From returning elder statesmen to the next wave of artists and producers fusing musical genres, Austin is packed this year with pioneer performers. With EDM, electropunk, country, grunge, indie, goth, rap, hip hop, Americana, R&B and more… music lovers can experience a rainbow of categorization-defying styles.
With so many acts spanning the festival’s venues, we’ve collected the musical highlights from South by Southwest 2025 to make sure that nobody passes under the radar. Happy listening.
Koe Wetzel
Country music fans have never been more open to genre experimentation and outside influence. The success of artists like Jelly Roll, HARDY, and Shaboozey proves that there’s an audience for hip-hop, hard rock, and metal-infused country music, and the next artist primed for a mainstream crossover breakout is Koe Wetzel. Fusing grunge and outlaw country with pristine pop production, Wetzel fits comfortably in a country lineage while pushing the genre forward. With a summer opening for Morgan Wallen in football stadiums ahead, Wetzel should be country music’s next household name.
Coldwave
Not to be confused with the gothy, atmospheric genre of the same name, Coldwave is a hard-charging six-piece indie rock band from Adelaide, Australia. Coldwave combines rafter-reaching guitars and swelling horns with bandleader Harrison Evans’ talk-singing vocals, the type that seems to be all the rage in the post-punk scene. Those who miss the Isaac Wood-led iteration of Black Country, New Road will find comfort in Coldwave’s most recent single, “The Ants” b/w “Italia ’06.”
Quelle Rox
Brooklyn-based, self-proclaimed “chonga” artist Quelle Rox creates what she calls “Spanglish Dream Pop.” All it takes is one listen to tracks like “apareces de la nada” and “mas bonita” to see the vision; spacey synth textures, wobbly guitars, and vintage R&B-tinged vocals make you feel like you’re floating in a neon-hued Miami dreamscape. Rox, who also goes by Rocky, has a warm versatility that would fit just as well on a bill with Kali Uchis as with Mac DeMarco.
DIE SLO
Three Austin-based hip-hop groups joined forces to form DIE SLO Entertainment, a collective greater than the sum of its parts. United by their motto “Stay humble but stay hungry,” DIE SLO features core members Sertified, SouthSide Hippie, WKDZD, and Clova, emcees with different skill sets and cultural backgrounds who nonetheless coalesce. The group’s latest single, “Still Holdin,’” featuring Clova icily gliding over Cassidy Fisher’s waterfall keys, signals this camp is just getting started.
Terraplana
Unfortunately, we weren’t able to hear Brazilian shoegaze band Terraplana’s sophomore record, Natural, by the time of writing, but if lead single “Charlie” is any indication, we’re in for a treat. Featuring classic quiet-loud dynamics, alternatingly lush and abrasive guitar leads, and bassist/vocalist Stephani Heuczuk floating above it all like a siren in dark waters, “Charlie” is an instant attention-grabber in an increasingly crowded field. Terraplana has more moves than just the typical shoegaze playbook, flirting with grunge, emo, and even Britpop in the past, so we’re excited to see what other tricks they have up their sleeve.
Kap Bambino
France’s Kap Bambino first graced SXSW in 2009, where their coarse electropunk style put them in the same lineage as Atari Teenage Riot and made them contemporaries with Crystal Castles. But with chiptune and hyperpop rising with a new generation, Orion Bouvier and Caroline Martial find themselves returning to Austin as elder statesmen. Wildly unpredictable and known for their kinetic live performances, Kap Bambino are performing tunes from their new record, set to be released on Cleopatra Records in March 2025.
Cardinals
With cosigns from fellow countryman Fontaines D.C. and Kneecap, Ireland’s Cardinals fuse swaggering indie rock with Irish trad folk and hints of shoegaze. Their bio namechecks Andy Warhol’s Factory and Phil Spector’s Wall of Sound; the use of squeeze box on “Roseland” recalls the Pogues, and the distorted vocals on “Amphetamines” instantly conjures images of Julian Casablancas in midtown Manhattan. While Cardinals are clearly rock traditionalists, singles like “Get It” show they have the chops and confidence to echo legacy acts without falling into pastiche.
Chan
Milwaukee’s Sebastian Oliva had no musical experience before deciding to dive headfirst into music production in 2012. Now known as Chan, he’s assembled an impressive catalog of EDM tracks that blend traditional Mexican styles with dance music. Whether he’s remixing regional Mexican music for the club or creating his own bangers that combine banda, cumbia, merengue, and other Latin styles into something thoroughly fresh, Chan’s irresistible beats will supercharge your dance moves.
luvis
Hailing from Uji, Kyoto, multi-instrumentalist singer-songwriter luvis makes genre-crossing alternative music that pulls as much from R&B, soul, and jazz as from guitar-based indie rock. His public playlists on Spotify are just as likely to have My Bloody Valentine and Boards of Canada as Minako Yoshida and Haruomi Hosono. Having appeared on NPR’s World Cafe, luvis’ breezy style is accessible enough for mass consumption yet distinct, making one-to-one comparisons tricky. He brings to mind indie pop acts like Still Woozy but feels capable of so much more.
FILLY
After a Brat Summer, Austria’s FILLY seems primed for an American breakout of her own. Her latest single, “Whatever Happens,” even has a cover featuring a familiar shade of green. The rising hyperpop artist mixes classic pop hooks with drum and bass touchstones, and her shimmery vocals and buoyant energy are like a sugar rush you don’t want to end. Songs like “Sweat” throw a fresh coat of paint on early ‘00s electropop signifiers.
Invoke
Austin’s own Invoke is a multi-instrumental quartet that attempts to wrap its arms around the entirety of the traditional American songbook. Whether it’s bluegrass, Americana, Appalachian folk, jazz, or classical, Invoke pushes the classic string quartet in progressive, ineffable directions. The group’s resume is sprawling, academic, philanthropic, and damn impressive featuring countless collaborations, commissioning projects, residencies, workshops, and more. You’d be hard-pressed to find a more decorated, accomplished group of musicians at SXSW.
Squid the Kid
Genre-bending Squid the Kid makes a funky mix of hip-hop, R&B, and pop, garnering comparisons to KAYTRANADA and Anderson .Paak. With infectious charisma and an effortless flow, the Melbourne native shifts in and out of melodic crooning and credible rapping on his latest EP, KOZY TAPE, sometimes sounding like three distinct artists on one track. The effect creates a bullet-proof collection of feel-good bops, the type of music that will have you smiling and feeling just as fab as Squid the Kid sounds.
The post The Biggest Bands and Artists at the SXSW 2025 Music Festival appeared first on Den of Geek.
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