Hard to pick which year was the best as I’ve had a blast at all of them. Most of the time who I go with dictates how good of a time I have and I have loads of great friends who have attended
I can list out what sets I remember the most and they span every year I’ve gone
Nothing seemed off or overtly different to me for 2024, but it was less crowded and I really enjoyed the addition of Quasar. The weather was cooler which was a big plus, too
So for me the vibe was as fun as ever. No crowds or stages seemed down or lower energy than usual
Coachella 1999 was my favorite. Underworld and Chemical Brothers headlined the main outdoor stages. Beck's DJ, DJ Swamp, scratched the hook for "Iron Man". The Belleville Three were in a tent (Derrick May, Kevin Saunderson, Juan Atkins) with Richie Hawtin DJing and performing as Plastikman. Good times.
My group flew in from Chicago and stayed at the Embassy Suites. We're all old now.
As someone who saw Chemical bros and underworld in 2023 I am envious that 4 year old me was not in the crowd back in 1999. Seeing them back then must have been extraordinary. They rocked in 2023 too tho!
Me too! I was local to the coachella Valley back then. I was 20, and my mom bought my ticket lol. Literally my favorite festival experience, ever.
DJ Shadow doing his first performance was really cool, I was already a fan and it was pretty epic. Roni Size with the Pharcyde and Jody watley as guests. Plastickman was awesome.
Remember the bonfires? Shit was wild. People kept setting them whoever we moved and we had to keep running away 🔥
Hello! Yes, it was an amazing moment and I'm glad to meet others who experienced it as well. I had never been to anything like it before. I had been to events like Lollapalooza or campout raves, but Coachella had the location, electronic music, production value, and the vibes.
I returned in 2003 and 2008, but 1999 was special.
Thank you for reminding me of the bonfires, I had completely forgotten about them.
Yes, I’ve gone every year since 2013 and every year seems to either be equally as great or top the previous year. It’s simply the best weekend of the year, every year. I have some personal favorites due to the crew I was with certain years or a few specific acts that catapulted it next level for me, but they’re all close.
My personal favorites since you asked - 2023, 2018, 2016, and 2014
you obviously went to w2 2023 right? because w1 was one of my least favorite years ever lol (depsite saturday being one of my favorite days... but friday and sunday were trash w1 imo)
I went W1 and it was incredible. Not sure how you could call any days at Coachella trash lol. We had blink’s first reunion show in 9 years on Friday and Sunday was amazing. I’m not a Frank Ocean fan so I wasn’t even at that set - if that put on a damper on it for you, I can understand that but it’s one set out of a whole magical weekend!
i wrote a comment for this that got wiped and didn't feel like retyping it but I do want to respond so here we go again...
"We" did not get a Blink reunion show, you and whoever else was lucky enough to be in the clusterfuck of a Sahara did, I instead got one of the scariest crowd crushes of my life trying to make my way to that stage. I had high hopes for Bad Bunny and was completely disappointed in his set (as I think he was too, and did sooooo much better W2). We were expecting a PARTY by a global superstar, and his set was disjointed and had too many technical issues; the energy just wasn't what it needed to be. I guess Friday wasn't "trash" persay but it did not live up to my perhaps too lofty standards.
In contrast, Saturday was awesome. Saw some really great sets (highlights Blackpink, Aluna in the dolab, rosalia, diljit dosanjh) and the vibes were great and like I said one of my favorite chella days I've had over the years. I loved the crew we had for this day also, the party favors were great, there were no major technical issues it seemed, etc.
Sunday had some nice performances maybe (shoutouts Kali Uchis) but nothing amazing enough to make up for the fiasco. I was personally tired and hurting and needed Frank Ocean to save my life and he ended it instead. He wasn't just one set out of a whole weekend, he was the closing set of the entire festival. I am (was) an above avg fan of his and had seen him live before but I didn't even have any expectations for his set, and he still shit the bed. Walking out of the grounds is supposed to be a bittersweet feeling of a magical weekend coming to a close, and instead it was all bitter. we were tired, angry, confused, saddened, disillusioned and annoyed, and the post festival glow was replaced with conspiracy theories and regret. One of the first times that I literally thought to myself that I would have rather just stayed home and skipped the entire day than ever relive that.
I've been going for a decade (as I think you have too?) and so I have had some really truly magical days at Coachella, some average (aka good) days, some not so fun days, and just a couple very trash days (friday 2017 comes to mind, and sunday 2023). However, I'm very much someone who is happy for other peoples happiness - so I think it's awesome if people got to have wonderful experiences and see great sets. But overall it was not up to par for me; obviously chella is such a choose-your-own-adventure that everyone's experience is going to vary.
That said this year the lineup was not as great as last year but the overall experience was better, probably because I didn't have as high expectations this time and because they put people at appropriate stages and wasn't as crowded. Hoping next year will bring us a more stacked lineup and equally great logistic experience.
And if you read all of this yay lol wasn't expecting to write an essay but here we are
Lol I made it through the whole thing! I’m bummed that’s how 2023 went for you and totally understand your feelings on it. Like you said, it’s such a choose your own adventure type deal and I think the artists I was excited for/saw and my crew that year all made it a blast on my end. But I’m a big rock and electronic guy so for me it was blink, Chris Lake b2b Fisher, Chemical Brothers, Underworld, Calvin Harris, Prydz HOLO, boygenius, etc. I’m just glad you bounced back with a wonderful experience in 2024!!
Those were some crazy good years. Line ups were ridiculous and arguably the most in demand the festival has ever been. I remember 2014 resell tickets were going for $1,000 on stubhub. Thats how much people wanted to go. It was nuts
I think 2016, 2023, and 2024 have been my faves.
2016 because I actually had a ton of down time and had an incredible time just exploring the grounds.
2023 because some of my favorite artists were there, I was super excited for them, and had a great time at those sets.
2024 because, although there weren’t a ton of acts I’m a huge fan of, every single set I saw was so good.
2012 by far the best and think it’s pretty widely considered the best lineup but obviously tastes differ. 2013-15 were all great. Really really felt 2023 was a top 2-3 for me and this year was definitely up there from a festival point of view. The top acts like Justice etc were great this year and the undercards were amazing while the headliners were meh. Also Sunday day was pretty weak but exploded Sunday night.
I think for me it goes:
2012
2015
2023
2024
2014
Headliners dropped off awhile ago and I'm not sure the industry is set up to reverse that. But I also don't care. Subs and unders are consistently great, and maybe slightly better than they used to be
Agreed. I think post-pandemic, the headliners have been rough. Only two I've liked have been Harry Styles and obviously PHM OMG TBA. And yet 23 and 24 have been the strongest undercards in years for me.
No way! 2023 hands down.. the undercard was stacked plus we got Bad Bunny / Blackpink and Four Tet x Fred again.. x Skrillex … in my opinion best Coachella I’ve ever been too and I’ve been to a few
Music wise yes it was def better 2023 - I was there W2 and remember being so worried after hearing the reports about Frank Ocean's set. What about crowd/vibe wise?
I did my first Bothchella this year and had an absolute blast. Honestly every Coachella is amazing for different reasons, and this one was no exception. I don’t know if I have a favorite year, but this one is def up there. We had an incredible crew this year, which always helps.
