The apparently slow ticket sales at the Coachella festival in the US, compared to recent years, have gotten people talking in the music industry. Will the previously untouchable event that people simply had to be at, no matter where they lived in the world, start to decline, or is it merely a bump in the road?
Let’s take a look at why sales may be starting to slow just a little, so that we can see what’s really going on here.
Is Coachella on the decline?
While it would definitely be unfair to claim that Coachella is declining and dying, there has been a marked change in the availability of tickets. Slots that were previously snapped up before anyone seemed to be able to get anywhere near them are now still available a day or two before the gates open. Given that the capacity has stayed the same, this is a sign that many people are a little less excited than they were.
Of course, there are corporate-style arrangements where third parties pay for the influencers they are working with to attend, and these seem to still be going strong. What appears to have changed is the clamor amongst real music fans to get their hands on some tickets. There are a variety of potential reasons for this that we’ll touch upon shortly, but one could be that Coachella isn’t seen as quite as cool as it once was. Fads and trends naturally shift over time, and if another festival starts to make some noise, regular music fans only have a finite amount of money to spend on tickets each year.
Has gentrification priced too many out?
Coachella tickets can cost more than many people could ever reasonably afford, especially tickets of a more luxurious nature. At a time when people all over the world are scrutinising their outgoings and being more conscious of what they spend, high-end events like this are often some of the first things to be cut out of the monthly budget.
It would be a shame if the festival became a playground for the rich and famous, as it never really set out to be that way. The only problem is that as more and more A-listers and influencers make it one of their annual destinations, prices will inevitably rise. So too will the level of luxury that many expect, as they become buoyed by seeing the excesses of the elite and start to demand more for themselves.
Are influencers putting off real music fans?
People go to festivals to cut loose, have fun when no one else from back home is watching, and immerse themselves in the music. A number of fans have talked about their experiences coming across celebrities and influencers online, and not always positively. While there are always going to be more regular music fans there than content creators, what to some feels like a constant influx of people posing, streaming, and posting may be detracting from the experience.
Most music fans don’t want to feel that they have a walk-on part in an event that has turned from a free-flowing expression of musical taste to a series of photo opportunities. Even if they are never asked to move out of the way so someone else can get the shot they want, seeing that this type of stuff is going on may make them feel like they’re missing out on authenticity. To many, the influencers are chipping away at the camaraderie and festival feel Coachella used to be known for.
What’s happening at other festivals?
Glastonbury in the UK is another iconic festival, and it opened its doors for 2025 recently. While ticket sales were strong, there has been a clear move in recent years towards higher prices for pitches, tickets, and food and drink once inside. The problem here is that, while the festival has a captive audience right now, it may not have quite such a large one a couple of years down the line.
All festivals were hit hard by the pandemic and the drop in income that came about as a result of social distancing policies, but fans don’t want to be constantly reminded of this. What they want is that feeling of being able to rock up with their tent and then rock out with their favourite artists. Festivals that move too far away from this by hiking prices up and getting ever more luxurious to cater to celebrities and media personalities may be at risk of selling their souls.
An event that continues to evolve
The beauty of music is that it is always growing and evolving, and the same is true of the festivals the artists perform at. The organisers have moved with the times and started to go cashless at the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival, meaning all vendors accept mobile payments like Google Pay. This includes payments for merchandise, food, and beverages.
Growth of this kind is a universal human trait and something we should all celebrate. Growth and innovation along a similar path have brought us simpler ways to pay for lifts and takeaway food and even things like Google Pay casinos, and now it may be about to bring an iconic music festival into the future.
As well as these logistical considerations, it’s going to be really important for the festival to make more of a push to attract edgier, fresher, and up-and-coming stars. It’s the only way to keep the festival alive so that real music lovers continue to flock there to experience incredible performances.
Final thoughts
Coachella is alive and well, for now, but it will need to reconnect with its roots if it’s going to stop the slide and keep its place as the king of live music festivals. As big fans ourselves, we certainly hope the organisers manage to pull it off.