music festivals

Now that Weekend One of Coachella 2023 is approaching, it’s never to early to start looking ahead to possible headliners for the festival’s next few years. This year, the wildly successful music and arts festival returns for the second showing of its post-COVID-19 era. Featuring headlining sets from chart-topping K-Pop phenom BLACKPINK, Grammy-winning R&B maestro Frank Ocean, and world-conquering reggaeton superstar Bad Bunny, this year’s Coachella is certainly heavy on the star power. But, even though it feels as if Coachella tastemakers select the biggest and brightest of today’s music stars to headline the festival, there are still quite a few acts that have curiously not yet headlined. As exhilarating as record-breaking tours are, Coachella is still a dependable site for iconic cultural moments — from the still-shocking Tupac hologram in 2012 to Beyoncé’s legendary tribute to historically Black colleges and universities in 2018.

The ideal Coachella headliner should be popular enough to appeal to a wide demographic, respected as an artist that delivers quality work, have the ability to put on an arresting show in terms of physical performance and setlist sequencing, and, most importantly, have at least an hour and a half’s worth of undeniable hits and notable songs. The archetype of the Coachella headlining act has evolved dramatically over the past two decades, and with the latest edition of the festival boasting its most populist and globalist lineup yet — the possibilities are endless.

Here are 10 artists that could theoretically headline Coachella in the next few years:

Justin Bieber

Justin Bieber has been a cultural touchstone and musical force for the better part of two decades. With hits ranging from “Baby” and “Boyfriend” to “Sorry” and “Peaches,” The Biebs has been cranking out hits across five non-holiday studio albums — four of which have received Grammy nominations. Far removed from his bowl-cut days, Justin Bieber has grown from a teener-bopper phenomenon to a global powerhouse. He’s dipped into wide range of genres making him fit for a sprawling headlining set. He can supplement his standard Top 40 smashes like “Love Yourself” and “Ghost” with hits across reggaeton (“Despacito”), country (“10,000 Hours”), and afrobeats (“Essence”). Also consider: headlining Coachella could be a nice way to formally wrap up his Justice World Tour — which was unfortunately cut short due to health concerns. Of course, it’s not a requirement, but Bieber has a wide selection of surprise guests to pull from — Ludacris, Usher, Diplo, Wizkid, Tems, Daddy Yankee, Chance the Rapper, the list goes on. Plus, Bieber loves Coachella, and has appeared in sets from the likes of Daniel Caesar and Jack Ü.

Ed Sheeran

Having already headlined comparable festivals like Glastonbury, Ed Sheeran is an easy fit for a Coachella headlining slot. From “The A Team” and “Don’t” to “Perfect” and “Bad Habits,” the British singer-songwriter has a decade’s worth of hits to pull from — and we haven’t even mentioned smashes like “Shape Of You” or “Thinking Out Loud” yet. The timing also lines up particularly well. Ed could make a stellar 2024 headliner. He’s dropping his new album, – (Subtract), in May and the supporting tour for that record concludes in September, leaving him ample time to rest up and put together a fresh set for the following summer. On that front, Ed has been handling solo stadium shows for years now, and between his hilarious onstage banter and his riveting use of the loop pedal — he knows how to captivate a crowd. It also goes without saying that Ed’s reach extends across a wide range of audiences, and his potential surprise guests prove it. Beyoncé, Taylor Swift, Burna Boy, Stormzy, Fireboy DML, and Chris Stapleton are all plausible choices for his set’s surprise element.

Taylor Swift

For an artist like Taylor Swift, headlining Coachella is undoubtedly a matter of “when,” not “if.” Currently in the midst of her record-breaking Eras Tour, Swift is the ideal Coachella headliner. With hits ranging from 2008’s “Teardrops On My Guitar” to 2022’s “Anti-Hero,” she has an overwhelming amount of songs to pull from, and her current tour — which pays tribute to each of her ten wildly successful studio albums — is refining her setlist sequencing skills each and every night. Taylor also understands how to steer the dynamism of her live shows; she’s equally capable of reigning over flashy stage production (think the moving “Look What You Made Me Do” platforms from the Eras Tour or the giant snake from her Reputation Stadium Tour) and crafting slower, more intimate moments with fan-favorite ballads like “Enchanted” or “All Too Well.” Moreover, if the timing works out, then Taylor could use a Coachella headlining set to commemorate finally releasing the remaining Taylor’s Version albums (her eponymous debut, Speak Now, 1989, and Reputation).

