When I say Bieberchella, what do you think of?
Sabrina Carpenter, Karol G and Addison Rae? Or influencers, gentrification and $700 worth of merchandise?
Though Coachella 2026 had some highlights, students must acknowledge that Coachella is past its prime. The festival has grown out of touch with its roots and the everyday person.
Over its 27-year run, Coachella has evolved into a massive cultural fixture. It is known for being flashy, loud and culture-defining. But many often forget about the festival’s countercultural roots.
The idea for Coachella originated in 1993 when Pearl Jam refused to play at Ticketmaster venues because they didn’t want their fans to pay service prices. This year, Coachella’s cheapest general admission pass started at $549 for a single person, and 60% of general admission ticket buyers used payment plans to finance their tickets in 2025, according to Billboard.
When adding on prices of food – for example, $15 for a latte – camping in your car, which starts at $40, and prices for transportation, outfits and merchandise, Coachella becomes even more unaffordable for most college students.
At the same time, wealth inequality in America continues to increase – in the third quarter of 2025, the top 1% of households owned 31.7% of all United States wealth. Coachella is owned by conservative billionaire Philip Anschutz, who donates hundreds of thousands of dollars to the Republican Governors Association and Republican Attorneys General Association through the Anschutz Corporation.
Although many of its performers advocate for LGBTQ+ rights, “ICE Out” and a free Palestine, a portion of Coachella’s profits are funding the politicians who oppose those movements.
Another major factor in Coachella’s changing identity is the rise of influencer culture and social media.
Hayden Saechao, a first-year biochemistry student, said he saw Foster The People during the second weekend of Coachella.
“We were staying for the show and when his most popular song came on, everyone held up their phone and waited for him to say the most famous lyric,” Saechao said. “And then everyone just pulled down their phone and walked away.”
The increasing focus on content creation and brand advertising can often distract from the performances. Many attendees are only able to afford their tickets due to brand sponsorships or invitations, and the increase in influencers has led to backlash from longtime attendees.
First-time Coachella attendee Hannah Butalid said she grew up thinking of Coachella as the place to be for music lovers.
“However, more recently, I feel like it’s kind of a whole PR stunt and it’s become very much commercialized,” said Butalid, a second-year public health student. “I was shocked, but also slightly amused by the amount of pop-ups I saw from big brands.”
Butalid added that she saw a lot of SHEIN outfits at the festival and encouraged attendees to be resourceful and live in the moment rather than focusing on outfits.
Fast fashion also contributes to the festival’s environmental impact, in addition to factors such as displacement of locals and carbon footprint.
Marcos Magaña, a doctoral student studying environment sustainability, witnessed the firsthand effects of Coachella growing up in the Eastern Coachella Valley.
“I would say the most damaging thing that Coachella has and is currently doing is just the sheer amount of gentrification and displacement,” Magaña said, describing the festival’s impact on both Indio and surrounding areas.
Additionally, he said Coachella’s desert location may not be sustainable long-term due to climate change concerns.
Every year, Coachella births popular media moments with surprising guest stars and fun performances. But between rising prices, conservative values and influencer culture, the festival continues to veer further and further away from its accessible, counterculture roots.
It’s obviously hard to phase out such a massive cultural institution. However, it can’t hurt for students to consider the effects and alternatives before making that $549 investment.
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