The most iconic Coachella performances of all time

From humble beginnings way back in 1999, Coachella has developed into a two weekend spectacle with some of the world's most popular artists and new rising stars.

Constantly surprising its audience with stellar headliners and performances you can't see anywhere else, it's no wonder many call it "America's greatest music festival."

Five Coachella gigs we'll never forget

Over the past two decades, Coachella made history more than once, giving festival goers some of the most memorable moments in recent music history. Here are our top five Coachella performances of all time.

Daft Punk (2006)

Even though it's been over 15 years, Daft Punk's Coachella performance is still considered one of the greatest electronic sets of all time.

Back in 2006, the Sahara Tent hosted the famous French duo and 40.000 people who tried to squeeze into an area planned to host only 10.000.

Daft Punk went all out for this one, with high production value and stage design no one has ever seen before. The video clips from their Alive tour are still popular to this day, and the unforgettable pyramid centred stage design became a benchmark for EDM events all over the world.

Snoop Dogg and Dr. Dre (2012)

Many of us still remember this performance and consider it one of the most unexpected shows Coachella ever had. Dre and Snoop truly took things to another level by "resurrecting" none other than 2Pac, the late legend of the West Coast.

The shocked audience watched the holographic Tupac Shakur perform his iconic hits before disappearing in a flash of light.

As if that alone wasn't enough, the show featured numerous guests. 50 Cent, Wiz Khalifa, Tony Yayo, Kendrick Lamar, and Eminem all took part in this incredible set, cementing its place in history right then and there.

Kanye West (2011)

Back in 2011, West flew over the audience on a crane, made his way to the stage crowded with ballet dancers, and gave us one of the best hip-hop performances in history.

This awesome 26 track theatrical set featured his early hits like Stronger and Power, along with his latest hits and special guests Pusha T and Bon Iver. 

Yeezy dedicated this incredible show to his mother, Donda, before walking off the stage straight into Coachella's history.

It's important to note that tickets for this show were incredibly hard to get regardless of where you looked. To make sure they got their hands on some tickets, many people turned to Viagogo tickets proxies. Some even made a hefty profit along the way.

Beyoncé (2018)

As one of the most anticipated Coachella performances ever, Bey's headline slot definitely deserves mention for several reasons.

First of all, she was the first black female Coachella headliner. Her two hour performance did not disappoint and reminded everyone why she's known as Queen B.

The show started off with Crazy in Love and was a stellar showcase of black pride, including a rendition of Lift Every Voice and Sing with Malcolm X quotes between songs.

Thanks to immaculate precision and surprise Destiny's Child reunion, Bee ensured the audience of 100.000 people get an experience they'll never forget.

Rage Against the Machine (2007)

A few performances were more surprising than the return of RATM to the stage, Coachella's very first headliner from 1999.

The band disappeared for seven years soon after that performance, coming back to a crowd of 100.000 excited fans. Rage opened their set with Testify and went through a flawless setlist, giving fans a show for the ages.

The band fell apart in 2000, so this performance was the first time fans would be able to hear them after seven years of silence. Many of the 100.000 people present said they could feel all that pent-up energy.

The reunion was supposed to be a one-off thing, but the response was so incredible that it sparked a band reunion that lasted until 2011.

What will the the future bring?

Coachella 2022 starts on April 15th, with Harry Styles headlining. Many fans complain about ticket availability, which became a tradition on its own.

The tickets went on sale on 14th January at 10 AM and were sold out by 11:14 AM on the same day.

You can still get them from other places, but at significantly inflated prices. Click here to prepare for Coachella 2023 and ensure you get as many tickets as you wish.