Rihanna

Sure, Rihanna has pretty much forsaken us to prioritize her makeup and lingerie empire (and who can really blame her?), but every now and then, Rihanna The Pop Star reemerges to placate our collective hunger. After returning with a pair of songs for the Academy Award-winning Black Panther: Wakanda Forever — including Best Original Song nominee “Lift Me Up” — Rihanna treated us to two performances that showed off different sides of her onstage capabilities. Although her headlining slot at the inaugural Apple Music Super Bowl Halftime Show received some lukewarm initial reviews, her set has proven to be a pop culture phenomenon, sparking trends that have reached high schools, nursing homes, and everywhere in between. Her heartfelt performance of “Lift Me Up” at the 95th Academy Awards also showed off her ability to handle a stage with just a microphone and a ballad. Between her most recent musical showings and a decade and a half’s worth of undeniable smash hits to her name, Rihanna can easily hold down a headlining set at Coachella. Whether she makes it a victory lap or the catalyst for a new album and tour, Rihchella is destined to be a career highlight. The “Love On The Brain” singer could also bring out jaw-dropping surprise gets like Jay-Z, SZA, Calvin Harris, Nicki Minaj, Buju Banton, and, of course, A$AP Rocky.

Dua Lipa

Although she only has two studio albums under her belt, Dua Lipa is more than ready to take on the Coachella mainstage. Between smash collaborations like “One Kiss” (with Calvin Harris) and her own staggering roster of solo hits — “New Rules,” “Levitating,” and “Don’t Start Now” among them — Dua’s catalog is more than capable of anchoring a headlining set. Last year, the three-time Grammy-winner embarked on her Future Nostalgia Tour which visited four different continents over the course of 82 shows. A true spectacle of fashion, vocals, choreography, and stage and lighting design, that concert tour helped further sharpen Dua’s stage presence and performance ability. With past performances at Glastonbury and We The Fest, Dua is already familiar with working festival crowds, and the historic number of streams her albums garner proves that audiences genuinely enjoy her music. The Future Nostalgia Tour featured supporting acts such as Megan Thee Stallion, Tove Lo, and Caroline Polacheck — all of whom are strong candidates for surprise guests. Nonetheless, Dua could also reunite Silk City (Diplo & Mark Ronson), bring out Calvin Harris, or treat festival goers to appearances from Elton John, Kylie Minogue, Miguel, Martin Garrix, or Miley Cyrus.

Nicki Minaj

After clinching the first solo female rap song to debut at No. 1 on the Hot 100 in nearly 25 years — while in between album cycles, at that — Nicki Minaj is an easy pick to headline the Coachella Stage. The “Do We Have A Problem” rapper has enough hits to fill two Coachella sets with no repeats. She’s been handling legendary stages and arenas around the world for over a decade now, and her endlessly quotable bars are tailor-made for once-in-a-lifetime crowd interaction moments. Armed with hits ranging from “Itty Bitty Piggy” to “Super Freaky Girl,” a Nicki Minaj Coachella set would be a perfect storm of pop smashes, street anthems, euphoric throwbacks, and undeniable classics. Let’s be real, only Drake can compete with a setlist of so many possibilities. With past headlining performances at festivals like Wireless and Hot 97 Summer Jam, the Queens rapper is more than familiar with massive stages. There’s also the fact that Nicki Minaj has not dropped an album since 2018. Although she’s still been ever-present with hits ranging from “Yikes” and “Whole Lotta Money” (with BIA) to “Tusa” (with Karol G) and, most recently, “Red Ruby Da Sleeze,” a Coachella headlining set could be the perfect way to launch her fifth studio album.

