Twenty-five years ago, the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival made its debut in the Southern California desert, forever changing the music festival landscape. 

Held on Oct. 9 and 10, 1999, at the Empire Polo Club in Indio, California — where it still takes place today — the first Coachella was an ambitious and risky venture, blending genres and spotlighting artists beyond the mainstream circuit. The festival’s eclectic lineup included headliners Beck, Tool and Rage Against the Machine, with supporting acts including the Chemical Brothers, Morrissey, A Perfect Circle, Jurassic 5, and Underworld — creating a unique mix of rock, electronic and alternative music.

The festival’s founder, Paul Tollett, initially built his reputation by passing out flyers for Goldenvoice in the late '80s, ultimately crafting a festival concept that emphasized not just music, but immersive art installations and a genre-diverse lineup. Inspired by Lollapalooza and similar festivals, Coachella distinguished itself by appealing to fans of multiple genres and creating an entrancing, utopian experience in the desert.

The timing, however, was challenging. Following the infamous Woodstock '99 just two months earlier, skepticism was high, especially regarding the potential for profit in a sprawling, multi-stage format. Despite intense heat, the event attracted a dedicated crowd, though Tollett reported a significant financial loss of $850,000.

Reflecting on those early struggles in a recent interview with al.com, Rage Against the Machine's Tom Morello said, "the festival lost so much money they asked us for our fee back, which we gave them because they were friends."

After skipping 2000, Coachella returned in 2001 as a single-day event and has since grown into a global phenomenon taking place on two consecutive three-day weekends, drawing hundreds of thousands annually.  

Read More: Coachella 2024 Weekend 1 Recap: 20 Surprises And Special Moments, From Billie Eilish & Lana Del Rey To Olivia Rodrigo With No Doubt

Today, Coachella’s massive, genre-spanning lineups, avant-garde art, and trendsetting influence have cemented its place in music and the broader cultural landscape. It remains a festival that celebrates diversity, showcases rising talents alongside established icons, and redefines what a music festival can mean. 

Weekend One of the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival's is in the books, and it should be revered as one of the most impressive in the event's 24-year history — particularly because of Lady Gaga's mind-bending set on Friday, a true contender for G.O.A.T. (more on that below).

Boiling it down to just a few top highlights was extremely challenging given that the Indio, Calif. fest's estimated 125,000 fans were treated to myriad sets below the lineup's top billings. Of course, the headliners served up some unforgettable moments, with Travis Scott's post-apocalyptic-themed party late Saturday and Post Malone's country-fied Sunday night whalloper following Gaga's lightning strike of a spectacle on Friday. But there were plenty of other thrilling sets throughout the weekend, including Charli XCX, who drew one of the densest crowds and featured Troye Sivan, Lorde and Billie Eilish; Benson Boone, who brought out Queen's Brian May for "Bohemian Rhapsody"; Missy Elliott, who staged a galvanizing old-school hip-hop extravaganza; and the Original Misfits, who offered a pummeling punk-rock rager.

Other attendees might even contend that the most mesmerizing moments came during NYC indie sleaze upstart the Dare, Australia's snottiest garage rockers Amyl and the Sniffers, or BLACKPINK's LISA and JENNIE, who each offered impressive solo sets. Nevertheless, we've managed to synthesize an assortment of seven artists from all ranks that created incredible moments during the first round of Coachella, and should absolutely not be missed during Weekend Two. Read on for the details.

Read More: Coachella 2025 Weekend 1 Recap: 13 Surprises And Special Moments, From Bernie Sanders To Queen's Brian May

Throughout their 50-minute set in the packed Sonora on Friday, West Belfast rap trio Kneecap didn't mince words.

"Coachella has a bad rep for being a shite crowd," said MC Naoise Ó Cairealláin after the group's set opener "It's Been Ages." "Are we ready to prove them wrong?"

The resounding roar from audience members — several of them sporting the signature Irish flag balaclavas worn by DJ J.J. Ó Dochartaigh — was a definitive affirmation. Proof persisted in the form of mosh pits and spirited sing-alongs (in both Irish and English), which peaked during "Sick in the Head," "Rhino Ket" and frenetic finale "H.O.O.D."

Their outspokenness continued with jabs at former British prime minister Margaret Thatcher to kick off "Guilty Conscience," and the group led a "Free Palestine" chant prior to the pointed "Get Your Brits Out." All politics aside, Kneecap delivered an earthshaking performance that rivaled a fair number of artists on the main stage. Expect them to take it by storm in the near future.

Given Lady Gaga's reputation for elaborate shows, there was an expectation that Mother Monster's Friday night headlining set would wow the Coachella masses — but what resulted far surpassed any preconceived notions.

It was a masterclass in execution of production and live entertainment that never once compromised the visionary pop star's artistic integrity. The two-hour spectacle was arguably one of the top Coachella sets of all time, on par with Beyoncé's legendary performance in 2018 (delayed from 2017, coincidentally where Gaga filled in for Bey's Indio debut).

