SCRATCH TRACK: Build a Fearless Music Career

A friend sent me a one-minute video he'd made about one of his musical influences. His delivery was natural. The vibe was cool. Nothing was "wrong" with it. But... it was gonna flop. Not because of anything in it, but because of the order he said things in. So today, let's do a music promo-content makeover! We're not going to rewrite it. We're just going to move the blocks around — and you'll see...

Is it insane to release a full album these days? Probably. Smalltown Poets did it anyway — and guitarist Kevin Breuner sat down to explain why. Kevin's band has been putting out records since the 90s: major label, then indie, then EPs and holiday releases, remixes, and more. That's four decades of watching how albums get made, marketed, heard, and measured. So we used that vantage point to ask the...

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...

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 — a...

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....

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...

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 strat...

Most musicians spend endless time worrying about tactics. Should you run ads?
 Post more on TikTok?
 Release singles instead of albums? But there’s a deeper question most artists quietly avoid. Not because it’s unimportant…
Because it’s uncomfortable. In this episode of Scratch Track , we talk about what I call your Noisy Truth — the belief about the world that animates your music. The thing you m...

There are three lies that keep showing up for musicians who are 35+. The first lie says there’s a universal marketing strategy that works for everyone… if you just find the right expert, the right blueprint, or the right hack. The second lie creeps in when those strategies don’t work: maybe you or your music just aren’t good enough! And the third lie? If you’re not grinding like a 20-year-old fuel...

Season 2 of Scratch Track is all about making a simple but dramatic shift in your music career — unearthing your core TRUTH before you decide on specific promotion tactics. That's the theme: Truth Before Tactics! The music industry runs on urgency — new platforms, new features, new strategies every week. But lasting careers aren’t built on reacting. They’re built on clarity. This season, we go dee...

AI promises to save musicians time — but at what cost? In this episode, we look at the anxiety buried inside each AI opportunity, and how to tell which AI tools will serve your artistry, and which are quietly dulling your humanity. Not every shiny new AI tool deserves your attention . Musicians can lose something crucial when they lean too hard on automation. “Creative shortcuts” can often lead to...

All streaming platforms pay crap . But some crap is crappier than other crap.  In this episode, I break down how much Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube, and other streaming services actually pay "per stream" (on average) — and why those numbers don’t tell the full story. We’ll unpack the factors that determine payout rates , the various streaming payment models, and why the “best-p...

Every time a fan clicks something, your link shouldn’t just suggest a destination — it should open a world. Great links build loyalty. Lesser links risk losing attention — sometimes for a moment, sometimes for good. Most musicians don’t realize they’re quietly sabotaging themselves with the links in their bios, emails, and videos — because what happens after the click usually returns more value to...

Music distribution was supposed to be the great equalizer. Instead, it’s become a source of headaches, hidden fees, broken promises, and disappearing songs . Indie artists are asking: is the system itself broken? In this episode of Scratch Track , I pull back the curtain on the indie distribution industry I once believed in — from botched metadata and mismatched catalogs to predatory upsells, fake...

If you’re sharing "plain" Spotify track links, you’re losing streams . A Spotify deep link is the smarter way to promote your music: it lets you flex your playlist placements and boost plays for your specific track. Learn how to create a Spotify deep link that sends fans directly to your song inside a playlist — which leads to more plays, more saves, and a stronger push from the Spotify algorithm....

You stare at a blank screen. The cursor blinks. You know you should email your fans… but what the hell do you even write about when you don’t have a new song, tour, or video? That’s exactly what we’re tackling today. In this episode of Scratch Track , I’ll give you 50 specific email ideas you can send to your fans right now — no album launch required. These prompts are designed to help you st...

Let's put two real artist newsletters under the microscope for a “music email makeover.” With just a few simple tweaks, these emails could’ve gone from forgettable to fan-building gold. Unfortunately, they already arrived in my inbox. Too late! But here's a hypothetical glow-up anyway. Showing you how easy it can be to turn blah into wow. Think of it as a before-and-after makeover show… but with s...

Your emails shouldn’t read like random diary entries you toss into the void. They also shouldn't read like the front page of a newspaper. They should feel like treasure maps —leading your fans step by step from curiosity, to caring, to clicking.   In this episode, we break down the formula behind writing emails that actually get opened, read, and acted on. You’ll learn how to reverse-engineer...

Relying on Instagram likes and algorithm roulette isn’t a music career strategy — it’s a trap. In this episode, we’ll show you how to move your fans off social and onto an email list you actually own. You’ll learn how to create lead magnets that are irresistible to music fans (not just “free downloads”), plus how to set them up so they grow your list automatically. If you want a fanbase you can re...

You’re sitting on a marketing goldmine — and you’re probably ignoring it. While social media dangles likes and algorithmic reach, this tool quietly outperforms it… by a lot. In this episode, I’ll show you the tool you should really be using if you want to turn attention into outcomes, build deeper fan loyalty, and make sure that any important news about your next release, video, or tour won't vani...

Is Spotify the villain indie musicians think it is — or just an easy scapegoat? In this episode of Scratch Track, we break down the real story behind Spotify's controversial royalty model, its updated payout rules, and why outrage over the platform always comes in waves. From the 1000-stream rule to Daniel Ek’s AI investments, I’ll walk you through what’s truly broken… and what might still be work...

You pour your heart into a song, feel that fleeting pride... then doubt sneaks in: What if people hate it? What if you look like a fraud? This episode is about wrestling your creative fear to the ground and not letting it freeze your voice. We’ll unpack: The worst-case scenario—and why it’s rarely as bad as you imagine How legends like Dylan, Aretha, and Bowie survived their missteps (and kep...

Musicians are saying it all the time: "Spotify sucks. I should just pull my music." And some of them — including notable acts like Deerhoof — are actually following through. But is that a smart move? Or just righteous self-sabotage in disguise? TLDR: It depends. There's no correct answer, only what's correct for you and your audience. In this episode, we walk through the real tradeoffs of quitting...

Musicians are beautiful dreamers — which is probably why we keep saying yes to things that devalue our work! In this episode of Scratch Track , we dig into the psychology, pressure, and broken incentives that push artists to chase validation over value. If you've ever played for "exposure," chased the wrong metrics, priced your merch to please instead of profit, or felt weird asking to g...

  Welcome to Scratch Track — the podcast for grown-up musicians who still believe in their music… but don’t have time to chase every trend, hack, or algorithm. If you’re juggling jobs, kids, bills, and maybe a little back pain — but still writing great songs and dreaming big — this show is for you. Hosted by longtime educator, music marketer, and fellow songwriter Chris Robley , Scratch Track...