You no longer have to fret about missing an act during YouTube’s live Coachella streams. The company has confirmed that, for the first time, it will stream all six stages during both weekends of the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival, which kicks off April 14th, 2023 at 7PM Eastern and resumes April 21st at the same time. Previously, you had to make do with three streams. Replays will be available until the next day kicks off.
To no one’s surprise, YouTube is using Coachella to pitch its services. Premium subscribers will have access to backstage “pre-parties,” while Shorts creators can use their videos to influence the set lists of Calvin Harris, Becky G and Burna Boy. You can also expect special merch drops during the streams, and you can watch through the YouTube Music app in addition to YouTube itself.
Coachella 2023 has a packed lineup. The headliners include artists like Bad Bunny, Blackpink and Frank Ocean. There’s also a mix of up-to-the-minute and legendary stars, including Bjork, Underworld, Yaeji and Wet Leg. YouTube’s expanded coverage lets you indulge your personal preferences instead of having to ‘settle’ for some musicians. We’d add that tickets for the first weekend are already sold out as of this writing — this may be the only way you can attend some gigs this year.
There’s no mystery behind YouTube’s strategy. This is less about direct revenue and more about getting YouTube’s name into the spotlight. In theory, you may drift away from TikTok and other video apps competing for your free time.
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