"Welcome to my house of mayhem," she said, referring to the title of her just-released sixth studio album, which played out in a dark fairytale split into four distinct acts and a finale, backdropped by a two-story "opera house in the desert." Act I, "Of Velvet and Vice," ended with Gaga killing a sort of white-clad, good-witch alter ego after an intense dance-off during "Poker Face"; Act II, "She Fell into a Gothic Dream," was comprised entirely of old songs aside from "The Beast," which saw Gaga transformed into the deceased version of herself; and Act III, "The Beautiful Nightmare that Knows Her Name," began with a performance of "Killah" featuring the ghoulish Gesaffelstein on keys, and concluded with the resurrected red villain chasing her as she wrapped up with "How Bad Do U Want Me."

Gaga finally broke character for a moment during Act IV, "To Wake Her is to Lose Her," when she addressed the audience: "Thank you for all your love… I always feel so blessed to be with the audience because you always teach me something profound about life and the world. The truth is we're all one… You are who you choose to be, you always will be." 

That led to the riveting "Born This Way" and a serene version of A Star is Born piano ballad "Shallow" on the B stage. The finale, "Eternal Aria of the Monster Heart," saw Gaga come back from the dead, emerging from underneath the sheet of a morgue table and launching into the thunderous "Bad Romance," which solidified her as the matriarch of mayhem and master of pure performance art.

Read More: How Each Of Lady Gaga's Albums Led Her To 'MAYHEM'

Gustavo Dudamel & The Los Angeles Philharmonic Made Classical Cool

If you slept on Saturday's sunset showing from the Los Angeles Philharmonic and its conductor Gustavo Dudamel thinking it would be nothing but classical music, you missed one of the most riveting sets of Coachella's first weekend. Sure, the enormous ensemble started with Richard Wagner's "Ride of the Valkyries," and featured Bach's "Tocatta and Fugue in D Minor" and Beethoven's "Symphony No. 5, Movement 1," but it was also packed with guest appearances from a diverse array of contemporary stars.

Those included Icelandic songstress Laufey on soothing renditions of "From the Start" and the live debut of new single "Silver Lining"; Maren Morris belting out adrenaline-inducing anthem "My Church" alongside a gospel choir; Becky G grooving her way through her certified platinum "Shower"; Argenintian hip-hop duo Ca7riel & Paco Amoroso blazing through "Dumbai" and "La Que Puede, Puedue"; Zedd on a grand piano for a sublime take on party-starter "Clarity"; and finale with LL Cool J and DJ Z-Trip on heavy hitters "Mama Said Knock You Out," "I Need Love," "Murdergram" and "Rock the Bells."

The performance was a lesson in the enduring vitality of classical music, and proof the 44-year-old Venezuelan maestro is perhaps the leading ambassador of asserting its potential mass appeal.

Green Day Reminded Why They're Rock Royalty

More recent Coachella lineups have seen pop acts occupy the prime spots, but in the fest's early days, rock and roll reigned supreme. So, it was particularly thrilling to witness Green Day finally get paid their dues when they took over the main stage, ostensibly Saturday's headliners (as they were originally booked) even though Travis Scott closed the evening.

The Bay Area legends certainly played as if they were the top-billed band. They barrelled full-throttle through nearly two hours of bangers that focused heavily on cuts from Dookie and American Idiot, which respectively celebrated 30- and 20-year anniversaries last year. Pyro, fireworks and confetti blasts permeated almost every moment, adding oomph to the band's unrelenting youthful vigor.

Though Green Day pulls someone up from the crowd at every show, even frontman Billie Joe Armstrong was impressed by the guitar playing of the fan selected for "Good Riddance (Time of Your Life)," but was comically unimpressed when the fan asked if he could perform one of his own songs. Yeah right, man — this night was all about Green Day enjoying a career high, which they didn't squander for an instant.

Weezer Served Up Sing-Along Euphoria

Coachella is notorious for squeezing in surprise performances when the schedule drops just days before the fest. Two years ago it was the return of blink-182 in the Sahara tent, in 2024 it was Vampire Weekend at the Outdoor Theatre, and this year, it was a particularly intimate appearance from Weezer in the Mojave tent.

While there was a question of whether it might go forward after a wild turn of events landed bassist Scott Shriner's wife, Jillian Lauren, in the hospital and then jail on April 9 ("she's all right," Shriner ensured to TMZ on April 10), the show went off without a hitch and culminated into one of the most joyous surprises of the weekend. 

Weezer ran through a slew of hits including "Hash Pipe," "Beverly Hills" and "Say It Ain't So," and surprised fans with a mid-set rendition of Metallica's "Enter Sandman." It was as heavy as the original — a flex proving that the band can rock just as hard as any other — and saw frontman Rivers Cuomo slyly insert a riff from "Buddy Holly," which, as usual, served as the show's finale. With fans young and old belting out every word, there was no doubt that Weezer remains as relevant as ever.

