Chris Martin compares Coldplay with Manchester United

London: Singer Chris Martin says his band Coldplay are like the Manchester United of music because they are heavily criticised even though they are hugely successful.

Comparing his band to the football club, Martin, 35, said he is no longer bothered by critics and chooses to focus on the positive, reported Femalefirst. "You can very easily become infected by the minority negative opinion. "I was talking to my dad about Manchester United -- the most popular football team in the world -- and when they show up at West Ham they get booed. I was thinking, `Well, it`s the same for us`," he said. Martin also said crowds singing their tracks such as `Paradise` put the negative aspects in perspective. "When everybody is singing `Paradise` at the moment it makes me feel so alive and happy. There comes a point where you just accept that whatever you do, someone will like or hate it, so it`s extremely liberating. "We are incredibly blessed that we are - 12 years in - allowed to make whatever we want to make. That`s extraordinary. Even in the film world you can`t do that. Only a few people can do that." PTI