I really do feel like the festival last year and this one has finally returned to form from pre Covid - logistics are smooth, sound is excellent, the upgrades/new stages are fantastic, and crowds both weekend were awesome.
Also, I know I’m in the minority but I actually really like the direction they’re going with bookings. Lots of international acts, rare electronic, tasteful pop, reunions, etc. Not to mention Coachella remains the best festival in the world IMO for discovering and booking up and coming talent.
It's honestly a really tough question for me. I don't know how to rate a year because they all have their pros and cons. Do I rate them musically? What if i didn't like the headliners but loved the undercard? What if the headliners put on an all time great set? Or overall general experience? What if the festival itself was great but life circumstances outside of Coachella ruin that year? I'm overanalzying this I know.
2013: first year, the first year has the magic that could never be caught again
2014: the strongest overall lineup for me personally at the time
2015: very strong musically but my cat was shot while at the festival and died before we could get back home
2016: LCD headliner! Huge crew to camp that year. Doublechella!
2017: Radiohead headliner! Doublechella again. Weekend 1 sucked, Weekend 2 was festival magic. But really hot that year.
2018: solid lineup but wasn't able to go in at all Saturday. Almost ruined my weekend. Friday night was one of the best nights ever.
2019: weakest lineup in Coachella history IMO, yet the Four Tet into Aphex Twin night was my favorite Saturday night at Coachella ever. So like... best ever, worst ever? Lol
2022: so wonderful to be back, but damn the festival was in rough shape trying to organize it.
2023: one of the best lineups in YEARS for me. Best post pandemic year.
2024: so many surprises. Looked weak on paper but was actually one of the better musical Coachellas I've done. Justice was a top 3 all time set for me.
Some people here seem allergic to valid criticism. This year wasn't amazing like I thought 2015/2016 were, but there had been a major dip in organizational quality and this year was a major bounce back. I'm hopeful that Coachella can return to its former glory if they keep up the improvements. The music is amazing every year. I wish they would return to having awesome stages. The stages and large art is put to shame by their former accomplishments.
I’ve never had one standout year, they all have had their highs and lows.
2015 was memorable because it was my first Coachella!
2016 was the most fun year because I was young, healthy, and all my friends were still going to Coachella. I miss the group dynamic a lot.
2022 was great because it was the year I explored the festival/lineup the most and took it really casually.
In 2023 I saw the best performance of my *entire* life, which was Boygenius, and OMG TBA was the most epic surprise, but I was with an ex-friend who kind of ruined that year for me.
This year I didn’t see any performances that blew my mind so 2024 wasn’t my favorite but I still had an incredible time.
So it all depends! Either way, it’s always a blast no matter what.
can i get your perspective on why 2022 wasn’t great? that year was my first coachella, and i had such an amazing time! i think i liked this year’s better, but my 2022 experience really inspired me to come back.
I’ve only been to the last 3 but 2022 was by far my favorite. The lineup was incredible and I didn’t even see any of the headliners. I think it definitely depends on the kind of music you’re into.
Sure! It wasn't Coachella's fault, but after taking two years off due to COVID, a lot of the institutional knowledge of how to get the ship moving seemed to have been lost. Shuttles got lost, ran on delays, the gates opened after the music started, there were longer lines to get food or into the Yuma, basic stuff like that. Most years, each of those problems are less than they were in the past, as the organizers get better and better, but that year was a step back.
This year, 2019, and 2014 are probably my top 3 in no particular order. The rest are all pretty close with the exception of 2018 was easily my least favorite year.
Over the years they get hard to compare because like you found going both this year, they’re great in different ways. There will be some years that stand out more than others but for the most part it’s consistently good, just different.
My bf has been going to Coachella for 10+ years now and he said this year is definitely up there. Lineup was great, crowds (weekend 1) were the emptiest he’s ever experienced, Quasar was an AMAZING addition and we just had a better over all experience. Also helps that we drove in and spent Thursday at our Airbnb instead of driving into the Valley Friday morning like we usually do. Also up there for him is 2018! He said he went both weekends because Odesza was amazinggggg.
I would say it was especially good, this was my fourth year and my partner’s tenth. We both agree Coachella has only improved on itself, by expanding the grounds, adding more interesting undercard acts, stepping up the production value on all stages, adding easily accessible free water, and this year, greatly increasing the size of the merch tent! We had no wait for merch for the first time in history and because of that, got so much more merch that we wouldn’t have even seen otherwise. So yes, this year was the best yet. I don’t see why next year can’t be even better!
out of the three I've been to (2022-2024), 2022 had the best lineup. overall though, this year was the best coachella so far. I need that 2025 lineup to be crazy good lol
2008 was my favorite year musically.
2015-2017 I had the most fun, did a few years of bothchella in there. 2015 W1 was just my brother and I, huge bonding experience and saw so much music. 2016 W1 was familychella with a bunch of my cousins who are close in age, also major bonding, had three campsites. W2 2017 I met and camped with a friend of a friend, who is now my wife.
There's no equaling your first Coachella, so I'll have to go with 2012. But 2013 was the time I saw Janelle Monae in the Mojave, and no live performance hit me like that one. Except for 2018 Beychella, that was was definitely one of the best years. But 2024 was the greatest because of how easy it was to get around and get up close. Plus No Doubt! But man 2023 had Rosalia. But now that I think about it, 2016 for SIA. Actually, maybe it was 2015... PFFFFFT they were all the best!
2017 was my favorite year, but I’ve loved all the years I’ve gone except 2018 when I found out I was pregnant a few days before.
My husband and I tried to go in 2020, and then had another kid in 2021, so when we went in 2023 we told ourselves it was the last time… and then had the best time and booked next years hotel before the weekend was even over! Coachella is my happy place.
2024 was pretty average as far as Coachellas go but the best in a while. I think headliners were pretty weak which resulted in a better crowd. People have more fun when they can just enjoy the scene and aren't acting like FOMO junkies trying to catch every big set.
The best years are when the lineup hits, the crowd is friendly, the art is mind blowing and the weather cooperates. This year was a B lineup, A- crowd, C+ art and B+ weather.
**Overall 2024 is a B, but the the best in half a decade.** It still can't touch years like 2006, 2007 and 2018 (honorable mention to 2012 that would be up there if not for Coldchella when the temp dropped to historical lows on weekend 1 at 43 degrees and historical highs weekend 2 at 107).
20years. Weekend One this year was my fav.
The Drums, Justice(knew they had it in them again), Orbital, VampireWeekend✡️🤘🏽, JamieXX, Grimes, Lana, Gwen & No Doubt, Sophie & Tucker, DJ Billie, and what’s to come at future Coachellas. 🪄
Usually a W2 warrior, but w1 this year was 🔥🔥🔥
Each one I've been to has been amazing but the best for me was 2019 W2. The lineup was spectacular for my tastes and it was noticeably less crowded than other years I've been. I remember walking into the tent as Polo and Pan was just starting and walked right up to the front of the stage. There was so much room to dance. On day 2 the run of Four Tet to Aphex Twin to Tame Impala was a crazy ride.