Read More: 11 Must-See Artists At Coachella 2025: Darkside, The Dare, Clairo, Amyl And The Sniffers, Rema & More

Bob Vylan Made Sure They Left Their Mark

Perhaps one of this year's paramount hidden gems, English punk duo Bob Vylan delivered one of the most hard-hitting sets of the weekend on Sunday in the cozy Sonora tent. Think Rage Against the Machine combined with hyper-political British post-punk — incendiary from start to finish.

Though the vocalist and drummer (both named Bobby and Bobbie, respectively) provided the only live elements — guitars blared via backing tracks — they didn't need anything extra. The impact was achieved via the constantly kinetic performance, as singer Bobby flailed and snarled through "We Live Here," "Hunger Games" and closer "Dream Big," during which the frontman jumped off stage and incited a cathartic mosh pit. 

Though they twice proclaimed themselves "the most violent band in the United Kingdom," it clearly came from a place of fighting against oppression from the powers that be, ultimately manifesting as a push for positivity that marked one of the most inspiring moments of the weekend.

"We hope that you have found some benefit and take something away from this set that we shared with you today," Bobby said. "Live every day as if it is your last. Live every day as if it is your first … marveling at the possibilities of all that stands before you. Here. Now."

Megan Thee Stallion Wowed Despite A Slight Hiccup

Houston hip-hop queen Megan Thee Stallion didn't pull any punches for her Sunday night set on Coachella's main stage. During a ferocious hour-long set, she rapped, roared and twerked through a barrage of hits, thrilling fans with live debuts of "TYG," "He Think I Love Him" and "Bigger in Texas," all pulled from Megan: Act II, an expanded edition of her third full-length.

Though she unfortunately went over her set time — causing visible disappointment among the audience when the sound cut off during "Mamushi" and presumably the finale of "WAP" — her performance was otherwise explosive. Her surprise guests ignited some of the weekend's most raucous reactions, too, as she brought out Queen Latifah for "Plan B" and the Native Tongues grande-dame's own "U.N.I.T.Y.," Victoria Monét for "Spin" and "On My Mama," and Ciara on "Roc Steady / Goodies." All hail Coachella's ultimate Hot Girl.

The 2025 edition of the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival kicked off its first weekend in Indio, California with no shortage of excitement. From Lady Gaga's mind-bending 90-minute headlining set and Missy Elliott's fiery, Transformer-inspired performance on opening night to Post Malone's Sunday closing act and much, much more, the desert became home to a spectacular series of performances. 

Just as headliners brought the fantastic to Coachella's multiple stages and artists in smaller text rocked crowds earlier in the day, much of Coachella's excitement on weekend one came from the folks who weren't on the lineup. 

Read more: 2025 Music Festivals Guide: Lineups & Dates For Coachella, Bonnaroo, Lollapalooza & More

In true Coachella fashion, weekend one of Coachella 2025 was filled with surprise guests and special collaborations. From Bernie Sanders introducing Clairo to Charli xcx being joined by not one but three of her close collaborators, read on for 15 of the most talked-about moments from the first weekend in Indio.

Learn more: 11 Must-See Artists At Coachella 2025: Darkside, The Dare, Clairo, Amyl And The Sniffers, Rema & More

Brian May Joins Benson Boone For "Bohemian Rhapsody"

Pop newcomer and 2025 GRAMMYs Best New Artist nominee Benson Boone shocked the crowd on Coachella's first night when Queen guitarist Brian May stepped out to play "Bohemian Rhapsody." The iconic performance featured a touching tribute to Freddie Mercury and marked a generational bridge between classic rock and Gen Z pop.

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Bernie Sanders Introduces Clairo

No one expected to hear the words "Feel the Bern" at the Outdoor Theatre on Saturday — but that’s exactly what happened when Bernie Sanders introduced singer/songwriter Clairo. The political icon’s cameo was a reminder that Coachella still knows how to pull off an unexpected moment. In a follow-up post on Instagram, Senator Sanders encouraged "the younger generation" to continue to fight climate change and injustice.

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Megan Thee Stallion Brings Out Queen Latifah, Victoria Monét & Ciara

Even a few mic issues couldn't dim Megan Thee Stallion's Coachella set on Sunday. The rapper delivered high-energy choreography and guest appearances, bringing out Queen Latifah for "U.N.I.T.Y.," Victoria Monét for "On My Mama," and Ciara for a medley of Ciara's "Goodies" and Meg's "Roc Steady." Spiritbox lead singer Courtney LaPlante made a pit stop at Coachella along the band's current North American tour to perform their 2024 collab "TYG." 

