You pour your heart into a song, then have to post about it like it’s a new product launch. 

For many independent musicians, self-promotion seems awkward, self-serving, or even humiliating. Unlike recommending a friend’s music, promoting your own can feel like begging for validation.

Jump to a Section

• Why Does Promoting Music Feel So Awkward?
• Why the Usual Advice Feels Shallow
• How to Promote Your Songs Without Feeling Embarrassed
• Platform-Specific Strategies for Different Comfort Levels
• Moving Forward: Don’t Fear the Post

Why Does Promoting Music Feel So Awkward?

The music industry has shifted the job description of being an artist. Back in the day, labels did the heavy lifting for promotion. Or if you were an indie artist, you really only had to worry about connecting with a select group before you hit it big. 

Now it’s easier to get exposure to a larger audience, but the burden of social media music promotion usually falls on the artist. The psychological distance between you and a million strangers on the internet can make things complicated, especially if you’re an introvert or have music marketing anxiety. Just imagine how someone like Thom Yorke would’ve handled it when he was younger.

Adding to that, artists also have to be:

• Videographers
• Copywriters
• Designers
• Marketers

As Sara Quin from Tegan and Sara puts it, "[It] used to be an add-on, but now it feels like making music is about making assets for social media."

That creates a perfect storm of emotional challenges, especially for indie artist marketing.

Musician Burnout: The Hamster Wheel of Creating Content

The pressure to constantly feed the algorithm means less time for actual music. 

64% of independent artists say they’re exhausted from constant content creation, with many feeling like they're spending more time making TikToks than music.

The Pressure To Be Loud, Confident, And Cool (All The Time)

Traditional promo, like a radio interview or article feature, used to be occasional. But social media for music artists demands constant performance: showing up, staying visible, being relevant, being charming, being you, over and over again.

In one article, 78% of musicians reported feeling pressure to maintain an "always on" mentality, leading to content creation burnout: the mental, physical, and emotional exhaustion from prolonged pressure to constantly create content.

In 2021, Doja Cat tweeted (and later deleted) frustrations about being “just content” to the internet, an object instead of an artist. 

SZA has also set boundaries with her fans online, highlighting the double-edged sword of social media marketing for musicians.

I used to think sharing snippets, personal info + music tea would build connection but it actually just made ppl entitled ungrateful and disrespectful. It’s time to restore the boundary ❤️🙏🏾 be blessed .

— SZA (@sza) January 17, 2025

Both highlight a growing tension between artistry and online performance. 

It also feeds into the cringe: if you're always performing, when do you get to be a real person? Constant pressure leads to exhaustion, and it can make the entire act of sharing your art feel fake (or worse, desperate).

The Vulnerability Paradox

A restaurant can post about a new menu item without personal attachment. However, when you post about your song, the stakes feel exponentially higher.

Why? Vulnerability. When you share a song, you're sharing a piece of your soul. 

Social media amplifies this vulnerability. It’s like saying, “Hey! Do you want to see my heart?” and then hoping people don’t tear it out of your chest. 

As one Reddit user shared, "I'm not a frequent user, and managing it feels quite daunting... I struggle with the idea of putting myself out there so frequently. It doesn't come easily to me."

This can make artists freeze up, procrastinate, or avoid promoting their work entirely as where they feel it’s better to say nothing than to risk being stomped on.

“Be Real, But Not Too Real:” Online Authenticity Feels Fake

Audiences crave authenticity, but social media often rewards performance. This creates an impossible balance where artists feel they must be "real" while also being entertaining, consistent, and engaging. The result? 59% of musicians report feeling pressure to maintain a curated image that doesn't always reflect their true selves.

Post Paralysis

You write captions, delete them, rewrite them, and then abandon the post entirely. 

The fear of saying the wrong thing or coming across as "too promotional" leads to missed opportunities and reduced visibility.

Artist Imposter Syndrome

You may question your legitimacy, especially when posts underperform. “Maybe I’m not a real artist. Maybe this song sucks.” That voice is lying, but it’s loud. 

This is called imposter syndrome, and 70% of creative professionals experience it.  

Social media metrics (likes, comments, shares) become validation scorecards that either temporarily boost or crush self-worth.

The Comparison Trap

You scroll through other artists’ polished content and wonder what you're doing wrong. Their posts get thousands of likes while yours get dozens. 

Promoting music on Instagram gets harder when all you see are the highlight reels of artists who seem to have it all figured out, and you’re still floundering. 

It’s no wonder that 73% of musicians feel inadequate when they’re comparing themselves to others online.

This kind of comparison also leads to goal shaming, or the feeling that your ambitions are cringeworthy or embarrassing. It’s a natural feeling, but it’s self-defeating. 

Remember, comparison is the thief of joy.

The “Pushy” Perception

78% of people trust peer recommendations over traditional advertising, but musicians often feel like they're being "pushy" when promoting their work. 

This creates a cycle where artists under-promote themselves, leading to poor results, which reinforces their belief that social media "doesn't work."

Why the Usual Advice Feels Shallow

Most social media marketing advice treats all businesses the same, but musicians face unique challenges.

Typical marketing guides say:

• “Post daily!”
• “Use trending audio!”
• “Repurpose your content!”