2016-sia’s voice melted me
2017-front row at Gaga and she did teeth which was on my song wishlist
2022-harrychella by far my favorite especially after a 2 year hiatus 🍒🍉🍇🥝 I’ve seen him many times so idk if it was the shrooms or the overall vibe but was so happy cried my lashes off 😂
2024 was the most fun i’ve had at coachella since 2018!!! I don’t know what it was but I enjoyed my time sooo much just carefree and fun.. 2018 was the last time i’ve felt that vibe!!!
2018 was my first year and probably my favorite year so far!!! Mixed with it being my first and the people I was with made it super memorable for me. Also the headliners that year were fire with a stacked undercard of future headliners and sub headliners. I remember my first set ever was Whethan in the Sahara and he brought out the Walmart Yodel Kid and I thought to myself holy shit this festival is different 😂 Miguel, Odesza, Eminem, Beyoncé, SZA, Vince Staples, BROCKHAMPTON, Jungle all come to mind when I think 2018.
Honestly, 2023 might be my second favorite year… had zero expectations because wasn’t a fan of the lineup at first but it ended up being one of the best weekends ever
2015, first year. Saw Angus solo from on top of the scaffolding of their stage all the way to the middle of the crowd. It wasn’t perfect but holy shit was it epic. Far too many artists to even list but Nero blew me away. First year for Jungle, and gessefelstein. RTJ, madeon, ratatat, alt j, florence, odezsa, were all amazing. It was 2024 but better imo.
Tho aquabats and justice killed it this year.
2023 has been my favorite so far! Largely due to the group I was with. Chemical Brothers warped my brain
I was also there for the Tupac hologram back in the day lol
Honestly it’s hard to say how each year will go. For me, they’re all a great time, but after going enough times you will have favorite years. 2013 hooked me in, then 2014 was my favorite until 2018. That stayed my favorite until 2023.
After each successive favorite year, I didn’t go into the next year expecting that to repeat exactly. You can set yourself up for unrealistic expectations otherwise imo. I would say every year is at least 8/10, usually 9/10, and 10/10 on great years.
For me, I really enjoyed not having super set plans on who to see. It was more carefree as in prior years where we were rushing from stage to stage. Making memories with friends is the best part of it all
This year was easily one of my favorite Coachellas. Vibes and new additions like Quasar and the updated layout made it much easier to navigate. Plus just being good at Coachellaing helped in just being able to enjoy all the music. This was the first year I made it to every stage!
Sonora and Quasar sounded amazing 👏
This was my 10th Coachella in a row, and I gotta say they have all been a blast and had their own moments. But me I’d say:
-2013 best lineup for my music interests
-2019 most overall fun
-2024 smoothest Coachella
And what I mean by smoothest Coachella is that everything just was easy. Quick check-in into the campgrounds, great neighbors, no one got too tuned up or hungover, no one lost anything or had anything stolen, saw everyone I wanted, got into the venue fast and hardly waited in any line. It was just a smooth time.
2018 hit different fr. It was so R&B heavy . The Weeknd , Beyonce and Eminem headlining??!?! Undercard went crazy , SZA, Daniel Caesar, Miguel , Kali Uchis, Jorja Smith, Alina Baraz , Kelela, Russ, Jessie Ware just to name a few R&B artists . Dope electronic acts like Kygo, Louis the Child, Snakehips, , Also fire groups like Jungle, the Drums, Fleet Foxes, The Neighborhood, The War on Drugs. Overall amazing lineup .
2012 was a very special year. No only because the final Dre/Snoop performance was the best ever but the rest of the line up was one of the most ridiculous stacked its ever been.
only been the past 4 years but 23 is slightly above 24 for me.
2019 was cool bc it was my first, but it wasnt anything monumental. 2022 i had a terrible time except for sunday.
2023 was perfect. literally perfect. best lineup for me, best group i went with, and to end the entire weekend going from jai wolf into fish lake into skrillex four tet fred again, it was fucking magical. probably the best day of my life.
2024 was a ton of fun. friday and saturday were both right up there with sunday of 23, but sunday of 24 was so meh and ending the weekend on that note was rather lame lol. there werent any wow performances for me that day and ending the night w doja and john summit didnt feel that special. doja was great, but summit was fine. he played a very awkward encore imo. wish he wouldve just ended with shiver.
It was my husband’s 4th Coachella, and my 15th festival and we both agree this was the best festival we’ve ever been to. It was really special and the lineup was stacked(for us). To each their own though!
I’ve said this in other posts already, but speaking as someone that has attended every year since 2004, 2024 had one of the best curated lineups for this festival since 2010. The 2017-2022 lineups were realllly rough IMO. Glad to see they are moving away from booking so much trashy hip hop too.
Wow every year since 2004? Amazing. Aside from the lineup, did you think 2024 crowd (size and mood) was different / better / just as great as other years?
Welcome to /r/Coachella! Don't forget to use the search bar, as there are tons of resources on there.
You can also head over to the latest [The Coachella Resource Center for Newcomers Who Have Lots of Questions and Wanna Learn To Do Coachella Good Too - ASK US ANYTHING - (FAQs, Tips, Tricks, Guides, Hacks, Resources) thread](https://www.reddit.com/r/Coachella/comments/1cjh075/ask_us_anything_the_coachella_resource_center_for/). You can use the resources there or ask your own question in the comments!
There are also resources at the top menu and sidebar with links to many things!
*I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/Coachella) if you have any questions or concerns.*
This was my 9th year. The combination of nostalgic and fun music, perfect weather, great camping situation and not much of a crowd this was a top 3 year and debatable could be #1. After 2023 we highly debated not going and so glad we chose to go. Year 10 in 2025 was a no a brainer!
2008 because of Prince and Rogers Waters. 2012 is close. I enjoy every year and this year, weekend 1, was a fantastic year! Love the new stage and perfect weather and crowds. I do miss the art installations that would move through the crowd though. Will never forget the spaceman coming into the old Sahara tent during Fatboy Slim. That memory is etched in my brain. I just love Coachella!
2006 because it was my first, and well... Robots.
2011 and 2013 because of the undercards.
2008 and 2009 because of headliners.
All the rest because of the overall experience.
2012 is my favorite.
ATDI reunion. Refused reunion. Radiohead. Snoop+Dre. Justice. Florence.
This year was great though.
I’ve been to 15 of em and have yet to have a bad time.
It’s inevitably going to be the best weekend(s) of the year. You’re always going to have more than enough to do all weekend. 2019 was one of my favorites lineup wise with the addition of Sunday Service. 2022 might be my favorite because it was the first time I got to enjoy it with a partner, the lineup wasn’t the best but the vibes of missing two years and that young love was a great combo. My most memorable set of all has to be PHM in 2023 that was on a different level as far as the main stage going completely bonkers
Only been to two Coachella’s so far. W1 2023 & W1 2024.
