The Austin, TX-based South by Southwest (SXSW) music festival has announced its first round of 154 performers, which include a myriad of assorted artists from different genres and places around the world.
According to Billboard, by the time the festival kicks off in the spring of 2016, SXSW hopes to have 2,000 performers both big and small, making it one of the best festivals for music discovery.
This first round includes New York indie rock band Caveman, hardcore punks Frank Carter & the Rattle Snakes, DIY pop artist Alex G and American Football frontman Mike Kinsella performing with Joan Of Arc and as his solo project Own.
SXSW's announcement highlights a number of international acts including Canadian emo-electro act Crystal Castles, Korean rappers Dok2 and The Quiett from Illionaire Records, Spanish garage rockers Hinds and the London electro-pop trio HÆLOS.
Check out the full list of performers here.
Live music is always great, but don't underestimate the value of the conference sessions held throughout the week. Last year Public Enemy's Chuck D shared his experience on activism in music, virtual reality demonstrations took attendees on stage with Paul McCartney, and Snoop Dogg delivered a rather lackluster keynote address/interview.
This year the festival is releasing the itinerary earlier than ever so attendees can plan their week better. More than 130 new panels were announced falling under a larger swath of categories ranging from "Bands & Brands" to "Marketing and Fan Engagement."
Some of the highlights include "What It Means to Start a Label in the Digital Age" with Talib Kweli and Jarret Myer of UPROXX, "Radio Re-tuned for the Music Ecosystem" with Phil Guerini of Radio Disney and "How 3D Printing Can Transform The Music Business." Visit the SXSW conference program for a full list of the sessions.
You can also see a list of confirmed speakers for the 2016 conference, which includes Jim Bankoff, chairman and CEO of Vox Media.
Check out some Korean rap from Illionaire Records below.
