Coachella 2026 Was One for the Books
Justin Bieber closes out Coachella weekend one on April 11 with his hit song "Daisies.” Photo by Grace Lisella '26
Coachella 2026 wrapped up its second and final weekend on Apr. 19, and may go down in history for the record-breaking numbers it brought. Between the lineup, performance considerations and influencer brand deals, Coachella 2026 definitely did its big one.
The official lineup for the 2026 festivals was announced on Sept. 15, with ticket sales beginning four days later. General admission ticket prices started at around $650 for weekend one and $550 for weekend two. This does not include tickets that offered shuttle or VIP passes, which started at close to $1.3k.
The festival has sold out nearly every year since 2010, but for the 2026 year, tickets for both weekends sold out in less than a week. So what made this year different?
Most of the large appeal came from the headliners, including Justin Bieber and Sabrina Carpenter. These sets have been dubbed as Bieberchella, or the self-proclaimed Sabrinawood. Both received significant praise from audiences because of the setlists, special guests or performance quality.
Justin Bieber returned to a live stage for the first time since 2022, after being forced to end his world tour. Within his first night at Coachella, he broke more records than ever before in the festival’s history, including highest earnings, ticket sales, and single-day streaming.
Fans reacted to Bieber’s set, saying it was much more than just a performance; it was also a healing experience for both him and them.
“It was just him: this beautiful, healed version of the pop star we all watched through the highs and lows of stardom, now a husband, a father and looking like this version of Justin that feels the most honest, whole and fully his own,” wrote Marissa Essenberg, a sports writer for the Baylor Lariat.
Bieber also brought special guests to the stage for his performances throughout the two weekends, including Billie Eilish, SZA, Big Sean and Sexxy Red. After a duet of their 2012 hit song “As Long As You Love Me,” Sean Anderson, widely known as Big Sean, acknowledged the power and strength of Bieber’s performance on stage.
“You gave us your whole life. I think I speak for everyone when I say thank you,” Anderson said. “Directly or indirectly, I think you taught all of us to believe in ourselves and showed us what purpose was.”
Alongside Bieber on the headlining list was Sabrina Carpenter. Known widely for her theatrical and playful pop performances, Carpenter did not hold back for Coachella. Dynamic costume and set changes, unreleased music and even more special guests made the performances that much more memorable.
Carpenter invited guests on stage, such as actors Will Ferrell, Geena Davis and Terry Crews, but what really grabbed the audience’s attention was bringing out Madonna during weekend two. The two stars shared the stage for duets of their songs, including Madonna’s “Like a Prayer” and Carpenter’s “Juno.”
Among the headliners were performers like Ethel Cain, KATSEYE, SOMBR, Laufey, Addison Rae and dozens more. Viewers responded to many of these sets, praising the visual effects for giving them more of an in-person experience, rather than visuals catering more to viewers who were watching remotely.
Performers have been stepping up their stage presence and sets at Coachella because the crowds are continuously getting bigger. While much of it has to do with the music, there’s another factor that can’t be denied: social media influence.
In recent years, Coachella has become its own social platform for influencers to create and promote content. Much of the conversation about Coachella can often be about who was seen and what they were wearing. Thinkhouse calls the festival the “Influencer Olympics,” as it has become an aesthetic competition for clout and sponsorships.
The first Coachella festival in 1999 was introduced by Paul Tollett and Rick Van Santen, with their goal to be the “antithesis of Woodstock,” by incorporating different genres of music and artists on the same stage. Since then, the festival has become not only a celebration of music, but a social and fashion fest where influencers hope to grow their platforms.
Whether it’s due to brand deals or a genuine appreciation for music, the festival continues to grow nonetheless. Coachella provides a space for music lovers of all kinds to come together every year and celebrate the art of music.
“Coachella may have changed, but the reason people still care about it has not disappeared,” wrote Thinkhouse. “It is still a place where culture, identity, and aspiration collide.”