SXSW Music Is No More (Report)

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It appears that the team behind the South by Southwest Festival (SXSW) are planning to reduce the focus on the musical aspect of their yearly event.

According to the Austin American-Statesman, this will result in the 2026 edition of the festival being two days shorter than this year’s, which ran March 7-15. Next year’s edition is set for March 12-18. The move eliminates the weekend traditionally dedicated to music performances and a conference for the first time in SXSW history.

The news arrives following the conclusion of the 2025 event held over the weekend. It appears that attendance at the music festival has decreased since the 2010s, reaching its highest point in terms of participating bands with approximately 2,000. However, this year’s festival only featured 1,012 bands.

The Hollywood Reporter has reached out to Penske Media for comment. Penske Media, the owner of THR, invested in SXSW in April 2021 as part of what it described as a long-term partnership with the festival.

Over the past few years, the film and television segment has grown significantly within SXSW. This year, it attracted notables such as Michelle Obama (who participated in a podcast conversation with her brother, renowned college basketball coach Craig Robinson), and Chelsea Clinton. Some of the celebrities who graced the premieres of their respective projects were Nicole Kidman, Paul Rudd, Blake Lively, Anna Kendrick, Issa Rae, Ben Affleck, Jon Bernthal, and Seth Rogen.

Meanwhile, musical artists playing 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 noted that “country breakout Megan Moroney and Latin pop up-and-comer Ivan Cornejo played fine sets, but they failed to fill the cavernous concert hall ACL Live, even with a free public RSVP.”

Local music journalist Andy Langer, a veteran of the festival since its launch in 1987, wrote in a much-shared Facebook post, “For years, it’s been impossible not to notice how parking woes, hotel prices, traffic etc. drop off considerably when SXSW Music begins. The town empties out considerably the Wednesday AM after tech/film ends.”

Meanwhile, the event will be temporarily displaced next year, as the Austin Convention Center — home to SXSW — is being renovated. It will close in April for four years, with the festival taking place at various locations around town for the next few editions.

PMC is broadening SXSW’s global footprint as well. In 2023, the firm established itself in Australia, and it will make its debut in London in June.

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2025-03-17 09:25