If not for the global pandemic, Coachella would be taking place this week. You may have noticed fewer flower crowns in your Instagram feed, and that actually has major implications for a subset of fashion brands that have come to rely on the California music festival as an annual showcase of their new styles. Trend forecaster Lucie Greene tells the New York Times that "for some brands, festivals aren't just a season like summer or fall, but the season of the year to build relationships with a certain kind of shopper, who buy fun new extra additions for their wardrobe that they wouldn't normally be tempted by."

It may sound frivolous, but there are a lot of people employed making and selling neon fanny packs, bejeweled belts, and sunglasses chains; prominent online retailer Revolve generally makes 30% of its sales in the weeks surrounding Coachella. A similar company, ASOS, says it's pivoted to indoor loungewear this year.

Can Burning Man move online?

It's one thing to move a typical music festival online — even if stars singing in their kitchens isn't quite the same thing — but can Burning Man move online? The Nevada desert arts festival has been called off this year due to coronavirus concerns, and organizers say they want to build their Black Rock City online this year. In a statement on the festival website, organizers admit "We're not sure how it's going to come out. It will likely be messy and awkward with mistakes. It will also likely be engaging, connective, and fun." (New York Times)

Sturgill Simpson, Caroline Polachek open up about confirmed or likely experiences with COVID-19

Sturgill Simpson has tested positive for coronavirus, he says, although his symptoms have subsided. In a frankly frustrated statement posted to Instagram, Simpson said he was denied a COVID-19 test when he went to an emergency room a month ago with symptoms including "chest pains, fever, and pre-stroke blood pressure levels." He was finally able to get tested on April 6, revealing that the virus was still in his system. "I'm still positive and contagious and now on quarantine in the dojo until April 19," he wrote. (Spin)

Caroline Polachek says she also likely contracted COVID-19 about a month ago. On Charli XCX's Apple Music show, Polachek explained, "I had a couple of symptoms that at the time weren't being so reported on, like loss of sense of smell and weird stomach issues as well. That's one of the things that made it so different than the flu was these weird stomach cramps. And at the time those were curveballs, so I was like, I'm not sure if I have this or not." Like Simpson, she was also not tested at the time — and in Polachek's case, she still can't be certain. (Billboard)

Handwritten "Hey Jude" lyrics sell for $910K

A lot has changed in the music world this spring, but here's one thing that hasn't: music memorabilia selling for astronomical sums. Case in point: Paul McCartney's handwritten lyrics to "Hey Jude," used during the Beatles' recording of that song at London's Trident Studios in 1968. The lyrics were expected to fetch about $160,000 at a Beatles auction held on Friday, but instead bidding soared to nearly a million dollars. At a relatively more affordable price point, Ringo Starr's ashtray from Abbey Road went for a mere $32,500. (Billboard)

Saturday Night Live pays tribute to Hal Willner

Saturday Night Live went remote this weekend, assembling an online "At Home" episode hosted by coronavirus survivor Tom Hanks. Along with comedy skits and an appearance by Chris Martin covering Bob Dylan's "Shelter from the Storm," the episode included a tribute to the late Hal Willner, SNL’s longtime music producer. In Willner's honor, cast members including Tina Fey, Amy Poehler, Maya Rudolph, and Molly Shannon sang "Perfect Day," a song by Willner's good friend Lou Reed. (Spin)