Mamamoo and Illionaire Records lead the dynamic first round lineup announcement for SXSW 2016.

On October 20, SXSW (South by Southwest) released the first official list of artists who will perform at the March 2016 festival. 

K-pop quartet Mamamoo is the tops the list of Korean acts who are scheduled to appear at the preeminent music event. Comprised of Solar, Moon Byul, Whee In, and Wha Sa, Mamamoo is a rising act in Korean pop, receiving recognition as a girl group with distinct, polished vocals. 

Mamamoo is joined by Illionaire Records' Dok2 and the Quiett. The leading hip-hop duo continues to positively impact Korea's rap scene. They were instrumental in shaping the "Show Me the Money" revolution through their work with iKON's Bobby, during the third season of the program. With hits like "YGGR," Dok2 and the Quiett deliver rapid-fire rhymes, setting stages ablaze with their powerful performances. 

The electro-pop act, Love X Stereo will return to the U.S. for SXSW 2016. The duo, consisting of vocalist Annie Ko and guitarist-turned-producer Toby Hwang, made waves at SXSW 2014, CMJ Music Marathon, and Zendari Festa. 

Glam rockers Victim Mentality, who received widespread attention during SXSW 2015, will also return to Austin, along with K-indie sadcore darling, Big Phony.

Other new editions to SXSW include Bye Bye Badman, Jambinai, and Haihm. 

In 2015, the Hallyu Wave was well represented at SXSW by artists like Epik High, Crayon Pop, EE, the Barberettes, and Hitchhiker. 

The first round announcement for SXSW 2016 delivered the promise of a strong lineup for Korean pop, hip-hop and indie fans. 

SXSW Music Festival will be held at various locations throughout Austin, Texas from March 15 through March 20, 2016. 

----
Adrienne Stanley is a contributing editor at KDramaStars. She is also a contributing music writer at KpopStarz, MTV Iggy and other publications. When she is not listening to "Rhythm Ta," she can be found on Twitter. (@retrogirladdy).