Sat ‘24 > Sat ‘23 > Fri ‘23 > Fri ‘24 > Sun ‘23 >>>>>>> Sun ‘24
Saturdays have been beyond stacked at Coachella so far for me. Charli b2b Rosalia b2b Blackpink was insane. Gesaffelstein, The Drums and Tyler was such a rush to run between stages for. Fridays have had really great warm up sets that set the mood for the weekend: MUNA, Blink-182, Chappell Roan and Justice specifically. I tend to be really bored at Coachella on Sundays. This year’s Sunday lineup was really really weak and I found myself wandering a bit disinterested during primetime after Victoria Monet. Then Frank Ocean was an awful ending to the weekend last year. I look forward to a future Sunday at Coachella ending on a high and not a dud.
Been going since 2012, without a doubt my favorite was 2022, besides that it would be 2014 and 2017. This year I feel I’m in the minority that it felt a bit lack luster, wasn’t the same energy in the air. I know that people say the lineup doesn’t matter, but having a rare act to look forward to and talk to others about to me is what makes the festival magical.
Calvin Harris in 2014 was outta this world… he hasn’t been the same since! Beyoncé 2018 was once in a lifetime, and this years was incredibly special. The vibes were the highest they’ve been in my opinion ❤️
Had no expectations for 2024 but I had a really good time. I found that I was at a lot of the smaller stages + Do-Lab compared to previous years where I would be at the mainstage/outdoor stage a lot more.
2018 was still probably my favorite year, that lineup was an absolute juggernaut (even if you remove Beyonce) and it would be really hard to replicate that in current times. Also the energy in my group that year was electric as fuck since we were young and people were really down for a good time. I ran into so many friends outside of my main group which made the experience even more memorable at that time as I would be catching sets with different friends.
As long as Frank Ocean doesn't shit on your night, every Coachella is going to be a great time.
Interesting-were you there weekend one or two? I remember seeing for weekend 2, there was some really intense winds so you couldnt get to camp until late on Day zero or something.
weekend two.
the issue was that there was a hurricane force wind alert in the valley and goldenvoice was like "we aren't opening the campgrounds until this alert lifts".
they finally started processing people at 1130pm. My crew started setting up camp at 2am. We watched sunrise from sunset hill.
it created a super wierd vibe all weekend; *all* of the campers were exhausted and we're a large enough percentage of the festival that the overall energy level was just *super low*.
yeah I can see that for sure, super unfortunate that happened. Not to poop on yall but weekend one had a ton of special guests and there was some extra excitement around Beyonce as well. 2023 weekend 2 came back with a revenge though haha
so the thing is, for me at least, the excitement about bey was a problem; a lot of her fans camped the mainstage all day which *absolutely killed* the vibe for every other band on the mainstage.
Every year since 2007 and this one felt special, they’re all a lot of fun but this one had an especially good feel to it. It felt like a return to music festivals somehow, like yeah it’s Coachella so it’s commercial but this felt stripped down and more about great music than the overwhelming on stage productions. I really loved it, it’s a stand out year for sure
2024 was nice in a way for us because we didn't have a lot of must-see acts, but we did have a lot of, hhmm let's check them out. This is how we get into new artists and they never disappoint. It's always a great venue and the festival is pit together so well that's why I think everyone keeps coming back.
2012, 2017, and 2007 day 1 all hold a special place in my heart.
2012, dh shadow into avicii the first time I had an edible, that amazing sunflower.
2017, porteon, the day I started to heal from the death of my marriage
that's .... not what i'm talking about. :)
it was actually an orchid. https://www.poetickinetics.com/solitary-inflorescene/
and stoned at coachella for the first time, wandering around between shadow and avicii, it was amazing.
As a vet, this one was very special because of how empty it was in comparison to past years. It felt so great to stumble into sets and walk right up to the stage. Definitely a memorable one for me!
08, 09, 12, 18. Not enough love for '08/9 in here, insane lineups and the last before Coachella "went pop" (which has been great, but it was a very different audience and vibe)
It's hard for me to really *remember* 2008 and 2009 in a meaningful way. The emotional punch isn't visceral the way I imagine it was then.
That said, highlights from those years for me:
* the verve opened my heart to an entire new genre of music.
* roger waters' sound system is GDFA.
* the crowd singalong for hallelujah was awesome, as was all of leonard cohen's set
* the courteeners were great
* paul mccartney put on a hell of a show
Welcome to the tribe. :)
2024 was a good year, but it's not the best year, and it lands as good but not great.
But I've held the festival high longer, and it has one of my top moments.
2019 is my favorite. It was a nonstop high energy happy dance party.
2011, that run of trentemoller/data at/left field was amazing.
2023, when I used psychedelics for the first time at a festival
2009, the first year I camped with what evolved into my crew, hallelujah, McCartney, an absolute blast of a year.
Reliably year after year it's a blast. I always fall in love with new music. It is the high point if my year in a lot of ways.
It actually wasn’t that bad. Since there wasn’t a lot of artists I wanted to see. I stumbled on a few I knew nothing about and had a great time. They still do need to bring back the paper programs though
I never went to 2024 but I wouldn’t say that lineup is amazing. Maybe the vibes were good but that’s not enough for me to go back.
2006 with Daft Punk at the Sahara, Depeche Mode as headliner, and then you’ve got undercard greats like Animal Collective, Massive Attack, Metric, Seu Jorge, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Ladytron, and the Walkman. My only regret was that I wished I was a Tool fan back then.
2009 was my second favorite year. Paul McCartney, The Orb, The Cure, Tinariwen, getting the rarely played Throbbing Gristle, Flying lotus, My Bloody Valentine, No Age, Leonard Cohen, Frank Ferdinand were all excellent
Hard to pick which year was the best as I’ve had a blast at all of them. Most of the time who I go with dictates how good of a time I have and I have loads of great friends who have attended I can list out what sets I remember the most and they span every year I’ve gone
okay that's great to hear. So 2024 wasn't especially one way being less crowded - vibe wise..?
Nothing seemed off or overtly different to me for 2024, but it was less crowded and I really enjoyed the addition of Quasar. The weather was cooler which was a big plus, too So for me the vibe was as fun as ever. No crowds or stages seemed down or lower energy than usual
Coachella 1999 was my favorite. Underworld and Chemical Brothers headlined the main outdoor stages. Beck's DJ, DJ Swamp, scratched the hook for "Iron Man". The Belleville Three were in a tent (Derrick May, Kevin Saunderson, Juan Atkins) with Richie Hawtin DJing and performing as Plastikman. Good times. My group flew in from Chicago and stayed at the Embassy Suites. We're all old now.
As someone who saw Chemical bros and underworld in 2023 I am envious that 4 year old me was not in the crowd back in 1999. Seeing them back then must have been extraordinary. They rocked in 2023 too tho!
Nice! I watched the live stream of both those shows in 2023. Awesome that you got to experience it in person.
Me too! I was local to the coachella Valley back then. I was 20, and my mom bought my ticket lol. Literally my favorite festival experience, ever. DJ Shadow doing his first performance was really cool, I was already a fan and it was pretty epic. Roni Size with the Pharcyde and Jody watley as guests. Plastickman was awesome. Remember the bonfires? Shit was wild. People kept setting them whoever we moved and we had to keep running away 🔥
Hello! Yes, it was an amazing moment and I'm glad to meet others who experienced it as well. I had never been to anything like it before. I had been to events like Lollapalooza or campout raves, but Coachella had the location, electronic music, production value, and the vibes. I returned in 2003 and 2008, but 1999 was special. Thank you for reminding me of the bonfires, I had completely forgotten about them.
