Here's How Much Money Coachella Headliners Are Paid

Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival has kicked off for another year as it again showcases an eclectic, star-studded lineup and some extravagant performances. 

With so many big names hitting the festival stages each year at Coachella, there's no doubt that an eye-watering amount of money is paid to its headlining artists, which begs the question; how much cashola exactly are these artists making from a lucrative gig at one of the world's most famous festivals?

While monetary figures have never been officially revealed by Coachella, whispers online suggest that it has ranged in the millions depending on the performers.

According to Trapital Podcast, Bad Bunny is receiving a whopping $5 million for his headlining performances at Coachella 2023. 

It's not all that surprising, considering that the Me porto bonito hitmaker generated over 18.5 billion streams in 2022, landing him the title of Spotify's top artist for the third year in a row.

It follows The Weeknd, who replaced Kanye West after he dropped out of the festival in 2022, earning $8.5 million. 

Meanwhile, Variety revealed that Ariana Grande was paid $8 million for her two-weekend headlining gig in 2019, while Beyoncé was paid between around $8-$12 million for her 2018 performances (as per Billboard). The New Yorker claimed that 2017 headlining acts Lady Gaga, Kendrick Lamar, and Radiohead received between $3 million and $4 million in 2017.

But this isn't always the case. In fact, Cardi B shared that she made $70,000 per weekend for her performances at Coachella in 2018, and actually lost money after paying for her stage set.

“I have to invest so much money on my stage set, my own money,” she stated, revealing that she’s paid $300,000 out of pocket for her stage set.

As for the up-and-coming artists, reports suggest those who are on the lower lines of the lineup will usually earn around $10,000 for appearing at the festival.

In any case, it's clear that being a Coachella headliner comes with a hefty price tag. As the festival continues to grow in size and popularity, it's likely that the amounts paid to its headlining acts will only increase in the years to come.