COLDPLAY - MARTIN TARGETTING U2'S TOP SPOT

COLDPLAY frontman CHRIS MARTIN's ultimate goal is to surpass U2 as the greatest rock band on the planet - and he is taking inspiration from SYLVESTER STALLONE to help him achieve his aim.

The IN MY PLACE rocker put a picture of the I STILL HAVEN'T FOUND WHAT I'M LOOKING FOR legends on his studio wall during recording sessions for upcoming album X+Y to push his creativity to unheralded heights.

And Martin likens himself to all American hero ROCKY as he prepares to take on the might of U2, who he compares to Russian man mountain IVAN DRAGO, played by DOLPH LUNDGREN, from the cold war boxing movie ROCKY IV.

He says, "What matters is trying to write the best tunes in the world. And having a picture of U2 on the wall, and trying to pump enough logs to take out the Drago that is U2 - that's our mission."

Martin is making a habit of setting himself tough targets - he has already said he is convinced Coldplay will make an album to rival THE BEATLES' 1967 masterpiece SERGEANT PEPPER'S LONELY HEARTS CLUB BAND.