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SCRATCH TRACK: Build a Fearless Music Career

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by DEMO

5.0(5 reviews)

24 episodes

Updated Daily

Accepts GuestsHas Sponsors

Podcast Overview

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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Publishing Since

7/30/2025

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Recent Episodes

June 12, 2026

Is It Insane to Still Make Albums?

Is it insane to release a full album these days? Probably. Smalltown Poets did it anyway — and guitarist Kevin Breuner sat down to explain why. Kevin's band has been putting out records since the 90s: major label, then indie, then EPs and holiday releases, remixes, and more. That's four decades of watching how albums get made, marketed, heard, and measured. So we used that vantage point to ask the bigger question: what is an album even FOR in 2026? We get into how the whole game has changed decade by decade, and then into the real stuff — finishing a record when life shows up hard (distance, loss, a kid in a car accident, a band scattered across the country), the strange job of speaking for a whole band when you're the one person holding the phone, and why he's chosen slower, story-driven promotion over chasing platforms his fans don't actually use. If you've ever wondered whether a real album is still worth the effort — creatively, financially, emotionally — this one's for you. 🎧 Scratch Track is a podcast for busy, middle-aged musicians who still take their music seriously — people still making good work, who don't want to chase trends, go broke, or burn out. 🎧 5 Artist Branding Mistakes (And How to Fix Them) If you want a clearer artistic identity and message, grab the guide here: → <a href="https://www.musicdemo.org/branding">https://www.musicdemo.org/branding</a> Ready to go deeper? My course Unbreakable walks you step-by-step through the process of defining your artist identity, clarifying your message, and turning listeners into lifelong fans with a future-proof brand. Learn more here: → <a href="https://www.musicdemo.org/unbreakable">https://www.musicdemo.org/unbreakable</a> About to release some new music? 👉 Get the "Music Release Checklist Your Distributor Hopes You'll NEVER Read" → <a href="https://www.musicdemo.org/music-release-checklist">https://www.musicdemo.org/music-release-checklist</a> Want help brainstorming a great lead magnet for YOUR music? 👉 Get the free list: "25 proven list-building ideas for musicians" → <a href="https://www.musicdemo.org/list-building">https://www.musicdemo.org/list-building</a> Thinking of removing your music from Spotify? 👉 Use our decision-tree first → <a href="https://www.musicdemo.org/leave-spotify">https://www.musicdemo.org/leave-spotify</a>

May 15, 2026

Shares ≠ Fans

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 world immediately turned it into a lesson: “THIS is what artists need to do now.” More spectacle. More novelty. More shareability. And I think that interpretation misses the point. Because I watched the full performance. I shared it myself. …and my share didn't mean what the marketing gurus says it means. In this episode, we unpack the difference between fascination and fandom, why “shares” don’t mean what many artists think they mean, and how musicians accidentally start optimizing for attention metrics that have very little to do with real connection. We’ll talk about: <ul> <li>viral performances gimmicks vs. artistic identity</li> <li>why deeply meaningful music is often less shareable</li> <li>Goodhart’s Law and proxy metrics</li> <li>the danger of building your career around the wrong signals</li> <li>and how to find the thin overlap between what you truly are and what your audience genuinely responds to</li> </ul> Because attention says: “Huh. Interesting.” Connection says: “Oh. That’s me.”  The article I mention by Gurwinder is here: <a href="https://www.gurwinder.blog/p/why-everything-is-becoming-a-game">https://www.gurwinder.blog/p/why-everything-is-becoming-a-game </a> Free guide: 🎧 5 Artist Branding Mistakes (And How to Fix Them) If you want a clearer artistic identity and message, grab the guide here: → <a href="https://www.musicdemo.org/branding">https://www.musicdemo.org/branding </a> Ready to go deeper? My course Unbreakable walks you step-by-step through the process of defining your artist identity, clarifying your message, and turning listeners into lifelong fans with a future-proof brand. Learn more here: → <a href="https://www.musicdemo.org/unbreakable">https://www.musicdemo.org/unbreakable </a> Scratch Track is the podcast for grown-up musicians who still believe in their music — but don’t have time to chase trends, go broke, or burn out. About to release some new music? 👉 Get the "Music Release Checklist Your Distributor Hopes You'll NEVER Read" → <a href="https://www.musicdemo.org/music-release-checklist">https://www.musicdemo.org/music-release-checklist </a> Want help brainstorming a great lead magnet for YOUR music? 👉 Get the free list: "25 proven list-building ideas for musicians" → <a href="https://www.musicdemo.org/list-building">https://www.musicdemo.org/list-building </a> Thinking of removing your music from Spotify? 👉 Use our decision-tree first → <a href="https://www.musicdemo.org/leave-spotify">https://www.musicdemo.org/leave-spotify</a>

April 9, 2026

More Tools, Less Control? The New Music Industry Reality

<h3>The music industry is shifting fast — but are these changes actually helping independent artists?  </h3> 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 releases AI-generated music floods streaming platforms — and raises serious questions   Are these meaningful stories for busy musicians… or just more worry with no ROI? Check out the episode for our verdict on each story: Buzzworthy,... or b&ll$h!t?   We cut through the hype and look at what these stories really mean for working musicians with limited time and budget, and loads of responsibilities outside music!    <h3>This week's panel of skeptical judges includes: </h3> - Erika Parr (co-founder of Demo) - Chris Robley (host of Scratch Track) - and Mike Warner (Work Hard Playlist Hard).   Find out more about Mike at <a href="https://workhardplaylisthard.com/home">https://workhardplaylisthard.com/home</a> Check out his label at <a href="https://stillcadence.com/">https://stillcadence.com/</a> <h3>Free guide: 🎧 5 Artist Branding Mistakes (And How to Fix Them)  </h3> If you want a clearer artistic identity and message, grab the guide here:  → <a href="https://www.musicdemo.org/branding">https://www.musicdemo.org/branding</a> <h3>Ready to go deeper?  </h3> My course Unbreakable walks you step-by-step through the process of defining your artist identity, clarifying your message, and turning listeners into lifelong fans with a future-proof brand.   Learn more here: → <a href="https://www.musicdemo.org/unbreakable">https://www.musicdemo.org/unbreakable</a> <h3>About to release some new music?   </h3> 👉 Get the "Music Release Checklist Your Distributor Hopes You'll NEVER Read" → <a href="https://www.musicdemo.org/music-release-checklist">https://www.musicdemo.org/music-release-checklist</a> <h3>  Want help brainstorming a great lead magnet for YOUR music?   </h3> 👉 Get the free list: "25 proven list-building ideas for musicians"   → <a href="https://www.musicdemo.org/list-building">https://www.musicdemo.org/list-building</a> <h3>Thinking of removing your music from Spotify?   </h3> 👉 Use our decision-tree first   → <a href="https://www.musicdemo.org/leave-spotify">https://www.musicdemo.org/leave-spotify</a>

24 total episodes available

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What is 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 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.
How often does this podcast release new episodes?: This podcast updates daily.
Where can I listen to this podcast?: This podcast is available on 4 platforms including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and more. You can also use the RSS feed directly.
Does this podcast accept guests?: No, this podcast does not typically feature guests.

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