What to Do When Your Music Marketing Isn’t Working

You’re doing all the right things. Posting on TikTok. Pitching playlists. Building your email list. Following every piece of advice from every music marketing blog.

And nothing’s happening.

Streams flat. Followers stuck. Videos get 200 views. The algorithm seems to ignore you specifically.

This is the most frustrating place to be—your music marketing not working despite doing everything the guides say. You can’t even figure out what’s wrong because you’re supposedly doing everything right.

Here’s the truth: “doing everything right” often means doing a lot of things poorly. And sometimes the problem isn’t execution—it’s something more fundamental.

Already done the basics from our beginner’s guide? This article is for you. It helps you diagnose what’s actually broken and what to do about it.

Diagnosing the Real Problem

Before fixing anything, you need to know what’s actually wrong. The problem falls into one of four categories:

1. The Music Itself

Nobody wants to hear this, but sometimes the music isn’t ready.

This doesn’t mean you’re untalented. It means this particular song, or your current production quality, isn’t competitive with what’s getting playlisted and shared.

Signs this might be the issue:

• Professional feedback consistently mentions production quality
• Your songs don’t hold up when played back-to-back with successful songs in your genre
• You’re getting some visibility but very low conversion (people hear it but don’t follow/save)
• Honest peers hesitate when you ask what they think

The hard question: If you removed your name from the song and heard it fresh, would you add it to your playlist?

This isn’t about your potential. It’s about whether this specific release is competitive right now.

2. The Marketing Execution

The music might be great, but the marketing might be flawed.

Signs this might be the issue:

• Inconsistent posting (weeks between content)
• Wrong platform for your genre/audience
• Content that doesn’t showcase the music effectively
• No clear call to action
• Profiles are incomplete or unprofessional

Marketing is a skill separate from making music. Being great at one doesn’t automatically make you great at the other.

3. The Audience Definition

You might be marketing effectively to the wrong people.

Signs this might be the issue:

• High impressions/views but very low engagement
• Followers don’t convert to listeners
• Content performs, but streams don’t follow
• You can’t clearly describe who your ideal listener is

If you’re reaching people who don’t care about your genre, style, or message, it doesn’t matter how good the music or marketing is.

4. The Timeline

Sometimes everything is working. You just haven’t waited long enough.

Signs this might be the issue:

• You’ve been at it for less than 6 months
• You see small but consistent improvements
• Individual pieces of content occasionally break through
• Engagement rate is healthy even if total numbers are low

Music marketing compounds slowly. The first 6-12 months often show minimal visible results while the foundation builds.

Common Failure Patterns and Fixes

Let’s get specific about what typically goes wrong.

Pattern 1: Inconsistency

The problem: You post heavily for two weeks, then disappear for a month. Algorithms punish this. Audiences forget you.

Why it happens: Motivation-based content creation. You post when inspired, not on a schedule.

The fix: Build a minimum viable schedule you can actually maintain.

• 3 posts per week minimum on your primary platform
• Plan content in advance (weekly batching)
• Use scheduling tools
• Set a sustainable pace you can keep for 12+ months

Consistency beats intensity every time. Three posts per week for a year beats daily posting for two months followed by silence.

Pattern 2: Wrong Platform for Your Genre

The problem: You’re grinding on TikTok, but your audience isn’t there.

Why it happens: Following generic advice without considering your specific niche.

The fix: Research where your actual audience discovers music.

Platform-genre alignment:

• TikTok: Pop, hip-hop, bedroom pop, electronic, anything with viral potential
• Instagram: Singer-songwriter, R&B, lifestyle-connected music
• YouTube: Longform content, covers, tutorials, performances, metal, classical
• SoundCloud: Electronic, hip-hop, experimental
• Bandcamp: Indie, experimental, genre-niche music
• Reddit/Discord: Niche genres, passionate communities

Find 10 artists making music similar to yours who are succeeding. Where are they most active? Go there.

Pattern 3: Content That Doesn’t Convert

The problem: Your videos get views, but viewers don’t become listeners.

Why it happens: The content is entertaining but doesn’t showcase what you actually do.

The fix: Every piece of content should answer: “Why should I listen to your music?”

