Music Tech in Austin: Our Top Picks for 2026
- Music Tectonics
- 2 hours ago
- 4 min read
SXSW has reinvented itself for 2026. With the convention center closed for renovation, the familiar conference and music festival schedule is all shook up.
Find out where the music tech conversations are happening in Austin.
We’ve collected our top music tech picks from the SXSW schedule, plus our favorite unofficial hangs!
Meet up with Music Tectonics
Monday, March 16 10:00am – 12:00pm River Walk Music Tech Meetup – RSVP Here Meet at Daydreamer Coffee on Rainey
Join the Music Tectonics / Rock Paper Scissors team for a 2-3 mile walk along the Ann and Roy Butler Hiking and Biking trail, heading to Lady Bird Lake. We'll meet at Daydreamer Coffee for caffeine on us before starting our stroll right at 10:30 am, so plan accordingly!
Friday, March 13, 2026
10:00am – 11:00am MediaTech Morning: Breakfast, Networking & Beyond Screens – MediaTech as the New Infrastructure German Haus / Speakeasy Ballroom Speakers: Zackes Brustik; Erdinç Koç, MediaTech Hub Potsdam; Robert Heinrich, German Federal Ministry for Digital Transformation and Government Modernisation; Cornelia Steinbock, Xounds; Tanner Jones, Vulcan Technologies
11:30am – 12:30pm Breaking the Sound Barrier: Making Creativity Accessible to All Austin Marriott Downtown / Waller Ballroom C Presented by Yamaha Corporation Speakers: Jared Jermaine, Artist; Taylor Felt, Artist; Scott Yusuke Sugino, Yamaha Music Innovations; Gregg Lehrman, Output
2:30pm – 3:30pm Who Gets Credit When Anyone Can Train a Music AI? Downright Austin / Capitol Ballroom ABCD Speakers: Virginie Berger, Neutune; Turo Pekari, Copyright Delta; Neeta Ragoowansi, Music Managers Forum-US; Dot Bustelo, Remote Control Enterprises
6:30 pm - 8:00 pm EU Meet Up and Music German Haus / Speakeasy Ballroom A networking reception bringing together creators, innovators, policymakers, and digital thinkers from Europe and the United States shaping the future of tech and culture.
Saturday, March 14, 2026
2:30pm – 3:30pm The Future of Music is Participatory Downright Austin / Capitol Ballroom ABCD Speakers: Dani Deahl, BandLab Technologies; Jordy Freed, Sony Corporation; Gaurav Sharma, Hook Music; 310babii, artist
4:00pm – 5:00pm Streaming, Shorts & AI: Where Are Your Royalties Going?Downright Austin / Capitol Ballroom FGH Speakers: Kathleen Strouse, SoundExchange; Jason Feinberg, Kobalt Music; Jann-Michael Greenburg, Tresona; Dominic Kerley, LabelWorx
4:30pm – 5:30pm Ecosystem-Building in Creative Technologies – From Institutions to Living Networks German Haus / Speakeasy Terrace Speakers: Karolin Hewelt, Dentsu Creative Germany; Martin Eyerer, GCD; Christoph Backes, U-Institut; Jeannine Koch, MediaTech Hub Potsdam; Nira Bozkurt, Filmakademie Baden-Württemberg; Fred Poston, TXMPA
Sunday, March 15, 2026
10:00am – 11:00am This is cool: Immersive Videos in headsets are exciting! Hilton Austin Downtown / Room 412 Speaker: Paul Mezier, Acute Immersive
10:30am – 4:00pm Innovation that Moves – From Tech to Stage German Haus / Speakeasy Ballroom Startups: Oaisis, PHONT, TapGig, xounds, ZAUBAR, Vay, FairUp, For Eyes, Deepx, INSONE, HypnoBox, JYMMiN, IFA
2:30pm – 3:30pm Is There Too Much Music? Downright Austin / Capitol Ballroom E Speakers: Michael Pelczynski, Voice Swap; Kristin Robinson, Billboard; Ashley-Cree Maddix, Audiomack; Dani Deahl, BandLab Technologies
4:00pm – 5:00pm The Future Of Streaming in the Superfan Era Downright Austin / Capitol Ballroom E Speakers: Janishia Jones, A Seat at the Table; Jordan Pettinato, SoundCloud; Con Raso, Tuned Global; Brian Zisook, Audiomack
5:00pm – 6:00pm German Future Culture: Creative Economy Business Models German Haus / Speakeasy Terrace Speakers: Tilmann Köllner, 1Live; Tanja Alemany Sanchez de León, Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy; Rosa Anschütz, artist; Markus Beele, Music manager and digital economy strategist; Elke Kuhlen, c/o pop cologne Festival
Monday March 16, 2026
10:00am – 12:00pm River Walk Music Tech Meetup Meet at Daydreamer CoffeeJoin the Music Tectonics / Rock Paper Scissors team for a 2-3 mile walk along the Ann and Roy Butler Hiking and Biking trail, heading to Lady Bird Lake. We'll meet at Daydreamer Coffee for caffeine on us before starting our stroll right at 10:30 am, so plan accordingly!
11:30am – 7:00pm Take Action x SXSW: Music & Social Impact Summit Inn Cahoots A free interactive daytime gathering focused on the intersection of music, community, and change, presented by Artist For Action® in collaboration with Bandsintown and Music Managers Forum-US.
1:50pm - 2:40 pm From Discovery to Superfans Take Action / Inn Cahoots Platforms and strategies powering global growth, fan connection, and community building beyond streams.
2:40pm - 3:30pm Filling the Room: Live Growth in the Age of Data & AI Take Action / Inn Cahoots How artists and promoters use data, marketplaces, fan tools, and AI insights to grow audiences and live revenue.
3:30pm - 4:20pm Turning Music IP Deals Into Experiences Take Action / Inn Cahoots Exploring how music IP fuels immersive shows, residencies, and branded experiences — and how the deals get done.
Tuesday, March 17, 2026
11:30am – 12:30pm Why Music Platforms Care About Live Music Downright Austin / Capitol Ballroom E Speakers: Abbie Riley, Spotify; Jamie Loeb, Nederlander Concerts; Fabrice Sergent, Bandsintown; Ali Rivera, YouTube
2:30pm – 3:30pm CTHow Music with Games is Rewriting the Soundtrack of CultureAustin Marriott Downtown / Waller Ballroom D Speakers: Jacqui Bransky, Inside Out Labs; Matheus Fonseca, Moonsworth; Alex Tarrand, STYNGR; Joseph Perla, Hangout FM
Wednesday, March 18, 2026
11:30am – 12:30pm Making a Mind Live from SXSW: When AI Agents Leave the Lab JW Marriott / Salon E Speakers: Michael Reiczyk, Bandsintown; Danielle Perszyk, Amazon; Michael Giannangeli, Amazon; Amanda Doerr, Amazon
11:30am – 12:30pm Streaming Fraud: Where We Are and How it's Changing Downright Austin / Capitol Ballroom FGH Speakers: Tori Leche, UnitedMasters; Kevin Rutherford, Billboard; Josiah Albertsen, SiriusXM+Pandora; Andreea Gleeson, Believe
About Music Tectonics:
The ground beneath the music industry has shifted. Tech-fueled earthquakes have been shaking the music industry for some time now, creating dramatic new landscapes—and opportunities to serve artists at the intersection of music, technology, and business. Music Tectonics' 2026 Conference is October 27-29 in Santa Monica, California!
Music Tectonics, brainchild of PR firm Rock Paper Scissors, explores this junction with an annual conference, regular online events, and a weekly podcast.
