It's that time of year. The weather is warmer, the hemlines are shorter, and your Spotify playlists are in dire need of an update. Welcome to music festival season! While your friends are dusting off their festival garb, take a minute to sit down with us and dust off your headphones. In honor of Coachella's first weekend, April 15 to 17, we're throwing it back to the best moments that have ever come out of the Colorado Desert oasis.
From that Tupac hologram in 2012, to Beyoncé and Jay Z's 2010 duets, the past Coachella lineups have been epic, to say the least. Even if you're not Indio-bound yourself, why not revisit all your favorite artists' best performances?
It will take a lot to top these, but we're looking forward to seeing this year's artists try. Either way, we're sure the fest has a ton of treats in store.
"Thunderstruck," AC/DC (2015)
AC/DC brought down the house with its epic reunion.
"Wake Up," Arcade Fire (2014)
Just cause the mics are off doesn't mean the indie-rock band Arcade Fire won't finish with a bang. The Canadian group finished its performance with an epic parade through the crowd.
"Work Song," Hozier (2015)
Hozier is the ideal guy to have perform at sunset against a palm tree-lined field. Between the sing-along lyrics and melodic beats, his music is perfect for chilling out after a long day at the fest.
"A World Alone," Lorde (2014)
Lorde keeps her performance raw and simple, except for that gold lamé cape dress.
That Drake & Madonna Kiss (2015)
So, this isn't a song, but hell if it isn't a performance! Who can forget when Madonna showed up during Drake's performance and gave him the kiss of a lifetime? Not I.
Fatboy Slim (2014)
An electronic music-lover's dream performance. The lights, the beats, the droooppppp. Eat, sleep, rave, repeat?
"Born To Die," Lana Del Rey (2014)
Lana Del Rey looked like a Coachella dream in her twinkling crown and floral romper.
"Pursuit of Happiness," Kid Cudi (2014)
MGMT joined rapper Kid Cudi on stage to play one of Cudi's most popular songs for a crowd of more than 40,000 fans. He proved that a daytime performances can be as electrifying as any show after sundown.
"Seven Nation Army," The White Stripes (2015)
In the introduction to the song, singer and guitarist Jack White got the crowd pumped up by having them chant, "Music is scared," as the band teased the first few chords.
"Forever Young," Beyoncé with Jay-Z (2010)
Is there anything better than Bey and Jay showing each other love on stage? We'll be watching her past performances over and over again until she decides to surprise us with some new material.
Plastic Beach, Gorillaz (2010)
The Gorillaz sound is created primarily by one musician, Damon Albarn, with the help of his two-dimensional band members. For his 2010 appearance at the festival, he also enlisted an eclectic crew of real-life special guests to bring his new album, Plastic Beach, to life. It was also the first Gorillaz performance since 2005.
"Lost in the World," Kanye West feat. Bon Iver (2011)
It's hard to remember a pre-Twitter meltdown Kanye, but this clip really shows how much thought he puts into his performances, both online and on stage. Not to mention this song features a duet with awesome folk artist Bon Iver. This performance was done in three acts, ending with the song "Hey Mama," in honor of Kanye's late mother.
"Hail Mary"&"2 of Amerikaz Most Wanted," Snoop Dogg, Dr. Dre & Tupac (2012)
So the mind-blowing appearance of Tupac wasn't actually him (duh) or even a three-dimensional hologram, but really just a combination of smoke-and-mirror tricks dating back to the 19th century. Still, Tupac was the last person anyone expected to see on stage, regardless of how he got there. Snoop Dogg and Dr. Dre joining the reimagined Pac made the semi-reunion even sweeter, and it became one of the most talked-about festival moments, ever.
"Latch," Disclosure feat. Sam Smith (2014)
The English electronic duo, composed of two brothers, brought out singer Sam Smith to close out their show at the festival in 2014. The unique visuals accompanying this set have now become a signature for the band. Disclosure is returning again this year for two more performances.
"Tuesday," Drake & iLoveMakonnen (2015)
Drake's dad-like dance moves were in full force during his set at Coachella last year. The crowd was also pretty lit. He successfully got Coachella goin' up on a Sunday.
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