It's true that new media has drastically changed how we listen to music. It's also true that both artists, industry insiders and fans all tend to drastically exaggerate how new media has changed the industry. To set the record straight, Bruce Houghton at Hypebot has published a list of lies that musicians like the tell themselves to accodomate for their own personal shortcomings. Wouldn't you know it, major publicity, experienced management, and widespread distribution are still needed for success.

It's easy to forget that, while traditional media is plummeting and new media is growing, the majority of media sales still involve the former. You could argue the rules for success haven't changed, but the means of acquiring it have. Kudos to Houghton for pointing out the shortcomings of those who use new media as a crutch.