The band last week released their new album 'Rush of Blood to the Head', which went straight to number one, selling more than 270,000 copies in its first week on sale.
The band are understood to have turned down a string of requests to use hits from their first album 'Parachutes', including 'Trouble' and their biggest hit 'Yellow' in 2000.
Coldplay are one of a number of bands to have taken the decision not to allow their music to be used in ads. Radiohead have consistently refused to allow their music to be used, although the band did allow a track to be used for the Olympics. While Blur have allowed their music to be used in ads, one-time rivals Oasis have not.
Speaking in an interview to be published tomorrow on the Allstar website, which is part of CD Now, Coldplay singer Chris Martin said: "I'm sure we'll do something in the future where we will fuck up. I'm sure one day we'll be desperate for money or exposure and we'll go crawling back to Gap and say, 'Hey, are you sure you don't want a song?' But at the moment we can say 'Fuck 'em!'"
When asked in the interview about recently turning down 拢55m in potential advertising licensing, Martin became heated, saying: "Come on. You're playing devil's advocate. What does it matter? It matters everything, man.
"What does it matter that Mike Myers, five years ago in 'Wayne's World', did a whole skit taking the mickey out of product placement and now, in 'Austin Powers', there is something being advertised in pretty much every scene. That's what upsets me. That they have made a third film where they have used the same jokes and just added a whole bunch of coffee cups."
Best known for allowing his music to be used is Moby, who has licensed just about every track from his 'Play' album. While this has boosted his musical career, the same can not be said for indie band Hurricane #1. The band allowed The Sun newspaper to use 'Only the Strongest will Survive' in 1999 and subsequently suffered a backlash from their fans.
The success of Coldplay's second album has come as a welcome relief for EMI, the world's third largest record company. The band are doing well in the States and are about to kick off another North American tour on September 4 in Seattle before returning to the UK.
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