Shakira

With Bad Bunny already making history as Coachella’s first Latin American solo headliner, why not continue the festival’s increasingly globalist approach by tapping one of the biggest crossover stars of the century, Shakira? While the Colombian powerhouse has long established herself as a hitmaker with seminal pop smashes like “Hips Don’t Lie,” “Waka Waka,” and “Whenever, Wherever,” she’s been having something of a re-peak in 2023 as she preps the release of her forthcoming twelfth studio album. This year, the Grammy-winner has already notched a pair of Top 10 hits, one with Bizarrap (“Shakira: Bzrp Music Sessions, Vol. 53”) and another with Karol G (“TQG”) — a testament to her longevity and ability to connect with audiences across generations and languages. In 2020, the “She Wolf” singer headlined the Super Bowl Halftime Show alongside Jennifer Lopez, and she’s also embarked on a whopping six headlining world tours. As a multi-instrumentalist, belly dancer, and vocalist, Shakira can entertain the Coachella Valley in a multitude of ways. There’s also the fact that the “Beautiful Liar” singer could bring out a wide range of surprise guests from Beyoncé and Rihanna to Maluma and Rauw Alejandro.

Bruno Mars

Isn’t it kind of crazy that Bruno Mars hasn’t headlined Coachella yet? Widely hailed as one of the best performers in contemporary mainstream pop music, Bruno Mars has delivered two highly memorable Super Bowl Halftime Show performances, a pair of acclaimed Las Vegas residencies (one solo and the other alongside Silk Sonic partner-in-crime Anderson .Paak), and three global headlining concert tours. Since his 2010 debut, Bruno Mars has garnered 18 top ten hits on the Hot 100, eight of which reached the summit including “Grenade,” “That’s What I Like,” and the four-time Grammy-winning “Leave the Door Open.” An entertainer in truest sense of the term, a Bruno Mars Coachella set could take several transfigurations. He could use most of the time to flaunt his skills as an instrumentalist on the drums, piano, and guitar, or he could have a dance-centric set that also displays his vocal chops. Regardless of what the set looks like, it is almost guaranteed to be one of the liveliest headlining sets to ever grace Coachella. Bruno is more than capable of headlining the festival on his own, but he could surprise the Indio Valley with special guests like Cardi B, Eminem, and, of course, Anderson .Paak.

Paramore

The recent trajectory of Coachella headliners has skewed more pop-heavy than the festival’s rock and alternative roots. With a career spanning nearly twenty years and a handful of crossover hits that sit at the zenith of mainstream pop, Paramore is the perfect act to bridge Coachella’s past and present. The Grammy-winning punk-pop band has three worldwide headlining concert tours to their name, and they are currently in the throes of their This Is Why tour in support of their chart-topping album of the same name. Known for exhilarating live shows packed with hair-raising instrumental breaks and virtuosic vocal performances, Paramore is one of the strongest contemporary live acts that have yet to headline Coachella. Last year, Billie Eilish brought out frontwoman Hayley Williams as a surprise guest at her headlining set. Whenever Paramore gets their chance to headline, Hayley could return the favor — or she could opt to bring out guests like Olivia Rodrigo, who pulled from the band’s seminal “Misery Business” for her own Grammy-nominated “good 4 u.”

Lil Wayne

Hip-hop has had a presence at Coachella headlining sets for years dating back to Beastie Boys in 2003. With a discography as prolific as his, Lil Wayne is an obvious pick to continue that legacy. Like his YMCMB mentees Drake and Nicki Minaj, Lil Wayne has the perfect catalog to construct a headlining festival set out of. From just the sheer amount of music he’s released, Wayne could dominate Coachella with just his mixtape cuts, let alone his bevy of crossover pop hits and rap anthems that have ruled myriad Billboard charts. With over two decades of hits ranging from 1999’s “Back That Azz Up” to last year’s Grammy-nominated “God Did,” Lil Wayne’s catalog is one for the ages, and a stage as big as the Coachella Stage is the perfect place to remind the world why he’s one of the most successful and acclaimed rappers of all time. Wayne’s 2023 touring popularity might make it a tough sell, but something like Lil Wayne and Friends could make a lot of sense, especially with a plethora of potential surprise guests — Drake, Nicki Minaj, Juvenile, Jay-Z, Chance the Rapper, and Rick Ross among them.

Some artists covered here are Warner Music artists. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.