• Feature your actual music in most content (not just trending sounds)
• Hook with the catchiest part of your song
• Include clear CTAs (“New song on Spotify, link in bio”)
• Make the transition from viewer to listener obvious

Views that don’t convert to streams or followers aren’t valuable. They’re vanity metrics.

Pattern 4: No Clear Audience

The problem: Your music is for “everyone who likes good music.”

Why it happens: Fear of limiting potential reach by being specific.

The fix: Get radically specific about who you’re for.

Answer these questions:

• What age range?
• What do they do for work?
• What other artists do they love?
• What problems or feelings does your music address?
• Where do they hang out online?
• What would make them stop scrolling?

“25-35 year old creatives who listen to Phoebe Bridgers and deal with anxiety” is infinitely more useful than “people who like indie music.”

When you know exactly who you’re talking to, your content becomes more relevant, your messaging becomes clearer, and algorithms can actually find similar people.

Pattern 5: Unrealistic Timelines

The problem: You expected results in 3 months. It’s been 3 months. Nothing.

Why it happens: Success stories compress years into highlights. You see the breakthrough, not the years before it.

The fix: Extend your timeline and adjust expectations.

Realistic milestones:

• Months 1-3: Building foundation, learning what works
• Months 3-6: Finding your content voice, small wins
• Months 6-12: Consistent small growth, occasional breakthroughs
• Year 1-2: Meaningful traction, potential exponential moments
• Year 2+: Sustainable audience, revenue possibilities

If you’re expecting to blow up in 90 days, you’ll quit before the compound effect kicks in.

How to Audit Your Marketing

Stop guessing. Look at the data.

Step 1: Gather Your Numbers

Pull stats from:

• Spotify for Artists (monthly listeners, saves, playlist adds, listener demographics)
• Social platform analytics (impressions, engagement rate, follower growth)
• Email metrics (open rate, click rate, list growth)
• Website analytics (traffic sources, time on site)

Step 2: Calculate Your Conversion Funnel

Map how people move through your ecosystem:

Awareness (impressions/views) → Interest (profile visits, follows) → Consideration (link clicks, streams) → Action (saves, playlist adds, email signups) → Loyalty (repeat listeners, superfans)

Where is the drop-off? That’s where your problem lives.

• High impressions, low profile visits = Content isn’t compelling
• High profile visits, low follows = Profile isn’t optimized
• High follows, low streams = Poor conversion path from social to streaming
• High streams, low saves = Song isn’t resonating enough to save

Step 3: Compare Against Benchmarks

Healthy benchmark ranges (estimates—actual rates vary by follower count and niche):

If you’re significantly below benchmarks, that’s a fixable problem. If you’re at benchmark but total numbers are low, it’s a reach/distribution problem.

Step 4: Identify the Weakest Link

Focus your energy on the biggest bottleneck. Improving a 2% conversion rate to 5% has more impact than improving a 20% rate to 22%.

When to Pivot Your Strategy

Sometimes you need a different approach, not just better execution.

Signs It’s Time to Pivot

• You’ve been consistent for 6+ months with minimal improvement
• Engagement metrics are healthy but growth is stagnant
• Your content works but doesn’t represent your authentic self
• You’re burning out on a strategy that isn’t showing results
• Audience feedback suggests a different direction

What Pivoting Looks Like

Platform pivot: Move primary focus from TikTok to Instagram (or vice versa)

Content pivot: Shift from performance clips to behind-the-scenes content

Positioning pivot: Narrow or broaden your target audience

Music pivot: Adjust your sound based on what’s resonating

Pivoting isn’t failure. It’s adaptation. The artists who last are the ones who adjust based on feedback.

What Pivoting Doesn’t Mean

• Abandoning everything and starting over
• Chasing trends that don’t fit your identity
• Changing who you are as an artist to please algorithms

Pivot your marketing. Protect your core identity.

When to Double Down on What’s Not Working Yet

Sometimes the right move is persistence, not pivoting.

Signs to Keep Going

• You’re less than 6 months into consistent effort
• You see small positive signals (occasional viral content, growing save rate)
• Trusted people give positive feedback on the work
• You genuinely enjoy the process
• The data shows steady improvement, even if slow

The Compound Effect

Marketing compounds. Your 50th video reaches more people than your first because the algorithm has learned about you. Your 100th release benefits from an audience built over previous releases.

