"Kendrick and Rihanna Decline Coachella: What This Means for the Festival’s Future"

As ticket sales lag and major headliners decline, the festival faces a reckoning with its star power gaps

Christopher Polk/Contributor via Getty Images

Coachella has been a cultural force since its inception in 1999, transforming the desert of Indio, California, into a music mecca every year. But the winds of change are blowing, and recent reports suggest that securing A-list headliners is becoming increasingly difficult for the iconic festival. Bloomberg recently revealed that both Kendrick Lamar and Rihanna, two of the biggest names in music, turned down offers to headline Coachella in 2025—a reality that raises concerns about the festival’s future ability to draw massive crowds.

Paul Tollett, CEO of Goldenvoice, the company behind Coachella, has been working tirelessly to lock in big names since last year’s festival ended, but without much success. As ticket sales have slowed over the last two years, landing a guaranteed crowd-puller is essential to reversing the trend. And in the current festival landscape, Kendrick and Rihanna are exactly the kind of A-list acts that can still generate that level of buzz.

Yet, both stars declined the offer. Kendrick, who performed at Coachella in 2012 and 2017, has his sights set on his upcoming Super Bowl LIX Halftime show and a potential stadium tour. Rihanna, meanwhile, continues to focus on her family and business ventures, with no clear plans for a new album or tour on the horizon.

But while their decisions are understandable, they reveal a larger problem for Coachella: the gap in crowd-drawing power between the A-list elite and the next tier of artists is wider than ever. After two decades of cultivating a reputation for booking the biggest acts in the world—from Beyoncé to Tupac’s hologram—Coachella now faces the reality that the very top of the music hierarchy has fewer names that can deliver a truly blockbuster performance. And the festival’s struggle to lock in a headliner of Kendrick or Rihanna’s stature is a testament to that thinning pool.

The Tupac hologram in 2012 is perhaps the most memorable moment in Coachella’s storied history. That legendary performance, where the late rapper was “brought back to life” to perform with Dr. Dre and Snoop Dogg, solidified Coachella’s place as the festival for once-in-a-lifetime experiences. Back then, it was a festival where you wouldn’t be surprised to see your favorite artist in the crowd, watching alongside you, or at one of the handful of local gas stations, grabbing a soda. It was an intimate yet iconic gathering, where the lines between performer and fan blurred in a way that felt raw and personal.

But as Coachella has grown in size and stature, those simpler days seem far behind. The increasing difficulty in booking headline acts like Kendrick and Rihanna reflects a broader issue: Coachella’s star-driven model may be showing signs of fatigue. While other acts—like Fred Again or Post Malone—are reportedly being considered for the 2025 lineup, it’s clear that these names, while respected, don’t bring the same magnetic draw. The fact that Coachella is still searching for a marquee name, even after approaching two of the biggest stars in the game, suggests a deeper challenge within the festival circuit: the field of true A-list acts who can single-handedly sell out festivals is shrinking, and the next generation of artists has yet to fill that void.

In the past, Coachella’s ability to attract genre-defining artists helped maintain its status as the premier destination for music lovers around the world. But with recent editions of the festival plagued by slower ticket sales and, as some critics argue, less vibrant performances from its headliners, the festival’s future might depend more on rising stars and niche genres like EDM to keep the energy high.

In 2024, acts like Lana Del Rey, Doja Cat, and Tyler, The Creator headlined, with special performances from reunited acts like No Doubt. But even these performances couldn’t shake the perception that Coachella’s star power was fading. A string of technical difficulties further soured the experience, leaving headliner Lana Del Rey barely audible for much of her set. If anything, this year’s festival highlighted how crucial it is for Coachella to bring in proven stars if it wants to reignite excitement.

With Kendrick and Rihanna out, Coachella 2025 will have to rely on its third or fourth options for headliners—choices that may not bring the guaranteed excitement needed to fill the desert once again. This reality underscores just how competitive the music landscape has become and how critical it is for festivals to keep pace with the ever-changing demands of the audience. Whether Coachella can do that without the biggest names in the business remains to be seen.

In a fractured music industry where top stars can make more from touring or their own ventures, festivals may find it harder to justify their massive headliner fees. But even as the A-list shrinks, Coachella has a chance to foster the next generation of superstars who could someday take the stage and make their mark. The question now is: Will Coachella adapt, or will it be left behind as other festivals rise in its place?