10 Pop Acts We Can’t Wait to See at SXSW 2015

South by Southwest is the annual music, film and tech festival that takes place in Austin, TX each March, considered to be a launching ground for tomorrow's biggest stars. Hanson played SXSW in their very early days, and so did John Mayer, who was signed to his first label shortly after his showcase.

Past fests have featured surprise performances from pop's reining royalty, too. Last year, Lady Gaga staged a headline-grabbing spectacle as part of her ARTPOP album cycle. Prince surprised everyone with a super secret concert the year before that, as did Justin Timberlake, who performed an intimate set. You never know who is going to show up, and that's why we here at PopCrush are psyched for this year's slate!

In anticipation — the week-long music portion of SXSW kicks off March 17 — we've highlighted the 10 pop performers leading our "Must See" list. Don't get us wrong: It was insanely difficult to narrow it down to a mere 10. Thousands of musicians pour into Austin for the fest, and we were hard-pressed to anoint our faves. And keep in mind, some of these aren't your typical bubblegum bands. From the haunting timbre of Marina and the Diamonds to rockist newcomers Night Terrors of 1927, our picks reflect a wide interpretation of what it means to be "pop."

Grab your pencils and peep our list of the 10 Most Anticipated Pop Acts performing at SXSW 2015 in the gallery above!