Coachella 2025: A Weekend of Legends and Newcomers.

California Music Festival Poised for Record Crowds, With Headliners Lady Gaga, Post Malone, and Green Day

Coachella 2025 is heating up—literally and figuratively—as some of the world’s biggest music stars prepare to take the stage under record-breaking desert temperatures.

With daytime highs expected to reach 103°F (over 39°C), this weekend marks one of the hottest Coachellas on record—around 10–20 degrees hotter than usual for April in Indio, California. Among the many artists set to perform through the blaze are Lady Gaga, Charli XCX, Ed Sheeran, and Missy Elliott.

Following a slower year in 2024, which saw the festival headlined by Doja Cat, Lana Del Rey, and Tyler, the Creator, this year is already being seen as a resurgence. Headliners Lady Gaga, Green Day, and Post Malone are bringing serious star power, backed by a combined 24% higher global Spotify streaming numbers than last year’s top acts.

Lady Gaga returns to Coachella after headlining in 2017, when she famously filmed scenes for A Star Is Born on the festival grounds. This time, she's expected to debut material from her upcoming album Mayhem, while also treating fans to classic hits. Though she's keeping details under wraps, Gaga shared her excitement in a recent interview: “I genuinely don’t want to give anything away… but I could honestly cry just thinking about how excited I am to do this show.”

The 2025 lineup offers a wide-ranging mix of artists, blending fresh talent with nostalgic favorites. Newer acts like Lola Young, Shaboozey, Amyl and the Sniffers, Rema, Underscores, and GloRilla represent the next wave, while veterans like Missy Elliott, Jimmy Eat World, Kraftwerk, Basement Jaxx, and the Go-Go’s bring retro vibes to the desert.

Among the most anticipated returns is The Prodigy, performing at Coachella for the first time since the passing of frontman Keith Flint in 2019. “This isn’t a tribute show,” said Liam Howlett. “But honoring Keith is something we’ll always do—he was more than just the face on stage. He was vital behind the scenes too.”

Weezer is also set to play amid recent headlines involving bassist Scott Shriner’s wife, Jillian Lauren, who was charged with attempted murder following a police shooting incident. Despite the controversy, the band has confirmed their appearance, with Shriner telling reporters, “See you at Coachella.”

One notable absence this weekend will be FKA twigs, who announced her withdrawal due to unresolved visa issues involving her production team. “I’m devastated,” she wrote in an Instagram statement.

Her situation highlights a growing concern among international artists, as rising costs and stricter visa requirements create new barriers to performing in the U.S. “We just did visas for a Coachella band, and it cost $8,000,” said a booking agency executive. “It’s becoming a huge financial hurdle. You can’t wait on standard processing—you have to pay for the fast track.”

As fans pour into the desert for Weekend 1, the stage is set for a memorable festival—one that blends blazing temperatures, global megastars, and the energy of a true Coachella comeback.