How Boost Collective Helped AUGY Reach 1 MILLION+ Streams with Meta Ads
At Boost Collective, we're on a mission to prove that real growth in music doesn't require bots, gimmicks, or inflated promises. One of our most successful recent campaigns is a perfect example of that. Independent artist AUGY's song "Adderall High" crossed 1 MILLION streams across Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube Music, and more, using only legitimate promotion channels—primarily Meta Ads (Instagram and Facebook), and a few playlists on Spotify.
This detailed case study will walk you through:
Campaign Planning
How we planned and executed the campaign
Tools & Targeting
The exact tools and targeting strategies we used
Viral Creative
The creative that helped the song go viral
ROI Analysis
The return on investment and long-tail streaming impact
Let's dive into the full breakdown.
Launching a Song with a Purpose
AUGY's song Adderall High dropped on December 13, 2024. On day one, the track had 115 streams, entirely driven by AUGY's existing audience. At the time, he had around 11,000 monthly Spotify listeners.
From the outset, we knew we wanted to treat this campaign like a real label-level rollout. That meant:
We set a total promotion budget of $5,000 and committed to maximizing every dollar.
Tools We Used
- Meta Ads Manager: Primary platform for ad deployment
- Viberate: Artist analytics across DSPs
- Spotify for Artists: Real-time tracking of streams, followers, and saves
- Hypeddit: Smart links for tracking off-platform engagement
These tools gave us full visibility across all platforms to track audience behavior, ad performance, as well as platform-level growth.
Understanding the Audience
Before launching any ads, we took a step back to understand what Adderall High represented. AUGY described the track as a feeling of focus and drive—being locked in and untouchable. That insight helped guide everything that followed.
We translated that feeling into a concept that would work for short-form content: a therapy session skit that played off the opening lyric, "Yeah, I feel a little stressed."
The ad featured AUGY in a fictional therapy session with subtle easter eggs referencing his past work (like the title of his last project and his gray sweater merch). This narrative matched the emotion of the song and made it immediately relatable to the target audience.
The Heart of the Campaign
Our first batch of video ads didn't perform well. One version featured AUGY trying on outfits with lyrics playing in the background—visually clean, but emotionally flat.
What changed everything was the therapy skit.
- Format: Snapchat-style vertical video
- Visuals: Orange background, clean color grading, cut-out text behind AUGY
- Hook: First 3 seconds opened with a joke, followed by raw vulnerability
- Performance: Over 700,000 video views on Meta
People loved the authenticity. Comments on the post were full of praise like:
- "This is my new favorite song"
- "On repeat"
- "Saved on Spotify!"
Ads Targeting Tier 1 Markets
We focused the campaign on Tier 1 countries to maximize royalties and exposure:
These countries offer higher per-stream payouts and are easier to monetize through touring, merch, and long-term fan engagement.
We kept the age targeting broad—18 to 55—with a soft focus on fans of alternative hip-hop, indie pop, and artists similar to AUGY (Mac Miller, Dominic Fike, etc.).
Metrics That Mattered
After launching the winning ad, we saw a massive uplift across key performance indicators:
Additional Metrics:
- Top countries: US, Germany, UK, Canada, France
Spotify's Blessing AKA The Algorithm
By January 10, the campaign hit critical mass—and Spotify's algorithm took over. The song received:
- 80,000+ streams from Spotify Radio
- 20,000+ from Discover Weekly
- Thousands from Release Radar and Mixes
This algorithmic support continued for weeks after the ad budget was paused, proving the power of building real momentum.
Multi-Platform Impact
While Spotify was the primary focus, Adderall High also grew across other platforms:
- Apple Music: 60,000+ streams
- YouTube Music: 51,000+ streams
- Amazon, Deezer, and others: Several thousand additional streams
- Shazams: 4,500+
- Digital Sales: 13 purchases (not bad for a streaming-first campaign)
ROI: Return on Investment
We estimate total revenue per stream to average $0.0032, across all platforms.
At 700,000 streams:
- Estimated revenue: ~$2,240
- Breakeven date: ~288 days (less than 10 months)
As of April 2025, AUGY is halfway to fully recouping the initial $5,000 investment. After that point, the song becomes a cash-flowing asset.
Even under more conservative projections (streams dropping to 1,500/day), the campaign still breaks even within the 12–16 month golden ratio used by major labels.
Final Takeaways: Why This Worked
The Song Was Strong
Adderall High had a clear emotional theme and resonated with the right audience.
Creative Strategy Mattered
The therapy skit was unique, scroll-stopping, and matched the tone of the track.
Testing Was Relentless
We tested dozens of creatives. When one worked, we scaled it hard.
Targeting Was Strategic
We focused on Tier 1 countries to maximize ROI and long-term value.
Algorithm Takeover
Instead of chasing numbers, we built momentum the right way—and Spotify rewarded it.
The Boost Collective Difference
This campaign wasn't about luck. It was about:
We don't guarantee streams. We earn them through strategy, testing, and hard work. AUGY's campaign is one example among many.
If you're serious about your music and want a team that knows how to scale real growth—without shortcuts or shady tactics—we're here to help.
Get Started With Boost CollectiveYour fans are out there. Let's go find them.