WTF Are We Doing? (Artist Growth)
Genuine question for the artists in here:
What are we actually doing to grow?
Because sometimes I feel like there’s a huge disconnect between what we’re told we need to do as artists and what we actually want to spend our time doing.
We’re told to: Post every day, Make short-form content constantly, Study algorithms, Build a personal brand, Network, DM other artists, Pitch playlist, Run ads, Make behind-the-scenes content, Follow trends, Analyze our analytics, Engage with everyone, “Tell our story”, etc.
And somehow still find time to actually make the music
And I understand why all of it exists. In 2026, making great music alone probably isn’t enough.
But at what point do we ask ourselves:
“Is this actually how I want to build my career?”
I personally love making music. I love creating weird shit, experimenting, writing, recording, producing, collaborating, etc. I don’t necessarily love feeling like I need to turn myself into a full-time content creator just to get people to hear it. Though I do really enjoy content creation in every way. At the same time, I don’t want to use that as an excuse. If I want people to hear my music, I have to figure out how to reach them.
So I’m curious where everyone else is at.
What do you actually enjoy doing to grow your artist career? And what parts of “artist marketing” do you absolutely fucking hate but feel like you have to do?
Are you posting every day? Networking? Playing shows? Running ads? Making TikToks/Reels? Building community? Sending DMs? Or are you just making music and hoping something catches?
I want the honest answers, not the “10 things every successful artist does” answer.
What are we actually doing, and what do we actually WANT to be doing?