YouTube Set to Livestream Coachella in 2022

Relax Coachella fans.  While the massive music and arts festival has been postponed for the past two years, it will return in 2022 for two weekends, April 15-17 and 22-24, at the same location, the sprawling Empire Polo Club in Indio, CA. For the tenth year, YouTube will be the fest’s livestream partner, for what many at-home fans have lovingly dubbed Couchella. Advance tickets for next year’s live Coachella went on sale June 4.

The 2020 line-up featured Rage Against the Machine, Travis Scott and Frank Ocean, along with Lana Del Rey, Calvin Harris, Run the Jewels, Lil Uzi Vert, Megan Thee Stallion, Thom Yorke, Disclosure, 21 Savage, Danny Elfman, DaBaby and FKA Twigs, among others. It is unclear how many, if any, will appear in the 2022 edition, with each year’s performers traditionally announced within the first few weeks of the new year.

“We’re back and thrilled to be partnering with Goldenvoice for the 10th year to live stream the iconic Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival on YouTube,” according to a YouTube statement. “As the world’s biggest virtual stage, we are more excited than ever to celebrate live music and to bring two weekends of extraordinary performances to music fans around the world.”

YouTube’s Lyor Cohen recently announced the company had doled out $4 billion in royalties to musicians and performers over 2020, and that its goal is “to become the leading revenue generator for the music industry,” though they have a ways to go to match Spotify, whose co-founder and CEO Daniel Ek revealed his streamer paid more than $5 billion over the same period.

While the past two Coachella gatherings were “postponed,” YouTube marked the iconic festival’s legacy with the YouTube Originals documentary release of “Coachella: 20 Years in the Desert.” Premiering on what would have been the opening weekend of the fest, the feature put the spotlight on the festival’s creators, performers and fans, reflecting back on 20 years of memorable moments, from Daft Punk to Radiohead to Beyonce’s historic turn in 2018.

Coachella headliners over the years have included AC/DC, Calvin Harris, Childish Gambino, Diplo, J Balvin, Kendrick Lamar and Madonna, while introducing newcomers such as Bad Bunny, Billie Eilish, BLACKPINK, Dillon Francis, Lizzo, Post Malone and many more.