Chris Martin of Coldplay just sent a shock through the band’s fan base. In a recent interview on BBC Radio1, Martin hinted that the band’s upcoming album could be its last.

“It’s our seventh thing and the way we look at it is like the last Harry Potter book or something. Not to say there might not be another thing one day but this is the completion of something,” Martin said.

He also revealed that the album’s title is A Head Full of Dreams. Some bands title their albums before they begin work on them. Others wait until the album is finished to decide what to call it. Led Zeppelin famous refused to give their first four albums any title at all other than the band’s name, leaving it to fans to eventually number the albums for convenience.

But with regard to this possibly being Coldplay’s last album, there is something to keep in mind. Sometimes bands approach recording an album this way to keep things sharp. Indeed, Martin went on to hint at this.

“I have to think of it as the final thing we’re doing otherwise we wouldn’t put everything into it,” he said later in the interview.

But he did promise, “Then we will go on tour.”

Dave Grohl has said something similar about Foo Fighters’ albums.

“I’m very proud of what I’ve accomplished,” Grohl told Esquire. But I still don’t think I’ve done my best thing yet. I’ve always felt like that. I’ve always felt like the next record is going to be the last record. You have to say, ‘This next one is going to be the last one, so we have to make it good.’ We’ve said that eight times in the Foo Fighters across 20 years, every record.”

So maybe Martin was tossing some hyperbole. Maybe he wasn’t just pumping fans for their last dollar in track sales and tour tickets. Maybe he needs to approach this with the feeling that you never know what could happen tomorrow, so do your best today.

Not a bad philosophy.