Alanis Morissette, Jack Johnson, Ty Dolla $ign, Vic Mensa, and St. Vincent are among the biggest musical names in a new round of programming SXSW announced on Tuesday for its 40th-anniversary edition, which kicks off March 12. Morissette will headline Spotify 20: Live at Stubb’s on March 14, a showcase marking Spotify’s 20th anniversary, where she’ll be joined by country artist Ella Langley, and a DJ set from St. Vincent.
Johnson will perform a special set March 13 with Hermanos Gutiérrez — the instrumental duo of brothers Alejandro and Estevan Gutiérrez — ahead of the first public screening of his new documentary SURFILMUSIC. Johnson and the Gutiérrez brothers co-wrote the film’s score and the single “Hold On to the Light” with Mario Caldato Jr., who also produced some of Johnson’s best-known music.
Mensa will pull double duty: a featured conference session exploring how music shapes cinematic storytelling followed by a showcase performance alongside hand-picked new artists. Ty Dolla $ign and Buffalo rapper Benny the Butcher will bolster the hip-hop lineup, while electronic producer ZHU and Chicago DJ and producer Hiroko Yamamura round out the festival’s dance programming. Ingrid Andress, Geordie Greep, rising Atlanta pop-punk band the Paradox, and Latin pop performer EMJAY bring the overall headcount to more than 1,000 acts playing seven straight nights across Austin’s clubs and venues.
Spotify will also host a session with Co-CEO Gustav Söderström and Lainey Wilson exploring the platform’s evolution, a sit-down between Nick Jonas and Spotify exec Dustee Jenkins tied to Jonas’ film Power Ballad, and a music conference conversation with Radiohead guitarist Ed O’Brien.
The conference additions include a keynote, Say It Louder: Artists, Activism & the First Amendment, featuring Jane Fonda — who founded the Committee for the First Amendment — alongside filmmaker Jessica Weitz and comedian and documentarian W. Kamau Bell. California Governor Gavin Newsom will sit down for a session of Networth and Chill, and Keke Palmer hosts a live taping of her podcast Baby, This Is Keke Palmer with the cast of I Love Boosters, the new film from Sorry to Bother You director Boots Riley. Serena Williams will lead a panel on founders from underrepresented communities who are building companies in the health space, while Riz Ahmed will previews his upcoming comedy series Bait. Demi Moore, Bob Odenkirk, Andy Cohen, Apple veteran Phil Schiller, Naomi Ackie, and Taylour Paige round out the speaker roster, while Bill Burr will record a live podcast interview.
Rolling Stone‘s previously announced fourth annual Future of Music showcase runs three nights at ACL Live at the Moody Theater, with Lola Young, Fuerza Regida, and BigXthaPlug each headlining an evening from March 12 through 14. Billboard‘s THE STAGE takes over Moody Amphitheater at Waterloo Park for three nights headlined by Don Toliver, Junior H, and Mau P. The All-American Rejects open the whole week with the Music Festival Opening Party at Stubb’s on March 12, and previously announced performers include Charley Crockett, Lainey Wilson, Passion Pit, Gogol Bordello, Los Lobos, and Marissa Nadler — all part of a lineup that, before Tuesday, already included more than 700 acts.
The 40th edition of SXSW runs March 12–18 in downtown Austin.
