What was once dubbed “America’s Most Iconic Music Festival” by Rolling Stone and the early 2000s. Coachella was the cultural landmark. The music festival that wasn’t just for the Instagram pictures or YouTube videos, but the festival that created some of the most iconic moments of music history. From the legendary lineups of 2006 featuring Daft Punk and Madonna, to selling out within 40 minutes in 2015, Coachella made history earning up to $114 million in profits in 2017 alone. But when we skip past the best song and look at the most recent album, 2025 Coachella never sold out. What happened to what once was America’s most iconic music festival?
The Peak and prime
Let’s rewind to the 7th song on the playlist, the 7th year of Coachella: 2006. Controversially considered the peak of Coachella, the lineup included Daft Punk’s pyramid show, Madonna’s debut, and Tool’s set. The blend of indie, pop, electronic, and rock music curated and cultivated a crowd of fans that treasured the importance of the industry. Respecting the experimental core of music, there was an emphasis on artistry and alternative music. As a result, both the performances and the audience represented what the music festival was supposed to be: a raw and pure experience of enjoying music.
Daft Punk’s performance in particular, is often referred to as the most famous Coachella performance ever. The French house music duo came back to do their first show in the United States after almost a decade. The music, the artists, even down to the pyramid setup, altered the trajectory of live electro-music decades later. Marked as the “birth of EDM”, artists like Steve Aoki would be inspired to carry on the performance quality Daft Punk pioneered.
peak to plateau
After lineups and performances like the year of 2006, it’s not surprising that Coachella continued to ride the wave of excitement and hype through 2017. According to the GRAMMYs, with the 2017 festival raking in more than $114 million, it was the first recording festival to surpass $100 million in a single year. So, what caused America’s favorite music festival to plateau in ticket sales? Is it the end of the Coachella playlist?
The short answer is no, but it isn’t selling out albums either. Despite headliners like Lady Gaga, in 2025, Weekend One took about a month to sell out and Weekend Two never sold out. This is a stark contrast to 2017 when tickets sold out within 40 minutes or even 2022 with them selling out after four hours. Why?
The first chord to note is the noticeable shifts in both genre and artist selection. Headliners in 2017 and before, weren’t as flexible with trends. In 2025, there is a clear distinction as Coachella seems to attempt to attract a more “TikTok-viral crowd”. Hiring global pop stars and artists that mainly have a strong following base from TikTok-related activities, it is strongly suspected that the presence of social media has influenced the event’s choice of artists.
The second chord to note is the “Influencer Effect”. With social media influencers accepting brand deals to attend the event, the music festival quickly turned into a marketing event. Influencers would be completely sponsored by fashion, health, beauty brands, etc. to promote their product. Seen as another opportunity for companies to advertise their product, this in turn, eventually affected the festival’s value by the public. Social media viewers quickly took note of how commercialized the experience became with how the focus turned to creating content instead of creating an enjoyable culture.
The last and final chord (or straw) is the struggle between supply and demand. Despite ticket sales decreasing, the prices for Coachella have not followed the pattern. With resale value going below retail, it’s harder for the average person in America to feel that the experience is worth the price. Prices of shelter, food, clothing, anything that would be needed to truly enjoy the event, only contribute to the feeling of it not being worth it. Furthermore, concert-goers have expressed a dystopian feeling when noting the differences between VIP and non-VIP guests. With VIP tickets costing $1000s, in this economy, it isn’t difficult to understand why Coachella might seem farther and farther out of reach.
A Coachella renaissance?
Despite the recent change in Coachella’s audience and popularity, 2025 proved to be memorable year. With The Guardian, already noting it being viewed by some as an unofficial comeback, it was significant for both new and nostalgic artists. With smaller East Asian artists like Indo Warehouse celebrating their culture on stage, it just might be the mark of a new era.
If Coachella is able to return to the purpose that made the festival so special, I believe there is strong potential for a revival. That purpose being, to provide a musical escape for people that want to appreciate artists and provide an opportunity for experimentation. If the festival is able to balance the old and the new era of music, while continuing to appeal to both the working and upper class, I believe it would prove to be a well-worth investment. After all, Coachella’s song hasn’t come to an end just yet. Will you be there at the next one?