Who got first place? They put this legendary artist below WHO!? What is this name in the smallest font? And how exactly did Weezer negotiate the placement of its Flying-W logo on the poster? There are always a lot of questions when Coachella reveals its lineup. This year, the headlining trio of Dua Lipa, SZA, and Tame Impala — three of the most logical choices for a major festival set in the 2020s — might be a little less surprising. But the rest of the lineup is full of exciting names and some notable omissions. Here are five of our big takeaways.
Madonna’s Dance-Tent Slot Is a Stunning Nod to Coachella History
In 2006, shortly after the release of his classic album Confessions on a dance floorMadonna gave a performance that foreshadowed the future of Coachella. At the time, the festival leaned heavily toward rock, indie and what some still called alternative – that year’s headliners included Depeche Mode, Franz Ferdinand and the Yeah Yeah Yeahs. Thus, the news of Madonna’s appearance in the Sahara dance tent was not greeted with universal enthusiasm. A few fans wore “Madonna Killed Coachella” T-shirts, and Sleater-Kinney’s Carrie Brownstein even criticized Madonna from the stage. But the six-song set was a total triumph, and Coachella would end up being dominated by pop – perhaps to a fault. Either way, Madonna’s return to the dance tent, perhaps with a longer performance this time, couldn’t be a more fitting celebration of her fantastic, equally dancefloor-oriented sound. Confessions II album. —Brian Hiatt
But wait. Where is Drake?
When the lineup shut down overnight, a lot of people were wondering the same thing: Where the hell is Drake? It’s a reaction shared by Drizzy himself, who commented on the festival’s Instagram post with a crying emoji. The rapper was widely rumored to be headlining this year, which would have marked his first Coachella performance in over a decade (he played a full set in 2015, then made a surprise appearance during Future’s set two years later, for their collaboration “Jumpman”). More importantly, this would have been Drake’s first full set in the US in two years, and a chance for us to hear some material from his recent Iceman trilogy – as well as his recent hugely successful version about Texas. Maybe he’ll go to the desert next year. In the meantime, we will mourn in our brown fringed shawls. —Angie Martoccio
And no rock veterans? Really?
It’s been a long time since Coachella booked a headliner like Roger Waters, Paul McCartney or Guns N’ Roses to appeal to music fans who came of age before the year 2000. This makes a lot of sense, since this is a demographic that doesn’t include the vast majority of Coachella attendees. But in recent years, they’ve thrown the old guys a bone or two by reserving cool bands like Devo, Kraftwerk, Iggy Pop and the Go-Gos for older fans (or younger ones who respect their elders). Madonna arguably fills that role in the dance tent this year, and Weezer can bring in Gen Xers, as well as many, many younger fans of their music. But there’s no real equivalent to Iggy or Devo further down the range. This will make for a tough weekend for Coachella moms and dads, especially if they show up before Madonna takes the stage in the dance tent. —Andy Greene
Daddy Yankee will debut at Coachella
It’s been a long road to Coachella for Daddy Yankee. In 2021, the Latin icon revealed that he was invited to the festival, but ultimately declined because, he said, “the pay was ridiculous.” Now, it seems like Coachella has finally recognized Daddy Yankee’s worth. The reggaeton star will play the “In the Desert” portion of the festival, a prominent slot that usually features a special production. While fans shouldn’t necessarily count out “Rompe” and “Gasolina,” given the turning point in Daddy Yankee’s career, his performance will mark a full circle after his successors Bad Bunny and Karol G made history with their Coachella performances in recent years. —Maya Georgi
Give it up for independent artists
At the very least, indie fans can expect a solid crop of small bands that will get the chance to shine. NOLA’s Twisted Teens will showcase the three records they released this year alone, while Underscores will drive the crowd crazy with their maximalist pop sound. If the Coachella bookers choose chaos (and we certainly hope they do), they should have Quebecois weirdos Angine de Poitrine perform directly before a larger group like Zara Larsson: confuse the masses, then convert the curious few into polka dot worshipers.
Perhaps the catchiest name is Steven Hall, better known as Nirosta Steel, who appears at the bottom of Friday’s poster. Hall was a close friend of Arthur Russell who gained critical notoriety again this year with his 40-year record. My skyscraper. The experimental pop record seemed lifted directly from the downtown Manhattan queer art and music scene of the ’80s; now aged 69, he has found his place in the spotlight, and who knows? He could go see Madonna Confessions II fixed after he finished. “Simply fabulous,” he said of that album’s signature track, “Danceteria.” —Jaeden Pinder
Gn entert