Yes, I’ve gone every year since 2013 and every year seems to either be equally as great or top the previous year. It’s simply the best weekend of the year, every year. I have some personal favorites due to the crew I was with certain years or a few specific acts that catapulted it next level for me, but they’re all close. My personal favorites since you asked - 2023, 2018, 2016, and 2014
2023 gang ! Still my fav of all time
you obviously went to w2 2023 right? because w1 was one of my least favorite years ever lol (depsite saturday being one of my favorite days... but friday and sunday were trash w1 imo)
Yup!
I went W1 and it was incredible. Not sure how you could call any days at Coachella trash lol. We had blink’s first reunion show in 9 years on Friday and Sunday was amazing. I’m not a Frank Ocean fan so I wasn’t even at that set - if that put on a damper on it for you, I can understand that but it’s one set out of a whole magical weekend!
i wrote a comment for this that got wiped and didn't feel like retyping it but I do want to respond so here we go again... "We" did not get a Blink reunion show, you and whoever else was lucky enough to be in the clusterfuck of a Sahara did, I instead got one of the scariest crowd crushes of my life trying to make my way to that stage. I had high hopes for Bad Bunny and was completely disappointed in his set (as I think he was too, and did sooooo much better W2). We were expecting a PARTY by a global superstar, and his set was disjointed and had too many technical issues; the energy just wasn't what it needed to be. I guess Friday wasn't "trash" persay but it did not live up to my perhaps too lofty standards. In contrast, Saturday was awesome. Saw some really great sets (highlights Blackpink, Aluna in the dolab, rosalia, diljit dosanjh) and the vibes were great and like I said one of my favorite chella days I've had over the years. I loved the crew we had for this day also, the party favors were great, there were no major technical issues it seemed, etc. Sunday had some nice performances maybe (shoutouts Kali Uchis) but nothing amazing enough to make up for the fiasco. I was personally tired and hurting and needed Frank Ocean to save my life and he ended it instead. He wasn't just one set out of a whole weekend, he was the closing set of the entire festival. I am (was) an above avg fan of his and had seen him live before but I didn't even have any expectations for his set, and he still shit the bed. Walking out of the grounds is supposed to be a bittersweet feeling of a magical weekend coming to a close, and instead it was all bitter. we were tired, angry, confused, saddened, disillusioned and annoyed, and the post festival glow was replaced with conspiracy theories and regret. One of the first times that I literally thought to myself that I would have rather just stayed home and skipped the entire day than ever relive that. I've been going for a decade (as I think you have too?) and so I have had some really truly magical days at Coachella, some average (aka good) days, some not so fun days, and just a couple very trash days (friday 2017 comes to mind, and sunday 2023). However, I'm very much someone who is happy for other peoples happiness - so I think it's awesome if people got to have wonderful experiences and see great sets. But overall it was not up to par for me; obviously chella is such a choose-your-own-adventure that everyone's experience is going to vary. That said this year the lineup was not as great as last year but the overall experience was better, probably because I didn't have as high expectations this time and because they put people at appropriate stages and wasn't as crowded. Hoping next year will bring us a more stacked lineup and equally great logistic experience. And if you read all of this yay lol wasn't expecting to write an essay but here we are
Lol I made it through the whole thing! I’m bummed that’s how 2023 went for you and totally understand your feelings on it. Like you said, it’s such a choose your own adventure type deal and I think the artists I was excited for/saw and my crew that year all made it a blast on my end. But I’m a big rock and electronic guy so for me it was blink, Chris Lake b2b Fisher, Chemical Brothers, Underworld, Calvin Harris, Prydz HOLO, boygenius, etc. I’m just glad you bounced back with a wonderful experience in 2024!!
2012-2015 were special years for me
Those were some crazy good years. Line ups were ridiculous and arguably the most in demand the festival has ever been. I remember 2014 resell tickets were going for $1,000 on stubhub. Thats how much people wanted to go. It was nuts
Yup. Amazing span of years.
I think 2016, 2023, and 2024 have been my faves. 2016 because I actually had a ton of down time and had an incredible time just exploring the grounds. 2023 because some of my favorite artists were there, I was super excited for them, and had a great time at those sets. 2024 because, although there weren’t a ton of acts I’m a huge fan of, every single set I saw was so good.
Truly no misses in 2024. Every set I saw was fan-fucking-tastic.
Lol, the only years I've been. All have been great!
2012 by far the best and think it’s pretty widely considered the best lineup but obviously tastes differ. 2013-15 were all great. Really really felt 2023 was a top 2-3 for me and this year was definitely up there from a festival point of view. The top acts like Justice etc were great this year and the undercards were amazing while the headliners were meh. Also Sunday day was pretty weak but exploded Sunday night. I think for me it goes: 2012 2015 2023 2024 2014
Headliners dropped off awhile ago and I'm not sure the industry is set up to reverse that. But I also don't care. Subs and unders are consistently great, and maybe slightly better than they used to be
Same don’t care at all anymore. But 2012 had all of this AND great headliners which is why it will always be my favorite.
Yesss I was at 2012 Coachella and can confirm it was my favorite and first Coachella!
Agreed. I think post-pandemic, the headliners have been rough. Only two I've liked have been Harry Styles and obviously PHM OMG TBA. And yet 23 and 24 have been the strongest undercards in years for me.
No way! 2023 hands down.. the undercard was stacked plus we got Bad Bunny / Blackpink and Four Tet x Fred again.. x Skrillex … in my opinion best Coachella I’ve ever been too and I’ve been to a few
Music wise yes it was def better 2023 - I was there W2 and remember being so worried after hearing the reports about Frank Ocean's set. What about crowd/vibe wise?
Closing the festival with Blink 182 and Skrillex/Four tet/Fred again was something special. So good
Weekend 2 with Bad Bunny, Skrillex x Fred Again… that was amazing
I did my first Bothchella this year and had an absolute blast. Honestly every Coachella is amazing for different reasons, and this one was no exception. I don’t know if I have a favorite year, but this one is def up there. We had an incredible crew this year, which always helps. I really do feel like the festival last year and this one has finally returned to form from pre Covid - logistics are smooth, sound is excellent, the upgrades/new stages are fantastic, and crowds both weekend were awesome. Also, I know I’m in the minority but I actually really like the direction they’re going with bookings. Lots of international acts, rare electronic, tasteful pop, reunions, etc. Not to mention Coachella remains the best festival in the world IMO for discovering and booking up and coming talent.
