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PODCAST

SCRATCH TRACK: Build a Fearless Music Career

Welcome to the podcast for grown-up musicians. This is your creative playground — a space for any artist ready to build (or rebuild) a music career on their own terms. If you"re balancing your music dreams with a day job, a family, or a full life, consider this your permission slip to ditch the grind-culture gurus, stop chasing algorithms, and start making smarter moves that actually fit your world. Hosted by Chris Robley — veteran music marketer, critically praised songwriter, and

music music interviews

All Episodes

42:07

More Tools, Less Control? The New Music Industry Reality

SCRATCH TRACK: Build a Fearless Music Career ·

2026/04/09

The music industry is shifting fast — but are these changes actually helping independent artists?In this episode of Scratch Track:Reality Check, we break down the latest headlines shaping the music business right now: 1. Apple Music rolls out new tools aimed at turning streams into ticket sales 2. AI-generated music floods streaming platforms — and raises serious questions (while Deezer develops tools to counter the flood) 3. SoundCloud introduces “superfan” features for exclusive

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13:56

The label promo trick that made me sick...

SCRATCH TRACK: Build a Fearless Music Career ·

2026/03/31

There’s a promo tactic floating around right now that promises buzz, engagement, and momentum.It’s called astroturfing. Fake fan accounts. Manufactured hype. Staged controversy. And while it might work for artists with teams behind them… it can quietly drain your time and energy (and self-respect) if you're a mid-life musician. And I'll bet time and energy are your scarcest resources right now. In this episode of Scratch Track, we break down: What astroturfing actually is The “sock

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6:28

Stop Wasting Plays: Link Your Own Song on Reels,...

SCRATCH TRACK: Build a Fearless Music Career ·

2026/03/24

I see it almost every day — musicians accidentally posting their own songs as “Original Audio” on TikTok, Reels, and YouTube Shorts. It seems harmless enough. But it means your videos aren’t connected to the official track on the platform—so plays don’t stack, discovery gets scattered, and your song loses momentum right at the very moment people are paying attention. In this Fast Track episode of Scratch Track, I break down: Why this happens Why it quietly works against you The

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35:59

Reality Check: Buzzworthy or B&ll$h!t?

SCRATCH TRACK: Build a Fearless Music Career ·

2026/03/23

Is music distribution about to change... again?Is Spotify really on life support?And who is SXSW even for anymore? Welcome to the first edition of Reality Check, a new Scratch Track series where we take the biggest music industry headlines, drag them into the light, and ask: is this actually useful… or just more overhyped nonsense? Every week, there’s a new “game-changing” tool, trend, or strategy promising to revolutionize your career—usually from people who don’t live your life, don’t

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21:45

Most Musicians Avoid This Question (And It Shows)

SCRATCH TRACK: Build a Fearless Music Career ·

2026/03/14

Most musicians spend endless time worrying about tactics.Should you run ads? Post more on TikTok? Release singles instead of albums? But there’s a deeper question most artists quietly avoid. Not because it’s unimportant… Because it’s uncomfortable. In this episode of Scratch Track, we talk about what I call your Noisy Truth — the belief about the world that animates your music. The thing you might be sanding down so you don’t offend anyone. Ironically, that instinct is often exactly what

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18:38

3 Lies Middle-Aged Musicians Keep Buying

SCRATCH TRACK: Build a Fearless Music Career ·

2026/03/05

There are three lies that keep showing up for musicians who are 35+.The first lie says there’s a universal marketing strategy that works for everyone… if you just find the right expert, the right blueprint, or the right hack. The second lie creeps in when those strategies don’t work: maybe you or your music just aren’t good enough! And the third lie? If you’re not grinding like a 20-year-old fueled by naivety and energy drinks … maybe you’re “just a hobbyist.” In this episode of Scratch

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3:59

What matters most? (Truth Before Tactics)

SCRATCH TRACK: Build a Fearless Music Career ·

2026/03/05

Season 2 of Scratch Track is all about making a simple but dramatic shift in your music career — unearthing your core TRUTH before you decide on specific promotion tactics. That's the theme: Truth Before Tactics! The music industry runs on urgency — new platforms, new features, new strategies every week. But lasting careers aren’t built on reacting. They’re built on clarity. This season, we go deeper. To find what's most important, and then convey it clearly to the right listeners. In

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21:42

Before You Try Another AI Tool…

SCRATCH TRACK: Build a Fearless Music Career ·

2025/11/07

AI promises to save musicians time — but at what cost? In this episode, we look at the anxiety buried inside each AI opportunity, and how to tell which AI tools will serve your artistry, and which are quietly dulling your humanity. Not every shiny new AI tool deserves your attention. Musicians can lose something crucial when they lean too hard on automation. “Creative shortcuts” can often lead to homogenous doom-loops of blah. In a world of instant, infinite slop, your slow, human process

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11:52

Who Actually Pays Musicians the Most (and Least)?

SCRATCH TRACK: Build a Fearless Music Career ·

2025/10/15

All streaming platforms pay crap. But some crap is crappier than other crap.In this episode,Ibreak down how much Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube, and other streaming services actually pay "per stream" (on average) — and why those numbers don’t tell the full story. We’ll unpack the factors thatdetermine payout rates, the various streaming payment models, and why the “best-paying” platform might not actually be the best place to build momentum. Most importantly, this episode will help you see

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10:56

8 Smarter Ways to Link People to Your Music (Because...

SCRATCH TRACK: Build a Fearless Music Career ·

2025/10/08

Every time a fan clicks something, your link shouldn’t just suggest a destination — it should open a world. Great links build loyalty. Lesser links risk losing attention — sometimes for a moment, sometimes for good.Most musicians don’t realize they’re quietly sabotaging themselves with the links in their bios, emails, and videos — because what happens after the click usually returns more value to the platforms than to you. In this episode, I break down 8 smarter ways to link people to your

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56:15

The Ugly Truth About Music Distribution (And How to...

