SXSW Announces Initial 2026 Showcasing Artists

South by Southwest organizers are gearing up for the festival’s 40th edition, with today’s announcement unveiling the first 100 showcasing artists. Plus, SXSW has confirmed The All-American Rejects will perform at the festival’s opening party.

SWSW will make its return to Austin for the big 4-0 on March 12-18. 

The Opening Party, presented by Rivian, will be hosted at Stubb’s Amphitheater March 12, with the promise of “live music from showcase artists, food and drinks, and more.” Additional performers will be announced in the coming weeks.

The first confirmed showcasing artists represent up-and-coming acts from a range of genres and countries from across the globe. Today’s announcement shouts out a number of artists including “masked lo-fi art-pop musician Milo Korbenski from Brighton, England; experimental electropop and live coding pioneer DJ_Dave out of LA; Mexico City-based and regionally influenced post-punk project La Texana; Brooklyn-based alt-folk songwriter Hudson Freeman; Austin-based Bayonne, the introspective and ethereal electro-pop project of artist Roger Sellers; Indonesian indie trio Grrrl Gang; Irish post-punks Chalk; LA punk-pop buzz band The Sophs; West Coast hip-hop and Bollywood influenced rapper, producer, and songwriter KOAD; Minneapolis-based singer-songwriter runo plum; and Grammy-nominated rapper and Tully founder Joyner Lucas.”

The full list can be found via SXSW’s website at schedule.sxsw.com/2026/search/artist 

“SXSW has been the premiere destination for music discovery for 40 years, helping push pioneering acts like Kendrick Lamar, The White Stripes, Wet Leg, PinkPantheress, Tyler, The Creator, and Billie Eilish, to the next level,” Brian Hobbs, VP of Music at SXSW, said in a statement. “By bringing the global music industry to Austin, from labels and A&R to publicists to influential journalists and critics, SXSW is a unique opportunity for showcasing artists to build their careers, enter new markets, and learn from fellow artists and industry voices. With an extra night of showcases this year, 2026 is shaping up to be better than ever for artists, industry and audiences.”
The 2026 fest marks the first time SWSW “will feature seven days of music programming and showcases at Austin’s iconic venues,” running simultaneously with Innovation and Film & TV.

SWSW badges are on sale now, starting at $550 for the Music Badge. The price increases to $895 for the walk-up rate. Separate badges are sold for Film & TV and Innovation. Fans can also purchase a platinum badge for access to all SXSW conferences and festivals, priced at $1,495.