The BEST episodes of Austin City Limits
Every episode of Austin City Limits ever, ranked from best to worst by thousands of votes from fans of the show. The best episodes of Austin City Limits!
Established singer-songwriters and acclaimed newcomers perform country, blues, rock, folk, bluegrass, and related styles of music.
#1 - Steve Miller Band / Preservation Hall Jazz Band
Season 37 - Episode 5 - Aired 10/29/2011
ACL presents great American music with the Steve Miller Band and the Preservation Hall Jazz Band. Miller takes a tour through his catalog of classic rock hits. The PHJB presents classic New Orleans jazz with special guests the Del McCoury Band and Jim James of My Morning Jacket
Watch Now:Amazon
#2 - Spoon
Season 36 - Episode 2 - Aired 10/9/2010
Hailed as “one of the most engaging American bands of the past decade” (The Phoenix) by critics and fans, Spoon returns to Austin City Limits for their third turn on the stage with a new album that “strikes a balance between its early angsty indie-rock and the soulful deconstructed pop of its 2007 release, Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga” (Billboard).
Watch Now:Amazon
#10 - Iggy Pop
Season 42 - Episode 5 - Aired 10/29/2016
A thrilling hour with rock & roll legend Iggy Pop in his first-ever ACL appearance. The Detroit native blasts through classics and cuts from his latest album “Post Pop Depression,” accompanied by members of Queens of the Stone Age and Arctic Monkeys.
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#16 - Mumford & Sons / Flogging Molly
Season 37 - Episode 1 - Aired 10/1/2011
Blending acoustic instrumentation, rock 'n' roll drive and a tireless work ethic, Mumford & Sons have an international reputation as one of the best live bands, winning the hearts of their audiences with their masterful, melancholy voices and musical skills. With their astounding melodies and a heavy influence of traditional Irish folk music, Flogging Molly has brought the distinct spheres of rock and folk music a little closer with a unique trademark of old fashioned Celtic punk that has held a distinct fan base for the past decade.
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#17 - Alejandro Escovedo / Trombone Shorty
Season 36 - Episode 4 - Aired 10/23/2010
As “one of the genuine lights in rock music” (Billboard) Alejandro Escovedo returns to the Austin City Limits stage to perform songs from his soon-to-be-released CD. His authentic Austin sound has led him to national stardom and critical acclaim. “To call Alejandro Escovedo the godfather of modern country rock would sell him short,” wrote critic Will Hermes in Rolling Stone.
Watch Now:Amazon#18 - Coldplay
Season 37 - Episode 13 - Aired 12/31/2011
Modern rock giants Coldplay ring in the New Year with a 90-minute Austin City Limits New Year's Eve special highlighting their mega-hits and songs from their newest LP, "Mylo Xyloto." This historic holiday celebration captures the excitement and energy of the Grammy-winning band that has sold over 50 million records worldwide.
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#19 - The National / Band of Horses
Season 36 - Episode 11 - Aired 1/15/2011
While lead singer Matt Berninger sustains The National with his resonant baritone voice, his bandmates masterfully round out their soul-haunting sound. With their cathartic, raw and reflective new release, High Violet, “The National has graduated from being a critic's band. Now it belongs to everyone.” (Onion AV Club). Formed in 1999, the Ohio-raised, Brooklyn-based band consists of vocalist Matt Berninger fronting two pairs of brothers: Aaron (guitar, bass, piano) and Bryce Dessner (guitar), and Scott (bass, guitar) and Bryan Devendorf (drums). Their first full-length releases, including Sad Songs For Dirty Lovers, gained critical attention for “deftly balancing country, classical and cabaret” (Alternative Press). 2005’s Alligator included underground anthem “Mr. November,” and raised their profile as The National grew into an incendiary live band. 2007’s Boxer took the band to new levels and earned them spots on many Top 10 albums of the decade list. PopMatters wrote “This album, like all great albums, somehow transcends all the factors that makes it work, absorbs them in a seamless whole and breaks your heart in the process.” The National’s newest release, High Violet, reveals even deeper musical and lyrical wonders with each listen. “We started out trying to make a light and happy record, but it just didn't happen,” said Berninger. “This album is catchier and more fun than our other records, and bleaker in its ideas and themes.” “Somehow we create our own little world, and it works, even though sometimes it shouldn’t,” said Aaron Dessner (guitar, bass, piano). “The process can be difficult, but eventually something beautiful and cohesive will emerge. Making something heartfelt is our only concern.”
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#23 - The War On Drugs
Season 48 - Episode 10 - Aired 1/28/2023
Grammy-winning modern rockers The War On Drugs perform songs from their acclaimed LP “I Don't Live Here Anymore.”
#24 - Gary Clark Jr. / Black Pumas
Season 50 - Episode 2 - Aired 10/5/2024
Acclaimed Austin acts Gary Clark Jr. and Black Pumas deliver next-generation rock and soul in a thrilling hour. Gary Clark Jr. performs highlights from his powerful JPEG RAW and Black Pumas sparkle with selections from their Chronicles of a Diamond.
#25 - Nine Inch Nails
Season 40 - Episode 3 - Aired 10/18/2014
Austin City Limits presents an epic hour with Nine Inch Nails. The special broadcast airs as a preview of our upcoming milestone 40th Anniversary Season. NIN’s arena-worthy ACL debut showcases ten songs.