Laufey, Becky G, LL Cool J & More Join L.A. Phil With Gustavo Dudamel

Under golden-hour skies on Saturday, Gustavo Dudamel led the L.A. Philharmonic through a stunning cross-genre set. Laufey delivered a lush performance of "From the Start," Becky G revisited her early hit "Shower," and Zedd sat in with the Los Angeles Philharmonic for a dramatic orchestral version of "Clarity." The genre-crossing continued with Maren Morris, Ca7riel & Paco Amoroso, and a choir-backed rendition of "My Church." And finally, LL Cool J closed with "Mama Said Knock You Out" — backed by a full orchestra.

Billie Joe Armstrong & The Go-Go’s Team Up For "Head Over Heels"

Green Day frontman Billie Joe Armstrong surprised fans during the Go-Go’s Friday set, joining them for a high-energy rendition of "Head Over Heels." The punk-meets-pop moment earned thunderous applause from multiple generations of fans.

Becky G Joins Tyla For "On My Body"

Tyla’s Friday performance got a boost when Becky G hit the stage to duet on "On My Body." The track, from Tyla’s debut album, felt tailor-made for Coachella’s desert stage.

Charli xcx Brings Out Lorde, Billie Eilish & Troye Sivan

On Saturday, Charli xcx’s set was already a high-energy highlight — and then it got legendary. Troye Sivan joined for "Talk Talk," Lorde surprised with a duet of their collab "Girl, So Confusing," and Billie Eilish returned for "Guess." Brat summer, activated.

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Gesaffelstein & Lady Gaga Unite

Industrial techno artist Gesaffelstein’s brooding Friday set took an unexpected turn when Lady Gaga emerged from the shadows. Gaga seemed to cause a bit of mayhem, pounding the drums and headbanging as Gesaffelstein stood above. Fans are still buzzing about the surprise — and hoping for a future collaboration. 

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Yo Gabba Gabba’s Wild Coachella Takeover

The kids’ show icons turned the desert into a joyful fever dream on Saturday, bringing out Thundercat, Flavor Flav, Weird Al, Portugal. The Man, and even Duolingo mascot Duo. Paul Williams joined for "Rainbow Connection," and the set became an instant cult classic.

Mustard’s Guest-Filled Set

2025 GRAMMYs Producer Of The Year nominee Mustard filled his Friday night set in the Sahara tent with a bonanza of surprise guests. Highlights included Ty Dolla $ign, Roddy Ricch, and G-Eazy, turning the DJ’s set into a celebration of West Coast hip-hop.

Three 6 Mafia Enlist Project Pat, Wiz Khalifa, Travis Barker & mgk

The legendary Three 6 Mafia’s hard-hitting Friday set included surprise appearances from Project Pat, Wiz Khalifa, Travis Barker, and mgk — keeping the crowd on their toes with each guest.

Danny Brown Pops Out During A.G. Cook's Set

During Charli xcx producer A.G. Cook's Friday set, Danny Brown surprised guests for two songs, which featured his 2014 Rustie collab "Attak" and Brown rapping over Charli xcx's "Party 4 U."  

Do LaB Rings In 20 Years With Too $hort, Bob Moses, Crankdat

Celebrating 20 years at Coachella, the Do LaB stage unveiled a fresh new look and surprise sets from Bob Moses and Crankdat on Friday. The updated space also hosted standout sets from Andersen .Paak aka. DJ Pee .Wee (with Too $hort), BAMBII, Jyoty B2B Zack Fox, and more. 

Festival season is upon us and New Music Friday is filled with songs and albums to prepare fans for Coachella and Stagecoach — not to mention the myriad other fests happening around the country in the coming weeks and months.

New albums for the week include Jon Pardi's Honkytonk Hollywood, Magnolia Park's VAMP, Bootsy Collins' Album of the Year #1 Funkateer, SiR's Heavy Deluxe: THE LIGHT, Röyksopp's True Electric and Ken Carson's More Chaos.

Read More: 15 Must-Hear Albums In April 2025: Wu-Tang & Mathematics, Roddy Ricch, Grace VanderWaal And Others

Elsewhere, JENNIE enlists Peggy Gou for a punchy remix of "like JENNIE" and Mariah Carey kicks off her 20th anniversary festivities for The Emancipation of Mimi with KAYTRANADA's celebratory remix of "Don't Forget About Us." Blake Shelton is determined to "Stay Country or Die Tryin'" on the latest preview from his upcoming LP, For Recreational Use Only, and Cautious Clay drops "Father Time (10am)" from his own forthcoming project, The Hours: Morning.

Below, press play on 10 new releases worth checking out, including a long-awaited lead single from Lana Del Rey, Rauw Alejandro's celebration of his beloved homeland, Bon Iver's first full-length in over half a decade, and more.

Lana Del Rey — "Henry, come on"

More than a year after first teasing its existence on social media, Lana Del Rey has finally unveiled her new single "Henry, come on."

