Why Artists Keep Getting Screwed — And Saying Yes Anyway

Musicians are beautiful dreamers — which is probably why we keep saying yes to things that devalue our work! In this episode of Scratch Track, we dig into the psychology, pressure, and broken incentives that push artists to chase validation over value. If you've ever played for "exposure," chased the wrong metrics, priced your merch to please instead of profit, or felt weird asking to get paid — this one’s for you. You’ll learn: Why the music industry thrives on artist self-sacrifice 10 dead-simple questions to know if you're giving your art away How to reset your mindset and build actual leverage  Validation vs. Value — which one are you chasing? This episode is part of Season 1: Muting the Noise — what actually works for grown-up musicians   🔗 Resources 🧭 Still confused about your worth on Spotify? Check out our Flowchart: Should I Leave Spotify? → musicdemo.org/leave-spotify   💬 Let’s Hear From You Did this episode hit a nerve? Leave us a comment or review! Watch on YouTube here.