Rumors of the demise of South by Southwest's (SXSW) musical component appear to have been greatly exaggerated, as SXSW organizers have clarified that although the upcoming edition will be curtailed in duration, its musical flair will in no way diminish. An SXSW spokesperson affirmed that the festival is undergoing a transformation due to the impending closure of the Austin Convention Center for renovation works. Consequently, SXSW 2026 will be trimmed by two days, impacting what has historically been the music-centric second weekend of the festival. (Since its inception in 1987, a four-day music conference has been held from Wednesday to Saturday.) Nonetheless, next year's event promises an extra night of musical performances, seamlessly blending with SXSW's film and television programming.
"We are thoroughly enthused about the plans for SXSW 2026," an SXSW spokesperson revealed to The Hollywood Reporter. "With the Austin Convention Center shuttering its doors for three years, we view this as a golden opportunity to implement fresh ideas."
In the absence of the convention center, the festival will spill over into various Austin venues.
This announcement arrives on the heels of the 2025 SXSW edition, which concluded on Saturday. Participation in the music festival has progressively declined since the 2010s, when it peaked with approximately 2,000 bands. This year's edition witnessed a mere 1,012 bands showcasing their talents.
In April 2021, Penske Media, the proprietor of The Hollywood Reporter, invested in SXSW as part of a described long-term collaboration with the festival.
In recent times, the film and television segment of SXSW has burgeoned. Prominent names such as Nicole Kidman, Paul Rudd, Blake Lively, Anna Kendrick, Issa Rae, Ben Affleck, Jon Bernthal, and Seth Rogen graced the premieres of their respective film and TV projects. This year's SXSW also attracted high-profile figures like Michelle Obama (who recorded a podcast with her brother, college basketball coach Craig Robinson) and Chelsea Clinton.
Meanwhile, musical artists that graced this year's event included John Fogerty, Tom Morello, Benson Boone, Khalid, Larkin Poe, Koe Wetzel, George Birge, Ashley Cooke, Brittney Spencer, Aiko, Big Freedia, and Jurassic 5 rapper Soup. The Austin American-Statesman observed that "rising country star Megan Moroney and emerging Latin pop artist Ivan Cornejo delivered commendable sets, yet struggled to fill the expansive ACL Live concert hall, even with free public RSVP."
Andy Langer, a seasoned local music journalist and a festival veteran since its 1987 debut, penned in a widely-shared Facebook post, "For years, it has been undeniable how the parking woes, hotel prices, and traffic dwindle significantly when SXSW Music commences. The town empties out considerably on the Wednesday morning following the conclusion of the tech/film segment."
Furthermore, PMC is broadening SXSW's reach globally. The company ventured into Australia in 2023 and is set to make its London debut in June.
