Episodes 23
Avg. Duration 16m
Activity Moderate
Since Jul 2025
Latest Episode May 2026

Publishing Details

Schedule
Weekly
Consistency
45%
Hosting
app.kajabi.com

Contact & Outreach

About This Podcast

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 award-winning poet — with 18+ years at the forefront of the indie music industry (CD Baby, BandLab, The DIY Musician Podcast, and more). Scratch Track delivers short, sharp episodes packed with practical music promo strategies and no-BS advice. Because you don't have to hustle harder or play by broken rules. Trust your own damn path, and take fearless steps toward the career you deserve. Season 1 (released in 2025) is called "Muting the Noise: what actually works for grown-up musicians." Season 2 (coming in early 2026) is called "Truth Before Tactics: Build your music career from what matters most." Presented by DEMO — a great music marketing resource for indie artists looking to cut through the noise and work smarter, not harder.

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Recent Episodes

S2 Shares ≠ Fans

May 15, 2026 24m

For months now, everyone has been sharing this performance by Angine de Poitrine. And honestly? I get it. It’s strange, impressive, memorable, and impossible to ignore. But the music marketing…

S2 More Tools, Less Control? The New Music Industry Reality

Apr 09, 2026 42m

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…

S2 The label promo trick that made me sick...

Mar 31, 2026 13m

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…

S2 Stop Wasting Plays: Link Your Own Song on Reels, Shorts & TikTok

Mar 24, 2026 6m

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…

S2 Reality Check: Buzzworthy or B&ll$h!t?

Mar 23, 2026 35m

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…

S2 Most Musicians Avoid This Question (And It Shows)

Mar 14, 2026 21m

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…

S2 3 Lies Middle-Aged Musicians Keep Buying

Mar 05, 2026 18m

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…

S2 What matters most? (Truth Before Tactics)

Mar 05, 2026 3m Trailer

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…

S1 Before You Try Another AI Tool…

Nov 07, 2025 21m

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…

S1 Who Actually Pays Musicians the Most (and Least)?

Oct 15, 2025 11m

All streaming platforms pay crap. But some crap is crappier than other crap.  In this episode, I break down how much Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube, and other streaming services actually pay "per…

S1 8 Smarter Ways to Link People to Your Music (Because You’re Wasting Clicks in the Attention Economy)

Oct 08, 2025 10m

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,…

S1 The Ugly Truth About Music Distribution (And How to Protect Your Music)

Oct 02, 2025 56m

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…

S1 Spotify Deep Links: Get More Plays from Playlists

Sep 18, 2025 6m

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…

S1 What the Hell Do I Even Write About (When Nothing's Happening)?

Sep 09, 2025 23m

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…

S1 Before & After: How to Fix Your Music Emails

Sep 03, 2025 14m

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…

S1 The Secret to Emails That Don’t Suck (and Get Fans to Act)

Aug 26, 2025 19m

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…

S1 Get Your Fans Off Instagram (For Real) 🔥

Aug 22, 2025 28m

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…

S1 The Most Underrated Tool in Music Marketing

Aug 12, 2025 12m

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…

S1 The Hard Truth About Spotify

Aug 05, 2025 16m

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…

S1 What if they HATE my song?

Jul 30, 2025 18m

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 is about wrestling your creative fear to the…

Frequently Asked Questions

How many episodes does SCRATCH TRACK: Build a Fearless Music Career have?

SCRATCH TRACK: Build a Fearless Music Career has published 23 episodes since July 2025, covering topics in Business, Entrepreneurship.

Is SCRATCH TRACK: Build a Fearless Music Career still active?

SCRATCH TRACK: Build a Fearless Music Career is currently moderate with new episodes weekly. Average episode length is 16m.

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