double weekend

Coachella photos through the years: Iconic performances and art

Before the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival became a world-famous event, it started as a much more modest music festival in Southern California’s desert in 1999.

During the festival, the Empire Polo Club in Indio has been the site of some of the biggest music and pop culture moments of the century, from Daft Punk’s iconic pyramid spectacle in the Sahara Tent in 2006 to Beyoncé bringing a legendary “Homecoming” to Coachella’s largest stage in 2018.

As the festival kicks off its 25th year, we combed through The Times’ extensive archives to take a trip down Coachella’s memory lane. Scroll through and you’ll see those epic moments from Daft Punk, Beyoncé, Prince and Madonna, but also the iconic large art installations at the festival and just how much the event has grown and changed over the years.

1999

The inaugural Coachella happened in October 1999 and was a two-day affair headlined by Beck, Rage Against the Machine and Tool, which The Times’ then-pop music critic Robert Hilburn dubbed the “Anti-Woodstock 99.” However, the inaugural event was marred by a triple-digit heat wave and was a financial disaster.

Two men walk on a sunny field with a stage and palm trees ahead of them. One is wearing a sombrero.

Dennis Carrillo wears a sombrero as a shield against the blistering sun as he and friend Dario Soto, both of Los Angeles, walk toward the stage at the inaugural Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival in Indio in October 1999, where the temperature hit triple digits.

(Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times)

Beck on stage wearing a long-sleeved shirt covered with ribbons of fringe

Beck was one of the headliners of the original Coachella in October 1999.

(Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times)

Thousands of fans against the barricade at the first Coachella

Thousands of music fans wait at the main stage area at the inaugural Coachella in 1999.

(Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)

Tom Morello and Zack de la Rocha of Rage Against the Machine perform in front of a drumset

Rage Against the Machine was one of the headliners of the inaugural Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival in 1999.

(Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)

2001

Due to the financial losses, Coachella skipped a year and returned in April 2001 as a one-day event with a headlining set by Jane’s Addiction and a bill featuring artists such as Weezer and Paul Oakenfold. It drew more than 32,000 people to the desert.

Perry Farrell holds a microphone while wearing a white flowy outfit with fringe and a large hat

When Coachella returned as a one-day event in 2001, Jane’s Addiction headlined the show.

(Lori Shepler / Los Angeles Times)

A person in a costume on stilts walks through a crowd of people as straw hats are tossed in the air

Even in its early years, Coachella made art part of the vibe. In 2001, people on stilts roamed the field in front of the main stage.

(Lori Shepler / Los Angeles Times)

Thousands of fans on the field at Coachella

Thousands of fans hang out on the main field at Coachella in 2001.

(Lori Shepler / Los Angeles Times)

DJ Paul Oakenfold wears headphones around his chin and has his palms raised and facing down

Paul Oakenfold’s first time playing Coachella was in 2001.

(Lori Shepler / Los Angeles Times)

2002

Coachella went back to being a two-day event in 2002, headlined by Bjork and Oasis. One of the emerging acts on the bill that year was a rock combo out of New York called The Strokes.

Noel Gallagher plays a red guitar

Oasis, with guitarist Noel Gallagher, headlined the second day of Coachella 2002.

(Kevin P. Casey / Los Angeles Times)

Julian Casablancas sings into a microphone

When The Strokes first played Coachella in 2002, the New York band was just emerging in the rock scene. Singer Julian Casablancas and the group will perform again in 2026.

(Kevin P. Casey / Los Angeles Times)

Bjork, wearing a white dress, sings with her arms outstretched

The first time Bjork headlined Coachella was the 2002 edition of the festival.

(Kevin P. Casey / Los Angeles Times)

Two fans watch a band on a stage labeled Coachella

Fans watch arm in arm as Oasis closes out Coachella 2002.

(Kevin P. Casey / Los Angeles Times)

2003

The Beastie Boys and Red Hot Chili Peppers headlined Coachella 2003, but the lineup also included The White Stripes, Iggy and The Stooges, Underworld and the Blue Man Group.

Looking at the field of Coachella with thousands of fans on it from above

Coachella attracted about 35,000 fans per day in 2003.

(Myung J. Chun / Los Angeles Times)

Meg White plays drums and Jack White plays guitar on a stage

The White Stripes were one of the standout acts at Coachella 2003.

