Welcome [back] to another week of your weekly dose 🎶

Every Tuesday, I’ll be sharing tips, updates, and must-know music marketing insights to help you get your music heard!

By Finch Bergling

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This week's newsletter is sponsored by... me 😀

I would like to introduce you to "More Than Streams 🧩" - the weekly music marketing podcast that will teach you how to get, you guessed it, more than streams.

Listen to the most relevant music marketing tips, case studies, interviews, and everything you need to grow your music career.

Today's episode - "Becoming FIFA’s Head DJ: From Zero Connections to Global Stages w/ Grayson Repp"

LISTEN TO MORE THAN STREAMS 🧩

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Your Weekly Tip

Last Wednesday at 1 a.m. in Abu Dhabi airport, I almost got into serious trouble.

Four flights had just landed at once, and they funneled hundreds of us through security using those retractable belt barriers.
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But instead of a normal line, they built this ridiculous zigzag maze.
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Left.

Right.

Right again.

Left.

Turn.

Turn again.

For five straight minutes.

The funny part was that it didn't even feel crowded. They just built it that way.

So naturally, I pulled out my phone and started filming myself walking through this security labyrinth like it was some kind of Olympic slalom.
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But after 3 minutes...

I saw the big red sign: NO PHOTOS. NO VIDEOS.

y stomach dropped.F And fur security officers started walking toward me.
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Listen, I've taken dozens of flights. I know the rules.

You don't film during security.

But when your brain is wired for content, everything feels like content.

I stayed calm, showed them the video, and deleted it in front of them. Then deleted it from "Recently Deleted" too.

They let me go 😅

But that could've gone very wrong. In a different country, with strict laws, an airport security is not a place to cross the line.

Why am I telling you about almost getting arrested for airport content? Because there are actually 3 marketing lessons buried in this ridiculous story that apply to your music career.
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1. Sometimes the best content is the one you don't record

I've been hearing more and more social media advice about what works best in 2026, and it's simply talking to camera without any fancy editing or perfect setups.

You can promote yourself by sitting in your car and talking about how much you hate having to record content to promote your music, or talk about how you released a song and literally no one heard it.

Share the actual story behind your recent song if it's worth sharing, and instead of lip-syncing your lyrics for the millionth time, just talk about what they mean and why you wrote them.

Just like I'm telling you this airport story right now instead of showing you footage of me walking through security barriers. The story is way more interesting than the visual would have been because people are craving authenticity when everything else feels manufactured.

Your honest reaction to getting 47 streams on a song you spent months on? People will relate to that way more than any perfectly choreographed dance.

The irony is that the more "unproduced" your content feels, the more it actually resonates. Stop trying to create content and start documenting your life.

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​2. Sometimes the maze IS the strategy

At first, that zigzag line felt completely stupid because I wanted the simple, fast solution - just let me walk straight to security and get it over with.

But after I arrived in Vietnam airport yesterday and saw the complete chaos that a few flights landing simultaneously can create, I actually appreciated that Abu Dhabi zigzag system.

The truth is, that "zigzagging" approach is longer but way better for everyone involved.

You want the direct path where you post a song, go viral, and get famous, but the artists who actually build lasting careers take the zigzag route by building email lists that feel unnecessary, nurturing fans slowly instead of chasing virality, and releasing multiple songs instead of putting everything into one "perfect" release.

The maze feels inefficient, but it's designed to handle crowds and chaos. Your marketing maze of building genuine relationships, creating multiple touchpoints, and developing different revenue streams feels slower than trying to blow up overnight, but when the chaos hits with algorithm changes and platform bans, you're still standing while others crash.

The shortcut rarely works, but the zigzag usually does.
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3. Look for the signs and take responsibility when you miss them

You need to look around and be aware of the mistakes you might make, because sometimes there's a literal big red sign that you're ignoring because you're too focused on the content opportunity.

I've taken dozens of flights and I know you don't film in security areas, but when your brain is wired for content, everything looks like content, and that's actually dangerous thinking.

In marketing, the signs are everywhere if you're paying attention - your engagement dropping means your content isn't resonating, comments getting negative means you might be pushing too hard on promotion without enough value, and followers increasing but streams staying flat means you're attracting the wrong audience.

When you do mess up, because you will, take responsibility immediately instead of arguing or making excuses. I showed them the video, deleted it properly, and apologized, and in marketing when something goes wrong, how you handle it matters more than the original mistake.

The artists who last aren't the ones who never make mistakes - they're the ones who handle mistakes like professionals.​
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Anyway, that's my airport security wisdom for you. Three lessons learned from almost getting arrested in Abu Dhabi.

Now I'm writing this from a beach in Vietnam, so I guess the zigzag approach worked out after all (:

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Your Weekly Reel Idea

I've noticed a trend in 2026 where people are getting tired of the algorithm and how silly it's become, so they're making sarcastic videos that call it out directly.

The hook this musician used: "My kids said more people would hear my song if I flipped eggs instead of lip syncing" - and guess what? It worked (1M views.)

📝 Want to watch this full content idea + 300 more? Find this and hundreds of other proven content ideas inside my 'Content Vault'. Click here to unlock lifetime access to the full collection - never run out of content ideas again!

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Let's work together

• ​Submit your music to my Spotify Playlists.
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• Make your next song a hit with Your First Hit Song 2026.
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• ​Book a 1-1 consultation.
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• ​Build a playlist and grow your streams, email list and fanbase.

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Discounts & Links 🔗

• Get 10% off on SubmitHub​
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• Get ​7.5% off your first campaign on Playlist Push - use code finch
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• Get 40% off your first month on PlaylistSupply - use code finch40
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• Get 40% off your first month on Booking-Agent.io - use code finch40
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• Get 40% off your first month on RadioPromo.io - use code finch40​
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• Get 7% off on DistroKid​

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That’s it for this week! Hope today’s email gave you something useful to work with.

Until next week, Finch 🎶

P.S. Newsletters aren’t social media - I can’t see what you’re enjoying unless you tell me. Hit reply and let me know what you liked (or didn’t) - I’d love to hear from you! 😊

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