Austin, Texas — November 14, 2022 — South by Southwest® (SXSW®) Conference and Festivals and Rolling Stone announced a first-ever partnership as part of SXSW’s 2023 Music Festival programming. The Future 20, a new, multi-night music showcase will be held at ACL Live at The Moody Theater in Austin from March 14-17, and will become an annual fixture of the festival.
This showcase is inspired by the spirit of SXSW, providing a stage to discover and elevate the next wave of influential artists. Rolling Stone‘s music editors will collaborate with SXSW’s programming experts to hand-select 20 acts from around the world, crossing all genres, creating a lineup emblematic of the current trends in music and culture. Each night will showcase five acts spanning rock, indie, rap, hip hop, latin, afrobeats, R&B, soul, and more, giving fans a high-energy and unique glimpse into the future of music.
On top of the four night residency, Rolling Stone will use its editorial voice to provide elevated coverage for all twenty acts leading up to, during and after the festival. Interviews, profiles, social coverage and photojournalism will give an audience of over 60 million music fans an inside look at all of the incredible artists across Rolling Stone channels, including the iconic magazine, category-leading website and social handles, Twitch and more.
The Future 20 showcase will serve as the kickoff event for Rolling Stone’s new Future of Music tentpole, dedicated to covering the entirety of a rapidly evolving music landscape throughout the year. The Future of Music editorial and event series will run through the summer, culminating next September at the Life is Beautiful music and arts festival in Las Vegas. Rolling Stone became a majority investor in Life is Beautiful in February 2022.
“There is a deep connection between SXSW and Rolling Stone in our shared vision to recognize and highlight the work of rising musical stars,” said Gus Wenner, CEO of Rolling Stone. “We are proud to give artists the platform to be recognized for their work and to create one more dimension in SXSW’s incredible slate of music programming for years to come.”
“SXSW’s legendary Music Festival is known for its what’s-next discovery for over 30 years,” said Hugh Forrest, Co-President and Chief Programming Officer. “We’re excited to collaborate with Rolling Stone on a showcase series that will put a spotlight on a new generation of inspiring artists.”
As part of the official SXSW programming, the showcases will be open to SXSW registrants and wristband holders.
About SXSW
SXSW dedicates itself to helping creative people achieve their goals. Founded in 1987 in Austin, Texas, SXSW is best known for its conference and festivals that celebrate the convergence of tech, film and television, music, education, and culture. An essential destination for global professionals, the annual March event features sessions, music, and comedy showcases, film screenings, exhibitions, professional development, and a variety of networking opportunities. SXSW proves that the most unexpected discoveries happen when diverse topics and people come together. SXSW 2023 will take place March 10 – 19, 2023 in Austin. For more information, please visit sxsw.com. To register for the event, please visit sxsw.com/attend.
About Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone, the number one brand in music publishing, has been the leading voice of music and popular culture for over 50 years. The multi-media brand features the latest in music reviews, in-depth interviews, hard-hitting political commentary, and award-winning journalism across several platforms including magazine, digital, mobile, social and emerging platforms. Headquartered in New York, Rolling Stone provides “all the news that fits” to a global audience of approximately 60 million people every month and publishes over 100 pieces of content every day. For more information, please visit www.RollingStone.com
SXSW 2023 is sponsored by White Claw, Porsche, Itaù bank, and The Austin Chronicle.
