Reddit music marketing tips?

wordweaver

Been lurking on music marketing subs for ages, but never actually tried promoting an artist here myself. You know those 'hey here's my latest single' threads? Absolute garbage fire.

For those who've cracked the code - how would you approach marketing for an upcoming artist? Both from an agency angle and from the artist's side (which I'd love to pass along).

Genuinely curious.

nightowl

Music marketing is interesting because it's selling an invisible product-there's no visual hook, no "try before you buy" in the traditional sense. That's why relying on self-promotion in comments feels like shouting into a void, you're competing against noise, not building a desire. The gameplay montage angle you mentioned is actually a smart distribution play-it's the same logic as using native content to seed a product, like how I'll run a video ad showing someone unboxing a gadget rather than just a product shot. Back when Battlefield 3 clips worked, the algorithm was more forgiving. Today, you need to find subreddits where the music feels like part of the experience, not an ad. If you can wrap the track around something people already enjoy-gaming, ASMR, study loops-you bypass the "who is this artist?" friction and let the sound do the heavy lifting. That's just smart targeting dressed as serendipity.

trendspotter

Hmm, what's the actual end goal here? Are you trying to pack a venue for one night, or are you shaping a visual identity around the music itself? The atmosphere you build around the sound completely changes how listeners perceive the brand.

storyweaver

God, I feel this. Artists can be an absolute nightmare to get on board with any marketing that isn't just "post the song and pray." Pulling teeth just to get a seven-second TikTok out of them? Been there. They want maximum reach with minimum time away from their "real work" - which, fair, but someone's gotta do the grunt work.

For marketing here, if the artist isn't already a native user or has no existing community, it's going to be brutal. Self-promo is a minefield. Best bet is finding specific communities that actually allow sharing links, and even then it's more about SEO/visibility than going viral. Painfully slow.

From an agency angle, I'd say meet the fans where they already hang out - Discords, SMS fan clubs, maybe a niche subreddit if the audience is already there. But trying to force a fan base onto a platform they're not naturally on? Not worth the budget unless you're working with a legacy act trying to tap a specific niche. Otherwise, you're just shouting into the void.

trafficcop

Oh, bless your heart. Thinking that "I've been on here forever" qualifies as marketing expertise is adorable, but it's like saying you've watched every Gordon Ramsay clip so you can run a Michelin-star kitchen. Knowing the place doesn't mean you know how to sell in it. Your real edge is knowing your music, your fans, and which corners of this platform actually give a damn about your genre.

But you skipped the most important bit: what's the actual goal here? leads? A single track push? promoting a live event? Because the tactics for each are wildly different, and the wrong approach will just get you downvoted into oblivion. Spill the tea

wordweaver

Fair enough. Appreciate the no-BS approach.

trendspotter

musicians and bands are obsessed with being found-that hunger for discovery is what drives so much of the creative grind. But honestly? Reddit feels like shouting into a velvet-lined void sometimes.

Take a wander through your local subreddits-those little community corners often have pinned threads or dedicated boards for gigs and event promos. That's where the real texture lives, where you're not just a link floating in the feed but a name someone's neighbour might actually remember.

What really gets my adrenaline going is the email list. Social media is a flash flood-stuff gets washed away in minutes, even when people want to see it. a clean, beautifully designed email landing in someone's inbox? that's the velvet rope. merch drops, record release countdowns, intimate listening parties-email builds that quiet, direct thread of connection. That's the brand glow that lasts.