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The ongoing playful rivalry between Green Day and Charli XCX took center stage at Coachella 2025.
At the festival in Indio, California, Charli XCX caught the attention of fans when she appeared at an afterparty donning a sash that read “Miss Should Be Headliner.” This cheeky gesture was widely interpreted on social media as a lighthearted dig at Green Day, who headlined right before her performance on Saturday, April 12.
Frontman Billie Joe Armstrong of Green Day certainly took note of Charli’s playful comment. On the following Saturday, during their closing set for the second weekend of the festival, Armstrong took to the stage wearing a neon green cap emblazoned with “Brat,” a tongue-in-cheek reference to Charli’s album released in 2024.
Drummer Tré Cool also joined in the fun, sporting a handcrafted white sash reading “Actual Headliner” while backstage and displaying a cheeky expression. Charli later responded to a photo of the moment on X, expressing her enthusiasm by stating, “obsessed.”
Despite the light-hearted nature of the exchange, some fans of Green Day did not appreciate Charli’s initial comment and took to social media to defend the punk rock icons.
Throughout the first weekend of Coachella, Armstrong also made waves by altering the lyrics of “Jesus of Suburbia” to comment on the Israel-Gaza conflict, singing, “Runnin’ away from pain like the kids from Palestine/Tales from another broken home,” in place of the original lines.
Comments from fans on social media reflected this sentiment, with one user stating, “Green Day making a political statement about s— that actually matters > pop girlies singing about coke.” Another chimed in, asserting, “Charli XCX letting hype get to her head. Green Day used their Coachella headliner slot to speak up for good. They are still bigger than her.”
In another highlight of their weekend two performance, Armstrong once again swapped up lyrics to critique political figures. He changed “Am I (stupid) or am I just overjoyed?” to “Am I (stupid) or am I just J.D. Vance?” as he addressed the crowd, adding another layer to their politically charged set.
The second weekend of Coachella wrapped up on April 20, featuring diverse performances from artists including Post Malone, Travis Scott, Megan Thee Stallion, JENNIE, Zedd, and Kraftwerk, among others.
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