Perennial British rockers Coldplay have announced their sixth album; it’ll be called Ghost Stories, the first single will be called Magic and it will be released on 19 May via Parlophone/Atlantic Records.

ColdplayThe Coldplay boys pick up their 2012 Brit Award

Pre-orders for Ghost Stories – the band’s follow up album to Mylo Xyloto released in October 2011 – have already shot up to second place on iTunes behind the highly anticipated new album from Pharrell Williams’ G I R L, which currently holds the top pre-order slot.

Frontman Chris Martin, guitarist Jonny Buckland, bassist Guy Berryman and drummer Will Champion surprised fans by posting the video for a track from Ghost Stories, Midnight, on YouTube. It wasn’t long before it gathered 1 million views in 24 hours.

Fans who pre-order Ghost Stories on iTunes are able to download the track now, which helps to explain the jump in the charts almost three months before the album’s release.

Midnight has caused quite a stir amongst Coldplay fans; the Jon Hopkins-produced song features sparse and ambient sounds and heavily distorted vocals by frontman Chris Martin, marking a departure from Coldplay’s pop-rock ballad sound.

Have a listen to Coldplay's Atlas, which featured on The Hunger Games: Catching Fire

The band will be headlining the first day of the inaugural iTunes Festival at SXSW on March 11th alongside Imagine Dragons and London Grammar. Kendrick Lamar, ScHoolboy Q and Isiaiah Rashad will play on Wednesday, March 12 Soundgarden. Thursday, March 13 will see Pitbull, ZEDD and G.R.L headlining, while Keith Urban, Willie Nelson and Mickey Guyton will play on Friday, March 14.

Tracklist for Ghost Stories

1. Always in My Head
2. Magic
3. Ink
4. True Love
5. Midnight
6. Another’s Arms
7. Oceans
8. A Sky Full of Stars
9. O