Is Michael J. Fox really the reason Coldplay exists?

Coldplay’s headlining set at Glastonbury 2024 was memorable in more ways than one, with the band welcoming actor Michael J. Fox on stage for a heartwarming duet.

The UK band — the first act to headline the festival for a fifth time — shared the spotlight with multiple musicians during their performance, but it was the appearance of the Back To The Future star that got the biggest audience reaction. 

The actor walked on stage to rapturous applause from festival-goers, who watched on as he performed alongside Coldplay to their songs “Humankind” and “Fix You”, the latter of which was released in 2005 and remains one of the band’s biggest hits.

Before Fox’s appearance, Coldplay frontman Chris Martin teased his involvement in the show, mentioning the song “Johnny B Goode”, which Marty McFly performs in Back To The Future. 

While it was a memorable moment for Glastonbury, Coldplay’s history with Fox, and indeed Back To The Future, stretches further back than 2024, and even played a role in the band’s formation. 

Is Michael J. Fox really the reason Coldplay exists?

Michael J. Fox was partly responsible for the formation of Coldplay, at least according to Chris Martin. Speaking on The Kelly Clarkson Show in 2022, Martin said Back To The Future, in particular Fox/McFly’s performance of “Johnny B Goode” at his parents’ prom, inspired him to start making music. “That’s what made me want to be in a band, you know?” the frontman said. “That scene.”

Martin revealed that his upbringing in the farmlands of England made him cherish “any music on TV” since he didn’t have access to the internet. It inspired Martin to get creative with how he made music, saying he would use a “cassette recorder and [hold] it against the TV to record.” 

Coldplay has paid homage to Fox’s inspiration many times throughout the years. In 2016, the band welcomed the actor on stage during their performance at the MetLife Stadium, where they duetted on “Johnny B Goode” and “Earth Angel”. Martin said the moment was “really wonderful,” since Fox is “my number one.” 

Martin again praised Fox and his role in Coldplay’s formation during Glastonbury, saying the actor is the “main reason why we’re in a band” and describing him as “our hero forever.” For his part, Fox took to social media to thank the band for including him in the set, saying the experience was “f—ing mind-blowing.”