(Myung J. Chun / Los Angeles Times)

People dance in a tent in the bright sunlight on a field.

The Sahara Tent has always been the heartbeat of Coachella’s dance scene, but in 2003 it was much smaller than the airplane hangar-sized stage it is today.

(Myung J. Chun / Los Angeles Times)

Blue Man Group member holds two percussive spoon paddles

The Blue Man Group performed at the 2003 Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival.

(Myung J. Chun / Los Angeles Times)

2004

In 2004, the Flaming Lips created an iconic Coachella moment when singer Wayne Coyne traveled over the crowd in a giant inflatable ball. Headlined by Radiohead and The Cure, the festival also included a reunion of the Pixies. It also marked Coachella’s first sellout, with 60,000 attendees per day.

The Flaming Lips' Wayne Coyne rides an inflated plastic bubble above the fans at Coachella

The Flaming Lips’ Wayne Coyne travels over the Coachella 2004 crowd in an inflated plastic bubble.

(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)

Flashes of lightning generated by a tesla coil while people stand around and watch

Syd Klinge’s “Cauac” Tesla coil was one of Coachella’s firstart pieces. It made its debut in 2004.

(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)

Frank Black wears a white shirt while he plays guitar and sings into a microphone.

Coachella 2004 featured a highly-regarded reunion of the Pixies.

(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)

Thousands of sweaty fans at a concert

Fans brave sweltering heat as they wait for the Pixies to perform at Coachella 2004.

(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)

2005

Coldplay and Nine Inch Nails headlined Coachella in 2005. Weezer, The Chemical Brothers and Wilco were some of the other notable acts on the bill. Among the memorable moments was the reunion of Bauhaus and singer Peter Murphy performing “Bela Lugosi’s Dead” while hanging upside down like a bat.

Shot of Wilco from backstage at sunset with thousands of fans watching them at Coachella

Wilco performs before a crowd of tens of thousands at dusk at the 2005 Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival.

(Myung J. Chun / Los Angeles Times)

Trent Reznor of Nine Inch Nails leans with a microphone

Trent Reznor and Nine Inch Nails headlined Coachella in 2005. Reznor will return to the festival in 2026 with German music producer Boys Noize to perform as Nine Inch Noize.

(Myung J. Chun / Los Angeles Times)

Thousands of people dance, including some with glow sticks, under a large tent at night

Music fans break a sweat dancing in the Sahara Tent during the 2005 Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival.

(Myung J. Chun / Los Angeles Times)

A man rides a tall bicycle in a field at Coachella

Allen Writhen, of Santa Maria, takes a spin on a bicycle at the Cyclecide arena at Coachella 2005. Cyclecide, a San Francisco–based bicycle rodeo group, brought bike-centric art installations to Coachella for multiple years.

(Myung J. Chun / Los Angeles Times)

2006

Technically Depeche Mode and Tool headlined Coachella in 2006, but neither of those is the act everyone remembers from that year. Daft Punk brought out its elaborate pyramid stage and changed the festival and dance music. It was also the year that Madonna surprised Coachella fans by performing in the Sahara Tent. Kanye West was added to the lineup two days before the festival.

Daft Punk performs in helmets in a pyramid

One of the most iconic moments in Coachella’s history was the performance by French electronic duo Daft Punk at the 2006 festival.

(Spencer Weiner / Los Angeles Times)

Madonna holds a microphone and points toward the audience onstage

Madonna surprised Coachella fans by making her festival debut in the Sahara Tent in 2006.

(Spencer Weiner / Los Angeles Times)

A woman in a metal structure of circles above the crowd on the field at Coachella

Alisa Davis, of Las Vegas, enjoys the music and the view at Coachella 200 from Michael Christian’s climbable sculpture “Hypha.”

(Spencer Weiner / Los Angeles Times)

A man wears a black vest and holds his hand above his eyes in front of a ball that says Angel Love Droop

Dave Gahan and Depeche Mode headlined the opening night of Coachella 2006.

(Spencer Weiner / Los Angeles Times)

2007

Coachella expanded to three days in 2007 with headliners Bjork, Red Hot Chili Peppers and Rage Against the Machine. Amy Winehouse performed to an overflowing Gobi Tent. However, it was the reunited Rage that made headlines, particularly when Zack de la Rocha called for the George W. Bush administration to be “hung and tried and shot” for war crimes during “Wake Up.”

