Coachella Music Festival History: The Evolution of an Icon

With the start of summer comes one essential thing: the start of music festivals. And we can’t celebrate the season without talking about one of the biggest music and arts festivals ever Coachella, obvi! If you ever dreamed of dancing under the desert sun with your favorite artists playing live in the background, you get the hype.

Coachella, while it was initially known for its large-scale crowds and endless musical performances, has branched so far beyond that. It’s honestly a lifestyle (for, like… 2 weekends out of the year but feed the delusion with us!). Each year, more and more flock from around the world to the Empire Polo Club in Indio, California to celebrate the holiday that is Coachella.

But, you know what people don’t talk about enough? The rich, colorful, and seriously wild history behind Cochaella. It didn’t just take the world by storm overnight it had a journey. Ready to take a very vibey trip down Coachella Valley Music memory lane? Let’s dive in!

Coachella Music Festival History: The Evolution of an Icon

Coachella is where energy, fashion, art, and community unite to create a unique experience that defines the festival season. We like to think of it as the Super Bowl of music festivals. You have the lineups (packed with legends), the buzzy newcomers (clueless to how much dust they’re about to inhale), and surprise guests (that always shock the crowd). Does it get any better than that?

Not to mention the dreamy desert backdrop, Insta-worthy sunsets, annddd overpriced food that really can be so worth it (sorry, Gabbey Windey!). If you missed her episode on why she’s over the Coachella scene, listen to this episode of Long-Winded! What sets Coachella apart from other festivals? It feels like you’re stepping into the Empire Polo Club and entering a whole other world. This episode of DaBaddest Radio can tell you alllll about it!

Is Coachella The Biggest Music Festival In The World?

Is Coachella the biggest music festival in the world? Technically, no, but it’s definitely one of the most iconic. In terms of size, there are festivals that draw bigger crowds. But when it comes to cultural clout? Nobody’s doing it like Coachella; that’s just a fact. Speaking of Coachella and clout, check out this episode of Come Together!

No shade to the other music festivals (we love Summerfest, Bonnaroo, and Lollapalooza), but Coachella is home to soooo many iconic moments. From new music debuts to surprise collabs that turn legendary and everyone from A-list celebs to local influencers showing up it’s the place you wanna be. For more on well-known influencers making their way to the desert, check out this episode of Comments by Celebs!

It’s less about the numbers and more about the impact. So, while Coachella may not have the biggest turnout, it’s definitely the most talked-about, watched, and replayed festival ever. Speaking of the most-talked-about festivals, listen to this episode of Scheananigans for tons of must-listen-to Coachella talk. 

When Was The First Coachella Music Festival?

The first Coachella Music Festival took place in 1999, just over twenty years ago. This may sound like a long time, but think about the impact and growth this festival has had in just twenty years. Crazy, right? 

The Inaugural Coachella Festival started as a two-day event at the Empire Polo Club in Indio, California, and it just blossomed from there. What you may not know is that Pearl Jam actually put this location on the map. They played here in 1993, drew a crowd of about 25,000 fans, and gave the Empire Polo Club credibility that other artists and festivals couldn’t help but take note of.

Before we give too much away about Coachella’s early days, let’s take a deeper look into the different iconic eras of this festival.

History Of Coachella Music Festival

The Early Days: 1999–2000

So let’s take it back to where Coachella first started. It’s October 1999, and thanks to Rick Van Santen and Paul Tollett (two of the co-founders), Coachella has just debuted for the first. time. EVER. It started as a simple two-day event, but to say it was “under the radar” would be an understatement. 

With just 25,000 people in attendance (compared to the upwards of 100,000 people we see now), Coachella’s inaugural event featured artists including Beck, Rage Against the Machine, and The Chemical Brothers. So imagine very indie vibes much different from what we know it as now. But here’s the thing: there was a lot going on at this time. 

Woodstock ‘99 was held a few months before Coachella’s first debut, and it was a disaster there were riots, violence, and a lot of unsanitary conditions (like… overflowing porta potties. Yeah.) So needless to say, you can understand why people were a liiittlleee hesitant to attend another festival. 

Instead, Coachella was here to remind people that music festivals are a place to enjoy yourself, feel safe, and let loose. And while people were totally here for it, Coachella kinda experienced its own crisis. There were parking problems, sound issues, headliner difficulties things were looking questionable. 

But, despite the rocky start, the festival had this one-of-a-kind desert vibe and the right mix of music to attract every niche. People were here for it… at first.

