Center of Gravity

Release season is here! This is the earliest the lineup has dropped yet, and right off the bat I have a lot to say. Let’s get into it. 

Demographics

This is easily the most generationally diverse lineup I’ve seen out of the four Coachellas I’ve been to. What’s unique here is the density and evenness of the spread. It seems curated to hit everything from the 90’s to the 20’s equally: From Iggy Pop and The Strokes to the XX and Alex G to Addison Rae and Sabrina Carpenter—there’s a very smooth gradient here. Whether you’re 18 or 40, you’ll find something familiar. I was talking to my sister about how this is a really hopeful direction for Coachella, a celebration of music that bridges generational gaps. Not to mention it probably saves GoldenVoice a lot to book older acts instead of just cramming what’s hot. For my part, I’ll be avoiding a lot of the gen-z acts but I’m glad they’re there for the hype and crowd control. And yknow what? I bet the people going for the gen-z acts feel the same way about the millennial and gen-x acts. Everyone’s happy.

Genres  

The headliners are very poppy, they always will be, that’s okay. I’m more interested in the larger-than-usual selection of rock and indie acts; we’ve been missing those in past years so I’m happy to see them. I’m not a traditionalist or anything, but there’s something special about hearing a good guitar solo in the fields. There’s also a hearty offering of EDM, and not just trendy tech-house—we’re talking stadium-filling dance parties like Disclosure, Subtronics, and Major Lazer. Good shit. What’s really missing here is hip-hop and RnB. While Coachella isn’t known for that, it’s crazy to see so little of it when we had Missy Elliot and Megan Thee Stallion just last year. They could’ve at least booked Doechii. There also isn’t a single reggaeton act in any of the top three billings (except Karol G, more on her later), which is mortifying. While I personally won’t be affected by this (these genres aren’t my first picks), diversity is good for the ecosystem in a macro-sense. These are big misses.

Headliners 

I’ll start by saying I am not going for the headliners. I hardly ever do, and that’s especially the case this year. The vast majority of my excitement comes from the undercard. In any case, I have thoughts.

Sabrina Carpenter as the Friday headliner hurts. Ariana, Dua Lipa, Miley—any of them would have fit the gen-z/millenial pop-princess slot and, in my opinion, brought more cultural significance to the table. Here’s why it’s so tough: A good headliner should either be historical enough to count as a legacy pick or be relevant enough to count as a novelty/hype act (think Green Day vs BlackPink). By Spring of ‘26 Carpenter will have released 3 albums—she’s got material I’ll give her that—but we’ve all heard it before, and recently too. She’s been in the festival circuit nonstop since Emails I Won’t Send. She’s losing traction. On the other hand, she’s still too new to be considered among the greats; many would argue she’s still riding the initial wave of hype that got her started.It puts her in an awkward position. People know her name, but do they care? I believe she’ll put on a hell of a show (I might even see it!) but next to some of the other names on the lineup and the bitter taste of what could have been, the conversation around her name bodes poorly. 

Next up is Justin Bieber, an interesting and volatile pick. He’ll definitely sell tickets, but word on the street is he’s a liability. At worst I’m dreading a Frank Ocean situation. Do I have faith that he can pull it together and give us something great? Maybe. The fact that I’m worried at all is a bad look, though. If GoldenVoice can pull this off then hats off to them, and in fairness, I respect that they’re going for such a relevant and dramatic option. I just have a hard time believing this was the best they could do. I would’ve appreciated something more eclectic like Oasis or Tame Impala. Or! If they wanted to stick with the popularity pick, they could’ve pulled the trigger on BTS. I would’ve hated that for personal reasons, but it would’ve made sense, and it would’ve been safer.

Finally, there’s Karol G. I have nothing bad to say about her. She’s enormous, she’s bringing much needed reggaeton to the fields, and she’ll throw the best dance party of the weekend. I’m personally not the biggest fan but I know she’ll be fun. Also, I think she’s the first latina headliner? Nice little achievement grab there. I’m glad she’s taking up the rear.

Final Thoughts

The lineup is looking great! Minus the headliners, I have a lot to be excited for. Honestly though, I would have been happy no matter what. The joy of discovering new names (and rediscovering old ones) always outweighs first impressions. Also, artists usually drop new music in the lead-up. Who knows where the conversation will go? Even then, the experience of the festival is totally separate from the names on the list. Last year I was fixing to skip Green Day, but I ended up seeing them with my friends and it was my favorite set of the weekend.

A lot is sure to change between now and April, but here’s my top 10 based most anticipated acts right now.

10. Karol G
9. Moby
8. Labrinth
7. Alex G
6. KATSEYE
5. Disclosure
4. Foster the People
3. The XX
2. The Strokes
1. Nine Inch Noize