Key takeaway: Self-doubt is noted as the biggest challenge

Here’s a breakdown of the most common issues we heard about:

1. Lack of confidence or issues with anxiety and self-doubt – 26.2%
2. Finding and keeping the right bandmates – 23.8%
3. Finding the time to practise or learn new music or skills – 22.6%
4. High costs or inadequate pay – 15.5%
5. Difficulties with getting gigs and building an audience – 15.5%
6. Difficulties with marketing or promotion – 13.1%
7. Physical health, mental wellbeing, or substance-related difficulties – 13.1%
8. Feeling unmotivated or not getting recognition – 13.1%
9. Issues with transport, equipment, location, or access to suitable spaces – 10.7%

The challenges musicians face in 2026

Lack of confidence or issues with anxiety and self-doubt – 26.2%

This was the most common issue people mentioned, and we’re not surprised. It’s certainly one that members of the team know well.

From our research, we found obvious themes of a lack of self-confidence, being anxious about one’s own abilities as a musician, and comparing oneself unfavourably to other musicians. As well as that, social anxiety was mentioned – busy venues can be overwhelming. When dealing with issues like this, a supportive band is a musician’s best friend.

These are valid concerns for many musicians, and our Reddit community had some solid ideas about how to face them:

• First and foremost, don’t give up! Keep on performing, and the anxiety associated with doing so will almost certainly lessen. You’ll learn what you’re capable of and develop your skills.
• Focus on what you can control. That means practising until you’re confident in the music, even if playing live is still intimidating. Refine your setlist – it’s not just about playing the songs in any order. Consider the set as a whole and ensure you’re happy with the way it flows. Beyond that, remember that things outside of your control aren’t your responsibility.
• Prioritise enjoyment. This is important for live shows, where the music is only part of the package. We’ve all been to gigs where the band was clearly doing a job and nothing more. Those aren’t the gigs we remember positively. If you’re clearly having a great time, it encourages your audience to do the same. That energy makes a world of difference.
• Remember that most of the people in the audience are unlikely to be gigging musicians. You’ll notice your own mistakes far more than they will! If you put on a show, they won’t care about (or notice) that chord change you fluffed, or the fill you missed in the second verse.

Finding and keeping the right bandmates – 23.8%

From personal experience, it seems that if you’re in a music venue and you mention starting a band, you’ll be chasing away guitarists and singers (of varying ability levels) for weeks. If you’re lucky, you might find a good bassist, and if you’re even luckier, you might find a decent drummer.

One Redditor stated that “Relationships with bandmates are always a challenge over time.”, while another noted that “communication amongst bandmates” can be an issue. Commenters also said that one unreliable bandmate can really cause problems for the band, affecting rehearsals, gigs, and the overall impression of the band to promoters and venues.

There are multiple boxes that a bandmate needs to tick. For us, the big ones are:

• Ability
• Musical compatibility
• Personal compatibility
• Commitment
• Professionalism

Finding the time to practise or learn new music or skills – 22.6%

Semi-professional musicians will have day jobs that take up the majority of their time; then there are family commitments, other hobbies… the list goes on.

With nearly a quarter of commenters mentioning this, it’s clearly important. One Redditor said, “Finding enough time… You need time to write, rehearse, record, produce, mix, market, manage social media, budget, and such, all while still working a full-time job. My old bandmates used to joke by telling me that I should just have my mail forwarded to the rehearsal room/studio since I spent most of my time there.”

It can be difficult to make practice part of the daily routine – even 15 minutes here and there will help, but factoring that into a schedule can be tough.

High costs or inadequate pay – 15.5%

Note: The vast majority of comments about costs and pay were related to live music rather than trying to finance or get paid from recordings, so that’s what we’ll look at here.

Getting paid for a gig is great, but consider the practice time, the cost of gear and rehearsal space, how much transport to gigs costs… and it all adds up.

This is the first point where there’s a real disparity between cover bands and original bands. Musicians trying to get their own music heard will have far fewer opportunities to get gigs that pay well, particularly at the start.

As musicians, we have to be careful about what we spend, and the fees we accept. It’s important to know your value. Social media music scene groups tend to advertise people asking for a band, giving a strict checklist they have to meet, then offering a fee that’s well below minimum wage. Those gigs are very unlikely to be good nights.

