South by Southwest® has just announced the first 100 Showcasing Artists and the first 50 Showcase Presenters for its historic 40th Music Festival. These multi-hyphenate, genre-busting musicians represent the full breadth of global talent confirmed to perform at SXSW 2026 (March 12–18). Platinum-selling rock band The All-American Rejects will kick off the festivities performing at the SXSW Music Opening Party presented by Rivian.
Notable additions from the first 100 Showcasing Artists for the SXSW Music Festival include the enigmatic UK musician Milo Korbenski, whose lo-fi art-pop blends optimism and emotion through catchy hooks, clever lyrics, and hazy distortion. Balancing torn-cone grit with sweet synths and layered vocals, his sound nods to Kurt Vile, The xx, Black Sabbath and Siouxsie Sioux while remaining distinctly his own.
KOAD, the 22-year-old rapper, producer, and songwriter from the San Fernando Valley, blends classic West Coast hip-hop with nostalgic Bollywood influences. Experimental electropop artist and producer DJ_Dave will also perform, introducing audiences to the art of making music using live coding. Brooklyn-based songwriter Hudson Freeman’s star is officially on the rise in the alternative folk scene. The recent success of his stripped-down single "If You Know Me" stands as the Texas-born artist's breakout moment.
L.A. based Indie Rock group The Sophs have also joined the SXSW® 2026 lineup. The six-piece collective is proving that bands still matter in an age of solo artists. Minneapolis-based singer-songwriter runo plum will roll into Austin, Texas to deliver a dose of cathartic indie rock.
Additional highlights from the first 100 Showcasing Artists for the SXSW Music Festival include Fine, La Texana, Chalk, and Grrrl Gang.
For the full list of the first 100 Showcasing Artists announced to date, see below!
SXSW Music Showcase Presenters include returning favorites Billboard, NPR Music Stations, Rolling Stone, British Music Embassy, LA Times' De Los, BMG, BBC Introducing, and The Line of Best Fit, and exciting first time presenters, like Willie Nelson’s Luck Reunion, and Dream Con.
For a full list of Showcase Presenters announced to date, see below!
