Longtime music executive and YouTube’s global head of music Lyor Cohen will deliver the 2018 music keynote speech at South by Southwest, the Austin, Texas, conference and festivals announced on Tuesday (Dec. 11)
Cohen will deliver his address on Wednesday, March 14.
As well, newly announced featured speakers include Common, Kim Deal of The Breeders and formerly Pixies, Giphy CEO Alex Chung, journalist and author Katie Couric, XPRIZE Foundation founder and executive chairman Peter Diamandis, Uber chief brand officer Bozoma Saint John, the cast of NBC drama This Is Us and others.
“Over his 30 year career Lyor Cohen has been behind the most prolific musical acts and at the helm of the biggest labels. His creativity and passion to keep the music industry innovative continue to flourish with his leadership at YouTube,” said SXSW chief programming officer Hugh Forrest in a statement. “Cohen and the additional Featured Speakers announced today continue to define SXSW as the premiere destination for creative people.”
Cohen is one of the music industry’s top-name executives, having previously acted as chairman and CEO of recorded music for Warner Music Group and then founding 300 Entertainment. He joins previously-announced SXSW keynote speakers Darren Aronofsky (film keynote), Ta-Nehisi Coates (convergence keynote), Barry Jenkins (film keynote), Sadiq Khan (convergence keynote), Esther Perel (interactive keynote) and whurley (convergence keynote).
SXSW 2018 will take place March 9-18, 2018.