Coachella Predictions - Part 1

I've spent some time over the past few weeks cruising the Coachella forums, and googling "Coachella 2011 lineup" to see what people are starting to say about this years lineup. I'll admit I haven't committed too much time to it just yet, however, in what little time I have wasted perusing the interwebs I don't feel that I've found much of anything that has a heartbeat.


Perhaps those of us veterans (read: old farts) don't really care to spend our time and energy speculating anymore because we know that Goldenvoice will, and always has (with the exception of a Jack Johnson headliner in 2009) brought it. So far, what I have found on the forums has been complete nonsensical posting that must be from a bunch of 17 year olds from the suburbs of L.A. who apparently have the ability to wrap their heads around what "electro" and "dubstep" and "indie" music REALLY is and thus are consistently attempting to define it - thereby negating any and all credibility that would be had from anonymously posting an opinion on a website. Then again, perhaps I, being the aforementioned "old fart", don't have a line on what the kiddies are using to discuss such subjects. Maybe? But probably not.

All of those things said, I can't help but do the leg work myself in an attempt to get psyched about my ticket purchase prior to the lineup release date. There are a few different methods to the madness in doing the research, all of them time consuming, so you must actually enjoy the run around. By the time you've (um, well, I) finished compiling your (um, well, my) list - the lineup will actually be announced. I've narrowed my list making down to using 3 different methods when compiling your (I mean, my) list.


Method #1 "Who's releasing an album in the 1st quarter of 2011"
*Note that the stipulation to using this method is that the headliner prediction cannot have been a headliner in the last year or two.

Below are my predictions based on albums that have a release date set for early 2011.

Social Distortion
Iron & Wine
The Go! Team
Mogwai
PJ Harvey
The Dears
Drive By Truckers
Devotchka
Toro y Moi
Cake
Smith Westerns
Tennis
Fugiya & Miyagi
Esben & the Witch
Millionyoung
Tapes n Tapes
Decemberists (barf, but likely)
Ducktails
Klaxons
The Books
Cold War Kids
Destroyer
Talib Kweli
MEN
The Streets
Cut Copy
Diplo
James Blake
Jamie Smith (Jamie XX)
Lykke Li
R.E.M. (I'm putting this one pretty high up there on the Most Likely going to headliner bet)
Kode9 & the Spaceape

Album release date for the below artists is TBD for 2011 but worth mentioning in reference to speculative Coachella performances.

Aerosmith
Fiona Apple (I would be able to die having had an amazing life, officially, if this happens)
Battles
Beyonce
Black Lips
Blondie
Bush
Busta Rhymes
Coldplay
Dr Dre (10 years in a the making. God damn I hope this album is worth the wait. Seriously what better place to debut than in So Cal?)
Estelle
Eve
Fleet Foxes
Foo Fighters (they're headlining Sasquatch so an appearance is imminent. Headliner is a possibility)
Franz Ferdinand
Green Day
Hercules & Love Affair
Jane's Addiction
Jamiriquoi
Wyclef
Lady Gaga (well she headlined Lollapalooza so maybe??)
Kraftwerk
Justice (no thanks)
Marilyn Manson (I would love this)
My Morning Jacket (have sub headlined before so probably not)
Outkast (OMG this would be UH-Mazing and given the success of Big Boi's new album, likelihood is high)
Radiohead (I'll believe it when I see it)
The Shins
The Strokes
Wilco