The American Dream Money, fame and promiscuity are the three main components of the American dream, and what better way to reach that level than through music? The truth is that almost every other profession is statistically more likely to achieve this goal. Musicianship is an almost impossible career path to follow. An artist will spend countless hours learning and mastering their craft, only to be oppressed by the community. No matter how much time or money a musician spends on their creations, the world will usually find a way to avoid their success. The fact is that purchasing a song or album will not affect the original artist in any way (economically speaking). ). If an artist is famous, that usually means they are affiliated with a major, and therefore not self-supporting. This is where the scam comes in. Brian Reed proclaims that "a low-end royalty deal only makes 30 cents per album sale" (Who really profits from your iTunes downloads?). If one hundred full albums are purchased each day under this contract (which is outrageous, especially for an up-and-coming artist), the artist will earn $10,950 over an entire year. If the musician is part of a band or group, this profit must always be distributed fairly among the members. No one can live on $11,000 a year, so how can anyone support themselves? The answer is simple: he must find a second job. The cost of becoming a successful musician is exorbitant. You have to pay to record in the studio, to put all your music on vinyl records or compact discs, to eat, etc. Unfortunately, a career in music will generally not earn that person the amount of money needed. what he needs to survive. People often... middle of paper... bad decision. That being said, you have to be prepared to be dropped off the music radar at a moment's notice, while industry workers remain without empathy. Whether it is because of an economic, social or physical problem, we must realize that everyone can fail in the music industry. After all, the American dream is really just that: a dream. Works Cited Barnett, Laura. “Don’t give up your day job.” The Guardian. Guardian News and Media, January 25, 2010. Web. February 26, 2014. Finberg, Lars. “How I Survived Without Making Money in the Music Industry” The Stranger. Np, and Web. February 27, 2014. Reed, Brian. “Who really benefits from your iTunes downloads? » Investment strategies, education and news. Np, and Web. February 28, 2014. Windermere, Anna. “What are the pros and cons of being a professional musician?” » Work.chron.com. Np, and Web. February 27. 2014.