Coldplay is one of the biggest bands in the world.

Over the years, they’ve released 10 albums, and their most recent record, Moon Music, was released in October. Along the way, they’ve become ubiquitous pretty much everywhere.

In fact, it’s become one of those bands so large and lauded that they inevitably have found itself with some, well, haters.

It’s not uncommon to hear about people dunking on Coldplay and their legacy. But don’t expect the band’s frontman, Chris Martin, to come flying in with defenses.

In an interview with Rolling Stone published on Thursday, the singer was surprisingly candid in making space for Coldplay dissenters, even going so far as to explain why the band does deserve “to take some shit.”

“It would be terrible if we lived in a society where everyone had to [like the same thing’,” Chris told the publication. “We’re a very, very easy, safe target.”

Chris formed Coldplay alongside lead guitarist Jonny Buckland, bassist Guy Berryman, and drummer Will Champion in 1998 at University College London.

These days, the former college kids are now all fathers in their 40s.

“We’re not going to bite back,” Chris told Rolling Stone. “We are four white, middle-class men from England.”

In fact, Chris even said there was a reason the band should take some flack. “We deserve to take some shit for what our people have done,” he said. “There’s a reason we get to play all around the world, and part of it is not necessarily very healthy.”

“It is important to say that [romantic love] is such a big factor in everything, even though it feels right to keep it precious and private; I’m not denying its power,” he said.

Rolling Stone also noted that Chris named Dakota as one of his best friends, alongside his children, bandmates, and Coldplay’s longtime manager Phil Harvey.