Full Breakdown
Chris Martin’s Unreleased James Bond Demo Heads to Auction
7/1/2026, 12:17:36 AM
Lost Demo Auction
A 1999 acoustic demo of “The World Is Not Enough,” recorded by Chris Martin, is on sale as a cassette via WaxPoetics. The lot runs until July 19 2026, with a top bid of $1,000.
Coldplay’s Bond Background
Coldplay has chased a Bond theme for over two decades, saying they tried for about five films. No song was submitted; the 1999 film used Garbage’s track.
Key Figures
Key participants are Chris Martin, Coldplay frontman; producer Chris Allison; auction platform WaxPoetics; and charity Restore the Music, which will receive part of the proceeds.
Data
The cassette belongs to an archive predating Coldplay’s EP “The Blue Room.” The set includes original DAT mixes, alternate versions, master tapes and unreleased early takes of “Shiver,” “Spies,” and “We Never Change.”
Official Statements
WaxPoetics calls the tape an original Parlophone cassette with stripped-back acoustic guitar and vocals, noting it has never been commercially released. Allison described the archive as a significant surviving collection documenting Coldplay’s beginnings. Martin’s 2021 NME interview is cited for his admission that no Bond song was submitted.
Criticism
Martin called the Bond attempts “not very good” and suggested James Bond would reject Coldplay’s “hippie” style for “guns and shit.”
Conflicting Reports
Variety reports the song was “written for but understood never to have been submitted,” while WaxPoetics says it is “not known if this demo was ever submitted to the film for consideration.” No public record confirms a submission.
Verbatim Quotes
- “We kept trying to write one for 20 years, but never submitted them,” — Chris Martin, Coldplay frontman
- “We have Bond themes for about five movies, but they’re not very good, to be honest.” — Chris Martin, Coldplay frontman
- “Also I don’t know if we’re spiritually on the same trip as James. As much as I like the films, I don’t know if us singing would do it for him. He’d be like, ‘That’s not what I’m into at all, fellas. I like guns and shit. All this hippie stuff just isn’t going to work’.” — Chris Martin, Coldplay frontman
- “Presented on an original Parlophone reference cassette, the recording features a stripped-back acoustic guitar and vocal performance by Martin, capturing the song in a raw demo form before any studio production,” — WaxPoetics, Auction Platform
- “Allison described the archive as one of the most significant surviving collections documenting Coldplay's beginnings while its members were studying at University College London before signing with Parlophone.” — Chris Allison, former Coldplay producer
What’s Next
The auction ends July 19 2026; the winner will receive the cassette, and part of the proceeds will go to Restore the Music.
