LONDON • British pop-rock giants Coldplay announced last Friday that their seventh album, A Head Full Of Dreams, will be released on Dec 4, having hinted it may be their last.

Fans had been atwitter on social media last Tuesday when cryptic artwork was released online, matching a mysterious London Underground poster that led to speculation a new album was in the pipeline. The band confirmed the gossip last Friday and debuted the album's upbeat first single Adventure Of A Lifetime on BBC radio, which suggests a departure from last year's subdued album Ghost Stories. Singer Chris Martin previously described the record as "the completion of something", sparking rumours it could be their last.

The album, produced by the team behind Katy Perry's Firework and Beyonce's Irreplaceable, will feature a raft of guests including Beyonce and Oasis star Noel Gallagher. The band have sold more than 100 million albums worldwide and won numerous accolades, including seven Grammys.

AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE