Authentic music promotion starts with fundamentals, not flashy promises
The Scams are so convincing
From botted playlists to music promoters who send your song to a bulk email list in exchange for money, the traps and scams are too happy to make you false promises so they can take your money. I have been scammed in the past by people who charged me for a $500 playlist campaign only to send a track to the same people I would have sent it for $75. We all get them, the private DMs from people saying they found your song and love it, and that they can get it thousands of streams on their playlists. You can buy 1k followers on Instagram for $35. Tempting, isn’t it? So what is real music promotion, and how does it work?
What Real Music Promotion Looks Like
Authentic music promotion starts with fundamentals, not flashy promises. It begins with building a solid foundation: an optimized website with strong SEO, ensuring your shows and live events appear on Spotify, and creating professional branding and photo assets ready for all platforms and social media.
The strategy varies significantly depending on your specific genre and style. Some artists benefit from platforms like Bandcamp, while others find success through online radio stations or podcast interviews. There’s no universal solution—each artist requires a tailored approach based on their unique sound, goals, and audience.
Successful music marketing means appearing where your potential fans are already looking. This includes ranking high in SEO results, securing spots in the top 10-20 positions on genre-appropriate playlists, and running productive ads on Meta and Google that introduce your music to new listeners organically.
The most effective promotion happens when strategy aligns with an artist’s specific goals and past marketing experiences. The focus should be on finding cost-effective, stress-free methods to place your music directly in front of potential audiences through platforms where they already spend time: YouTube, Spotify, podcasts, music review sites, online radio, and sync opportunities.
Success in music promotion depends on several key factors:
- The effort invested in the music itself
- The specific genre
- The quality of the music
- The quality of the visual assets supporting the music
No amount of promotion can substitute for great songs, but great songs without proper promotion Will just sit in limbo undiscovered
Moving Forward
Real music promotion is about building genuine connections between artists and their potential audiences. It requires patience, strategic thinking, and a commitment to authenticity over quick fixes. While the scams and shortcuts may seem appealing, the artists who build lasting careers are those who invest in legitimate, sustainable promotion strategies that respect both their art and their audience.
