Since its launch in 1999, Coachella has become increasingly well-known, drawing big-name acts and bands to the main stage.
From Lizzo inspiring fans to love themselves with a brief performance to Beyonce transforming her main performance into an entire Netflix special, the festival has seen and done it all.
Coachella 2024 is officially open, with shows scheduled for April at the Empire Polo Club in Indio, California, expected to draw thousands of attendees.
Fans are to expect performances from Doja Cat, J Balvin, Bebe Rexha, Victoria Monét, DJ Snake, and other top performers this year.
Since the festival’s inception, there has never been a lack of star power at the event. Thus, let’s take a look at each Coachella headlining act since the event’s creation.
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1999: Beck, Rage Against the Machine, Tool
Coachella was founded in the post-grunge era, which is why its first headliners were two of the biggest rock bands of all time, Rage Against the Machine and Tool.
2001: Jane’s Addiction
The event was put on hold in 2000 due to a drought because it was held in Southern California. But it returned in 2001 with a more pared-down offering. The organizers invited Jane’s Addiction to lead the bill for their one-day concert.
2002: Björk, Oasis
In 2002, the festival reverted to its initial two-day schedule, and Oasis was invited to headline an event alongside Foo Fighters, The Strokes, and The Prodigy.
Being the first female headliner at the event, Björk brought her unique demeanor and amazing voice from Iceland.
2003: Beastie Boys, Red Hot Chili Peppers
Red Hot Chili Peppers and Beastie Boys were the headline acts in 2003 when camping at the event became a tradition instead of having to vacate the venue and return for music the following day.
2004: Radiohead, The Cure
Following a few years in which the festival gained popularity, Coachella sold out for the first time in 2004, when Radiohead and The Cure were the headline acts.
2005: Coldplay, Nine-Inch Nails
Coldplay and Nine Inch Nails’ 2005 headline shows were significant events for both bands.
2006: Depeche Mode, Tool
Madonna and Daft Punk were the real stars of the 2006 festival, even though Depeche Mode and Tool were the main acts.
2007: Björk, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Rage Against the Machine
Coachella expanded to three days in 2007 after Lollapalooza’s two-day run. For their second appearance, all three of the main performers were there, including Rage Against the Machine.
2008: Prince, Roger Waters, and Jack Johnson
Due to poor ticket sales, Prince was added after the fact, joining Roger Waters and Jack Johnson as the main performers.
But since Prince and Waters’ exorbitant booking fees prevented the show from selling out for the first time since 2003,.
2009: Paul McCartney, The Killers, The Cure
In 2009, the event took place one week ahead of schedule, with Paul McCartney performing on Friday night and exceeding the festival’s curfew by 54 minutes, which ended up affecting The Cure’s performance.
2010: Jay-Z, Muse, and Gorillaz
In 2010, Coachella saw a huge number of people show up to see Jay-Z—the first rap headlining act—break earlier records.
2011: Kings of Leon, Arcade Fire, Kanye West, and The Strokes
The 2011 event drew over 225,000 attendees and featured 190 supporting bands.
The Strokes, Arcade Fire, and Kings of Leon were the festival’s headliners, and Kanye West’s performance cemented it as one of the best in the event’s history.
2012: The Black Keys, Radiohead, Dr. Dre, and Snoop Dogg
The reason why many remember Dr. Dre and Snoop Dogg’s 2012 festival performance is that they entertained the audience with a 3D holographic image of Tupac.
2013: Blur, The Stone Roses, Phoenix, and Red Hot Chili Peppers
For the third consecutive year, Coachella was headlined by Red Hot Chili Peppers; in 2013, British artists Blur and The Stone Roses changed the event’s appearance.
Wu-Tang Clan also performed lower on the card.
2014: OutKast, Muse, and Arcade Fire
Coachella has made EDM music a regular, but it wasn’t until 2014 that acts like Disclosure, Calvin Harris, and Skrillex made an appearance alongside OutKast, Arcade Fire, and Muse.
2015: ACDC, Jack White, and Drake
Fans were undoubtedly thrilled to see a lineup that featured ACDC, Drake, and Jack White, among other iconic acts, after the event sold out in under 20 minutes.
2016: LCD Soundsystem, Guns N’ Roses, Calvin Harris
Axl Rose and Slash reconciled and rejoined as Guns N’ Roses at the 2016 event, while LCD Soundsystem also got back together after splitting up in 2011.
2017: Radiohead, Lady Gaga, and Kendrick Lamar
After learning she was expecting twins, Beyoncé withdrew from her original plan to headline, allowing Lady Gaga and Kendrick Lamar to make their debuts.
2018: The Weeknd, Beyoncé, Eminem
Beyoncé made a dramatic comeback in 2018 and became the first black woman to headline the festival after pulling out the year before.
At an unforgettable festival, The Weeknd and Eminem performed alongside her fellow members of Destiny’s Child.
2019: Childish Gambino, Tame Impala, and Ariana Grande
Childish Gambino, Tame Impala, and Ariana Grande, who was then 25 years old, became the event’s youngest headliners.
2022: Harry Styles, Billie Eilish, Swedish House Mafia, and The Weeknd
Three years after the epidemic disrupted Coachella, the festival resumed in 2022, with Harry Styles and Billie Eilish making their desert debuts.
Kanye West, The Weeknd, took the lead for the second time.
2023: Bad Bunny, Black Pink, and Frank Ocean
In 2023, Bad Bunny created festival history by becoming the first Latin American artist to perform exclusively in Spanish, while BLACKPINK made history by being the first K-Pop group to appear on the main stage. In the meantime, Frank Ocean made a triumphant comeback, having not played at Coachella since 2012.
