By Brooke Ivey Johnson
Copyright metro
Sabrina Carpenter, Justin Bieber, and Karol G have been announced as Coachella headliners (Picture: Getty/AP)
The 2026 Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival lineup has finally arrived, and fans are not impressed.
Sabrina Carpenter, Justin Bieber, and Karol G will headline next year’s edition, set for April 10 to 12 and April 17 to 19 in Indio, California.
Alongside them, the sprawling bill includes Young Thug, The xx, Turnstile, David Byrne, FKA twigs, Addison Rae, and Ethel Cain, plus legacy acts like Iggy Pop, Moby, and Devo.
Radiohead is also listed under a cryptic note about The Bunker Debut of Kid A Mnesia.
For Bieber, this is a historic moment as it’s his first-ever headlining set at Coachella.
Although he’s been a guest performer in the past – featuring as a guest in the Coachella sets of Ariana Grande, Daniel Caesar, Chance the Rapper, and Tems and Wizkid – he has never before been a billed artist at the festival.
Fans are not impressed with the new line-up (Picture: Coachella.com)
The festival will mark Justin Bieber’s first live concert in over three years (Picture: Joseph Okpako/WireImage)
Colombian singer Karol G is also headlining (Picture: Leandro Bernardes/PxImages/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
The set will also mark his first live concert in over three years, with his last show taking place in September 2022.
This will be Karol G’s second stop at Coachella, following her 2022 debut appearance. Her latest album, Tropicoqueta, came out last June, and the Coachella set is scheduled to be her first full live show behind the album.
Despite the big names, many fans weren’t impressed.
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‘This is quite literally the worst Coachella lineup I’ve ever seen and I’ve been going for a decade,’ wrote @deannacortes, echoing a familiar frustration among longtime festivalgoers.
@theelderemox wondered aloud, ‘Am I just getting old or does the Coachella lineup continue to get worse every year?’ while @CallenderLemus cut to the chase: ‘What a garbage lineup.’
Sabrina Carpenter will be performing at the festival for the second time (Picture: Todd Owyoung/NBC via Getty Images)
Young Thug will also be performing (Picture: Barry Brecheisen/Getty Images)
@babyhamtaro lamented, ‘I don’t think there has ever been a worse Coachella lineup in the history of the festival… and I’m really not one for hating on Coachella.’
@BrinkleBrankle wrote: ‘Lowkey disappointed. I feel like there are usually a lot more well-known artists.’
Still, not everyone was ready to write the weekend off.
Some attendees praised the mix of pop stars, indie mainstays, and cult favorites: ‘What a stacked lineup,’ tweeted @Va77ss, while @PudgyRitesh added, ‘So many favorites in one place 👀.’
Some fans went so far as to call it the ‘worst line-up ever’ (Picture: Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty Images for Coachella)
The festival is set to take place April 10 to 12 and April 17 to 19, 2026 (Picture: Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for Coachella)
Whether the bill looks like ‘garbage’ or ‘stacked’ may depend on perspective.
For some, Bieber’s long-awaited return to the stage, Carpenter’s headlining promotion, and Karol G’s first full performance behind her new album Tropicoqueta are reason enough to book a pass.
For others, the festival’s shifting balance of genres and blockbuster names feels like a sign that Coachella has lost its magic.
Tickets go on sale Friday, September 19, at 1 pm Eastern.
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