1. You make it really hard

If people can’t quickly hear your music or easily figure out how to buy it, most of them won’t try very hard. Attention is fragile, and friction kills momentum.

• Listening isn’t instant: Your music should be playable within seconds (Spotify playlist, Bandcamp player, YouTube embed). If someone has to search, you’ve likely lost them.

• Buying isn’t obvious: Bandcamp links, store links, and release priorities should be front and center — not buried under old merch or outdated pages.

2. You’re not asking

Many labels assume that promotion alone equals selling. It doesn’t. Sales require clear, repeated, and unapologetic asks.

• You’re talking to the wrong people: Press is important, but retailers, distros, wholesale buyers, and your own audience are the ones who actually purchase records. Build and nurture a buyer list.

• One post is not a campaign: Sending one email or making one social post is passive. Labels sell by repeating the ask, clearly and confidently, over time.

3. Your package is unappealing

People don’t just buy music — they buy presentation, identity, and intent. The package signals whether something is worth paying attention to.

• Artwork sets expectations: Before anyone hears a note, the cover art tells them what kind of experience they’re about to have. Weak visuals quietly say “this might not matter.”

• The full campaign matters: Packaging, bundling, photos, copy, and rollout all work together. A great record with a half-thought-out campaign rarely performs well.

4. Your pricing structure is off

Price communicates value. Get it wrong in either direction and you create unnecessary resistance.

• Too expensive creates hesitation: If your pricing is out of line with similar releases in your genre, buyers pause — and pausing often means abandoning the purchase.

• Too cheap can reduce perceived value: Underpricing can make something feel disposable. Shipping costs, in particular, can be a dealbreaker if they’re not handled thoughtfully.

5. Your music isn’t interesting (yet)

This one stings, but it matters. Music can be technically good and still not compel anyone to care.

• The artist may need time: Growth takes releases. Sometimes the second, fifth, or twentieth record is the one that connects. That’s normal.

• “Good” isn’t enough: Music is subjective, but boring is surprisingly objective. Aim for interesting — something that invites curiosity, friction, or further investigation