The New Issue of Rolling Stone: Chris Martin of Coldplay

Coldplay's Viva La Vida or Death and All His Friends stands to be one of the biggest albums of the year, and fittingly, frontman Chris Martin graces the cover of the new issue of Rolling Stone, which hits newsstands today. Martin is a rare, complicated rock star, reluctant to dwell too much in the spotlight but eager to put his fame and influence to good use. Click below for an excerpt from the interview with Martin, including how he thinks the election of Barack Obama would change the world, and also check out the gallery of live photos from Coldplay's career.

• The Jesus of Uncool: Chris Martin — The Rolling Stone Interview

• Coldplay Live: Concert Photos From Throughout the Band's Career

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Song Stories

“I'm Yours”

Jason Mraz | 2008

Jason Mraz re-emerged after his disappointing second album with this lead single, a Jack Johnson-esque ditty about giving yourself fully to someone else. The success of the reggae-tinged song (it earned two Grammy nods and a spot on the Billboard singles chart for well over a year) was something the folk-pop singer never predicted when he wrote it in 15 minutes at home. "I played a happy-hippie chord progression that would probably work without 50 different Bob Marley songs," he told Rolling Stone. "I thought, 'It's too novelty. This is a nursery rhyme,'" concluding that "you can never guess what's gonna be a hit."

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