Quitting too early forfeits this compound effect. Many artists quit at month 5 when month 8 would have been the breakthrough.

How to Persist Without Burning Out

• Reduce volume if needed (3 posts/week beats 0 posts/week)
• Take structured breaks
• Celebrate small wins
• Focus on process, not outcomes
• Connect with other artists in similar positions

For more on sustainable effort, see our guide on mental health and sustainability for musicians.

Realistic Timelines for Results

Let’s set proper expectations.

Social Media Growth

TikTok/Reels:

• First viral video: Could be video 1, could be video 200
• Consistent 10K+ views: Usually 3-6 months of consistent posting
• 10K followers: 6-18 months for most
• Reliable conversion to streams: Ongoing development

Email list:

• First 100 subscribers: 1-3 months
• First 500 subscribers: 6-12 months
• Email as meaningful revenue driver: 1-2 years

Streaming Growth

Spotify:

• First 1K monthly listeners: 3-6 months of regular releases
• First 10K monthly listeners: 6-18 months
• First 50K monthly listeners: 1-3 years
• Sustainable income from streaming alone: Very rare

Overall Career

Building a sustainable music career typically takes 3-5 years of consistent effort. Not full-time—most artists have day jobs during this period. But consistent presence, regular releases, and ongoing learning.

If that sounds long, consider that most “overnight successes” were working for years before their breakthrough became visible.

When to Quit (And When Not To)

Healthy Reasons to Quit

• You no longer enjoy making music
• The pursuit is damaging your mental health
• Your goals have changed
• You’ve given it years of genuine effort and want to redirect energy

Unhealthy Reasons to Quit

• You haven’t “made it” in 6 months
• A specific piece of content flopped
• Someone successful made you feel inadequate
• It’s hard and not immediately rewarding

Redefining Success

Maybe the problem isn’t your marketing. Maybe it’s your definition of success.

If success means “major label deal and millions of streams,” most artists will fail. If success means “making music I love, connecting with some people who appreciate it, and maintaining it as meaningful part of my life,” success is much more attainable.

Reconsider what you’re actually chasing and why.

Action Plan: What to Do This Week

1. Diagnose — Which of the four problems (music, marketing, audience, timeline) is most likely your issue?

2. Audit — Pull your numbers. Where’s the conversion funnel breaking?

3. Identify — What’s the single biggest bottleneck right now?

4. Adjust — Make one change to address that bottleneck

5. Commit — Give the change 4-6 weeks before evaluating

6. Repeat — Marketing is iteration, not perfection

Fix one thing. Wait four weeks. Repeat. That’s the entire strategy.

Start here:

• Music Promotion for Beginners — the free fundamentals
• Indie Artist Guide — complete career overview
• Building an Email List — the asset you actually own
• AI Music Marketing Tools — tools that can help with execution
• Spotify Playlist Scams — avoid wasting money on fakes

FAQ

How long should I try before giving up on a marketing strategy?

Give any strategy at least 3-4 months of consistent execution before evaluating. For newer artists, 6-12 months is more realistic for seeing meaningful results. The key word is “consistent”—sporadic effort doesn’t count. If you’ve been genuinely consistent for 6+ months with no improvement in any metrics, it’s time to diagnose and potentially pivot.

Is my music the problem or is my marketing the problem?

Usually both need work, but here’s how to tell which is more urgent: If people hear your music and don’t engage (low save rates, short listen duration, no returns), it’s likely the music. If people aren’t finding your music at all despite consistent marketing, it’s likely distribution and marketing. Get honest feedback from people outside your friend group. Compare your production quality to similar artists who are succeeding.

What’s the minimum I should be doing to see results?

Minimum viable effort for growth: 3 posts per week on one primary platform, one release every 6-8 weeks, Spotify playlist submissions for every release, and building an email list. This is roughly 5-7 hours per week. Less than this, and you’re probably not generating enough visibility for compound effects to kick in.

Should I pay for promotion if organic isn’t working?

Only if your organic content shows signs of working (good engagement rate, healthy conversion). Paid promotion amplifies what’s already working—it doesn’t fix broken fundamentals. If your content isn’t converting organically, paying to show it to more people just wastes money faster. Fix the fundamentals first, then consider paid amplification.