The wistful ballad co-written by Luke Laird filters is tinged with country flourishes as the 11-time GRAMMY nominee muses over a relationship with an Icarus flying too close to the sun and later coquettishly confesses, "All these country singers and their lonely rides to Houston/ Doesn't really make for the best, you know, settle down type."

Ostensibly, "Henry, come on" serves as the first taste of Del Rey's forthcoming tenth studio set, The Right Person Will Stay, which is set for release May 21 — less than a month after she headlines the Palomino stage at Stagecoach on April 25. 

Read More: Levels Of Lana: 12 Songs To Explore Lana Del Rey's Career For Every Kind Of Fan

On his new track "Carita Linda," Rauw Alejandro takes inspiration from the rhythms of Puerto Rican bomba music to create a rhythmic fusion of the modern and the traditional.

After debuting the Spanish-language song live on the opening night of his ongoing Cosa Nuestra World Tour, the Puerto Rican superstar also dropped a gorgeous music video for the song on Thursday night (April 10). 

Described in a release as "a love letter to the Isla del Encanto," the Martin Seipel and El Zorro-directed visual puts the island's culture proudly on display. Note the folkloric plena music, Boricua vejigantes characters and traditional dance, as well as Alejandro himself performing on horseback.

Quavo and Lil Baby revel in their status as two of rap music's biggest stars on their new collaboration, "Legends," while also name-dropping the likes of Nipsey Hussle, Lil Durk and Takeoff throughout the song's lyrics.

The track's music video checks all the boxes of imagery associated with hip-hop superstardom, with the pair surrounded by video vixens, taking luxury sports cars for a late-night joyride, partying it up on a boat and flashing wads of cash for the camera. However, the clip also rather cleverly pokes holes in the impossible beauty standards for women, as some of the video vixens appear with grotesquely blown-up features or altogether pixelated as they party with the rappers.

Bon Iver continues the musical journey they began on their 2024 EP Sable with SABLE, fABLE — the indie rock outfit's fifth album and first full-length release since 2019's vGRAMMY-nominated I, I.

While the original EP is included as the double album's first disc, the nine new tracks added to the project feature collaborations with Dijon and Flock of Dimes ("Day One") and Danielle Haim ("If Only I Could Wait").

Additionally, Bon Iver unfurled a music video for the final tracks on the album, "There's a Rhythm / Au Revoir," on Friday morning. The seven-minute video finds frontman Justin Vernon at home in a cozy cabin before taking to the snow-covered forest for a walk. Eventually, the singer/songwriter reaches cactus-dotted desert and the palm trees of Southern California as he sings, "I went to see you there in Spain/ That was a month ago and change/ And now I think you need some space/ I will pause and stand with spade."

Read More: 6 Songs To Get Into Bon Iver Ahead Of Their New Album 'SABLE, fABLE'

MARINA isn't letting a single soul dull her iridescent sparkle on "CUNTISSIMO," the latest single off her just-announced sixth album PRINCESS OF POWER (out June 6).

Ratcheting the BPM up to a relentless staccato, the indie pop chanteuse's latest offering plays out as a self-realized evolution of her 2012 Electra Heart-era hit "How to Be a Heartbreaker." Though, this time, the instruction manual is all about setting boundaries, protecting your peace and reclaiming your inherent feminine power.

Things that are "CUNTISSIMO"? As MARINA sings on the joyful chorus, "Salma Hayek in the sun/ Louise and Thelma on the run/ Your ex is hitting you up/ But you no longer give a f–/ Leaving that loser on read/ Don't let him back in your bed/ 'Cause your energy is precious/ Not your fault he fell in love."

Jelly Roll makes his acting debut on the small screen Sunday night with an appearance on the CBS drama "Fire Country," so naturally, the country-rap star has added a song titled to the show's soundtrack as well.

"Dreams Don't Die" lays the four-time GRAMMY nominee's vulnerabilities bare as he laments, "I know how to hurt/ And I know how to lie/ I've been doing it all my life" in his signature growl. However, fans will have to tune into the episode to find out just how the track connects to the arc of his character Noah, a former convict attempting to turn his life around as a healthcare worker. 

"While he's telling the story of someone who's gone through some difficult things in their personal life, his character will really leave a big impact on [the show]," "Fire Country" star Max Thieriot teased ahead of the episode, while Jelly Roll added in a separate promo, "I've been singing about redemption, now I'm stepping into the fire to live it."

Rema channels 2000s R&B and electric guitar-fueled rock in equal measure on his new single "Bout U," the second track to arrive this year (after February's "Baby (Is It a Crime)") as a follow-up to his GRAMMY-nominated sophomore album, Heis.

On the song — which arrives just ahead of Rema's Coachella debut — the Nigerian star raves over a girl he just can't get enough of, proudly declaring, "Gyal blazing, gyal 10, gyal A-list/ And her waist is figure 8, she put that work in/ Change your life six figures, she deserve it/ Got gyalis around the world but she my favorite."