Zack de la Rocha of Rage Against The Machine sings into a microphone. Tom Morello plays guitar behind him

Zack de la Rocha called for the Bush administration to be tried for war crimes during Rage Against the Machine’s reunion set at Coachella 2007.

(Spencer Weiner / Los Angeles Times)

A Field of Sunflower robots with solar panels on a field at Coachella

Stefano Corazza’s “A Field of Sunflower Robots” was one of the interactive art installations at Coachella 2007.

(Spencer Weiner / Los Angeles Times )

British flag and a Canadian flag planted at a tent in the Coachella campground

Raising the flag, music fans from all over the world set up camp at Coachella 2007.

(Spencer Weiner / Los Angeles Times)

Woman wearing a bikini top dances in the dark with the motion blur of lights around her

Abigail Plumhof traveled from New York to Indio for Coachella 2007.

(Spencer Weiner / Los Angeles Times)

2008

Prince was added as a headliner two weeks before the festival began and performed a cover of Radiohead’s “Creep” that is still talked about. It was also the one year that there was a dedicated Coachella Express Amtrak train from Los Angeles to Indio. Jack Johnson headlined the first night and Roger Waters closed the main stage, performing Pink Floyd’s “Dark Side of the Moon” and letting a giant inflatable pig loose in the sky.

Prince stands behind a microphone with his arms outstretched and in the air

Prince headlined Saturday night of Coachella 2008, performing a memorable cover of Radiohead’s “Creep.”

(Spencer Weiner / Los Angeles Times)

People dance on a train with a live DJ

Kestrin Pantera dances while Marc Goldstein DJs aboard a special Amtrak charter, the Coachella Express, which traveled from Los Angeles to Indio in 2008. The free train service provided transportation to Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival attendees.

(Spencer Weiner / Los Angeles Times)

Roger Waters plays the guitar

Roger Waters performed Pink Floyd’s “Dark Side of the Moon” during the final day of Coachella 2008. His set also included a giant inflatable pig that was let loose into the Indio night.

(Spencer Weiner / Los Angeles Times)

People dance around a person wearing stilts

A dance circle develops inside the Do Lab at the 2008 Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival.

(Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times)

2009

Coachella 2009 marked the final year the general public could buy single-day tickets to the festival. Paul McCartney headlined opening night and played 50-plus minutes after curfew. When The Cure tried the same thing to close down Sunday, the sound was cut earlier. Sandwiched in between was a headlining set from The Killers. Other notable performers included M.I.A., who stepped in after Amy Winehouse dropped off the lineup, Morrissey, who complained about the smell of burning flesh, and Leonard Cohen.

Paul McCartney on stage with his bass and a fist in the air

Paul McCartney headlined the main stage at Coachella 2009 in a career-spanning set that went nearly an hour past the 1 a.m. curfew.

(Spencer Weiner / Los Angeles Times)

People sit around a tower of wooden pallets and catch shade

Festivalgoers find shade in the Do Lab at Coachella 2009.

(Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times)

M.I.A. wears a captain's hat as she performs on stage

M.I.A. stepped in to perform at Coachella 2009 after Amy Winehouse dropped off the lineup.

(Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times)

a large bamboo tower lit up at night

“Bamboo Starscraper” was a 90-foot-tall bamboo tower by Gerard Minakawa that was part of the art at the festival in 2009.

(Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times)

2010

This year was the first time the festival only offered three-day passes and Coachella drew a record 75,000 people per day, up nearly 15,000 from the previous year. It was also the year Coachella had its first rap headliner with Jay-Z, who brought out wife Beyoncé to perform “Young Forever.” The other headliners in 2010 were Muse and Gorillaz. The eruption of an Icelandic volcano kept some artists from getting to the festival, including The Cribs and Frightened Rabbit. Then there was Sly Stone’s oft-delayed set that ended with him ranting about his former manager and led to a slander lawsuit. The full festival was also livestreamed for the first time.

 Jay Z wears sunglasses and holds a microphone in his arms stretched out above his head

In 2010, Jay-Z became the first rapper to headline Coachella. He brought out wife Beyoncé as a surprise guest.

(Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times)

Members of the Old Crow Medicine Show jam in a grassy area

Members of the Old Crow Medicine Show jam in the VIP area of the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival at the Empire Polo Club in Indio in 2010.

(Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times)

DJ Lance Rock leaps above the Yo Gabba Gabba colorful creatures

DJ Lance Rock and the creatures of “Yo Gabba Gabba!” performed at Coachella in 2010.

(Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times)

People dance and cheer inside the Sahara Tent at Coachella at night

The crowd reacts during Benny Benassi’s DJ set in the Sahara Tent at Coachella 2010.

(Jay L. Clendenin/Los Angeles Times)

2011

Kanye West closed out Coachella 2011, the year before the fest expanded to double weekends, with a theatrical main stage set that featured dozens of dancers. He co-headlined with The Strokes on a lineup that also included Kings of Leon and Arcade Fire, the latter of which dropped giant light-up LED balls on the crowd as part of the performance.

Kanye West raps into a microphone with dancers behind him

Kanye West had an elaborate headlining set with dancers to close Coachella 2011.

(Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times)

a fan crowd-surfs at Coachella

A concertgoer crowd-surfs as Death From Above 1979 performed at Coachella 2011.

(Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times)

Giant LED balls bounce around the Coachella crowd while Arcade Fire plays

Arcade Fire dropped giant balloons that had LED lights in them during its 2011 Coachella headlining set.

(Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times)

A woman gets sprayed with water while other people cool off in the shade at Coachella

Concertgoers cool off at Coachella 2011.

(Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times)

2012

In 2012, Coachella added a second weekend. It also marked the first time in Coachella history when the famously sunny desert festival received rain. The big moment of the festival was the Tupac Shakur hologram that appeared on stage with Dr. Dre and Snoop Dogg during their headlining performance. The other artists topping the bill included The Black Keys — who brought out John Fogerty for a Levon Helm tribute Weekend 2 — Radiohead, Pulp and Swedish House Mafia. Attendance was estimated at 85,000 people per weekend.

Snoop Dogg and a hologram of 2pac

Snoop Dogg performs with a hologram of Tupac Shakur near the end of the Snoop Dogg and Dr. Dre’s headlining set at Coachella 2012.

(Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times)

Three women wear rain gear and two have sunglasses at coachella

Laura Newton, left, Lucy Holme and Louise Watkins from Britain attended their first Coachella in 2012 and protected themselves from the rain that swept in on opening day with garbage bags.

(Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times)

David Guetta behind his DJ setup with lasers and pointing his finger in the air

David Guetta brought lots of lasers to his performance in the Sahara Tent at Coachella 2012.

(Jay L. Clendenin/Los Angeles Times)

Aerial shot of the Coachella Festival with thousands of people in front of a stage with the mountains in the background

An aerial view of the 2012 Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival.

(Arkasha Stevenson / Los Angeles Times)

2013

Blur and The Stone Roses shared headlining duties on opening night in a celebration of Britpop while Phoenix and the Red Hot Chili Peppers also had headlining turns during the weekends, the latter battling a nasty dust storm Weekend 1. The house-centric (and air-conditioned) nightclub-like Yuma Tent also made its debut in 2013. Art collective Poetic Kinetics brought “Helix Poeticus,” colloquially known as the Coachella Snail, to Indio.

a couple of dozen festival goers walk in front of a giant snail sculpture

“Helix Poeticus,” created by Poetic Kinetics makes its way, slowly, across the polo field at Coachella 2013.

(Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times)

Flea of the Red Hot Chili Peppers plays the bass and pouts on stage

Flea of the Red Hot Chili Peppers headlined Sunday night at the 2013 Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival.

(Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times)

dozens of people dance inside a tent with disco balls

The Yuma Tent made its debut at Coachella 2013 with air conditioning, a hardwood floor and comfy chairs.

(Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times)

 Twin Tesla Coils, go off with colorful palm trees in the background

Tesla coils by artist Syd Klinge go off along with the “Coachella Power Station,” left, by artists Vanessa Bonet, Derek Doublin and Chris Waggoner at Coachella 2013.

(Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times)

2014

A reunited Outkast, Muse and Arcade Fire headlined Coachella 2014, but one of the most memorable performances was Pharrell Williams’ star-studded set on the Outdoor Theatre. We also saw the debut of Poetic Kinetics’ “Escape Velocity,” a.k.a. the Coachella astronaut, and the mirrored “Reflection Fields” by Phillip K. Smith among the festival’s major art installations.

A nearly 40-foot tall astronaut is reflected in a mirrored building surrounded by festival goers

A nearly 40-foot tall astronaut, “Escape Velocity” by L.A. art collective Poetic Kinetics, is reflected in “Reflection Fields” by Phillip K. Smith at the 2014 Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival.

(Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times)

Andre 3000 of Outkast performs inside a screen box

Andre 3000 of Outkast performs inside a screen box opening day of the 2014 festival. Andre 3000 and Big Boi reunited for the festival.

(Bethany Mollenkof / Los Angeles Times)

thousands of people inside the Sahara Tent

Fans pack the Sahara Tent for the performance of Showtek at Coachella 2014.

(Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times)

 Pharell Williams performs on a stage wearing a hat

Pharell Williams performs at the second weekend of the 2014 Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival.

(Jay L. Clendenin/Los Angeles Times)

2015

AC/DC, Jack White and Drake headlined, the latter bringing out Madonna for a smooch, but Florence + The Machine was one of the breakout performances from the year, literally. Florence Welch broke her foot Weeken d 1. This year also featured some of the most memorable art in the festival’s history, with the hippos running “Corporate Headquarters” and the transformation of Poetic Kinetics’ Coachella caterpillar into a butterfly.

Angus Young duck walks on stage with his guitar

Angus Young duck walked in his traditional schoolboy uniform during AC/DC’s Coachella 2015 headlining performance.

(Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times)

colorful butterfly sculpture surrounded by music fans at Coachella

Music fans flock to “Desiderium Eruca,” Poetic Kinetics’ large butterfly sculpture that replaced the “Papilio Merraculous” caterpillar sculpture at Coachella 2015.

(Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times)

Florence Welch's hair swirls around her as she hits a tambourine

Florence + The Machine was one of the memorable performances at Coachella 2015. Singer Florence Welch broke her foot when she leaped from the stage during Weekend 1.

(Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times)

Aerial performers on a hoop above thousands of fans under a colorful tent

Aerial performers spin above the crowd at the Do Lab at Coachella 2015.

(Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times)

2016

Guns N’ Roses reunited for the festival, where singer Axl Rose performed from a throne after breaking his foot at a warm-up show at the Troubadour a week before. The festival also included performances from Ice Cube (with a reunion of N.W.A) and Mavis Staples as well as headlining sets from the reunited LCD Soundsystem and Calvin Harris, who brought out Rihanna.

Axl Rose performs from a lit up throne while elevating his leg

After breaking his foot the week before Coachella 2016 during Guns N’ Roses’ Troubadour warm-up show, Axl Rose performed on stage at Coachella atop the motorized throne Dave Grohl previously used on tour after breaking his leg.

(Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times)

people pose for a selfie in front of a sign that says "Besame Mucho" made of flowers

Alejandro Murcia and Wanda Quintero take a photo in front of R&R Studios’ “Besame Mucho” installation at Coachella 2016. The typographic sign was covered in silk flowers and is among the more memorable art pieces from the year. Today, the installation lives on at Miami International Airport.

(Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times)

Ice Cube raps into a microphone on stage

Ice Cube’s performance at Coachella in 2016 led to an on-stage reunion with the surviving members of N.W.A, featuring MC Ren and DJ Yella Weekend 1 with Dr. Dre joining them on Weekend 2.

(Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times)

two people hold hands and jump in front of a large yellow sculpture

Brian Sneed and Claudia Jerez jump as a friend takes their photo in front of the “Katrina Chairs” art installation at Coachella 2016.

(Katie Falkenberg / Los Angeles Times)

2017

Beyoncé was originally supposed to headline Coachella in 2017 but was pregnant, so Lady Gaga stepped in. Kendrick Lamar and Radiohead also headlined, with the former releasing “Damn.” on the first day of the festival. Hans Zimmer brought an orchestra and performed his biggest music from the movies too. The festival grounds expanded 20 acres and Coachella boosted capacity from 99,000 to 125,000 people. This year was also the debut of the Sonora Tent, which offers air-conditioning and rock club vibes.