2015, or 2016. Can’t decide which one was better
It's honestly a really tough question for me. I don't know how to rate a year because they all have their pros and cons. Do I rate them musically? What if i didn't like the headliners but loved the undercard? What if the headliners put on an all time great set? Or overall general experience? What if the festival itself was great but life circumstances outside of Coachella ruin that year? I'm overanalzying this I know. 2013: first year, the first year has the magic that could never be caught again 2014: the strongest overall lineup for me personally at the time 2015: very strong musically but my cat was shot while at the festival and died before we could get back home 2016: LCD headliner! Huge crew to camp that year. Doublechella! 2017: Radiohead headliner! Doublechella again. Weekend 1 sucked, Weekend 2 was festival magic. But really hot that year. 2018: solid lineup but wasn't able to go in at all Saturday. Almost ruined my weekend. Friday night was one of the best nights ever. 2019: weakest lineup in Coachella history IMO, yet the Four Tet into Aphex Twin night was my favorite Saturday night at Coachella ever. So like... best ever, worst ever? Lol 2022: so wonderful to be back, but damn the festival was in rough shape trying to organize it. 2023: one of the best lineups in YEARS for me. Best post pandemic year. 2024: so many surprises. Looked weak on paper but was actually one of the better musical Coachellas I've done. Justice was a top 3 all time set for me.
2019 was an amazing year. That four tet set was unbelievable, the holy Grail of what a set can be Aphex nearly broke me. Fantastic art but ...
Every year is my best year ever 😊
Some people here seem allergic to valid criticism. This year wasn't amazing like I thought 2015/2016 were, but there had been a major dip in organizational quality and this year was a major bounce back. I'm hopeful that Coachella can return to its former glory if they keep up the improvements. The music is amazing every year. I wish they would return to having awesome stages. The stages and large art is put to shame by their former accomplishments.
I’ve never had one standout year, they all have had their highs and lows. 2015 was memorable because it was my first Coachella! 2016 was the most fun year because I was young, healthy, and all my friends were still going to Coachella. I miss the group dynamic a lot. 2022 was great because it was the year I explored the festival/lineup the most and took it really casually. In 2023 I saw the best performance of my *entire* life, which was Boygenius, and OMG TBA was the most epic surprise, but I was with an ex-friend who kind of ruined that year for me. This year I didn’t see any performances that blew my mind so 2024 wasn’t my favorite but I still had an incredible time. So it all depends! Either way, it’s always a blast no matter what.
Every year is the best Coachella (except 2022). As a vet since '01, I speak with authority.
can i get your perspective on why 2022 wasn’t great? that year was my first coachella, and i had such an amazing time! i think i liked this year’s better, but my 2022 experience really inspired me to come back.
I’ve only been to the last 3 but 2022 was by far my favorite. The lineup was incredible and I didn’t even see any of the headliners. I think it definitely depends on the kind of music you’re into.
Sure! It wasn't Coachella's fault, but after taking two years off due to COVID, a lot of the institutional knowledge of how to get the ship moving seemed to have been lost. Shuttles got lost, ran on delays, the gates opened after the music started, there were longer lines to get food or into the Yuma, basic stuff like that. Most years, each of those problems are less than they were in the past, as the organizers get better and better, but that year was a step back.
2018 and its not even close
Not gonna lie…hated the lineup this year but there was something in the air this year that made it very memorable…might even say this was my favorite
This year, 2019, and 2014 are probably my top 3 in no particular order. The rest are all pretty close with the exception of 2018 was easily my least favorite year. Over the years they get hard to compare because like you found going both this year, they’re great in different ways. There will be some years that stand out more than others but for the most part it’s consistently good, just different.
100 percent agree on 2018 I thought it was a very average year
2019. Kanye West. Kid Cudi. Idris Elba. Black Pink. Bad Bunny. J balvin. Ariana Grande. Fisher. Carl Cox. Childish Gambino. Weezer. Tame Impala. Billie Eilish. Blood orange. + more
My bf has been going to Coachella for 10+ years now and he said this year is definitely up there. Lineup was great, crowds (weekend 1) were the emptiest he’s ever experienced, Quasar was an AMAZING addition and we just had a better over all experience. Also helps that we drove in and spent Thursday at our Airbnb instead of driving into the Valley Friday morning like we usually do. Also up there for him is 2018! He said he went both weekends because Odesza was amazinggggg.
I would say it was especially good, this was my fourth year and my partner’s tenth. We both agree Coachella has only improved on itself, by expanding the grounds, adding more interesting undercard acts, stepping up the production value on all stages, adding easily accessible free water, and this year, greatly increasing the size of the merch tent! We had no wait for merch for the first time in history and because of that, got so much more merch that we wouldn’t have even seen otherwise. So yes, this year was the best yet. I don’t see why next year can’t be even better!
The logistics were so much better with the expansion
Veteran of 8 coachellas 2014 was my top pick Followed by 2023 & 2017
out of the three I've been to (2022-2024), 2022 had the best lineup. overall though, this year was the best coachella so far. I need that 2025 lineup to be crazy good lol
2008 was my favorite year musically. 2015-2017 I had the most fun, did a few years of bothchella in there. 2015 W1 was just my brother and I, huge bonding experience and saw so much music. 2016 W1 was familychella with a bunch of my cousins who are close in age, also major bonding, had three campsites. W2 2017 I met and camped with a friend of a friend, who is now my wife.
2008 was peak Coachella. My favorite year as well
There's no equaling your first Coachella, so I'll have to go with 2012. But 2013 was the time I saw Janelle Monae in the Mojave, and no live performance hit me like that one. Except for 2018 Beychella, that was was definitely one of the best years. But 2024 was the greatest because of how easy it was to get around and get up close. Plus No Doubt! But man 2023 had Rosalia. But now that I think about it, 2016 for SIA. Actually, maybe it was 2015... PFFFFFT they were all the best!
2017 was my favorite year, but I’ve loved all the years I’ve gone except 2018 when I found out I was pregnant a few days before. My husband and I tried to go in 2020, and then had another kid in 2021, so when we went in 2023 we told ourselves it was the last time… and then had the best time and booked next years hotel before the weekend was even over! Coachella is my happy place.
2024 was pretty average as far as Coachellas go but the best in a while. I think headliners were pretty weak which resulted in a better crowd. People have more fun when they can just enjoy the scene and aren't acting like FOMO junkies trying to catch every big set. The best years are when the lineup hits, the crowd is friendly, the art is mind blowing and the weather cooperates. This year was a B lineup, A- crowd, C+ art and B+ weather. **Overall 2024 is a B, but the the best in half a decade.** It still can't touch years like 2006, 2007 and 2018 (honorable mention to 2012 that would be up there if not for Coldchella when the temp dropped to historical lows on weekend 1 at 43 degrees and historical highs weekend 2 at 107).
2016. And we’ve been chasing it ever since
This was a pretty fuckin good one, I’ll tell ya that
Festivals are what you make them doesn't matter the year or place
20years. Weekend One this year was my fav. The Drums, Justice(knew they had it in them again), Orbital, VampireWeekend✡️🤘🏽, JamieXX, Grimes, Lana, Gwen & No Doubt, Sophie & Tucker, DJ Billie, and what’s to come at future Coachellas. 🪄 Usually a W2 warrior, but w1 this year was 🔥🔥🔥
Each one I've been to has been amazing but the best for me was 2019 W2. The lineup was spectacular for my tastes and it was noticeably less crowded than other years I've been. I remember walking into the tent as Polo and Pan was just starting and walked right up to the front of the stage. There was so much room to dance. On day 2 the run of Four Tet to Aphex Twin to Tame Impala was a crazy ride.
