I first found Mitchum's spreadsheet through the Rock Critic Hivemind article that came out in 2014. I've talked about this article a lot. If I had all the time in the world, I'd love to make something similar every year, but thankfully he is a data nerd like me and just keeps on making it. I love him. Although, I think that the Hivemind observation from back then has disappeared some over the years - people are all over the map with the music they think is the best.
Now, obviously, using this list goes for a more universal angle at critical love. This takes everyone's thoughts into account, including non-US sources. He's looking at shit like Rolling Stone, Paste, NME, Pitchfork, Consequence of Sound, Spin, and NPR but then he's also using stuff like "factmag.com" and "tinymixtapes.com" and "thelineofbestfit.com" so who the hell knows what is going on with some of those people. They could LOVE Norwegian elf flute bands or something.
Last year I included a bunch of historical information to show how this link works, but I won't belabor that point, just know that Coachella frequently books a ton of these critically acclaimed artists, and ACL generally grabs a few of the top 30. (And I'm still sticking to just the top 30 in each year, just because I have to limit this and not entirely lose my eyesight or fire up carpal tunnel.)
First off, we already got some of these bands at the 2018 show (Janelle Monae, the #3 album of 2018; NoName, the #8; Parquet Courts, #13; Arctic Monkeys, #20; Blood Orange, #22; Travis Scott, #26). Impressive - the ACL folks made those calls before those albums were even hot stuff. Let's see:
- Pusha-T - Daytona. Hell yes. I hope he comes again. This album was good stuff. Playing Coachella and a few other minor festivals, but isn't playing Lolla Chicago. he's done with his tour in July, so he has the time to come to ACL, but I don't see anything indicating that he would keep touring into the fall. Going to go with no for now, but he would be available and a good fit, so that might adjust in time.
- Mitski - Be The Cowboy. Playing a handful of other festivals this summer, but none of the big ones. Tour peters out in mid-July. Like Pusha, she would make good sense as a buzzy artist coming off a good year, but I don't see anything that makes this look likely right now other than gut feeling. [EDIT - even though her website didn't list it before, she is playing Lollapalooza, so that makes me feel like she is more likely. She is playing San Antonio in June (go Paper Tiger!), but no Austin stop, so I'm going to flip my guess to yes.
- Low - Double Negative. God this album is so painful... Handful of minor festival dates ending in August, so they also have the time, but see no reason to say that they would be here. I seriously think that they are on the top albums list solely to troll my eardrums. no.
- Robyn - Honey. Nope. Other than a slot at Pitchfork Festival, she is only playing European dates and those are all done in August. Don't see any reason for her to be probable for us.
- Kacey Musgraves - Golden Hour. Just saw her play Stubb's, and it was amazing. So good. Two back-to-back sold out shows. She seems like a good fit to come back to ACL again - she's playing Coachella, Bonnaroo, and Lollapalooza, and her tour has a month gap in October after shows in New Orleans that would put her in the neighborhood right before weekend one. Lock it down, yes.
- Cardi B - Invasion of Privacy. Huh, I had originally guessed that she might be the big rap name for the fest this year. She's playing Bonnaroo and a handful of other smaller fests, and is done with everything end of July. So she can fit it in, and I still feel right about her being a fun addition, so I'll go with yes mainly off of my gut feeling and despite the lack of indicators.
- SOPHIE - OIL OF EVERY PEARL'S UN-INSIDES. Playing Coachella and a few other smaller fests, but no real tour. See no reason to predict her. No.
- Idles - Joy as an Act of Resistance. Playing Lolla and the tour ends at the end of August. Seems like a band that would be down there in the bottom half of the poster and they have the time. But playing Barracuda in Austin on May 18, and tickets appear to still be available, so that sure doesn't seem right. I had thought yes originally, but I'm shifting that to a no.
- Snail Mail - Lush. I wish. Why do all of these tours end right in July or August? Does everyone hate me? Just keep the tour going on into the fall so that I can see what you are up to in October! Anyway, her tour ends in August, so she has the space to show at ACL. No Lolla, but a bunch of other more minor festivals. Nothing in Texas, but she did already sell out a show at the Mohawk in January. She makes good sense, very buzzy band, but without anything more I see no reason to say yes. That may adjust in time. No.
- Christine and the Queens - Chris. I liked this album too. Playing Coachella and a bunch of other small fests, but no Lolla. Feels like another one that is buzzy and ACL would like to have here, but their tour ends at the back of August, so I don't see any signs that make this feel more probable than not. So will also say no for now.
- US Girls - In a Poem Unlimited. I know the critics love this, but I did not find pleasure in this album. She's playing Austin in late April, which isn't usually so close to ACL that it would be out of the question, but it certainly lessens the excitement for a festival slot if she couldn't sell out a show at a little venue like Barracuda. Playing Coachella and Governor's, but no Lolla. I'd say no.
- Kamasi Washington - Heaven and Earth. He came through a few years ago, but his current tour is just a handful of dates in Europe. No major festivals. No.
