How Independent Artists Can Refine and Reach their Resolutions and Goals for 2026

Independent artists enter 2026 carrying the same structural problems they dragged through 2025, algorithmic gatekeeping, shrinking attention spans, rising touring costs, and an industry that still pretends “exposure” pays rent. The myth of the overnight breakthrough remains useful to everyone except the people chasing it. Meanwhile, New Year’s resolutions roll around like clockwork, usually borrowed from hustle culture and stripped of context. Get more followers. Play bigger gigs. Get more streams. Meet the right people. All true, all vague, all useless without friction, specificity, and a bit of emotional honesty. This year needs something sharper. Not affirmations, not grindset nonsense, not a vision board held together by borrowed quotes. What follows is a set of five resolutions framed as realities rather than wishes. Each one acknowledges what independent artists are up against, then offers practical, unromantic ways to move the needle without losing your grip on why you started. 1. Stop Wanting More Followers, Start Wanting the Right Ones “Get more followers” remains the most hollow ambition in music. Big numbers look impressive until you realise they don’t translate into ticket buyers, vinyl sales, or people who actually listen past the first chorus. In 2026, the smarter aim is density, […]

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