COACHELLA: WHO
FILLS THE BILL?

Now that Ye has dropped out of the Coachella lineup, speculation is rampant in agency land and across the biz about which heavyweight act might replace him as a headliner. The top contenders, insiders say, are Justin Bieber, Travis Scott (despite rumors that he was out as well), The Weeknd and Grammy Rap Album winner Tyler, The Creator. Tyler and Bieber are highly favored by Hollywood oddsmakers, with The Weeknd next and the allegedly uninsurable Scott considered a long shot.

One obstacle regarding Bieber is the vast size of his current production—how would that be accommodated on the Coachella stage? Also, rumor had it that Bieber was a lock for next year’s lineup.

Another possibility now being floated: moving Swedish House Mafia to Sunday night and adding The Weeknd as a special guest. The two acts share management in SALXCO and previously collaborated on a single.

An AEG rep was unavailable to comment on these rumors.

Tyler’s current North American tour has included a 3/31 stop at L.A.’s Crypto.com Arena (fka Staples), and Bieber’s global trek is red-hot, including five sold-out stadium dates in Japan. Biebs’ power as a live performer continues to grow, as evidenced by a swashbuckling turn on the Grammys. The Weeknd’s stadium dates are also looking strong in the Top 10 markets, where the big money resides. He’s sold out two dates at L.A.’s SoFi Stadium.

Despite the task of replacing Ye, festival ruler/Goldenvoice chief Paul Tollett otherwise looks prescient in his choice of headliners. Billie Eilish has commanded enormous cultural real estate with incredibly strong back-to-back performances on the Oscars and Grammys. Harry Styles’ new single, meanwhile, is proving colossal, creating a tsunami on the DSPs and at radio ahead of his hotly anticipated new album.

Coachella was sold out before its lineup was even announced, but the festival’s organizers naturally want to preserve the cool factor and cachet of the desert gathering. Schedules permitting, they have several strong options that would be right in the pocket for ticketholders.