Is self-promotion now part of being an artist?

Self-promotion has become part of being an artist in the current economy, not because it is artistically valuable but because, without label infrastructure, the artist is often the only one positioned to bring the work to listeners.

The unavoidable task

In an earlier model, others handled promotion while the artist made work. For most independent artists, that division no longer exists. The same person who makes the music must, by default, also carry it outward — because there is often no one else to do it.

The tension

This is not a comfortable fit. The skills and temperament that make an artist are often opposed to those promotion rewards. Yet refusing it entirely usually means the work stays unheard. The question is not whether to promote, but how to do so without letting it replace the work that made promotion worthwhile.

In essence

Self-promotion has become part of being an independent artist because, without others to handle it, the artist is often the only one who can bring the work to listeners. The difficulty is doing it without letting it consume the work itself.

Related questions

Can you refuse promotion entirely? You can, at the cost of likely remaining unheard. It is a valid choice, with a real price.

Does promotion corrupt the art? Not inherently, but it can, if it begins to shape the work toward what is promotable rather than what is true.