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WE KNOW MUSIC LICENSING

Music is an integral part of group fitness and can add to the already great experience provided by your studio location. Part of using music in group fitness classes is ensuring that you are compliant with copyright law through the securing of public performance licenses. This is necessary so that music copyright owners can be appropriately paid for their work.

Please note that the information provided is intended to be informational only and is not intended to serve as legal advice. For legal advise please consult an attorney or the Performing Rights Organizations directly.

Music Licenses Explained

Rock My Fitness Class is a commercial and business music licensed service. In addition to having a music service licensed for business use, gyms and fitness studios must have additional music licenses to allow them to publically perform music at their businesses. Your Rock My Fitness Class subscription includes a license from the record companies, aka "music labels", granting the right to publicly perform music. However, your business must also have a license granting the right to publicly perform music from the 4 Performing Rights Organizations (PROs), "song righters/performers". The Rock My Fitness Class subscription does not include licences from the 4 PROs and you will need to obtain these directly.

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Please note, a license to publicly perform music at a fitness business is a requirement from the licensing agencies, not from Rock My Fitness Class. Rock My Fitness Class can help you navigate and obtain a Fitness License from all 4 PROs.

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Why FOUR Licenses Are Necessary

ASCAP,  BMI, GMR, and SESAC all represent different artists. To ensure that you can play any artist regardless of who they are signed with, it is highly recommended to secure all four licenses so your business is fully compliant.

How to Secure These Licenses

To obtain proper music PERFORMANCE licensing for your studio(s) you will need to complete appropriate forms with ASCAP,  BMI, GMR, and SESAC.

  • Is the ASCAP / BMI a scam?
    There are four Performance Rights Organizations (PROs): ASCAP, BMI, SESAC, and GMR. These organizations are not scams; they are nonprofit entities that ensure artists receive fair compensation. Approximately 90% of the fees collected by PROs are distributed back to the artists. Businesses have an obligation to track every song played and its duration, submitting this information to both the PROs and Sound Exchange. We facilitate this process for you. Moreover, businesses must use legally licensed music. Fitness facilities offering instructor-led group classes are particularly obligated to use such music and obtain fitness class/public performance licenses to comply with regulations.
  • How often do you have to pay?
    Licenses are renewed annually and typically cost between $1,500 and $2,500 per year. The exact amount depends on factors such as the number of members and the weekly capacity of the facility. When we handle your licensing, you benefit from the convenience of monthly payments instead of hefty annual charges. - Business Music Subscription Only: $39.99 per month - Music Subscription plus Licensing: Starting at $179.99 per month
  • I already pay royalties to ASCAP, BMI, GMR, and/or SESAC. Why do I have to pay SoundExchange?
    Every musical recording embodies two distinct copyrighted works. The first is the underlying musical composition, comprised of the written notes and lyrics (a “musical work”). The songwriter and/or his or her music publisher usually own the copyright in the musical work. The second copyrighted work is the actual recording itself – the sounds, including the recording artist’s interpretation of the musical composition, and the creative efforts of the producer, sound engineers and background musicians (a “sound recording”). SoundExchange collects and distributes royalties associated with the sound recordings made by services operating under one of the statutory licenses. By contrast, ASCAP, BMI, SESAC, and GMR collect and distribute royalties associated with the public performance of musical works.
  • Which apps are gyms able to use in an “open gym” setting?
    Any business legal supplier such as RockBot, Mood Media, or our Rock My Fitness platforms. Our services include the Rock My Gym Music Scheduler, along with the Rock My Fitness Class Music App tailored for group classes.
  • Which apps are gyms able to use for fitness classes?
    Any business legal music supplier that reports your usage to the PROs and Sound Exchange. We love the Rock My Fitness Class App for classes!
  • Is Spotify, Pandora, Apple, etc viable alternatives?
    Any direct-to-consumer streaming platform would be illegal to use.
  • What if you own multiple locations? Do you need a license for each?
    Yes, you license one physical address. If you own multiple locations, each location needs their own streaming account and their own licenses from each PRO.
  • Is there ONE app that can play licensed music so we don’t have to get multiple?
    YES! Rock My Fitness stands out as the sole provider offering a one-stop-shop solution, combining a scheduler for ambient music with a fitness class app meticulously crafted by coaches, for coaches.
  • What makes Rock My Gym or Rock My Fitness Class superior?
    Where do we start?! 1. Our professional DJs create all of our mixes and collaborate with fitness Coaches. We don’t pull mix files from online vendors or use bots to create shuffled playlists. Our DJs have been making music specifically for fitness for over a decade! 2. Our app has innovative features for Coaches to enhance the class experience, like our one tap cooldown or volume controls, or our Max Out button. 3. Our music has a much lower skip rate (0.58 skips/hr) compared to Spotify playlists (14.65 skips/hr). Although consumer apps aren't permitted for business use, competitors employ a comparable shuffle format. 4. Our support team are experienced fitness industry professionals. Your account leaders understand fitness operations and experience. 5. We are also the only one-stop-shop that can provide a scheduler for overhead music, an app for GX music, and can manage your additional licensing for you!
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