Music marketing strategies by tier – Ranked by DJ Henry Fong

The music industry has evolved rapidly over the past decade. With these changes, there has also come a shift in marketing strategy. Uploading your music online and hoping it will blow up is no longer an effective approach. Thousands of songs are uploaded every day across streaming platforms, and standing out now requires powerful marketing strategies.

In a recent video, electronic music producer and DJ Henry Fong ranked common music marketing strategies based on his industry experience, which includes over 15 years of releases, billions of streams, and extensive touring. Below are those rankings, presented in tier-list form.

S-Tier Marketing Strategies

Emailing & DMing Big Artists

This approach is completely free, offers full control over who you reach out to, and has been responsible for many breakthrough moments over the years. Brooks found his breakthrough in a similar way after cold-emailing Martin Garrix, who liked what he heard. They later went on to create multiple hits such as Like I Do and Better When I’m Gone. While there is an element of luck involved, persistence plays a key role when following this route.

Creating Short-Form Content on Social Media

Posting simple, authentic clips using official audio has become one of the most effective ways to build genuine fanbases. This approach helps artists grow communities that actively engage with their music on platforms like Instagram and TikTok. Examples include Fred again.., who shares videos of building songs in minutes, and James Hype, who focuses his Reels and TikToks on DJing techniques and high-energy performance clips.

A Tier Marketing Strategies

DJ Radio & Promo Campaigns

These campaigns are effective for getting music into DJ sets and on radio but can be expensive and selective. For artists with at least some existing fan following, they can accelerate exposure if the release has strong potential. When Avicii was still an upcoming artist, consistent airplay on British radio, particularly on Pete Tong’s BBC Radio 1 show, helped push his tracks up the UK charts.

Music Videos

Sometimes as powerful as the music itself, memorable and visually striking music videos are an effective way to capture public attention. Whether through bold visuals or strong storytelling, they remain powerful branding tools. Charli XCX’s brat campaign, with its acid-green visuals and lo-fi text, perfectly matched the vibe of her underground club-influenced music. However, music videos can be expensive to produce and often work best when the artist already has some level of audience interest.

B Tier Marketing Strategies

Influencer Marketing

Working with the right creators can increase reach and streams quickly. However, costs vary widely and results can be inconsistent, especially when collaborating with smaller influencers.

Releasing with Record Labels

Influential labels can offer strong exposure and industry support. That said, signing with a label often involves a significant loss of royalties and creative control.

C Tier Marketing Strategies

Meta Ads

Accessible and relatively affordable, Meta ads are effective for reaching cold audiences. However, they tend to generate passive listeners rather than deeply engaged fans.

D Tier Marketing Strategies

Playlisting Services

Most playlisting services involve paid placement on third-party playlists on platforms like Spotify. These often carry a high risk of bot-driven streams, resulting in low engagement and little long-term value.

Final Note

Overall, there is no single formula for marketing music. Some strategies might work better at certain stages, while others might depend on timing and consistency. The most important thing is to focus on connecting with listeners and using tools that fit your own workflow, rather than chasing quick results.

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