We’re into the fourth quarter of the year, which means we’re starting to get hints about what the Coachella lineup might look like when it’s revealed in early January. According to the industry publication HITS Daily Double, Fred again.. is “locked in” as one of the 2025 headliners, but the rest of the lineup’s upper tier remains murky. HITS speculates that a country star with pop appeal —such as Jelly Roll, Morgan Wallen, or the recently Nashville-pilled Post Malone — might take one nighttime slot rather than play the country-focused Stagecoach fest at the same site weeks later. They’re also wondering if someone might step into the sub-headliner special guest spot filled by No Doubt last year and Calvin Harris the year before; we’re wondering whether that’s the spot Fred again.. might fill, but maybe our boy Freddy has grown to full-fledged headliner status now? Travis Scott is another name HITS floated, though I should emphasize that other than Fred again.., they’re just guessing.

Two huge artists who definitely won’t be headlining in the desert next year are Rihanna and Kendrick Lamar. Bloomberg has a new feature about how Coachella has gotten too big for its own good: “It fell in love with pop. It got overrun by influencers. It felt less like a music festival and more like a convention.” In the story, reporter Lucas Shaw notes that Coachella founder and Goldenvoice head Paul Tollett was eyeing Kendrick and Riri, but both turned him down: “Lamar is scheduled to perform at the 2025 Super Bowl and then plans a tour of major stadiums. Rihanna, head of a growing business empire, didn’t need the money or the exposure.”

Kendrick Lamar stadium tour, you say?