To face the music is to accept the punishment for what you did. Go and face the music, time to face the music, made him face the music.
It is about accepting consequences rather than about courage, and the phrase always implies the consequences are deserved. The origin is uncertain, with theatre and army explanations both offered and neither proved.
1phraseface the musicTo accept the punishment for what you did.
“He was caught cheating in the exam and now has to face the music.”
face the music is an accepting.
Of uncertain origin, with explanations from the theatre and from military ceremony both suggested.
Origin uncertain; possible sources which have been suggested include the following:
Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA
Practised in Idioms