Nick drake didn't catch on primarily due to unwillingness to tour or do any sort of promotion of course, but my understanding that on top of that he was a pretty socially anxious and introverted person and didn't really have the social butterfly charisma that a lot of rock stars and big folk musicians of the 60s and 70s had. From watching interviews with people that knew him, nick drake simultaneously wanted fame and success but didn't have the confidence or self advocacy to really play the game or sell himself to others.

Nick drake obviously had mental health issues as well for whatever reason on top of that, but his persona also reminds me of the artist ray johnson in the sense that he kind of receded from social view and mostly made music as an outsider.