Within the past decade, countless music festivals have begun popping up all around the world, becoming a central location for music lovers, performers, and unparalleled energy. Coachella began setting itself apart from other previously established concerts within its first few years and listeners far & wide have since headed off to the valley for the 3 day event. This once in a lifetime show played host to some of biggest artists in the world, but does it still hold this ranking amidst the thousands of others?
Billboard | Glenn Rowley | SM Entertainment
Between Bonaroo, Made In America, Rolling Loud, Austin City Limits, and Governers Ball, more of these unique live performances are giving their audience a different spin on outdoor concert going. These other festivals are beginning to reign supreme for its uncomplicated locations, lower price, and gathering a better and more artistically consistent lineup.
Since Coachella's birth in 1999, they've had countless rare artists headline their shows and even prioritize indie & smaller artists to give them a chance to showcase their talent, connect with music lovers, and be discovered by thousands. In addition to these budding musicians, some of the most prominent names in the music industry have taken the main stage, such as Beyoncé, Eminem, Ariana Grande, Radiohead, and more. What truly set them apart from other festivals was their ability to get artists who tour rarely onto one center stage.
In the 2010s and more recently, the Coachella festival has become an epitome of pop culture, where influencers and celebrities from across the globe head on over to California for the 6 day show dates. Its peak popularity peak amongst the masses led to instantaneous sell outs of their tickets.
Billie Eilish | Youtube
Although Coachella seemed to be leading in successes each year, more fresh & new festivals have begun taking precedent due to more artists favoring these lesser known shows in other major cities. Not only are artists choosing to perform on a different stage that coincides with their touring schedules and is an easier commitment, but fans are growing tired of the difficulty surrounding the Coachella weekends.
In addition to logistics not quite lining up, the massive multi-weekend show has become so large that artists aren't finding these as fulfilling musically as smaller venues seem to be.
Presently, fans are not able to financially afford the high ticket prices of Coachella, not inclusive of travel, stay, food, and more. Due to the vacant grounds of the music festival, it brings difficulty to other aspects of the event with nearby vendors racking up the price due to sheer volume. Although other festival tickets are priced similarly, their location and ease of transportation makes the show more viable.
Coachella | Twitter | Tyler the Creator
Following the release of this year's Coachella lineup, fans were quick to backlash its incohesive performance list and its underwhelming headliners. In prior years, they've had exclusive headliners such as Frank Ocean, Lady Gaga, Red Hot Chili Peppers, and Harry Styles, whose tour dates are limited are don't perform live. Many fans believe that this years' doesn't feel as exclusive as the years preceding and were quick to head over on social media to voice their opinions on the randomization of the guest list as the selection felt more like a last minute rush to finalize the festival.
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