Twenty-five years ago, the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival made its debut in the Southern California desert, forever changing the music festival landscape.
Held on Oct. 9 and 10, 1999, at the Empire Polo Club in Indio, California — where it still takes place today — the first Coachella was an ambitious and risky venture, blending genres and spotlighting artists beyond the mainstream circuit. The festival’s eclectic lineup included headliners Beck, Tool and Rage Against the Machine, with supporting acts including the Chemical Brothers, Morrissey, A Perfect Circle, Jurassic 5, and Underworld — creating a unique mix of rock, electronic and alternative music.
The festival’s founder, Paul Tollett, initially built his reputation by passing out flyers for Goldenvoice in the late '80s, ultimately crafting a festival concept that emphasized not just music, but immersive art installations and a genre-diverse lineup. Inspired by Lollapalooza and similar festivals, Coachella distinguished itself by appealing to fans of multiple genres and creating an entrancing, utopian experience in the desert.
The timing, however, was challenging. Following the infamous Woodstock '99 just two months earlier, skepticism was high, especially regarding the potential for profit in a sprawling, multi-stage format. Despite intense heat, the event attracted a dedicated crowd, though Tollett reported a significant financial loss of $850,000.
Reflecting on those early struggles in a recent interview with al.com, Rage Against the Machine's Tom Morello said, "the festival lost so much money they asked us for our fee back, which we gave them because they were friends."
After skipping 2000, Coachella returned in 2001 as a single-day event and has since grown into a global phenomenon taking place on two consecutive three-day weekends, drawing hundreds of thousands annually.
Today, Coachella’s massive, genre-spanning lineups, avant-garde art, and trendsetting influence have cemented its place in music and the broader cultural landscape. It remains a festival that celebrates diversity, showcases rising talents alongside established icons, and redefines what a music festival can mean.