In between defying gravity as Elphaba in the Wicked movies, performing at the 2025 GRAMMY Awards and nabbing her third Academy Award nomination, Cynthia Erivo somehow found time to record a new solo album, I Forgive You, which is slated for release on June 6.

The Broadway star gave fans a second preview of what to expect on the full-length in the form of "Worst of Me," a gripping post-mortem on a cold and painful relationship that's now, thankfully, in her rearview mirror. "I wish I was honest for a moment/ Bruises only heal when you apply some love and tenderness/ You could cut me deeper than the ocean/ But I refuse to drown, I'm coming up/ I wanna breathe again," she vows before launching into the song's heartbreaking chorus.

Green Day get wild on "Smash It Like Belushi," the first bonus track off their upcoming Saviors (édition de luxe), which will arrive May 23 — nearly a year and a half after the original version's release in January 2024.

Referencing the mixture of heroin and cocaine that tragically killed comic legend John Belushi in the early '80s, the song puts Billie Joe Armstong in a catchy call-and-response with bandmate Mike Dirnt as he snarls, "Feeling like a melee today/ Smash it like Belushi, ah yeah/ Doin' the Watusi, ahh/ Lookin' trigger happy/  Everybody panic, lucid/ Semi-automatic, ah yeah/ Kickin' in a window, ahh/ Murder in the front row."

Along with "Smash It Like Belushi," the deluxe edition of Saviors will also contain four additional new tracks including "Stay Young," "F–k Off" and "Ballyhoo" and acoustic renditions of "Suzie Chapstick" and "Father to Son."

Read More: Green Day's 'Saviors': How Their New Album Links 'Dookie' & 'American Idiot' Decades Later

Trixie Mattel featuring VINCINT — "Supermodel (You Betta Work)"

Sashay, shantay! With their joint set at Coachella's famous Do Lab just hours away, Trixie Mattel and VINCINT teamed up to give fans an early surprise by covering RuPaul's "Supermodel (You Betta Work)."

The pair's celebratory reworking of Mother Ru's iconic 1992 single actually comes in two different iterations — a vogue-ready "Solid Pink Disco Version" and a longer, pulsating "Blonde Version" — but both will give all the girls, gays and theys descending on the Empire Polo Club for the weekend just one thing to say: "You betta work!"

Coachella is just around the corner and even if festivals aren’t your scene, it’s hard to deny that the 24th Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival has a little something for everyone. The 2025 edition of the fest will be held in Indio, California at the Empire Polo Fields over two weekends (April 11-13 and 18-20) and promises to be an event for the ages — for a multitude of reasons. 

To begin, fest organizers nailed it with the headliner formula. Among the landmark performances is Lady Gaga, who kicks off a run of dates behind just-released album Mayhem on Friday night, providing a preview of what’s to come for her legions of Little Monsters. Her performance holds even more significance as it will be her first fully realized Coachella headline set; her 2017 stand-in for then pregnant Beyoncé was relatively last-minute while this one arrives with months of planning, sure to be spectacular. 

Read more: 2025 Music Festivals Guide: Lineups & Dates For Coachella, Bonnaroo, Lollapalooza & More

As with the past two years, West Coast rock legends will grace the main stage. It happened by accident in 2023 when Blink-182 stepped up to fill Frank Ocean’s shoes on the final Sunday, satisfying both nostalgia and a burning thirst for the return of rock headliners. No Doubt (technically not a headliner, but practically one given the audience they drew) reaffirmed the strategy in 2024. And this year it’ll be Green Day, who reliably draw rabid fans from every generation. To boot, the band is currently on a victory lap celebrating 30 years of Dookie and 20 years of American Idiot, which they’ve played in full. 

While Green Day sits atop Saturday’s lineup on the poster, the night will be closed by Travis Scott. The rapper conceived an installation near the Sonora tent, which will “curate a Cactus Jack takeover as part of ‘a fully immersive and experiential world within the desert’,” according to a representative who talked to Complex.

Post Malone will close out both Sunday nights — a grand finale that's likely to be peppered with enough starpower to spark a supernova. Post has so many hits and collabs (see his work with Future and the surviving members of Nirvana, backup vocals for Taylor Swift and crooning twangy tunes with Jelly Roll) and previously brought out Ty Dolla $ign and 21 Savage when he closed out the Sahara tent in 2018. Who knows what he’ll bring to the Chella main stage Sunday night.

And that's just the big text. Skip to the second line and Coachella's lineup just gets better and more diverse: you’ve got the First Lady of Rap, Missy Elliott on Friday, the queen Brat herself, Charli xcx, plus punk rock progenitors the (original) Misfits on Saturday, and head honcho hot girl Megan Thee Stallion on Sunday. 

