This year’s music portion of South By Southwest is set to run wild on Austin, Texas, on March 17th and to no one’s surprise, the entire lineup is stacked. Like stacked – Big Sean’s headlining the mtvU Woodies, J. Cole’s doing a Dreamville takeover, Action Bronson’s got his Wonderful BBQ, and in between sets from 2 Chainz, Ceremony, Incubus, Swervedriver, and Wavves (plus Sweet Valley + Spirit Club), Kanye West is expected to make an appearance. All of the above sounds intimidating, but it’s nothing compared to the festival’s risers/trends/unknowns and the never-ending adventure they help to create. We searched high and low and wound up with a few surprises and lot of new music, so in turn here’s our definitive guide to 30 SXSW acts you really don’t want to miss.
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CATFISH AND THE BOTTLEMEN
File Next To: Peace, Drowners || Buy: The Balcony (COMMUNION) || SXSW Schedule (Top Pick: Wednesday March 18th @ Blackheart)
CIRCA WAVES
File Next To: Skaters, Public Access T.V. || Buy: Young Chasers (VIRGIN/EMI) || SXSW Schedule (Top Pick: Thursday March 19th @ Latitude 30)
COURTNEY BARNETT
File Next To: Angel Olsen, Cate Le Bon || Buy: Sometimes I Sit… (MOM + POP) || SXSW Schedule (Top Pick: Wednesday March 18th @ Stubb’s)
CREEPOID
File Next To: Disappears, Pity Sex || Buy: Cemetery Highrise Slum (COLLECT) || SXSW Schedule (Top Pick: Friday March 20th @ Brazos Hall)
DEJ LOAF
File Next To: Angel Haze, Future || Download: Sell Sole (MIXTAPE) || SXSW Schedule (Top Pick: Saturday March 21st @ Brazos Hall)
THE DISTRICTS
File Next To: The Babies, The Orwells || Buy: A Flourish And A Spoil (FAT POSSUM) || SXSW Schedule (Top Pick: Friday March 20th @ Stubb’s)
EARL SWEATSHIRT
File Next To: OFWGKTA, DOOM || Buy: Doris (TAN CRESSIDA) || SXSW Schedule (Top Pick: Saturday March 21st @ The Hype Hotel)
FREDDIE GIBBS
File Next To: GZA, Roc Marciano || Buy: Pinata (MADLIB INVAZION) || SXSW Schedule (Top Pick: Wednesday March 18th @ The Roosevelt Room)
GYPTIAN
File Next To: Popcaan, Machel Montano || Buy: Sex, Love & Reggae (VP RECORDS) || SXSW Schedule (Top Pick: Friday March 20th @ The Palm Door)
HINDS (AKA DEERS)
File Next To: The Black Lips, La Luz || Buy: Barn / Demo (BANDCAMP) || SXSW Schedule (Top Pick: Thursday March 19th @ The Hype Hotel)
KAYTRANADA
File Next To: A-Trak, Sweater Beats || Listen: Various (SOUNDCLOUD) || SXSW Schedule (Top Pick: Wednesday March 18th @ Empire Garage)
KEHLANI
File Next To: Tink, Teyana Taylor || Download: Cloud 19 (MIXTAPE) || SXSW Schedule (Top Pick: Friday March 20th @ Clive Bar)
LEON BRIDGES
File Next To: Sam Cooke, Daughn Gibson || Buy: TBD (SONY/COLUMBIA) || SXSW Schedule (Top Pick: Friday March 20th @ St. David’s)
MICK JENKINS
File Next To: Joey Bada$$, Vince Staples || Download: The Water[s] (MIXTAPE) || SXSW Schedule (Top Pick: Saturday March 21st @ Hype Hotel)
MIGOS
File Next To: The Beatles || Buy: Rich Ni**a Timeline (QUALITY CONTROL) || SXSW Schedule (Top Pick: Thursday March 19th @ The Gatsby)
NATALIE PRASS
File Next To: She & Him, Jessica Pratt || Buy: Natalie Prass (SPACEBOMB) || SXSW Schedule (Top Pick: Tuesday March 17th @ Cheer Up Charlie’s)
NOTS
File Next To: Ex-Cult, White Reaper || Buy: We Are Nots (GONER) || SXSW Schedule (Top Pick: Saturday March 21st @ Burgerama IV Party)
OG MACO
File Next To: Rome Fortune, Young Thug || Buy: OG Maco (QUALITY CONTROL) || SXSW Schedule (Top Pick: Tuesday March 17th @ Blackheart)
RAE SREMMURD
File Next To: Odd Future, Rich Gang || Buy: SremmLife (INTERSCOPE) || SXSW Schedule (Top Pick: Thursday March 19th @ Austin Music Hall)
RAURY
File Next To: André 3000, Frank Ocean || Buy: Indigo Child EP (SONY/COLUMBIA) || SXSW Schedule (Top Pick: Date TBD @ Venue TBD)
RUN THE JEWELS
File Next To: El-P, Killer Mike || Buy: RTJ2 (MASS APPEAL) || SXSW Schedule (Top Pick: Friday March 20th @ Cedar St. Courtyard)
RYLEY WALKER
File Next To: Tweedy, William Tyler || Buy: Primrose Green (DEAD OCEANS) || SXSW Schedule (Top Pick: Tuesday March 17th @ Mohawk)
SHURA
File Next To: Jessie Ware, TÃLÃ || Buy: Indecision 7″ (POLYDOR) || SXSW Schedule (Top Pick: Friday March 20th @ Central Presbyterian)
SICK FEELING
File Next To: Ceremony, United Nations || Buy: Suburban Myth (COLLECT) || SXSW Schedule (Top Pick: Saturday March 21st @ Red Eyed Fly)
SINGLE MOTHERS
File Next To: Joyce Manor, PUP || Buy: Negative Qualities (DINE ALONE) || SXSW Schedule (Top Pick: Friday March 20th @ 720 Club)
SPEEDY ORTIZ
File Next To: Cloud Nothings, Sonic Youth || Buy: Foil Deer (CARPARK) || SXSW Schedule (Top Pick: Thursday March 19th @ Swan Dive)
TWIN PEAKS
File Next To: FIDLAR, The Orwells || Buy: Wild Onion (GRAND JURY) || SXSW Schedule (Top Pick: Friday March 20th @ Bar 96)
VÉRITÉ
File Next To: BANKS, Tove Lo || Buy: Echo EP (INDIE) || SXSW Schedule (Top Pick: Saturday March 21st @ Empire Control Room)
THE WEEKND
File Next To: Drake, Majid Jordan || Buy: Kiss Land (UNIVERSAL) || SXSW Schedule (Top Pick: Thursday March 19th @ The Coppertank)
WOLF ALICE
File Next To: Drenge, Palma Violets || Buy: My Love Is Cool (DIRTY HIT) || SXSW Schedule (Top Pick: Wednesday March 18th @ Hype Hotel)