Top 10 Greatest Coachella Performances Of All Time

Coachella has forged an immense reputation in the name of live music performances across its two-decade history, and we’ve scratched the surface by revisiting some of the best.

There’s no denying that Coachella is a global giant when it comes to pioneering the world of live music performances, having done so since its inception back in 1999. For over 20 years, the California festival has invited some of the scene’s most prolific artists onto its stages, providing fans with some of the greatest musical spectacles of all time.

On the dawn of what is to be another unmissable edition of the festival, we’re going to take a look back on some of the most iconic performances Coachella has had to offer across its expansive history.

Daft Punk (2006)

It’s no secret that Daft Punk were pioneers of electronic dance music, and often utilized their live performances to drive their digital movement forward. Perhaps one of their most iconic performances came in 2006, as they took to the famed Sahara Tent to perform in front of a 40,000-strong crowd. Brandishing new music from their latest album at the time, ‘Human After All’, the pair took the festival by storm with the set going down as the ultimate electronic Coachella experience.

Rage Against The Machine (2007)

Having broken up in 2000, fans of Rage Against The Machine were buzzing when rumors began swirling as to a reunion tour in late January of 2007. Not long after it was confirmed that they would kickstart just that with a landmark performance at Coachella that year. Around 100,000 people gathered as the band used their music to voice strong political messages. It is rumored that the crowd was the biggest ever seen at the festival, and such popularity propelled the full-scale tour that ensued from this iconic performance.

Prince (2008)

Only a matter of weeks before the 2008 edition of Coachella did the organizers reveal that Prince would be headlining the main Saturday slot. For fans to be able to embrace the live, and often-spontaneous nature of a Prince set in the Colorado Desert was a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Of course, he brought with him some of his most iconic hits from the 80’s including the likes of “Purple Rain” and  “Little Red Corvette”, to fill out the incredible set. 

Jay-Z (2010)

At the turn of the first decade of the new millennium, Jay-Z made waves by becoming the first rapper to headline Coachella. Brandishing some of his finest music in a typically emphatic fashion, he provided a memorable celebration of his music, touched on current issues, and reflected on his personal journey on his way to the top. Fitting for the occasion, he also brought his wife Beyoncé out to the stage much to the approval of fans who had circulated rumours that it would happen.

Calvin Harris (2012)

During the “golden era” of EDM, Calvin Harris was called to arms in the Sahara Tent to provide the best in electronic music. This incredible set was bolstered by the special guest who joined the Scotsman on stage, pop superstar vocalist Rihanna. Together they took the crowd by storm, playing out their hit collaborations ‘Where Have You Been”, and “We Found Love”. Complete with groundbreaking productions and new music to suit, this way by far one of the most unmissable DJ sets in the history of the festival.

Blur (2013)

Back in 2013, English rock outfit Blur brought the best of Britpop to Coachella for its second weekend. Joining a long list of the genre’s elite at the California festival, Damon Albarn, Graham Coxon, Alex James, and Dave Rowntree came together to provide an unforgettable live set. Drawing in a raucous crowd, the band played a 15-track set that included hits such as ‘Out Of Time’, ‘This Is A Low’, and ‘Tender, before closing out with their fan favorite ‘Song 2’.

Kendrick Lamar (2017)

American rapper Kendrick Lamar found himself quite at home in Indio back in 2017 – armed with tracks from his now-celebrated EP, ‘Damn’. Kendrick likes to make a statement during his live performances, utilizing powerful, vivid lyricism and visual accompaniment, and did just that during his headline slot. During his set, he debuted 10 of the album’s tracks live for the first time before bringing out special guests, the likes of Travis Scott, Future, and Schoolboy Q to make for one of the highlights of the festival.

Beyoncé (2018)

In the spring of 2018, Beyoncé made history as the first black woman to headline Coachella – and what a stellar 2-hour performance she had in store for fans. Having pulled out of the previous edition of the festival due to pregnancy, she wasted no time in laying out her greatest hits, as well as a few surprises. Her husband Jay-Z appeared on stage alongside her for a couple of numbers, before the highlight of the night came in the form of a Destiny’s Child reunion, drawing Kelly Rowland and Michelle Williams to the stage.

Swedish House Mafia & The Weeknd (2022)

With Kanye West pulling out of his headline slot in 2022, organizers sought a unique double act to provide a fitting climax for that year’s celebrations. That took the shape of on-form superstar trio Swedish House Mafia and The Weeknd. Having had little time to thread a performance together, the Swedes provided the usual energy of one of their typical DJs set before Abel joined them on stage for their collaborations. From there the latter took over the reins with some of his most iconic hits to close.

Skrillex, Fred Again.. & Four Tet (2023)

One of the most iconic Coachella sets of all time came as recently as last year when Skrillex, Fred Again.. & Four Tet joined forces during weekend two. The trio was a last-minute addition to the roster, with Frank Ocean dropping out of his headline slot due to injury. Utilizing a disused ice rink that was meant for Ocean’s performance, the three DJs found themselves surrounded by the Coachella masses, striking up an unprecedented frenzy with their bass-infused productions.