r/musicmarketingtips

Here’s a quick, no-BS checklist I put together based on what’s actually working for indie artists right now in 2026. Run through these before you drop your next single or EP:

1. Do you have 3-4 short-form video ideas ready using the track as original audio? (TikTok/Reels/Shorts)
2. Is your Spotify/Apple Music artist profile fully optimized? (fresh photo, updated bio with links, pinned upcoming release if possible)
3. Pre-save / pre-add link created and already being shared?
4. Targeted 5-10 playlist curators identified in your exact sub-genre? (not mass pitching big generic lists)
5. Email list or community signup ready to capture new listeners? (simple link in bio + one clear call-to-action)
6. Posting schedule planned for at least the next 3 weeks? (consistency beats perfection)
7. One unique angle or story for this release? (something more interesting than just “new song out”)
8. Master and cover art 100% finalized and uploaded to your distributor with clean metadata?
9. Spotify for Artists pitch prepared (if going for editorial)? (specific mood/genre/story, submitted 2–4 weeks early)
10. Basic analytics tracking set up? (what you’ll measure beyond just streams...saves, repeat listens, traffic sources)

Which of these are you already doing well, and which one feels like the biggest gap for your next release?

Reply with the number(s) and I’ll drop a quick extra tip for that item.

What would you add or remove from this list? Let’s make it even better together

I'm planning to release my new song in about 3 weeks, and it's the first time I'll be pitching my track to editorial playlist. I saw lot of content online on how to write the pitch, but I somehow end up getting more and more confused and less certain. Are there any absolute rules that I need to keep in mind? Can you please share some tips? I'm just getting started and I'm unsure of what things should I include in the pitch. Previously I've only released one single which I got placed to 20+ random indie playlists via various platforms. Should I include some names of the playlists that already feature my previous track as an achievement, or should I mention the names of the playlists that might be suitable for my upcoming track?

I'm just a beginner with barely any monthly listeners, so my numbers are not impressive at all, but I'm not thinking about it too much. Please help me out here

I’m currently running a vinyl pre-order (Diggers Factory) for a jazz/funk 7" and finding it behaves very differently compared to digital releases.

Curious what’s worked for others when trying to build traction beyond their existing audience.

Hey, I’m curious how you manage things like:

• streams (Spotify, YouTube, Apple Music…)
• revenue (distribution, shows, merch, sync, etc.)
• expenses (promo, music videos, ads…)

Personally, I feel like it’s kind of a mess and you end up using 10 different tools.

What are you using today? Do you actually have a clear view of how much you make per release?

I’m thinking about building a tool to centralize all of this, with additional features like sharing stats for collaborations, helping create social posts, press kits, etc. Would you be willing to pay for something like this if it worked really well and replaced most of your current tools?

Thanks in advance for your feedback !!

After seeing hundreds of campaigns, here are the most common ones I keep noticing:

1. Dropping a song with zero pre-release content → Fix: Start teasing 3-4 weeks out with short behind-the-scenes clips.
2. Treating every platform the same → Fix: TikTok/Reels for discovery, Instagram for connection, Spotify for conversion.
3. Chasing big generic playlists instead of right-fit ones → Fix: Focus on curator playlists in your exact sub-genre with 1k-50k followers that update regularly.
4. Inconsistent posting (then wondering why growth stalls) → Fix: 3 quality short-form videos per week minimum.
5. No direct fan capture → Fix: Simple link in bio + one clear call to join your email/list or private community.
6. Measuring only streams instead of saves/repeat listens → Fix: Those are what actually feed the algorithm long-term.

Which of these have you caught yourself doing lately? Comment the number and I’ll add a specific tip if I can.

What other mistakes are you seeing out there?"