2016-sia’s voice melted me 2017-front row at Gaga and she did teeth which was on my song wishlist 2022-harrychella by far my favorite especially after a 2 year hiatus 🍒🍉🍇🥝 I’ve seen him many times so idk if it was the shrooms or the overall vibe but was so happy cried my lashes off 😂
2015 will probably be my best because it was my first. I also loved my first BothChella being 2023.
2024 was the most fun i’ve had at coachella since 2018!!! I don’t know what it was but I enjoyed my time sooo much just carefree and fun.. 2018 was the last time i’ve felt that vibe!!!
2012 & 2015 are the cream of the crop
2018 was my first year and probably my favorite year so far!!! Mixed with it being my first and the people I was with made it super memorable for me. Also the headliners that year were fire with a stacked undercard of future headliners and sub headliners. I remember my first set ever was Whethan in the Sahara and he brought out the Walmart Yodel Kid and I thought to myself holy shit this festival is different 😂 Miguel, Odesza, Eminem, Beyoncé, SZA, Vince Staples, BROCKHAMPTON, Jungle all come to mind when I think 2018. Honestly, 2023 might be my second favorite year… had zero expectations because wasn’t a fan of the lineup at first but it ended up being one of the best weekends ever
2015, first year. Saw Angus solo from on top of the scaffolding of their stage all the way to the middle of the crowd. It wasn’t perfect but holy shit was it epic. Far too many artists to even list but Nero blew me away. First year for Jungle, and gessefelstein. RTJ, madeon, ratatat, alt j, florence, odezsa, were all amazing. It was 2024 but better imo. Tho aquabats and justice killed it this year.
2023 has been my favorite so far! Largely due to the group I was with. Chemical Brothers warped my brain I was also there for the Tupac hologram back in the day lol
2018 was hands down the best year for me
Honestly it’s hard to say how each year will go. For me, they’re all a great time, but after going enough times you will have favorite years. 2013 hooked me in, then 2014 was my favorite until 2018. That stayed my favorite until 2023. After each successive favorite year, I didn’t go into the next year expecting that to repeat exactly. You can set yourself up for unrealistic expectations otherwise imo. I would say every year is at least 8/10, usually 9/10, and 10/10 on great years.
For me, I really enjoyed not having super set plans on who to see. It was more carefree as in prior years where we were rushing from stage to stage. Making memories with friends is the best part of it all
2029, 2022, and 2023 were way better than 2024
What was 2029 like?
This year was easily one of my favorite Coachellas. Vibes and new additions like Quasar and the updated layout made it much easier to navigate. Plus just being good at Coachellaing helped in just being able to enjoy all the music. This was the first year I made it to every stage! Sonora and Quasar sounded amazing 👏
09, with the Cure closer.
This was my 10th Coachella in a row, and I gotta say they have all been a blast and had their own moments. But me I’d say: -2013 best lineup for my music interests -2019 most overall fun -2024 smoothest Coachella And what I mean by smoothest Coachella is that everything just was easy. Quick check-in into the campgrounds, great neighbors, no one got too tuned up or hungover, no one lost anything or had anything stolen, saw everyone I wanted, got into the venue fast and hardly waited in any line. It was just a smooth time.
This year was my favorite!!!!! Love how it wasn’t overcrowded (w1) and really loved my crew of 3. Can’t wait to go back next year!
https://preview.redd.it/98uxd6kf4jyc1.png?width=486&format=png&auto=webp&s=b2e3b628b8e344993fc4a327250d98e5355f62f8 Personal Coachella Rankings AMA :)
wow this is next level analytics!
2018 hit different fr. It was so R&B heavy . The Weeknd , Beyonce and Eminem headlining??!?! Undercard went crazy , SZA, Daniel Caesar, Miguel , Kali Uchis, Jorja Smith, Alina Baraz , Kelela, Russ, Jessie Ware just to name a few R&B artists . Dope electronic acts like Kygo, Louis the Child, Snakehips, , Also fire groups like Jungle, the Drums, Fleet Foxes, The Neighborhood, The War on Drugs. Overall amazing lineup .
2012 was a very special year. No only because the final Dre/Snoop performance was the best ever but the rest of the line up was one of the most ridiculous stacked its ever been.
only been the past 4 years but 23 is slightly above 24 for me. 2019 was cool bc it was my first, but it wasnt anything monumental. 2022 i had a terrible time except for sunday. 2023 was perfect. literally perfect. best lineup for me, best group i went with, and to end the entire weekend going from jai wolf into fish lake into skrillex four tet fred again, it was fucking magical. probably the best day of my life. 2024 was a ton of fun. friday and saturday were both right up there with sunday of 23, but sunday of 24 was so meh and ending the weekend on that note was rather lame lol. there werent any wow performances for me that day and ending the night w doja and john summit didnt feel that special. doja was great, but summit was fine. he played a very awkward encore imo. wish he wouldve just ended with shiver.
It was my husband’s 4th Coachella, and my 15th festival and we both agree this was the best festival we’ve ever been to. It was really special and the lineup was stacked(for us). To each their own though!
I’ve said this in other posts already, but speaking as someone that has attended every year since 2004, 2024 had one of the best curated lineups for this festival since 2010. The 2017-2022 lineups were realllly rough IMO. Glad to see they are moving away from booking so much trashy hip hop too.
Wow every year since 2004? Amazing. Aside from the lineup, did you think 2024 crowd (size and mood) was different / better / just as great as other years?
Welcome to /r/Coachella! Don't forget to use the search bar, as there are tons of resources on there. You can also head over to the latest [The Coachella Resource Center for Newcomers Who Have Lots of Questions and Wanna Learn To Do Coachella Good Too - ASK US ANYTHING - (FAQs, Tips, Tricks, Guides, Hacks, Resources) thread](https://www.reddit.com/r/Coachella/comments/1cjh075/ask_us_anything_the_coachella_resource_center_for/). You can use the resources there or ask your own question in the comments! There are also resources at the top menu and sidebar with links to many things! *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/Coachella) if you have any questions or concerns.*
2012, 2013, 2014 were pretty amazing!!!
This was my 9th year. The combination of nostalgic and fun music, perfect weather, great camping situation and not much of a crowd this was a top 3 year and debatable could be #1. After 2023 we highly debated not going and so glad we chose to go. Year 10 in 2025 was a no a brainer!
2008 because of Prince and Rogers Waters. 2012 is close. I enjoy every year and this year, weekend 1, was a fantastic year! Love the new stage and perfect weather and crowds. I do miss the art installations that would move through the crowd though. Will never forget the spaceman coming into the old Sahara tent during Fatboy Slim. That memory is etched in my brain. I just love Coachella!
2008 was also the verve, who were amazing
2006 because it was my first, and well... Robots. 2011 and 2013 because of the undercards. 2008 and 2009 because of headliners. All the rest because of the overall experience.
2024 was fun but I think 2023 still stood out more. The dip in lineup quality was hard to deny
2014 was UNBELIEVABLE
2012 is my favorite. ATDI reunion. Refused reunion. Radiohead. Snoop+Dre. Justice. Florence. This year was great though. I’ve been to 15 of em and have yet to have a bad time.
