Today I want to talk about something that doesn’t get discussed nearly enough in the music world: anxiety. Whether you’re a brand-new artist or someone who’s been releasing music for years, anxiety can creep in quietly and affect not just how you create, but how you see yourself long-term.
Depression, self-doubt, anxiety about songwriting, production skills, image, and even relevance—it all adds up. In the current music landscape, with its constant noise and pressure, it’s no surprise that so many artists feel overwhelmed.
Where Does Artist Anxiety Come From?
First, it’s important to acknowledge that people are wired differently. Some artists have a higher threshold for stress, rejection, and uncertainty. Others feel things more deeply. Neither is right or wrong—but it explains why the same situation can affect artists in very different ways.
For new or relatively unknown artists, anxiety often starts with questions like:
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What do I look like?
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Do I look “right” as an artist?
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Does my song sound good enough?
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Is the mix professional?
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Should I spend money on promotion?
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Do I need better YouTube thumbnails?
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Where do I even start—and how much should I spend?
Individually, these questions seem manageable. Together, they form a mental barrier that can completely stop an artist from moving forward.
Breaking It Down, One Step at a Time
One way to reduce this anxiety is to stop trying to solve everything at once. Tackle problems one at a time. Some things are easier to change than others.
Image and Identity
You can change your image if you want to. Music history is full of artists who created personas to support their sound—Elton John, David Bowie, and many others. That separation between the artist and the person can sometimes be freeing.
But there’s no point forcing an image that doesn’t feel authentic. If it’s not you, it won’t last—and it may increase anxiety rather than reduce it. For many artists, staying true to who they are is far less stressful.
Some people even choose to remain faceless online, especially on platforms like YouTube. Personally, when I started doing YouTube (not as an artist, but as a creator), I was a little self-conscious at first. But after years of posting and over 100 videos, I can honestly say no one has ever commented negatively on how I look or sound. Most of the fear exists only in our own heads.
“Is My Song Good Enough?”
This might be the biggest source of anxiety of all.
Once you’ve written a song and gone through a basic quality process—arrangement, recording, mixing to a reasonable standard—there’s not much more you can do. Whether people connect with it or not is something only time will tell.
I don’t really believe in songs being “good” or “bad” in a subjective sense. Unless something is musically broken—out of time, out of key, or poorly executed—it’s simply a piece of music waiting to find (or not find) its audience.
What causes real stress is when artists upload their music… and nothing happens.
The Reality of the Modern Music Landscape
Because of the sheer volume of content being released every day, nothing happening is actually the default outcome. If something does happen, it’s a bonus.
Algorithms are confusing, inconsistent, and often opaque. Honestly, I’m not sure even the platforms fully understand how they work anymore. Sending your music into the void can feel brutal, especially when you’re emotionally invested in it.
This often leads artists to withdraw—to stop sharing, stop engaging, and sometimes stop creating altogether.
Engagement Over Promotion
One thing I’ve learned over time is that engagement matters more than constant self-promotion.
Through platforms like Twitter (especially earlier on), Facebook groups, and now Threads, I’ve met some genuinely interesting people—some of whom turned out to be in influential or well-connected positions in the industry. You rarely know who you’re talking to at first.
Engage in discussions. Comment thoughtfully. Be present. Most people won’t click a random music link—but they willinteract with ideas, conversations, and visuals.
On my own website, I’ve noticed that images often get more clicks than text. A strong visual can be a gateway into deeper engagement, but obsessing over perfection will only fuel anxiety.
When Anxiety Turns Into Something More
This is the hardest part.
I regularly see short posts on Threads that say something like:
“I’m fed up. I’ve posted everything. Nothing is happening.”
It might look like a throwaway line, but often there’s someone genuinely struggling behind it—someone who feels lost, unheard, and close to giving up.
This is how anxiety can spiral into depression. When effort doesn’t seem to equal progress, it’s easy to internalise failure.
A Difficult but Honest Truth
There is another side to this conversation, and it’s uncomfortable: not everyone is naturally suited to everything they want to do.
Just like in sport—if you’re not built to be a competitive athlete, no amount of effort will make you win races. Music can be similar. Some material is strong, some is average, and some simply doesn’t connect.
That doesn’t mean creating music is pointless. It does mean that tying your self-worth entirely to external validation is dangerous.
Final Thoughts
Artist anxiety is real, widespread, and often invisible. The key is to:
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Break problems into smaller steps
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Focus on engagement, not instant success
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Accept uncertainty as part of the process
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Separate your identity from outcomes
Most importantly, remember this: making music is not a failure just because it doesn’t blow up. Sometimes the act of creating is enough—and sometimes that has to be okay.
You’re not alone in feeling this way, even if it feels like you are.
