Austin City Limits is the best festival to find your new favorite artists. Who knows? These indie hitters might be playing the main stage in a couple of years!
While Austin City Limits might have some of the best mainstream acts on the lineup, ACL is also home to numerous up-and-coming artists. Many ACL alumni have performed on the small stages and made their way to the main stage. This includes acts like Billie Eilish, Hozier, Oliver Tree, Khruangbin and many more. We’re here to tell you the artists playing Austin City Limits this year that you need to keep on your radar before they make it big.
Good Neighbours
This London-based duo is worth your attention. Even from the get-go, Good Neighbours epitomize that nostalgia for the peak of indie rock, all while sounding entirely fresh. Their viral debut single “Home” has garnered some serious attention from fans across genres – captivating listeners with soulful vocals and an anthemic vibe. They recently toured with Sigrid, and their live set just swept audiences off their feet by showcasing their unique presence and musicianship.
flowerovlove
If you haven’t already been listening to flowerovlove, you are definitely missing out. Joyce Cissé, also known as flowerovlove, is a singer/songwriter from London known for her dream-esque brand of indie-pop. Joyce started releasing music during the pandemic, and is already being praised internationally. She effortlessly combines lo-fi charm through her catchy pop sensibilities, as her lyrics often speak to girlhood and self-love. This rising star already has played at some of the biggest festivals in the world, including Glastonbury and Lollapalooza. Flowerovlove also recently opened for Olivia Rodrigo and will be embarking on tour with Halsey.
Moody Joody (Weekend One)
Moody Joody is a Nashville-based trio composed of Kaitie Forbes, Kayla Hall, and Andrew Pacheco. They reached recognition through their single “Velvet Connection,” which they wrote with Scott Harris (frequent collaborator for Shawn Mendes). The trio is a moody synth-pop bop, as they utilize shimmering synth inspired by new wave synths combined with bright, catchy guitar riffs. Moody Joody has opened for bands like Smallpools and Misterwives, and are set to release their debut EP this fall!
Hotline TNT (Weekend One)
Handling noise and fiction from the NYC scene, Hotline TNT needs to be on your radar. They are an essential part of the modern shoegaze scene, as they blend fuzzy and lo-fi punk with catchy psych riffs. Their new album, Cartwheel, is being talked about as one of the best rock albums of the year and have already shared stages with Snail Mail, Wednesday and Death Cab for Cutie. Hotline TNT is a definite act to catch live.
TOPS (Weekend Two)
Canadian indie-rockers TOPS formed in 2011 and consists of ane Penny (vocals, keys), David Carriere (guitar), Riley Fleck (drums), and Martha Cikojevic (keys). As an influential band in the indie community, TOPS excels in dreamy soft-rock and synth-pop that makes one feel they just watched a newly-acquired nostalgic film. Their first album Tender Opposites remains an underrated gem, and they fully reached their success with their third album I Feel Alive. TOPS have toured with other indie favorites like Men I Trust and Soccer Mommy, and have ultimately become a must-see band live. The band will be heading out on a headline tour this Fall, with a one-weekend stop in Austin.
Girl Tones (Weekend Two)
Kentucky’s very own Girl Tones will soon be your favorite rock group. Sisters Kenzie and Laila Crowe abandoned their classical training in favor of their indie energy that feels cathartic. Their debut singles were produced by Brad Shultz of Cage the Elephant, and their gritty rock has generated a lot of buzz. Girl Tones have taken the stage as an opening act for bands like Cage the Elephant and Silversun Pickups, and have performed at numerous festivals. They are an electric live band, and it would be well worth your time to start following them now.
Austin City Limits 2025 will be happening on 10/3-10/5 and 10/10-10/12. Check out the full lineup and get your ACL tickets here: https://www.aclfestival.com/
I'm a full-time music journalist/photographer from Houston, number one Paramore fan and Husky dog owner. I have a B.S in Radio-Television-Film from UT Austin and a M.A in Mass Communications from the University of Houston, which makes me smart! On top of being an avid concert-goer and movie fanatic, I love bonding with others over the power of local music and media.
