To face the music means to accept the unpleasant consequences of one’s actions or to confront difficulties bravely. It is an idiom that originated in America in the 19th century. There are different theories about its origin, but none of them are confirmed. Some possible sources are:
- The tradition of disgraced officers being drummed out of their regiment
- The actors who faced the orchestra pit when they went on stage
- The West Gallery singers who sang vernacular songs that criticized the nobility