Learn more: Meet The Coachella Die-Hards: 5 Super Fans You'll Find In The Desert

And of course, so much more amongst the lineup’s undercard. That realm is often where some of the weekend’s biggest moments occur: with the up-and-comers, the scrappy garage bands in Sonora, the underground EDM wizards and international breakouts ready to make their first mark in the States. Read on for a rundown of 11 must-see acts embedded in the Coachella lineup’s smaller print.

Lisa and Jennie

Two years after making history as the first K-pop group to headline Coachella, BLACKPINK is, once again, in your area. At least, half of the fearsome foursome — Lisa and Jennie — will return to Indio for respective solo sets on Friday and Sunday of both weekends. The former released her first solo album, Alter Ego, on Feb. 28, and Jennie’s full-length, Ruby, arrived precisely one week later, both debuting at No. 7 on the Billboard 200. 

True to their styles within the framework of BLACKPINK, the albums lean heavily on hip-hop and feature a slew of guests: Rosalía, Raye, Doja Cat, Future and Megan Thee Stallion on Alter Ego; and Childish Gambino, Kali Uchis, Dominic Fike, Doechii, Dua Lipa and FKJ on Ruby. As most of those artists are Coachella alumni, it stands to reason that both sets could be loaded with killer cameos.

Learn more: Breaking Down Every Solo Act From BLACKPINK: From LISA's "Money" To JENNIE's 'Ruby'

Gustavo Dudamel and the Los Angeles Philharmonic

GRAMMY-winning conductor Gustavo Dudamel is poised to make history by bringing the LA Phil to Coachella on April 12 and 19, marking the first time an orchestra will perform its own set at the desert fest. While past performers like Hans Zimmer featured an orchestra, this will be the first appearance by a fully insular organization.

As there’s no precedent and few details announced, speculation abounds for what the performance might entail. Dudamel’s resumé — which spans his 15-plus years as music director for the renowned orchestra — also includes collaborations with the likes of Billie Eilish, Ricky Martin and Christina Aguilera, suggesting that the set may transcend a merely classical configuration.

Pete Tong x Ahmed Spins

What happens when one of the world’s most iconic DJs joins forces with a rising star nearly four decades his junior? It’s anybody’s guess, but Coachellans will be the first to find out on April 11 and 18 when Pete Tong links up with Ahmed Spins. The former is a fixture of the Ibiza and Miami DJ scenes, and an instrumental figure in cementing the EDM as a cornerstone of BBC Radio 1 since becoming host of multiple shows on the station in the early ‘90s. Meanwhile, the 26-year-old Moroccan (real name Ahmed Akhannouch) is a newcomer, whose 2022 Anchor Point EP has surpassed 100 million streams on Spotify. That release, which leans heavily on deep and Afrohouse music, drew the attention of Tong, who included Ahmed on his best of 2023 Hot Mix.

The upcoming live collaboration suggests Tong has taken Akhannouch under his wing, perhaps positioning the young DJ/producer as a new global ambassador for contemporary EDM that retains a classic vibe. Whether the set takes place in the massive Sahara tent or within the intimate confines of the Yuma tent, this spotlight on a veteran paired with a veritable prodigy at one of the world’s most prestigious festivals is an essential addition to your schedule.

Darkside

When Darkside — the brainchild of Chilean American composer and musician Nicolas Jaar and his multi-instrumentalist touring mate Dave Harrington — first emerged in 2011, there was no indication that the band would become more than a side project. Jaar was already considered an enigmatic experimental electro fixture for his landmark debut Space Is Only Noise and well on his way to forge a robust solo career. Indeed, their stint proved short-lived – the group announced an indefinite hiatus three years later with one full-length album, Psychic, under their belt.

To the delight of fans who’d experienced the psychedelic splendor of their live shows — which often featured mind-bending optical elements like a circular mirror that at once absorbed and reflected light akin to some portal to a heavenly plane — Darkside unexpectedly returned to the limelight with new music in 2020. The following year, they released sophomore album Spiral. 

Though they’ve played overseas since, their Coachella performance is Darkside's first Stateside tour in 11 years. Their Saturday sets come hot on the heels of third album Nothing (released Feb. 28), which added drummer Tlacael Esparza to the mix. The trio’s Soundcloud describes the record as "nine transmissions of negative space, telepathic seance, and spectral improvisation … a search for form borne out of spontaneous elliptical jams, acoustic riffing, and digital levitations [featuring] serpentine guitars, extraterrestrial static, and cavernous drums." In short, the ideal desert trip.

The Dare

Under the guise of the Dare, singer and musician Harrison Patrick Smith produces music that is simultaneously playful and polished, groovy and goofy, and overall guaranteed to start a party. The infectious vibes shine through on 2024 debut album What’s Wrong With New York?, particularly on lead single "Girls," a 2-minute banger that echoes the styles of LCD Soundsystem and other distinctly NYC-bred dance rock outfits.

