Austin City Limits Season 52 gives every artist a full-hour episode

Austin City Limits Season 52 is expanding to 18 episodes, five more than in previous seasons, giving every featured artist a dedicated full-hour episode for the first time in the PBS series' more than five-decade run, JamBase reported. Previously, episodes were often shared between multiple acts.

"Season 52 represents an exciting new chapter for Austin City Limits," said ACL executive producer Terry Lickona in a press release, adding that the expanded format gives each artist room to tell their complete story. Artists set to benefit from the new format include Billy Strings, Olivia Rodrigo, The Red Clay Strays, Brandi Carlile and Miguel.

Season 52 begins September 4 with Carlos Vives y La Provincia, followed by a September 12 special honoring Brandi Carlile's induction into the show's Hall of Fame. Billy Strings and Miguel follow later that month, with Sienna Spiro, Olivia Rodrigo, Ari Lennox, The Red Clay Strays and Ty Myers rounding out the announced schedule through late October, before a Sebastian Yatra episode and a 25th anniversary Americana Honors special close out the announced run on November 14 and 21. New episodes air weekly on PBS stations nationwide and stream free on the PBS App and PBS.org following each premiere.

The second half of Season 52's schedule has not yet been announced, and JamBase noted that additional episode details are expected separately.

Two of the season's first-announced artists arrive with their own recent MusicSuey coverage: Brandi Carlile revealed a deluxe edition of Returning to Myself for a September 25 release around the same time as her ACL Hall of Fame honor, and Billy Strings started wearing protective headgear on stage after being struck by an object during a show earlier this month.