Alvvays: You may be familiar with Molly Rankin as the fiddle-playing descendant of Canadian family folk group The Rankin Family, but she also fronts the Toronto-based quintet behind tracks including 'Archie, Marry Me' and 'Adult Diversion'. If you asked Molly, she'd describe her band's sound as a cross between The Cranberries and jangle pop. Following SXSW, they'll be hitting the road with The Decemberists. Photo: Press

Courtney Barnett: She's blown up in her hometown of Melbourne and she's blown up in the UK, so it's about time she becomes a household name Stateside. Barnett's debut album Sometimes I Sit And Think, And Sometimes I Just Sit is due out later this month, so SXSW is the perfect opportunity to sample what's to come from the folk-pop-grunge act. Photo: Wenn

Ex Cops: Indie-pop duo Ex Cops have received a lot of attention over the last few days, largely due to a feud they've had with McDonald's. After the mega fast food chain requested that all acts play at their SXSW showcase for free, Ex Cops took to their Facebook page to call the company out on it. It worked, and McDonald's are now paying all acts involved - Ex Cops not being one of the acts playing that showcase. But they are still playing a slew of other gigs throughout the festival. Photo: Annelise Phillips

Girlpool: In theory, you might think that a duo of just two guitarists/singers might not work, but the punk duo of Cleo Tucker (guitar) and Harmony Tividad (bass) prove that theory wrong. Their album Before The World Was Big, which was recorded in their new hometown of Philadelphia, takes on friendship and growing pains, and is due for release early June via Wichita Recordings. Photo: Alice Axley

Viet Cong: You may recall that in 2010, the band Women went on hiatus after an on-stage bust-up took place, then disbanded after their guitarist Christopher Reimer died. Two of that band's former members, vocalist/bassist Matt Flegel and drummer Mike Wallace, are now a part of Viet Cong, who released their debut album back in January. They've been getting a lot of buzz for their music lately, but their name has also been causing them some trouble, after a show was axed due to their offensive name. Photo: David Waldman

The Karma Killers: This New Jersey four-piece recently signed with Island Records and are currently recording their debut album, which is expected to be released this year. They describe their sound as being heavily influenced by classic rock, punk rock, new wave and soul, and you can hear all of those elements on their latest single, 'Coming Of Age'. You can catch them playing a couple of showcases at SXSW, or on the Vans Warped Tour this summer. Photo: Press

Lolawolf: Zoe Kravitz is just like all of us - she gets embarrassed by her parents, too, although her embarrassment stemmed from watching her father grinding against Katy Perry during the latest Super Bowl halftime show. It's understandable, really. But she doesn't need her dad's help getting attention for her musical talent. Electro-pop act Lolawolf have supported the likes of Miley Cyrus and Lily Allen on tour, but they're building a buzz for themselves that they'll take to this year's SXSW. Photo: Eric Feigenbaum

Chastity Belt: No, that picture isn't taken from Awkward Family Photos. It's an actual press shot, and it's amazing. The Seattle four-piece have a sense of humor that carries over into their music (seriously, their new single is called 'Joke'), and they'll most definitely be bringing it to their debut appearance at this year's SXSW. Photo: Press

Girl Band: Yes, their name is annoyingly generic, and it's made all the more confusing once you realize that they are actually four guys from Dublin. Their music is loud, scratchy, dark and awesome, and it attracted the attention of Rough Trade, who signed them and are releasing their EP 'The Early Years' in April. Their live sets seem to be rather noisily raucous, which is exactly how every live show should be. Photo: Press

Marina & The Diamonds: OK, she's no new act, but we're just as eager to catch her SXSW shows as we are to see the buzz bands. Marina has admitted to being slightly nervous (and excited) about getting back in front of a crowd, as she hasn't performed in two years, but with the glowing reviews her new album 'Froot' has been receiving, she has nothing to worry about. Photo: Press