Lady Gaga on a human pyramid of dancers at Coachella

The first time Lady Gaga headlined Coachella was in 2017 and it was because she stepped in after Beyoncé had to postpone due to her pregnancy.

(Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times)

People take photos in a mirrored art installation at Coachella during sunset

Crowds of people take photos of Gustavo Prado’s art piece “Lamp Beside the Golden Door”at Coachella 2017. The sculpture featured more than 2,100 mirrors.

(Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times)

Kendrick Lamar holds a microphone and has his other palm out

Kendrick Lamar released “Damn.” the Friday of Coachella 2017 Weekend 1, two days before his headlining performance that included ninjas.

(Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times)

A woman poses for a photo in front of a large sculpture with people walking across a field behind her

Olalekan Jeyifous’ 50-foot-tall “Crown Ether” treehouse art installation provided a backdrop for photos at Coachella 2017.

(Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times)

2018

Coachella was already regarded globally as a music festival. Then Beyoncé turned Coachella into the pop culture moment of the year. Coachella became Beychella and her Homecoming performance was nothing short of epic, even becoming its own Netflix special. Beyond Beyoncé, Eminem and The Weeknd headlined, but one of the other standouts was Cardi B’s TLC-inspired performance on the main stage. On the grounds, 2018 was the year “Spectra,” the cylindrical rainbow tower, became part of the festival’s landscape.

Beyonce performs on stage in front of confetti

Beyoncé’s stunning headlining performance at Coachella 2018 celebrated America’s historically Black colleges and universities. Her set also featured cameos from husband Jay-Z, sister Solange and a Destiny’s Child reunion.

(Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times)

Ferris wheel and a cylinder rainbow tower with people walking by at sunset

The rainbow-colored cylindrical tower “Spectra” made its debut at Coachella in 2018.

(Christina House / Los Angeles Times)

Cardi B sings into a microphone, flanked by a dozen dancers all in white

Cardi B performed a set inspired by TLC at Coachella in 2018.

(Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times)

People walk by metal sculptures at dusk with palm trees in the background

Festival goers walk in front of Edoardo Tresoldi’s “Etherea” wire mesh cathedral structures and Randy Polumbo’s “Lodestar,” which was made with the fuselage of a military jet, at Coachella 2018.

(Maria Alejandra Cardona / Los Angeles Times)

2019

Ariana Grande, Childish Gambino and Tame Impala headlined Coachella in 2019, but the big memories from that year were the rise of artists like Bad Bunny and Billie Eilish as they were becoming bona fide superstars. Arguably the most memorable performance of the year wasn’t even during normal festival hours — it was when Kanye West held a Sunday Service in the campgrounds on Easter Sunday during Weekend 2. Meanwhile, to mark Coachella’s 20th year, Poetic Kinetics brought back the famous roving Coachella astronaut in a new form as “Overview Effect.”

Bad Bunny wears colorful visor sunglasses and a colorful shirt while performing

Bad Bunny’s set at Coachella 2019 included a guest spot from J Balvin.

(Mariah Tauger / Los Angeles Times)

Kanye West surrounded by people wearing similar faded maroon and mauve sweatsuits while thousands of people watch from a hill

Kanye West’s Easter Sunday Service happened outside of the main festival grounds during Weekend 2 of the Coachella 2019.

(Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times)

A giant astronaut sculpture points at the sun with a Ferris wheel in the background and concertgoers in the foreground

“Overview Effect,” a roaming astronaut sculpture made by Poetic Kinetics, roams around the 2019 Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival at the Empire Polo Club grounds in Indio.

(Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times)

Fans cheer as confetti rains down on them

Fans go wild as confetti drops during Tame Impala’s headlining performance at Coachella 2019.

(Mariah Tauger / Los Angeles Times)

2022

After the coronavirus pandemic canceled Coachella in 2020 and 2021, fans were excited to be back at the polo grounds in 2022. L.A. native Billie Eilish rose to headliner status, along with Harry Styles. Kanye West was supposed to headline Sunday night but canceled two weeks before the fest and was replaced by The Weeknd and Swedish House Mafia.

Silhouette of Billie Eilish holding a microphone

Billie Eilish’s 2022 Coachella headlining turn included a guest spot from Damon Albarn to join her for “Getting Older” and “Feel Good Inc.”