But here’s the problem. That advice was made for influencers and brands, not emotionally raw, neurodivergent, or deeply human artists. You’re not a marketing agency. You’re not a content creator. You’re an artist trying not to feel like a clown on the internet.

That’s why music promotion advice needs to go beyond the usual stuff you’d see recommended to content creators. 

Here’s a breakdown of the different approaches between brands and musicians:

When you're unsure how to talk about your work without cringing at yourself, no calendar or algorithm hack will fix that. Most of that advice is through a transactional lens instead of an identity-based one, which doesn’t work for many independent artists. Social media tips for musicians have to include the emotional charge that being an artist brings.

How to Promote Your Songs Without Feeling Embarrassed

Instead of trying to fight your feelings of embarrassment or beating yourself up for not being confident enough, consider reframing what music promotion even is.

Instead of thinking:

• “I need to go viral.”
• “I need to look professional/cool/funny.”
• “I need people to take me seriously.”

Try:

• “I want to invite people into my world.”
• “I want to share the story behind this song.”
• “I want to connect with people who feel the same.”

Promotion can be an extension of your artistry, not a separate identity you have to wear like a costume. Start with what you’re comfortable with. Use humour if that’s your thing. Share your weird process. Talk to your fans like friends.

Because even if it ends up being cringe, it’s a sign that you care (and it’s more authentic).

And that’s never a bad thing.

Practical Strategies to Get Over the Shame of Self-Promotion

The good news is that you don't have to overcome your fear of cringe to succeed. You just need to work with it. 

Here are some strategies that might help.

Anonymous Posting

Begin with low-stakes sharing by creating content where you don’t show your face. This allows you to practice sharing with less fear of vulnerability.

Other things to try:

• Lyric graphics
• Mood boards
• Audio snippets with stock visuals

Or, if you want to skip the editing stress altogether, check out our TikTok service. We create short-form edits to your song and post them on influential channels, so you get reach without having to show up. 

It's pretty cool getting a dope video edit to your music and seeing it out in the world, even if you’re staying behind the scenes.

The 1+ Rule

Instead of trying to post daily, commit to posting 1 more than you currently do. For example, if you post once per month, aim for 2-3 times next month. 

Reframe Social Media as a Service

Instead of asking how to promote your music independently, ask how you can share music that inspires you, industry insights you've learned, or stories that might help other artists. 

Some other ideas:

• Share your struggles as a musician (but try not to look like you’re seeking pity)
• Recommend gear or tools that help you
• Highlight other artists

This shifts the focus from seeking validation to providing something that audiences love, and will probably feel less inauthentic or embarrassing to you.

Document, Don't Create

Show your real process instead of manufacturing content. 

Let people see:

• The bad takes
• The creative blocks
• The messy studio

Document the unglamorous parts of being an artist. Authenticity performs better than perfection.

A great example of this is Bedroom Pop Artist Clairo. She gained massive traction by sharing vulnerable, unpolished moments, like crying while recording or failing at guitar riffs.

5. Focus on Positive Feedback

When you receive encouraging comments, screenshot them and save them in a folder. Review these during difficult moments to remind yourself that your work matters to people, and you’re not just embarrassing yourself.

6. Use the Buddy System

Promotion can feel a lot less cringe if you have friends helping you out. Focus on building relationships with other musicians, local venues, and music lovers rather than competing for attention. That way, when you look at your old posts, you’re more likely to feel proud of them instead of embarrassed.

For example, Toronto band MONOWHALES overcame this by cross-promoting with other local acts and shooting collaborative Instagram Lives.

Platform-Specific Strategies for Different Comfort Levels

Different platforms require different emotional investments:

TikTok

Highest engagement potential (44.8% average) but also highest emotional difficulty. Best for artists comfortable with frequent, personality-driven content.

Instagram

Good middle ground with strong visual storytelling opportunities. Stories feature allows for more casual, lower-pressure sharing.

YouTube

Lower posting frequency requirements, allowing for more thoughtful, polished content that showcases your musical skills.

Spotify

Lowest emotional investment. Focus on playlist submissions and Spotify for Artists features rather than constant posting.

Before you psych yourself out or say that a certain platform is too embarrassing to post on (some people shudder when thinking about making a lip sync video on TikTok), keep some things in perspective. A post that’s published is worth more than 100 brilliant ideas stuck in your Notes app, even if it’s not perfect, or you find it a little silly or inauthentic.

Your first 100 posts might fail, but that's part of the learning process, not a reflection of your worth as an artist. 

Moving Forward: Don’t Fear the Post

Social media is still one of the most powerful tools you have for connecting with the people who are waiting to discover your work. But promoting your music doesn’t have to mean contorting yourself into a content machine or pretending you’re okay with constant exposure. 

There's nothing natural about looking at a phone camera and talking to it as if there's someone on the other side. We weren't built for that, but it's needed. It’s okay to feel weird about it. It’s okay to feel vulnerable. That means you’re a real artist sharing real work. 

Instead of fighting your awkwardness, acknowledge it. Work with it. Build systems that protect your creativity and emotional bandwidth. 

Don't take yourself too seriously. If your video flops, it means nobody saw it. If it's a banger, it means people are interested. Either way, it's a win. Perspective!

Your music deserves to be heard, so don’t let cringe be the gatekeeper. The alternative is keeping your gift hidden from the world, and that's a far greater tragedy than any embarrassing post could ever be.