South by Southwest (SXSW), which first debuted in the 1980s as a music festival inspired by New York City’s New Music Seminar, has evolved dramatically over the years. Originally a showcase for music, it has expanded into a multi-disciplinary gathering that now includes tech, film, comedy, and more. As a result, some have felt that the music segment of the festival has gradually started to become secondary to the broader scope of the event.
Stereogum, along with other outlets, had reported that SXSW would be making significant adjustments to its programming including a reduction of time allocated to music events. However, a spokesperson for SXSW has since asserted that there will be no reduction with regards to time allotted to music events specifically although the second weekend will be eliminated.
“A shorter SX gives attendees more of a chance to be here for the entire run. With the Conference, Film & TV Festival, and Music Festival all taking place concurrently over seven days, everyone will have the chance to experience the whole of SXSW. It also allows us to continue the work the Music Festival programmers have done over the last decade in paring down the numbers of showcasing artists while spreading the shows out over a greater part of the event,” stated a SXSW spokesperson.
SXSW VP of Communications, Lillian Park, confirmed to The Austin American-Statesman that SXSW 2026 will include an additional night of music. “Showcases will take place over seven nights instead of six,” she explained.
The decision to shorten the festival’s overall schedule comes from a decline in musical artist participation. At its peak in the 2010s, SXSW hosted roughly 2,000 musical acts annually. However, this year, that number dropped to just over 1,000. Of this year’s artists, a record 35% were international, with many sponsored by their respective countries’ cultural ministries.
The event has also faced challenges due to controversial sponsorships; several bands withdrew from SXSW 2024 in protest of the US Army’s involvement, prompting the festival to drop the army as a sponsor last summer.