Sometimes, it’s worth taking a lower fee when a gig offers something else, such as great networking opportunities or a chance to get seen in a new city. This is particularly the case for original projects. As a musician starts out, there may well be a need to separate the artistic goal from work that pays.

Difficulties with getting gigs and building an audience – 15.5%

15.5% of Redditors said that a key challenge they face is actually getting gigs and building an audience. We’ve written before about how to get gigs in more detail than we have space for here.

When asked about challenges, one commenter said, “Getting gigs, getting streams, believing in my own music and marketing. Gigs are the key to get your name out there. Without them, it feels pointless to churn out videos or posts.”

Music Venue Trust’s latest report showed that 30 grassroots music venues closed in 2025 and 53% operated at no profit at all. It comes as no surprise, then, that this has a knock-on effect on opportunities for new talent to emerge. Fewer venues = fewer gigs.

Getting gigs is, unsurprisingly, another area where there’s a divide between original acts and cover bands. Even a small town will probably have several venues that book cover bands, but it’s generally only dedicated venues that look for original artists.

Difficulties with marketing or promotion – 13.1%

A lot of people find it difficult to really sell themselves or their music, but self-promotion is an important skill for anyone wanting to gig or find an audience for their music. It’s one that musicians need to acquire if they want to build an audience.

If promotion isn’t part of your day job, it can be challenging to know where to start. One Redditor stated, “People don’t [realise] how much work goes into a band’s social media presence/overall branding.”, while another said their biggest challenge is “Social media promo and selling tickets. It’s why I love taking the sideman gigs these days. You pay me, I learn your songs and show up with my bass ready to make your band sound good. Simple and fun”.

Physical health, mental wellbeing, or substance-related difficulties – 13.1%

While it was only mentioned by around 13% of commenters, health issues can become serious obstacles for musicians. Playing live can feel like a workout, stage fright can really put musicians off performing, and substance abuse can be a problem for band members.

Feeling unmotivated or not getting recognition – 13.1%

Like that nice chap from Green Day sings, “I got no motivation! Where is my motivation?”

Motivation isn’t always easy to find, particularly when it feels like you’re not getting any recognition for the work you’re putting in to make music. Here are some of our favourite suggestions from commenters over on Reddit:

• If you’re writing your own music, focus on the process rather than the response. Put your energy into writing, recording and finishing it instead of worrying about how many people listen to it.
• Concentrate on things within your control. We’ve already mentioned this when discussing anxiety, and it makes a difference. If you can’t control something that’s causing issues, move on and find something you can.
• Make enjoyment the primary motivation. Pretty self-explanatory, really. Have fun and let the rest happen.

Issues with transport, equipment, location, or access to suitable spaces – 10.7%

Music gear is expensive, there’s no getting away from that. There are some amazing budget options available, but even a budget guitar, drum kit, or DAW costs money. Our Reddit commentors had some suggestions to make:

• Work with the equipment you already have and avoid allowing the pursuit of better or more expensive gear to become an obstacle to making music.
• Build up equipment gradually. Where cost limits access to the gear you want, prioritise the gear you need. You can upgrade later, so long as you have what you need to make music now.

Dedicated practice spaces can be hard to find. Some of our favourite suggestions for getting past that obstacle include:

• Share resources with other musicians. If you team up with other bands and artists in your local music scene, it can make rehearsal spaces, equipment and other resources more accessible. Work together where you can. That’s also a great way to increase your network, which helps you to find gigs and other opportunities.
• Use alternative spaces where necessary. If there’s no dedicated practice space near you, does your drummer have a garage you can soundproof? Is there a local pub that will let you use a room cheaply during the day when they’re quiet? There are often options you haven’t considered. Get creative!

Writer Jonny’s band, Captain Clap and the Burning Sensations, performing at Eighteen91 in Whitby

What would help musicians?

Being a musician isn’t always easy. It’s fun, but not easy. So here are some of our favourite pieces of advice that keep coming up.

• Keep going and don’t wait until you feel completely ready. Persistence is key when you want to play music. Take opportunities, accept that things won’t always go perfectly and don’t let anxiety, setbacks, poor engagement, or slow progress stop you. Those things will improve.
• Practise consistently and make the time you have count. Regular, focused practice is the only dependable way to get better. Concentrate on specific weaknesses, material you need to prepare, and achievable improvements.
• Surround yourself with reliable, supportive musicians. Whether it’s as part of your musical project or simply being part of the community, having good people around you who share your love of music can only encourage you.
• Build genuine relationships and networks. Talk to other musicians, attend jams and open mics, interact with people at gigs and build actual relationships rather than viewing networking purely as self-promotion. These connections can lead to opportunities, but they’re also a worthwhile end in themselves.
• Protect your mental and physical wellbeing. A lot of musicians develop unhealthy habits, but you’ll enjoy music for a lot longer if you prioritise your health.
• Be practical and efficient about equipment and gigging. Don’t make life harder than necessary! If you limit your gig gear to just what you need, you’ll spend less time packing and carrying it, allowing you to focus on the fun bits. Seems like a winner.
• Learn the business side as well. While it’s less fun than playing, marketing, networking, negotiating fees, finding gigs and presenting yourself professionally are skills musicians may have to develop. If you’re playing in a band, try dividing responsibilities so that people are doing the bits they’re best at.
• Stop comparing yourself with other musicians. Comparison often feeds self-doubt. A healthier approach is to judge progress against your own goals, accept encouragement from other musicians, and concentrate on what you’re doing, rather than anyone else.
• Most importantly, make music for the love of it. When you separate your own satisfaction from external validation, you’ll have a much better time. Making music can be so satisfying, and there’s something hugely joyful in a really good gig, or hearing someone else sing words that you wrote. Let yourself enjoy it.

A knock-on effect: In the UK, emerging artists and grassroots venues are struggling

If you’re a new original artist trying to grow your fanbase and gain recognition, getting your music in front of a live audience is crucial. Historically, grassroots venues have been a core part of that process, essential to the music ecosystem. But the grassroots venues that provide those opportunities are facing many of the same financial pressures as you.

Running a small venue leaves little room for unexpected costs. Music Venue Trust figures show that 53% of UK grassroots music venues made no profit in 2025, with an average profit margin of just 2.5%. If you’re operating a business with a margin that low, a single unexpected cost can be enough to shut you down. It’s a very precarious position.

A busy gig doesn’t necessarily mean a profitable one, either. Ticket revenue has to help cover artist and promoter costs, production, sound engineers, security, staffing, licensing, and other expenses. Then there’s rent, energy bills, insurance, and employment costs. Overheads are high.

At the same time, audiences have less disposable income. If people attend fewer gigs or spend less at the bar, venues have a difficult choice to make: do they increase prices to make ends meet? Substantially increasing ticket prices could make smaller shows less accessible and reduce audience numbers further.

For musicians, the knock-on effect is fewer places to perform. The UK’s regular touring circuit has shrunk significantly. According to the Music Venue Trust, the number of regular locations on the primary/secondary touring circuit dropped from 28 to just 12 between 1994 and 2024. All the remaining locations are major cities.

This means that, for many people, the only way to see a band is to travel – another cost that puts people off and contributes to reduced audience numbers for grassroots venues. Fewer viable venues also means fewer touring dates, fewer support slots, and fewer chances to reach audiences outside major cities.

Ultimately, venues need artists and audiences to remain viable, while emerging artists need those venues to develop. Losing a small venue can have a huge impact on the local music scene and beyond. More than that, once a venue is gone, the chances of replacing it in the future are extremely low. Once we lose our grassroots venues, they’re gone for good.

Supporting grassroots venues means supporting musicians. Without these places, the challenges facing emerging talent only become harder to overcome.

So, what do we do? On an individual level, the answer is simple: get out there and go to gigs whenever we can.

The Howl and the Hum at Humber Street Sesh in Hull

Data methodology

This research was conducted on Reddit via a discussion in r/musicians. You can read the full thread here.

More than 200 responses were analysed and grouped into nine recurring challenges based on the issues raised by Redditors globally. Individual responses could be assigned to more than one challenge where multiple issues were mentioned. As a result, the percentages represent the prevalence of each challenge across the responses analysed and may total more than 100%.