SCRATCH TRACK: Build a Fearless Music Career

Shares ≠ Fans

For months now, everyone has been sharing this performance by Angine de Poitrine. And honestly? I get it. It’s strange, impressive, memorable, and impossible to ignore. But the music marketing world immediately turned it into a lesson: “THIS is what artists need to do now.” More spectacle. More novelty. More shareability. And I think that interpretation misses the point. Because I watched the full performance. I shared it myself. …and my share didn't mean what the marketing gurus says it means. In this episode, we unpack the difference between fascination and fandom, why “shares” don’t mean what many artists think they mean, and how musicians accidentally start optimizing for attention metrics that have very little to do with real connection. We’ll talk about: * viral performances gimmicks vs. artistic identity * why deeply meaningful music is often less shareable * Goodhart’s Law and proxy metrics * the danger of building your career around the wrong signals * and how to find the thin overlap between what you truly are and what your audience genuinely responds to Because attention says: “Huh. Interesting.” Connection says: “Oh. That’s me.”  The article I mention by Gurwinder is here: https://www.gurwinder.blog/p/why-everything-is-becoming-a-game [https://www.gurwinder.blog/p/why-everything-is-becoming-a-game] Free guide: 🎧 5 Artist Branding Mistakes (And How to Fix Them) If you want a clearer artistic identity and message, grab the guide here: → https://www.musicdemo.org/branding [https://www.musicdemo.org/branding] Ready to go deeper? My course Unbreakable walks you step-by-step through the process of defining your artist identity, clarifying your message, and turning listeners into lifelong fans with a future-proof brand. Learn more here: → https://www.musicdemo.org/unbreakable [https://www.musicdemo.org/unbreakable] Scratch Track is the podcast for grown-up musicians who still believe in their music — but don’t have time to chase trends, go broke, or burn out. About to release some new music? 👉 Get the "Music Release Checklist Your Distributor Hopes You'll NEVER Read" → https://www.musicdemo.org/music-release-checklist [https://www.musicdemo.org/music-release-checklist] Want help brainstorming a great lead magnet for YOUR music? 👉 Get the free list: "25 proven list-building ideas for musicians" → https://www.musicdemo.org/list-building [https://www.musicdemo.org/list-building] Thinking of removing your music from Spotify? 👉 Use our decision-tree first → https://www.musicdemo.org/leave-spotify [https://www.musicdemo.org/leave-spotify]

More Tools, Less Control? The New Music Industry Reality

THE MUSIC INDUSTRY IS SHIFTING FAST — BUT ARE THESE CHANGES ACTUALLY HELPING INDEPENDENT ARTISTS?   In this episode of Scratch Track: Reality Check, we break down the latest headlines shaping the music business right now:   1. Apple Music rolls out new tools aimed at turning streams into ticket sales   2. AI-generated music floods streaming platforms — and raises serious questions (while Deezer develops tools to counter the flood)   3. SoundCloud introduces “superfan” features for exclusive releases AI-generated music floods streaming platforms — and raises serious questions   Are these meaningful stories for busy musicians… or just more worry with no ROI? Check out the episode for our verdict on each story: Buzzworthy,... or b&ll$h!t?   We cut through the hype and look at what these stories really mean for working musicians with limited time and budget, and loads of responsibilities outside music!    THIS WEEK'S PANEL OF SKEPTICAL JUDGES INCLUDES: - Erika Parr (co-founder of Demo) - Chris Robley (host of Scratch Track) - and Mike Warner (Work Hard Playlist Hard).   Find out more about Mike at https://workhardplaylisthard.com/home [https://workhardplaylisthard.com/home] Check out his label at https://stillcadence.com/ [https://stillcadence.com/] FREE GUIDE: 🎧 5 ARTIST BRANDING MISTAKES (AND HOW TO FIX THEM)   If you want a clearer artistic identity and message, grab the guide here:  → https://www.musicdemo.org/branding [https://www.musicdemo.org/branding] READY TO GO DEEPER?   My course Unbreakable walks you step-by-step through the process of defining your artist identity, clarifying your message, and turning listeners into lifelong fans with a future-proof brand.   Learn more here: → https://www.musicdemo.org/unbreakable [https://www.musicdemo.org/unbreakable] ABOUT TO RELEASE SOME NEW MUSIC?    👉 Get the "Music Release Checklist Your Distributor Hopes You'll NEVER Read" → https://www.musicdemo.org/music-release-checklist [https://www.musicdemo.org/music-release-checklist]   WANT HELP BRAINSTORMING A GREAT LEAD MAGNET FOR YOUR MUSIC?    👉 Get the free list: "25 proven list-building ideas for musicians"   → https://www.musicdemo.org/list-building [https://www.musicdemo.org/list-building] THINKING OF REMOVING YOUR MUSIC FROM SPOTIFY?    👉 Use our decision-tree first   → https://www.musicdemo.org/leave-spotify [https://www.musicdemo.org/leave-spotify]

The label promo trick that made me sick...