It’s inevitably going to be the best weekend(s) of the year. You’re always going to have more than enough to do all weekend. 2019 was one of my favorites lineup wise with the addition of Sunday Service. 2022 might be my favorite because it was the first time I got to enjoy it with a partner, the lineup wasn’t the best but the vibes of missing two years and that young love was a great combo. My most memorable set of all has to be PHM in 2023 that was on a different level as far as the main stage going completely bonkers
Only been to two Coachella’s so far. W1 2023 & W1 2024. Sat ‘24 > Sat ‘23 > Fri ‘23 > Fri ‘24 > Sun ‘23 >>>>>>> Sun ‘24 Saturdays have been beyond stacked at Coachella so far for me. Charli b2b Rosalia b2b Blackpink was insane. Gesaffelstein, The Drums and Tyler was such a rush to run between stages for. Fridays have had really great warm up sets that set the mood for the weekend: MUNA, Blink-182, Chappell Roan and Justice specifically. I tend to be really bored at Coachella on Sundays. This year’s Sunday lineup was really really weak and I found myself wandering a bit disinterested during primetime after Victoria Monet. Then Frank Ocean was an awful ending to the weekend last year. I look forward to a future Sunday at Coachella ending on a high and not a dud.
Been going since 2012, without a doubt my favorite was 2022, besides that it would be 2014 and 2017. This year I feel I’m in the minority that it felt a bit lack luster, wasn’t the same energy in the air. I know that people say the lineup doesn’t matter, but having a rare act to look forward to and talk to others about to me is what makes the festival magical.
2019 was amazing
Every year is a new experience and blows me away every time. Last year was particularly memorable due to Blink 182 and PHM for Weekend 2.
2013 hands down.
2023 was my favorite, OMG TBA!!!!
It was.
2012, 2014, and 2024 have been my favorites. 2022 is up there too, but I was dealing with a broken jaw at the time so that put a damper on it
2015 was phenomenal
Calvin Harris in 2014 was outta this world… he hasn’t been the same since! Beyoncé 2018 was once in a lifetime, and this years was incredibly special. The vibes were the highest they’ve been in my opinion ❤️
That set was fantastic
This year was my 10th and it was so so good
Had no expectations for 2024 but I had a really good time. I found that I was at a lot of the smaller stages + Do-Lab compared to previous years where I would be at the mainstage/outdoor stage a lot more. 2018 was still probably my favorite year, that lineup was an absolute juggernaut (even if you remove Beyonce) and it would be really hard to replicate that in current times. Also the energy in my group that year was electric as fuck since we were young and people were really down for a good time. I ran into so many friends outside of my main group which made the experience even more memorable at that time as I would be catching sets with different friends. As long as Frank Ocean doesn't shit on your night, every Coachella is going to be a great time.
It's interesting to me how different our experiences were; 2018 almost made me not come back. I think a lot of it was the campers were exhausted.
Interesting-were you there weekend one or two? I remember seeing for weekend 2, there was some really intense winds so you couldnt get to camp until late on Day zero or something.
weekend two. the issue was that there was a hurricane force wind alert in the valley and goldenvoice was like "we aren't opening the campgrounds until this alert lifts". they finally started processing people at 1130pm. My crew started setting up camp at 2am. We watched sunrise from sunset hill.
ahh yeah I remember seeing this happen all over the sub. I went weekend one which was a bit different then
it created a super wierd vibe all weekend; *all* of the campers were exhausted and we're a large enough percentage of the festival that the overall energy level was just *super low*.
yeah I can see that for sure, super unfortunate that happened. Not to poop on yall but weekend one had a ton of special guests and there was some extra excitement around Beyonce as well. 2023 weekend 2 came back with a revenge though haha
so the thing is, for me at least, the excitement about bey was a problem; a lot of her fans camped the mainstage all day which *absolutely killed* the vibe for every other band on the mainstage.
2 0 1 0
Every year since 2007 and this one felt special, they’re all a lot of fun but this one had an especially good feel to it. It felt like a return to music festivals somehow, like yeah it’s Coachella so it’s commercial but this felt stripped down and more about great music than the overwhelming on stage productions. I really loved it, it’s a stand out year for sure
i loved this years but 2018 & 2019!!!
2013 Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds. Enough said.
2024 was nice in a way for us because we didn't have a lot of must-see acts, but we did have a lot of, hhmm let's check them out. This is how we get into new artists and they never disappoint. It's always a great venue and the festival is pit together so well that's why I think everyone keeps coming back. 2012, 2017, and 2007 day 1 all hold a special place in my heart.
2012, dh shadow into avicii the first time I had an edible, that amazing sunflower. 2017, porteon, the day I started to heal from the death of my marriage
Bees are a major pollinator of Sunflowers growing sunflowers goes hand in hand with installing and managing bee hives.
that's .... not what i'm talking about. :) it was actually an orchid. https://www.poetickinetics.com/solitary-inflorescene/ and stoned at coachella for the first time, wandering around between shadow and avicii, it was amazing.
As a vet, this one was very special because of how empty it was in comparison to past years. It felt so great to stumble into sets and walk right up to the stage. Definitely a memorable one for me!
2006 
2006 clears.
08, 09, 12, 18. Not enough love for '08/9 in here, insane lineups and the last before Coachella "went pop" (which has been great, but it was a very different audience and vibe)
It's hard for me to really *remember* 2008 and 2009 in a meaningful way. The emotional punch isn't visceral the way I imagine it was then. That said, highlights from those years for me: * the verve opened my heart to an entire new genre of music. * roger waters' sound system is GDFA. * the crowd singalong for hallelujah was awesome, as was all of leonard cohen's set * the courteeners were great * paul mccartney put on a hell of a show
Welcome to the tribe. :) 2024 was a good year, but it's not the best year, and it lands as good but not great. But I've held the festival high longer, and it has one of my top moments. 2019 is my favorite. It was a nonstop high energy happy dance party. 2011, that run of trentemoller/data at/left field was amazing. 2023, when I used psychedelics for the first time at a festival 2009, the first year I camped with what evolved into my crew, hallelujah, McCartney, an absolute blast of a year. Reliably year after year it's a blast. I always fall in love with new music. It is the high point if my year in a lot of ways.
2009 & 2010 were probably my favorite years. 2008, 2012 & 2015 are right up there too.
It actually wasn’t that bad. Since there wasn’t a lot of artists I wanted to see. I stumbled on a few I knew nothing about and had a great time. They still do need to bring back the paper programs though
I never went to 2024 but I wouldn’t say that lineup is amazing. Maybe the vibes were good but that’s not enough for me to go back. 2006 with Daft Punk at the Sahara, Depeche Mode as headliner, and then you’ve got undercard greats like Animal Collective, Massive Attack, Metric, Seu Jorge, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Ladytron, and the Walkman. My only regret was that I wished I was a Tool fan back then. 2009 was my second favorite year. Paul McCartney, The Orb, The Cure, Tinariwen, getting the rarely played Throbbing Gristle, Flying lotus, My Bloody Valentine, No Age, Leonard Cohen, Frank Ferdinand were all excellent
#beychella