The music industry likes to promote a lot of myths about itself, mostly involving endless parties with champagne fountains. They want to make it look easy for the starry-eyed young acts.

Unfortunately, a dream and passion alone cannot carry you to a truly successful career, no matter what lucky breaks happen along the way.

You gotta put in plenty of honest work too, no matter what the myths say.

How To Sell Music: Don’t Be Fooled By These Myths

1. A Record Deal Means You’re Set

Most know the dangers of big name record deals, but they’ll still try to wine and dine and dazzle new recruits. Yes, you get a lot of money for your album – money that has to be paid back. And you’ll get to do it again and again thanks to multi-record clauses, while your access to marketing is entirely at their whim.

2. It’s Rock And Roll All Night, And Parties Every Day

The reality is, there are very few rockers who managed to get ahead in the industry while being slackers. That’s not how you sell music. Most of those who did were either carried by their bands, or died young. The amount of work will tend to pile on just as quickly as you move upwards in the music business. If you ignore the business side, it never ends well.

3. Reality TV Is A Good Career Move

It’s easy to look enviously on the young up-and-comers getting quick career jumpstarts thanks to American Idol-style shows. However, the dark sides of the reality TV business are many, starting with the fact that should you be accepted, you pretty much sign away all your rights to everything. If you win, you’re going to get to spend the next several years doing exactly what they tell you.

4. Overnight Success Happens

The plain and simple truth is, no lasting success happens overnight, or without plenty of work. Sure, there’s your occasional flash-in-the-pan One Hit Wonder or outta-nowhere viral sensation, but they fade away just as quickly as they came.

You don’t sell music without paying your dues, one way or another.