Apple to Launch iTunes Festival at SXSW With Coldplay, Imagine Dragons

Since 2007, iTunes Festival, the free month-long concert series sponsored by Apple, has become a London mainstay, and now the tech giant is bringing it stateside at next month’s South by Southwest festival, according to Associated Press.

SXSW Teases 2014 Lineup

On Wednesday, the company announced that the festival will take place March 11th through 15th at ACL Live at the Moody Theater and will feature opening night performances by Coldplay, Imagine Dragons and London Grammar. Other performers confirmed for the festival include Keith Urban, Willie Nelson, Pitbull and Zedd.

“The iTunes Festival in London has become an incredible way for Apple to share its love of music with our customers,” Eddy Cue, Apple’s senior vice president of Internet Software and Services, said in a statement. “We’re excited about the incredible lineup of artists performing and SXSW is the perfect place to debut the first iTunes Festival in the U.S.” Cue didn’t specify whether the company plans on making the festival an annual event as in London.

Last year, Lady Gaga premiered eight new songs from last year’s ARTPOP in a theatrical, hour-long concert at London’s Roundhouse as part of the festival. Elton John, Justin Timberlake, Queens of the Stone Age, Kings of Leon, Avicii, Pixies and Katy Perry all performed during the festival, among others. The U.S. festival will be streamed live through the iTunes store, iTunes radio and Apple’s iTunes Festival app.

Damon Albarn, St. Vincent and Kelis were also announced as the latest additions to the festival, with all three artists performing at the NPR showcase on March 12 alongside Perfect Pussy. NPR will be streaming the full concert on their website.

Last week, the festival announced numerous additions to its lineup, including Future, Kurt Vile, Chance the Rapper, Bob Mould, Warpaint, Madlib and Macaulay Culkin’s pizza-themed Velvet Underground. This followed last month’s reveal of Les Claypool, Charli XCX and Melissa Etheridge as performers at the Texas festival.