- Ariana Grande - Sweetener. Uuuuggghhhhhh. I can't believe she is the top headliner for Lollapalooza. If Perry Ferrell were dead, I'd accuse him of rolling over in his grave. She's in the top five of all pop stars right now, and so normally I would say there is no way in hell that she could be on the ACL lineup. But in an age that saw Camilla Cabello and Shawn Mendes near the top of the bill last year, who knows what the soul of ACL is anymore. She's playing San Antonio, Houston, and Dallas in May, but skipping Austin (which isn't that surprising, big pop stars like Grande, Beyonce, or Taylor Swift usually skip us). Headlining both Coachella and Lolla. BUT, she's got a pile of dates in Europe right when ACL is happening, and a weight in my heart just lifted. She'll be playing Norway, Finland, and Sweden on and around weekend one, and then Germany and Switzerland in and around weekend two. <very Scottish-just-prior-to-being-beheaded-voice> FREEDOM!!! No.
- Tirzah - Devotion. No clue who this is. Every upcoming date on her tour is in Europe, no US dates, so I see no reason to guess yes. No.
- Yves Tumor - Safe in the Hands of Love. That band name freaks me out, man. Ah, not a band, an electronic music producer. Mmmkay. Playing Coachella, but everything else on his schedule is in Europe, and his tour peters out in August. Nah.
- Julia Holter - Aviary. Everything on her tour is in Europe up until she plays Chicago's Grant Park just prior to Lolla. No reason to expect she'd be at ACL, but who knows? No.
- Kali Uchis - Isolation. Finally, someone I've heard the name of. She played Lolla last year, which can sometimes lead to a follow on show at the other C3 fest the next year. Plays Houston, Dallas, and El Paso in May. Tour ends in July, so she has the time to come to ACL, but I just tried one of her songs and am officially in the no camp.
- The 1975 - A Brief Inquiry Into Online Relationships. Here is another interesting one - these guys are on a line between real rock and roll and boy band fervor, so they just might fit the style of ACL. They play Austin on May 3 though, so that would seem to be pretty close to the Fest. They're playing Coachella, but not Lolla (and didn't do Lolla last year either). Because of how close that is to ACL, doesn't feel like they would come again. Oh, and someone just told me that they are playing something called Rocking the Daisies in South Africa during weekend one (even though their own touring calendar doesn't mention that), so I'm going with no.
- Courtney Barnett - Tell Me How You Really Feel. As far as I'm concerned she should play every year. Playing Bonnaroo and a bunch of other smaller festivals. No Austin dates on her tour (although she played a sold out show at Stubb's in the fall). Tour ends on September 7, leaving her the time to come. I'm just going to take the hopeful angle and say yes. (even though I have no more evidence for her than about half of the no's I've put on here. My blog, up yours).
- Tierra Whack - Whack World. Playing Coachella and Lolla, as well as a handful of other smaller festivals. Done in August. Buzzy artist and likely pretty cheap to add her to the lineup this year while she's still on the way up, so I'll go with yes.
- Let's Eat Grandma - I'm All Ears. WTF, dude. Why you wanna eat Grandma? All she wants to do is buy you the good cereal your mom won't let you have and tell your parents that they're doing a bad job of raising you. Just rude. I just tried a song, and this is not the music that was made for me. Playing Coachella and other small festivals, and are done in August. I guess they could be down there on the poster? But without being on the Lolla poster, I'll say no.
- Sons of Kemet - Your Queen is a Reptile. I tried these guys out after someone had them on their top ten list last year, and no thanks... I'm sure they're all masters of their instruments, but I'm all good. They have no current tour, just three shows in England this summer, so no.
- Soccer Mommy - Clean. Yes, please! Sold out a show at the Mohawk in February. Playing Coachella, Shaky Knees (C3), Governors, the new Woodstock, and some other smaller fests. BUT, she's got tour dates all *around* ACL, but not actually in conflict. Of interest, she is on tour with Vampire Weekend by this point of her tour, playing Thursday 10/3 in San Diego with VW, then Sunday, 10/6 in Salt Lake with VW, then Tuesday, 10/8 with VW at Red Rocks outside of Denver (which would be a rad show!). So, normally, that would get me all pumped up that both VW and SM were doing those dates in the "area" so that they could both come jam out at ACL. But Vampire Weekend is sadly out for ACL (unless something really weird is happening) because they are playing ACL Live at the Moody for two sold out nights at the end of August. But, that doesn't necessarily limit Soccer Mommy from coming back for those shows. I don't know, the fact that she's not playing with VW in August, and then has the room to come to Austin, makes me feel like this is an OK prediction. Going with it, Yes.
- Rolling Blackouts Coastal Fever - Hope Downs Another one I'd love to see here. Not playing Lolla, but at Bonnaroo and other smaller fests. No Texas dates, and done in July, so they have the room. But without more, I'm not feeling it. No.
Guesses that survive this list:
Mitski
Kacey Musgraves
Cardi B
Courtney Barnett
Tierra Whack
Soccer Mommy
Kacey Musgraves
Cardi B
Courtney Barnett
Tierra Whack
Soccer Mommy
Six ladies. Feels pretty good. But who the hell knows...
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