SCRATCH TRACK: Build a Fearless Music Career ·

2025/10/02

Music distribution was supposed to be the great equalizer. Instead, it’s become a source of headaches, hidden fees, broken promises, and disappearing songs. Indie artists are asking: is the system itself broken?In this episode of Scratch Track, I pull back the curtain on the indie distribution industry I once believed in — from botched metadata and mismatched catalogs to predatory upsells, fake features, Content ID scams, and AI slop clogging the pipes. We’ll talk about Spotify’s crackdown

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6:47

Spotify Deep Links: Get More Plays from Playlists

SCRATCH TRACK: Build a Fearless Music Career ·

2025/09/18

If you’re sharing "plain" Spotify track links, you’re losing streams.A Spotify deep link is the smarter way to promote your music: it lets you flex your playlist placements and boost plays for your specific track. Learn how to create a Spotify deep link that sends fans directly to your song inside a playlist — which leads to more plays, more saves, and a stronger push from the Spotify algorithm. In this episode, I’ll show you step by step: What a Spotify deep link is How to create one in

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23:20

What the Hell Do I Even Write About (When Nothing's...

SCRATCH TRACK: Build a Fearless Music Career ·

2025/09/09

You stare at a blank screen. The cursor blinks. You know you should email your fans… but what the hell do you even write about when you don’t have a new song, tour, or video?That’s exactly what we’re tackling today. In this episode of Scratch Track, I’ll give you 50specific email ideas you can send to your fans right now — no album launch required. These prompts are designed to help you stay consistent, nurture real relationships, and turn new fans intolifelong fans who actually stick

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14:06

Before & After: How to Fix Your Music Emails

SCRATCH TRACK: Build a Fearless Music Career ·

2025/09/03

Let's put two real artist newsletters under the microscope for a “music email makeover.” With just a few simple tweaks, these emails could’ve gone from forgettable to fan-building gold. Unfortunately, they already arrived in my inbox. Too late! But here's a hypothetical glow-up anyway. Showing you how easy it can be to turn blah into wow. Think of it as a before-and-after makeover show… but with subject lines, story spotlights, and a Jaws cameo. Want help brainstorming a great lead magnet

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19:02

The Secret to Emails That Don’t Suck (and Get Fans to...

SCRATCH TRACK: Build a Fearless Music Career ·

2025/08/26

Your emails shouldn’t read like random diary entries you toss into the void. They also shouldn't read like the front page of a newspaper. They should feel like treasure maps—leading your fans step by step from curiosity, to caring, to clicking. In this episode, we break down the formula behind writing emails that actually get opened, read, and acted on. You’ll learn how to reverse-engineer your fan journey, what most artists get wrong in their subject lines, and why one email isn’t just

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28:13

Get Your Fans Off Instagram (For Real) 🔥

SCRATCH TRACK: Build a Fearless Music Career ·

2025/08/22

Relying on Instagram likes and algorithm roulette isn’t a music career strategy — it’s a trap. In this episode, we’ll show you how to move your fans off social and onto an email list you actually own. You’ll learn how to create lead magnets that are irresistible to music fans (not just “free downloads”), plus how to set them up so they grow your list automatically. If you want a fanbase you can reach anytime — without begging a platform for reach — this is the system.Want help

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12:32

The Most Underrated Tool in Music Marketing

SCRATCH TRACK: Build a Fearless Music Career ·

2025/08/12

You’re sitting on a marketing goldmine — and you’re probably ignoring it. While social media dangles likes and algorithmic reach, this tool quietly outperforms it… by a lot. In this episode, I’ll show you the tool you should really be using if you want to turn attention into outcomes, build deeper fan loyalty, and make sure that any important news about your next release, video, or tour won't vanish into the void. Forget chasing trends — this is about creating direct, lasting connections

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16:23

The Hard Truth About Spotify

SCRATCH TRACK: Build a Fearless Music Career ·

2025/08/05

Is Spotify the villain indie musicians think it is — or just an easy scapegoat? In this episode of Scratch Track, we break down the real story behind Spotify's controversial royalty model, its updated payout rules, and why outrage over the platform always comes in waves. From the 1000-stream rule to Daniel Ek’s AI investments, I’ll walk you through what’s truly broken… and what might still be working (yes, even for you). What you'll learn in this episode: The truth behind the 1000-stream

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18:37

What if they HATE my song?

SCRATCH TRACK: Build a Fearless Music Career ·

2025/07/30

You pour your heart into a song, feel that fleeting pride... then doubt sneaks in: What if people hate it? What if you look like a fraud? This episode isabout wrestling your creative fear to the ground and not letting it freeze your voice. We’ll unpack: The worst-case scenario—and why it’s rarely as bad as you imagine How legends like Dylan, Aretha, and Bowie survived their missteps (and kept creating) Why your “failures” are just part of growth, not a dead end How to reframe fear

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10:44

“I Want to Remove My Music from Spotify — Am I Crazy?”

SCRATCH TRACK: Build a Fearless Music Career ·

2025/07/30

Musicians are saying it all the time: "Spotify sucks. I should just pull my music." And some of them — including notable acts like Deerhoof — are actually following through. But is that a smart move? Or just righteous self-sabotage in disguise? TLDR: It depends. There's no correct answer, only what's correct for you and your audience. In this episode, we walk through the real tradeoffs of quitting Spotify — without the usual drama, denial, or virtue-signaling. We look at the cost of staying

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22 results

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