5 Lies You’ve Been Told About Music Marketing
Every week, I meet with new artists and their teams to help them figure out the right marketing approach.
Usually, we’re not the first agency they’ve worked with, and they’re often coming to us after being burned by misleading marketing advice, disingenuous services, or outright scams.
After years of watching artists fall for the same traps, I want to set the record straight on a few prevalent misconceptions.
Lie 1: Cheap marketing is a smart way to save money
If it seems too good to be true, it probably is. We’ve all seen those ads with bold, neon text claiming, “Go from zero to millions of streams in 30 days for $30” or “Full social media management for $50.”
Many artists get swindled by these seemingly cost-effective services, only to end up flooded with fake streams or stuck with a recycled list of irrelevant content ideas that's been reused hundreds of times.
What these services won’t tell you is that real marketing takes consistency, strategy, and time. Losing money to these scams stings, but losing weeks or months you could’ve spent making real progress hurts even more. The artists who see results are the ones building authentic audience connections, not chasing shortcuts.
On the flip side, expensive doesn’t always mean effective. I’ve heard just as many horror stories from artists who’ve been burned by pricey agencies. Before committing, make sure you get in writing exactly what they’ll be doing and who will be handling your campaign day to day.
Ask for case studies and testimonials, ideally from artists in the same genre or at a similar stage of their career. A legitimate agency won’t hesitate to share them.
Lie 2: More followers = more success
Followers can influence perception and opportunities, but they don’t tell the full story. This applies to playlists with 40k followers that have only four active listeners, and Instagram accounts with 100k followers that have posts with 10 likes.
When I first launched Clarity Music Marketing, a handful of friends, family, and artists we were already working with followed us. I’m grateful for all of them, but I quickly realized that having 100 followers as a music marketing agency wasn’t a great look. A few months into consistently posting and running ads here and there, we’re nearing 1,500.
Did it cross my mind that buying 10k fake followers would be way easier? Absolutely. But I care far more about having relevant followers who actually engage with our content, playlists, and services. And you’ll be much better off focusing on fans who engage with your music, buy your merch, and show up to your shows.
Lie 3: If you get on an editorial playlist, you’ve made it
Getting on an editorial playlist can be an instant credibility boost, with the potential for a big surge in streams.
You might be thinking, so Claire, what’s the downside? At the end of the day, those streams are rented real estate, and passive listeners are less likely to follow you or engage with your music beyond an initial listen. Relying on editorial playlists alone is a mistake.
The number of streams you get can also vary wildly. I’ve worked on campaigns where our crying at 3am playlist outperformed an editorial placement by a long shot.
Lie 4: Influencer marketing is a guaranteed growth hack
It’s tempting to romanticize TikTok virality, especially when every marketing company promises they’ve cracked the code. The reality is, influencer marketing can be hit-or-miss.
When they’re well-executed, these campaigns can be incredibly effective, but they’re far less predictable than they’re often sold as.
If you’re thinking about investing in one, make sure you’re working with someone who understands your music, your audience, and the influencer landscape. The wrong video concept or fit can make your campaign flop before it even starts.
Lie 5: PR is always the right move
As the founder of a music marketing agency that offers PR, shedding light on this might seem counterintuitive. But I’ve seen what happens when agencies push PR campaigns on artists whose goals would be better supported by other types of marketing. Don’t let yourself get talked into a PR campaign you’re not ready for or don’t need yet.
PR campaigns can make a huge impact, but they go a lot further with the right foundation. We work with artists to ensure your story comes through not only in your music but also in your branding, visuals, and online presence.
PR can shape and amplify your story, but it can’t create one out of thin air. That part has to come from you.
We’ve all been bamboozled before, so if you’ve fallen for any of these, don’t sweat it too much.
Are there any lies we missed? Let us know in the comments.
If you’re tired of sorting through the noise on your own, we’d love to help.