The Music Promotion Scam Nobody Talks About
Every week, thousands of Nigerian artists send money to “promoters” hoping for streams, exposure, and a breakthrough.
Most of them don’t get results.
Not because their music is bad — but because they fell into a music promotion scam nobody likes to expose.
This scam is so normalized that many artists don’t even realize they’re being played.
The Lie Artists Are Sold
It usually sounds like this:
- “Pay ₦20k and I’ll push your song.”
- “I have big playlists and industry connections.”
- “Streams will come fast.”
- “One hit is all you need.”
The artist pays.
Numbers appear.
Then… nothing happens.
No fan growth.
No engagement.
No bookings.
No career movement.
The Scam Isn’t Just Fake Streams
Most people think the scam is only about bot streams. That’s only part of it.
The real scam is selling vanity metrics as career progress.
Streams without listeners.
Followers without fans.
Plays without impact.
These numbers look good on screenshots but do nothing in real life.
Labels don’t care.
DJs don’t care.
Promoters don’t care.
If your audience doesn’t move, your career doesn’t move.
Why Artists Keep Falling for It
This scam survives because it feeds on desperation.
Most upcoming artists are:
- Tired of being ignored
- Confused about how promotion really works
- Looking for shortcuts
- Chasing validation, not systems
When someone promises fast results, logic disappears.
But the industry does not reward speed — it rewards momentum.
The Hard Truth About Real Promotion
Real promotion is boring.
Slow.
Unsexy.
It looks like:
- Building a small but loyal audience
- Repeated exposure to the same listeners
- Offline support from DJs and communities
- Consistent storytelling, not random drops
Real promotion creates fans.
Scams create screenshots.
The Biggest Red Flag Nobody Talks About
If a promoter promises:
- Guaranteed numbers
- Viral success
- Industry breakthrough
- Overnight results
You are not buying promotion.
You are buying hope.
And hope is the most expensive thing an artist can keep paying for.
What Artists Should Do Instead
Instead of chasing fake promotion, artists should:
- Understand how platforms actually work
- Promote to humans, not algorithms
- Invest in branding and identity
- Build relationships before spending money
- Track engagement, not just numbers
Promotion without strategy is just noise.
And noise doesn’t build careers.
The Final Reality
The music industry is not broke.
Fans are not tired.
Opportunities still exist.
But the scam economy thrives because artists would rather buy the illusion of success than do the work that creates it.
Exposure is not success.
Attention is not loyalty.
Numbers are not careers.
Once artists understand this, the scam loses its power.
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Follow DjMondo Music for honest conversations about music promotion, industry truth, and artist growth.