Smith’s rise over the past year has been meteoric. He joined Charli xcx as opening act for several dates of her Brat tour and produced the album’s deluxe edition track "Guess," plus a remix of the song featuring Billie Eilish. It bodes well that the Dare and Charli are both scheduled for Chella performances on April 12 and 19, and Eilish has a penchant for making surprise appearances at the fest. 

Glass Beams

Counter to the wave of rock-oriented Australian artists currently crashing into U.S. shores, Glass Beams arrived as a gentle, meditative tide. Conceived by Indian Australian multi-instrumentalist and producer Rajan Silva (who plays drums in the three-piece band), Glass Beams offers hypnotizing, psychedelic grooves. Their songs are purely instrumental save for softly sung, wordless melodies and bewitching chants (think Khruangbin with more distinctly Eastern overtones).

Of the three live musicians, only Silva’s identity is known, and all of them wear ornate masks woven of what look like gold and diamond jewels, adding another layer of mystique to the already enthralling sonics. Glass Beams have become a staple at festivals since releasing their debut EP Mirage (2021) and full-length Mahal (2024), but it’s hard to imagine a more perfect setting than the desert landscape of Coachella. Here’s hoping they score a golden hour time slot to complete the dazzling display when they arrive April 12 and 19 for their debut at the fest.

Beth Gibbons

It’s been nearly two decades since Beth Gibbons has graced a Coachella stage. The last time was with Portishead in 2008, a performance that is among the festival's most legendary, both for its rarity (one of a tiny handful of U.S. fest appearances the band ever did) and larger-than-life presentation.

Gibbons returns April 12 and 19 to perform selections from her debut solo album Lives Outgrown, a hauntingly beautiful tapestry of grief-stricken yet life-affirming songs released last year. It feels unlikely that the production will match the epic heights of the storied Portishead set, but why should it? This is Gibbons in her most vulnerable and evolved form, an occasion that calls for the intimacy of something more stripped down. Added to that, it’s one of only a baker’s dozen of U.S. shows (and the final tour dates to boot), so there’s no argument against its making an historic impact. 

Clairo

If you’ve caught one of Clairo’s shows supporting her GRAMMY-nominated album Charm, you know that she’s having a huge moment. Fans emphatically sing back every word of each song, and her stage presence is overflowing with a captivating confidence that makes her somewhat timid demeanor of past tours seem like a distant dream. 

If you haven’t witnessed this pivotal shift, Clairo's return to Coachella on April 12 and 19 will be the ideal opportunity. It’s hard to imagine she won’t graduate from her Mojave tent placement in 2018 to at least the Outdoor Theatre – one of her biggest fest appearances yet and a fitting platform for an emerging queen of boldly soulful and jazz-imbued indie-pop. These are also two of the final eight dates on this jaunt, so whether you’re a diehard fan or merely a curious live music lover looking for a surefire stunner, attendance is critical.    

Amyl & the Sniffers

Coachella isn’t sleeping on one of Australia’s most ferocious punk rock exports. After a 2022 showing in the Sonora tent (rescheduled from the canceled 2020 edition), Amyl and the Sniffers are already headed back to Indio for appearances on April 13 and 20. It’s no wonder considering their momentum: three albums released since 2019 (the latest, Cartoon Darkness, dropped last October) and relentless touring, including opening slots for Green Day, Weezer, Smashing Pumpkins and Jane’s Addiction.

The band’s onstage antics are as unyielding as their work ethic, and they’re every bit authentic – as snotty, raw and rowdy as punk rockers come (they don’t hold back in their songwriting either … see latest single "Jerkin’"). Namesake Amyl Taylor is a certified wild woman; the type to get a bloody nose mid-show and continue to snarl, thrash and crowdsurf while her mullet-headed band mates beat and shred the hell out of their instruments without skipping a beat. Any venue they touch transforms into a garage show riot. So, regardless of which stage they land on, Coachella should be no different.

Rema

Nigerian singer and rapper Rema has released just two albums – 2022’s Rave & Roses and last year’s GRAMMY-nominated Heis — and is already being heralded as one of the chief innovators and global ambassadors of Afrobeats. Part of his exposure to the world stage came from a collaboration with Selena Gomez on a remix of his 2022 single "Calm Down," but since then he’s single handedly carved out a space among popular music for himself and his Afrobeat peers.

Rema will make his Coachella debut on April 13 and attendees need only look to his appearance at the 2024 BRIT awards for an indication of what he plans to bring to the desert. During a performance of "Calm Down," Rema was backdropped by an elaborate stage setup, and flanked by a full band and highly choreographed and costumed backup dancers. It was the type of meticulously thought-out visionary production you might see on an even larger scale at some of Coachella’s most memorable tailormade sets. The bar is set, and odds are Rema will raise it higher.