There’s a promo tactic floating around right now that promises buzz, engagement, and momentum. It’s called astroturfing. Fake fan accounts. Manufactured hype. Staged controversy. And while it might work for artists with teams behind them… it can quietly drain your time and energy (and self-respect) if you're a mid-life musician. And I'll bet time and energy are your scarcest resources right now. In this episode of Scratch Track, we break down: * What astroturfing actually is * The “sock puppet” playbook * The real costs of fake momentum * A simple 3-part filter to evaluate any promo tactic or tool before you waste time on it Because the goal isn’t to do more. It’s to build something real. If you’re balancing music with work, family, and real-life responsibilities, this episode will help take a breath and focus on what actually moves things forward. Free guide: 🎧 5 Artist Branding Mistakes (And How to Fix Them) If you want a clearer artistic identity and message, grab the guide here: https://www.musicdemo.org/branding [https://www.musicdemo.org/branding] Ready to go deeper? My course Unbreakable walks you step-by-step through the process of defining your artist identity, clarifying your message, and turning listeners into lifelong fans with a future-proof brand. Learn more here: https://www.musicdemo.org/unbreakable [https://www.musicdemo.org/unbreakable] About to release some new music? 👉 Get the "Music Release Checklist Your Distributor Hopes You'll NEVER Read" → https://www.musicdemo.org/music-release-checklist [https://www.musicdemo.org/music-release-checklist] Want help brainstorming a great lead magnet for YOUR music? 👉 Get the free list: "25 proven list-building ideas for musicians" → https://www.musicdemo.org/list-building [https://www.musicdemo.org/list-building] Thinking of removing your music from Spotify? 👉 Use our decision-tree first → https://www.musicdemo.org/leave-spotify [https://www.musicdemo.org/leave-spotify]

Stop Wasting Plays: Link Your Own Song on Reels, Shorts & TikTok

I see it almost every day — musicians accidentally posting their own songs as “Original Audio” on TikTok, Reels, and YouTube Shorts. It seems harmless enough. But it means your videos aren’t connected to the official track on the platform—so plays don’t stack, discovery gets scattered, and your song loses momentum right at the very moment people are paying attention. In this Fast Track episode of Scratch Track, I break down: * Why this happens * Why it quietly works against you * The simple 15-second fix * How to make sure every post actually contributes to your song's social energy   Yes, it's a hack. And hacks don't mean much if the content isn't great. But if you do this trick every time you post a cool video using one of your songs —it's gonna subtly help your track, instead of working against it. And if you’re a busy musician, those small advantages matter. Free guide: 🎧 5 Artist Branding Mistakes (And How to Fix Them) If you want a clearer artistic identity and message, grab the guide here: → https://www.musicdemo.org/branding [https://www.musicdemo.org/branding] Ready to go deeper? My course Unbreakable walks you step-by-step through the process of defining your artist identity, clarifying your message, and turning listeners into lifelong fans with a future-proof brand. Learn more here: → https://www.musicdemo.org/unbreakable [https://www.musicdemo.org/unbreakable] Scratch Track is the podcast for grown-up musicians who still believe in their music — but don’t have time to chase trends, go broke, or burn out. About to release some new music? 👉 Get the "Music Release Checklist Your Distributor Hopes You'll NEVER Read" → https://www.musicdemo.org/music-release-checklist [https://www.musicdemo.org/music-release-checklist] Want help brainstorming a great lead magnet for YOUR music? 👉 Get the free list: "25 proven list-building ideas for musicians" → https://www.musicdemo.org/list-building [https://www.musicdemo.org/list-building] Thinking of removing your music from Spotify? 👉 Use our decision-tree first → https://www.musicdemo.org/leave-spotify [https://www.musicdemo.org/leave-spotify] If this video helped: Subscribe for more no-hype, practical strategies for musicians building something real with limited time.

Reality Check: Buzzworthy or B&ll$h!t?

Is music distribution about to change... again? Is Spotify really on life support? And who is SXSW even for anymore? Welcome to the first edition of Reality Check, a new Scratch Track series where we take the biggest music industry headlines, drag them into the light, and ask: is this actually useful… or just more overhyped nonsense? Every week, there’s a new “game-changing” tool, trend, or strategy promising to revolutionize your career—usually from people who don’t live your life, don’t have your constraints, and definitely don’t have your calendar. Or to put it simply: What's good for the music industry is often a very different thing than what's good for you, an individual artist. In this episode, we break down three recent stories and deliver the only verdict that matters: Buzzworthy or Bullshit? Because if you’re a working musician juggling music with, you know, life, you don’t need more noise—you need clarity. The goal here isn’t to keep you up-to-date for its own sake. It’s to keep you sane, focused, and spending your limited time on what actually matters. This week's panel of skeptical judges includes: Erika Parr (co-founder of Demo), Chris Robley (host of Scratch Track), and our special guest Darryl Hurs (Indie Week).   Free guide:  5 Artist Branding Mistakes (And How to Fix Them) If you want a clearer artistic identity and message, grab the guide here: → https://www.musicdemo.org/branding [https://www.musicdemo.org/branding] Ready to go deeper? My course Unbreakable walks you step-by-step through the process of defining your artist identity, clarifying your message, and turning listeners into lifelong fans with a future-proof brand. Learn more here: → https://www.musicdemo.org/unbreakable [https://www.musicdemo.org/unbreakable] About to release some new music? 👉 Get the "Music Release Checklist Your Distributor Hopes You'll NEVER Read" → https://www.musicdemo.org/music-release-checklist [https://www.musicdemo.org/music-release-checklist] Want help brainstorming a great lead magnet for YOUR music? 👉 Get the free list: "25 proven list-building ideas for musicians" → https://www.musicdemo.org/list-building [https://www.musicdemo.org/list-building] Thinking of removing your music from Spotify? 👉 Use our decision-tree first → https://www.musicdemo.org/leave-spotify [https://www.musicdemo.org/leave-spotify]