The Struggles: 2001–2005

When the first festival wrapped, the founders of Coachella were hit with a harsh reality they weren’t sure they could bounce back from they made no profit. So instead of keeping the good times going, they took a much-needed pause for 2000, planning to return the next year. People were definitely upset and confused, but hey, California had an abundance of festivals at the time anyway!

Coachella returned for round two in 2001 with the festival held as a one-day event this time thanks to weather. And honestly? It wasn’t looking too bad! We saw artists like Jane’s Addiction, Weezer, and the Roots, and attendees reached around 32,000. What the founders of Coachella didn’t know at the time is that this weekend is what would keep the festival’s reputation afloat. 

2002 and 2003 were a bit rocky scheduling conflicts here, inconsistent lineups there (aside from the iconic Red Hot Chili Peppers showing up) but something really just clicked in 2004. The festival expanded back to two days, and the lineups started including bigger names, like The Cure and Radiohead. Suddenly, there were 110,000 attendees, and everyone who was anyone wanted to go. 

People started recognizing Coachella for its “quality over quantity” perspective. The founders didn’t care too much about selling out or making a ton of money; they just wanted unique lineups, exciting artists, and good vibes. Fortunately, this didn’t just carry over to the next era; it continues to this day!

The Breakthrough: 2005–2010

It’s been almost a decade since Coachella made its mark worldwide. 2004 was a fantastic year for the festival, and it would only keep getting better. 2005’s lineup was great, the numbers were outstanding, but 2006 was where the magic happened. Let’s collectively give a quick thanks to Daft Punk, shall we?

Coachella quickly became the place for artists and fans to come together and celebrate the power of art and music. People weren’t just coming for the hottest bands anymore they were watching the festival evolve, embracing a broader mix of genres and insane visuals (again, thanks Daft Punk!). 

Let’s just look at the versatility in headliners real quick: In 2007, it was Red Hot Chili Peppers; in 2008, it was Prince; in 2009, it was Paul McCartney; and in 2010, it was Jay-Z. Like HELLO??? And after 2010, the festival made a few changes. They expanded from a two-day to a three-day festival and then eliminated single-day ticket options to encourage people to hang for the whole weekend. Basically, Coachella shifted from the portrait of niche indie to total culture icon. 

Global Phenomenon: 2011–2015

The next five years of Coachella were nothing short of iconic. The festival drew its biggest crowds yet, and the artists just kept comin’. With over 200,000 people in attendance in 2010, the famous Coachella livestreams made it easier than ever for the entire world to tune in. Of course, it wasn’t as fun as physically being there but who cares??? In 2012, Coachella expanded to two consecutive weekends full of festival fun, and people showed up for it all.

So, what took place in this era of Coachella? Well… In 2012, we got the legendary Tupac hologram performance; 2013 granted us the literal outline for Coachella fashion thanks to Vanessa Hudgens; 2014 gave us the iconic King Kylie era; and 2015 shocked the world with the unforgettable Drake and Madonna kiss. Noticing a trend here? Every year of Coachella was literally symbolic we never went without a memorable moment. 

As you can see, Coachella was no longer just a festival but a place where trends were set and memories were made. We know we keep harping on how important it became to culture, but this era seriously put everything into full swing. 

The Modern Era: 2016–Present

We did it, guys we made it from 1999 to modern-day Coachella culture. And how does Coachella continue to make waves? By staying true to what it’s always done best: evolving, adapting, and never missing a beat. Each current major celebrity has had their moment to shine under the bright and colorful Coachella spotlights, and we’re here each year, impatiently waiting for the next star sightings. Like the Timothee x Kylie appearance this year??? Check out this episode of Comments by Celebs to hear all about it.

And let’s be clear it’s not just the music we’re hyped about. Coachella has become a full-blown playground where fashion, art, and culture collide to set trends and shake things up worldwide. Plus, can we talk about the Coachella content on social media? Between Alix Earle’s GRWM’s to behind-the-scenes clips from Charli XCX, we’re totally locked in. If you’re already caught up on all the content, check out this episode of Pretty Basic! They give us all the exclusive details about what happens after the Coachella after-parties. 

Everything we’ve seen over the years has completely raised the bar on what being a part of the Coachella scene means. The brand has become a status symbol, and we’re here to give the event its flowers. It’s come a long way, and it’s honestly so deserved. 

Now that you know the history behind Coachella, try telling us that it isn’t a cultural icon worth celebrating. 

Coachella Valley Music and Arts has truly made a name for itself. From the rocky start in 1999 to the global phenomenon it’s become in recent years (or this last decade, should we say), Coachella has proven that evolution and creativity can go a LONG way. If you’re anything like us, you’re already counting down the days until next year!

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