(Dania Maxwell / Los Angeles Times)

Fans in the front row wear turquoise wigs and take photos

Wearing the signature blue wigs of Karol G, music fans cheered the star as she arrived on the main stage at Coachella 2022.

(Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)

The Weeknd wears gloves and leans back as he sings into a microphone

Swedish House Mafia x The Weeknd became a last-minute headliner replacement for Kanye West at Coachella 2022.

(Christina House / Los Angeles Times)

A woman with a fedora stands in front of a colorful half circle art installation at dusk

One of the largest art installations at Coachella 2022 was Cristopher Cichocki’s “Circular Dimensions x Microscape,” which was made with more than 25,000 feet of PVC tubes and was five stories tall. At night, images were projected on the piece.

(Christina House / Los Angeles Times)

2023

Bad Bunny and Blackpink headlined both weekends of the 2023 festival. Frank Ocean gave a divisive performance Weekend 1 before dropping off the Weekend 2 lineup. A reunited Blink-182 was initially a surprise addition to the festival’s bill and played in the Sahara Tent Weekend 1 before moving to the main stage to help fill the gap left by Ocean Weekend 2. The festival also added a combo of Skrillex, Fred Again.. and Four Tet to replace the absent headliner.

Bad Bunny holds a microphone in the air

Bad Bunny performs at Coachella Weekend 1 in 2023.

(Christina House / Los Angeles Times)

People walk by an X-shaped art piece at dusk

People walk by Güvenç Özel’s sculpture “Holoflux” at Coachella 2023.

(Christina House / Los Angeles Times)

Wearing pink and holding a pink microphone, Doechii sings on stage as she leans back

Doechii performs at Coachella 2023.

(Dania Maxwell / Los Angeles Times)

Blink-182 plays on a stage. Mark Hoppus is mid air

A reunited Blink-182 joined the Coachella 2023 lineup days before the festival. The band played in the Sahara Tent during Weekend 1 before moving to the main stage Weekend 2 to help fill the gap left by headliner Frank Ocean dropping off the bill.

(Dania Maxwell / Los Angeles Times)

2024

Lana del Rey, Tyler, the Creator and Doja Cat headlined the festival in 2024, but one of the big draws was the reunion of No Doubt, who brought out Olivia Rodrigo. Sabrina Carpenter, who is headlining the 2026 festival, also performed on the main stage during the day. The big changes in 2024 were that the main festival grounds expanded with a larger Sahara Tent on the southern end of the site and the addition of the Quasar Stage.

Tyler, the Creator, dressed as a park ranger, holds his hands out on the catwalk of a stage

Tyler, the Creator’s headlining set at Coachella 2024 featured the rapper dressed as a park ranger and an elaborate national park-like stage set.

(Dania Maxwell / Los Angeles Times)

Gwen Stefani raises her hands in the air

Gwen Stefani of No Doubt performs at Coachella 2024. The band reunited for the festival and brought out Olivia Rodrigo as a guest.

(Christina House / Los Angeles Times)

 Doja Cat sings into a microphone while surrounded by yetis

Doja Cat was the Sunday night headliner at Coachella 2024 and her performance included dancers dressed like yetis.

(Dania Maxwell / Los Angeles Times)

Chappell Roan kicks as she dances across a stage with a microphone

Chappell Roan was one of the breakout stars at Coachella 2024.

(Dania Maxwell / Los Angeles Times)

2025

Lady Gaga, Green Day and Post Malone headlined the festival, but other memorable moments included Benson Boone and his acrobatics, Gustavo Dudamel conducting the L.A. Phil and a surprise appearance by Sen. Bernie Sanders.

Profile shot of Billie Joe Armstrong of Green Day playing the guitar on stage

Billie Joe Armstrong of Green Day performs on the main stage at Coachella 2025.

(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)

 Benson Boone leaps over Queen guitarist Brian May

Benson Boone leaps over Queen guitarist Brian May at Coachella 2025.

(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)

A woman poses for a picture at sunset

Emma Liu poses for pictures at sunset at Coachella 2025.

(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)

Gustavo Dudamel conducts the L.A. Phil at Coachella

Gustavo Dudamel conducts the L.A. Phil at Coachella 2025.

(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)

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