Why Music Promotion Feels Cringe, And What To Do About It
By Sarah Jamieson
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.
| Challenge | Description |
|---|---|
Always-On Pressure | Feeling the need to constantly post and stay visible. |
Vulnerability Burnout | Sharing personal music on a public stage can feel emotionally unsafe. |
Authenticity Dissonance | Struggling to be “authentic” while also being performative and polished. |
Creative Fatigue | Feeling like you're making TikToks, not songs. |
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:
| For Brands | For Musicians |
|---|---|
Content is strategic | Content is emotional |
Products are separate from the maker | Art is deeply personal |
Promotion feels transactional | Promotion feels vulnerable |
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.
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.
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Begin with low-stakes sharin...
