David Bowie Rejected Collaboration With Coldplay Because The Song Wasn’t Good Enough

Speaking at the BBC Music Awards, Coldplay frontman Chris Martin told the story of how he almost worked with David Bowie… if he was just a little more talented.

Apparently, when Bowie was on his long hiatus period (before releasing 2013’s The Next Day), he kept busy by contributing backup vocals to a number of works, including Arcade Fire’s Reflektor. So, Chris Martin and Coldplay decided to try their luck with recruiting Bowie.

Martin tells the story: “One time I sent him a song to ask him to sing on it. He called me and said, ‘It’s not one of your best.’ He’s got very high standards and I appreciate that. It inspires the rest of us to keep our standards high.”

Even so, Martin sings high praise for Bowie, saying “When ‘Where Are We Now?’ came out I was staggered, and also annoyed… Like, ‘Come on, it’s not fair.’ He’s already got all these amazing songs and then this instant classic.”

What do you think… did Bowie make the right call?