xyloto. Hurts Like Heaven paints the beginning of a romance between two people trapped in a paranoid future world where they are being watched, monitored and controlled but through an unexpected love affair, freedom is discovered. Using their heart as weapon, it hurts like heaven; the force of god through love being brought to bear upon a cold and controlling society; heady stuff for a pop song. Paradise, the first single off of Mylo Xyloto, begins slowly before introducing a driving synth piano mix. As Chris Martin’s vocal drift in, he begins telling us a story about a woman who dreams of Paradise. The story is about a girl who grows to be a woman and sees the world trying to break her spirit. In her dreams however, she can still see Paradise. The wall of sound, synth and electric guitar, and Chris Martin’s ethereal repetition of the chorus are truly gorgeous and you can’t help but sway along as you listen. The title of the next track, Charlie Brown, is a little mystifying but the point and purpose of the song is unmistakable. This is the soundtrack of freedom as our hero escapes to a place which is out of the sight of the overseers, where “all the boys, all the girls, all that matters in the world will glow in the dark.” Beautiful lyrical imagery melds with a forceful rocking beat that evokes a little U2 and many of the other longtime Coldplay influences. Us Against the World is an acoustic ballad that urges our lovers to slow it down and take in this moment before the chaos of the world sweeps them up. They will find stability in each other against the raging world around them. Every Teardrop is a Waterfall follows Us Against the World as a call to revolution through music and emotion. Reading deeply into the lyrics, the tears caused during the revolution against this oppressive society, the one in the song, or against any oppressive society, real or imagined, has the power and force of a waterfall. Every teardrop pushes us forward and makes us stronger and more defiant. We’ve now bonded our hero and heroine, Mylo and Xyloto, in Us Against the World and defined the forces that are pulling at them, oppressive society versus a revolutionary uprising with their love affair caught in the middle of it all, in Every Teardrop is a Waterfall. Coldplay isn’t messing around with this high concept stuff. Major Minus is a paranoid fantasy illustrating the rising danger to our couple as they foment revolution and are being watched big brother style. The song combines surging acoustic guitars with a raging electric guitar to paint a sonic portrait of fearful, chaotic energy. The guitar solo near the end is accompanied with what sounds like the wailing of a police siren buried just under the surface of the surging guitars. U.F.O is the aftermath of the chaos and fear of Major Minus. We begin with twin acoustic guitars before symphonic strings mix in underneath. All the while Chris Martin sings of a difficult and lengthy journey that is taking a toll on our protagonists. There is a sense of alienation throughout that leads perfectly into the bizarre and unexpected soundscape of Princess of China. Rihanna and Coldplay are a shockingly brilliant combination. Princess of China samples Sigur Ros’s instrumental Takk and the sample casts a pall that underlies the pop R&B synth and guitar and grounds it in an air of sadness, even as it drives toward being danceable. Lyrically, Princess of China is the beginning of the end for our hero and heroine. The end of Mylo and Xyloto’s love affair becomes official in Up in Flames. Flames are a perfect lyrical reference as the rest of the record illustrates a ionate relationship, amid chaotic circumstances that simply consumed itself. The song is beautifully mournful and Chris Martin’s voice is the star here, beginning soft and thoughtful before taking off into a lilting falsetto and falling back down. A Hopeful Transmission is a peppy, rousing and brief piece of music that signals a turning point and melts beautifully into the beginning of the next track Don’t Let It Break Your Heart, a surging, classically Coldplay song that will undoubtedly become a single. Don’t Let it Break Your Heart evokes Coldplay’s history in ways that fans will not be able to resist. Chris Martin’s vocals lay so deeply in the mix on Don’t Let it Break Your Heart that it’s difficult to place the song in the context of the concept story. However, the song plays so joyous and transcendently happy that it can only mean that our lovers have come back together, their love renewed and the fight reed. Don’t Let it Break Your Heart mixes directly into the closing track of this concept record, Up with the Birds. Up with the Birds is victory, for love and revolution. Our lovers have overcome the odds and found one another again. Hopeful reassuring lyrics lay beautifully over a tinkling piano and a joyous mix of electric and acoustic guitar. Up with the Birds is a cathartic breath after a difficult journey fraught with danger, excitement, ion and love. Mylo Xyloto is a phenomenal record. High concept, big ideas couched in a classic Coldplay sonic experience. The Coldplay wall of sound rolls over you like a wave repeatedly and it’s completely welcome. You are consumed by the sound and carried away by it so much that the sci-fi storytelling aspect of it teases your imagination and you can choose to indulge it as I did and seek the meaning of each song or you can just let it wash over you and just enjoy the sound.

Coldplay has announced the title of their new album. It’s rather odd and I’m not sure what it means but the band is going with Mylo Xyloto. Feel free to take a stab at the meaning. Hitting stores on October 25th, the album will feature contributions from producers Brian Eno, Markus Dravs, Daniel Green and Rik Simpson.

“We’ve been together long enough that I know how everyone else is feeling, and it makes me excited when I feel the others are excited,” Chris Martin says. “Maybe I speak too soon, but they don’t seem unexcited. They seem pretty fired up. I think we have a lot to prove to ourselves. There’s no point in not going for it.”

The album will be released in “digital, vinyl, CD and a limited edition “Pop-Up Album” version complete with a “12” x 12″ hardback book containing graffiti pop-up art designed by David A. Carter, vinyl, CD and exclusive content including photographs, excerpts from the studio diary and the band’s personal notebooks.”

Guitarist Jonny Buckland says of the new album, “I suppose the theme would be letting loose musically; louder drums, louder guitars, more contrast. Then we wanted to go down to the most intimate moments, then back to the biggest we’ve ever been. We wanted to contain as many interesting ideas as we could fit into 42-and-a-half minutes.”

The first single, Every Teardrop Is A Waterfall, was fantastic and is one of my favorite songs from the band. Coldplay has also played a number of their new songs live, all of which are great. I particularly liked Hurts Like Heaven, which they performed at Lollapalooza. Major Minus is the only one of their new tracks that I’m not fully on board with yet. Nevertheless, I’m stoked for Mylo Xyloto and I’m also quite interested to hear more on the meaning behind the title. If you have any ideas let us know in the comments. Coldplay‘s next single, Paradise, will drop on September 12th.