Lena Dunham
She's a Golden Globe-winning showrunner now (for HBO's Girls) but in 2010 Dunham's first feature, Tiny Furniture, premiered in Austin and won the Best Narrative Feature Award.
John Mayer
In 2000, the then unknown singer-songwriter performed at SXSW and was signed by his first record label. Now, the "Daughters" crooner is a seven-time Grammy winner and beau to Katy Perry.
While reports that the über-popular social media platform launched at SXSW Interactive are inaccurate, Twitter did pick up tons of early buzz at the tech branch of the festival in 2007.
Bridesmaids
Before making a gajillion dollars, becoming a pop culture phenom and garnering two Oscar nominations, an early "work in progress" cut of the comedy screened at South By in 2011.
Hanson
Years before "MMMBop" rules the radio waves, the brothers Hanson were brought to SXSW by their dad to audition for music execs. They landed a manager and a record deal shortly after.
James Blunt
If you've ever been serenaded by the onetime omnipresent hit "You're Beautiful," you have 2004 to thank: That's the year Linda Perry discovered Blunt at the festival and signed him.
Foursquare
At one point, you needed some bionoculars and a creepy level of dedication to stalk friends. After 2009's Interactive, which launched this social app, you could just monitor their check-ins!
The Strokes
The NYC rockers had picked up some buzz heading into their South by Southwest performance in 2001, but their set led to their signing with RCA records shortly afterward.
The White Stripes
Before they hit it big with "Fell in Love With a Girl," before the controversy and long before the eventual breakup, Jack and Meg White, then unknowns, performed in 2004.
Check out the biggest movies hitting 2013 SXSW!