It’s November 29. On this day last year, Consequence of Sound confirmed the headliners of Coachella 2017 as Beyonce, Radiohead, and Kendrick Lamar were confirmed about a month-and-a-half earlier than the lineup drop. All we know for sure about Coachella 2018 is Beyonce will take the stage after having to cancel her set this year due to getting pregnant.
Alongside Beyonce, there are strong rumors that one of the other headliners will be The Weeknd. He’s had a pretty impressive run since last appearing at Coachella 2015, where he stole the show on the main stage after listed headliner Jack White played that same night. He’s headlined festivals like Bonnaroo in 2017 and seems ready to take on the spot.
Another rumor that doesn’t make as much sense has The Chainsmokers as the third headliner. They are headlining Goldenvoice’s little sister festival Hangout this May — but they don’t seem nearly credible enough to close out the biggest festival in America by a landslide.
This leads me to believe that the third headliner is a legacy act that we haven’t thought about. Acts like those have much tighter-lipped teams, and it could explain why we haven’t heard a legitimate third headliner leaked (or second, if you don’t believe The Weeknd will headline). So I’m gonna have some fun — here’s a list of 10 acts I would love to see headline Coachella. Note that a lot of these seem highly unlikely.
ROLLING STONES
Of all the bands that played the lone Desert Trip in Indio, the Rolling Stones make the most sense as a potential Coachella 2018 headliner. They’ve played Goldenvoice venues in the past, like the Fonda Theatre, and now they have a relationship with Coachella founder Paul Tollett. They might cost a pretty penny, and with the money sunk into Beyonce already — which will surely sell the fest out — they might cost too much. But holy shit, could you imagine?
PHIL COLLINS
Some of you are probably laughing at this idea, but it really makes quite a bit of sense. Phil Collins has a shitload of hits. He hasn’t played the United States since May 2010 outside of a handful of private or intimate shows, and he didn’t play any of his original songs at any of those. The name of his upcoming short run of shows is Not Dead Yet, where he will hit Brazil, Mexico, Peru, Chile, Uruguay, Argentina, and Puerto Rico, and it runs from February to March. It sort of sets up for him to headline a festival in 2018 — and if it isn’t Coachella, I really expect him to play something like Bonnaroo in 2018. Dibs on wearing a Patrick Bateman from American Psycho costume for when he plays “Sussudio” if it happens.
TALKING HEADS
The chances of this happening are pretty much slim to none. David Byrne reportedly doesn’t want to reunite with any of his old bandmates, but they would bring the house down if they could pull it together for a couple of shows. Byrne has a shitload of projects going at once almost always, so prying him away from that seems unlikely. Still, they’re one of the few bands yet to reunite that a lot of people would go wild for.
THE POLICE
It’s been 10 years since The Police played together, and they were a highlight for many of my friends who went to Bonnaroo 2007 and got to see them. Shitloads of hits, perfect fit as a legacy headliner slot. When Desert Trip was still just a rumor, guitarist Andy Summers denied they were up for it but said a Police reunion “remained an open door.” The band earned a reported $297 million gross on their 2007-2008 tour. That’s a lot of cheddar.
DIRE STRAITS
One of the more unlikely reunions, the band haven’t played a real show since 1992 and thus would be one of the bigger possible gets. Lead man Mark Knopfler seems very disinterested in the idea, but time can always change things. They’re another one of those bands that younger kids might not think they know, until they hear “Money For Nothing”, “Sultans of Swing”, and “Romeo And Juliet”.
ELTON JOHN
Friends that have seen Elton John have recounted it as being the best show they’ve ever seen in their lives, and the guest possibilities for a headline Coachella set are endless. Imagine if Elton and Beyonce debuted one of their reworked Lion King songs on the Polo Fields! Elton has showed no signs of slowing down as he still tours very often, and he played Outside Lands 2015 and brought the house down.
R.E.M.
This seems REALLY unlikely, as it doesn’t sound like Michael Stipe in particular is ready to dust himself off and come back. But the band has been digging into their archives and releasing special editions of their albums. This year was 25 years since they dropped the incredible Automatic For The People record. They are one of a handful of bands I am really kicking myself for never getting a chance to see them live — they were one of my favorites until their last few albums. I’m also pretty sure there aren’t many millennials who are super familiar with them, but they’d be a big hit with the thirtysomething and over crowd, and rightfully so. Get original drummer Bill Berry — who left the band in the early aughts — and that would spice things up a bit too. They haven’t played since 2008, and next year would mark a decade since hanging them up.
FLEETWOOD MAC
I would say considering they played The Classic festival this year, it probably rules them out from ever playing a Goldenvoice festival considering the rift between Tollett and super-manager Irving Azoff (who reps Lindsey Buckingham), especially since that event was a LiveNation one. But still, I got a reminder that I saw Fleetwood Mac three years ago today at The Forum and it was one of the best shows I’ve ever seen, hands down — and not just because I smoked out a bunch of people my parents’ age. Endless string of hits, and with Christine McVie back in the fold, they’re back at the top of their game.
RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE
“Legacy act” might be a stretch when describing Rage — but damn, we need them now more than ever. Could you imagine what a show of theirs would look like during a Trump administration? I still get goosebumps when thinking about the Audioslave anti-inauguration ball that Tom Morello helped organize for the Teragram Ballroom back in January, and could only imagine what that kind of show on the Coachella scale would be. Zach De La Rocha’s voice isn’t quite what it used to be, but if he only had to do a couple of shows, it could work. They haven’t played together since 2011.
What legacy act or broken-up band would you love to see at Coachella 2018? Let us know on social media! Follow us on Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram! Want to know other rumors as far as the Coachella 2018 lineup? Visit our festival rumors and confirmations page!
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