Music Motivates Muscles: Being Licensed To Play is Good for Your Fitness Business
By Leslie Craig, Vice President, Licensing, SOCAN
Can you imagine your cardio class without music? Probably not. Music and exercise are a natural fit. In fact, music helps you work out harder and longer, and better workouts mean happier and more motivated clients. It’s one thing to put music to work in your classes and at your gym, but another to use music responsibly.
If you play music in a public setting, you are required by law to compensate artists for it through fair licensing. For example, even if you pay for your streaming service or paid for your playlist, if you play that music for your clients, then you need to be licensed with SOCAN.
A license demonstrates to your clientele that music is a major part of your success and brand, and that you also run your fitness programs ethically and legally. It tells them that you make sure that those who create the music you play at your gym – Canada’s songwriters, composers, and music publishers – are compensated for their hard work.
Five reasons why being Licensed To Play is good for your fitness business:
- Licensed To Play is a mark of distinction and honour.
When you show that you support music creators by fairly compensating them for the work that is making your fitness business better, your clients think of you more positively.
- Customers are loyal to businesses that act ethically.
Research supports the fact that customers who believe that a business is acting ethically are more likely to trust that brand and be loyal to it. Your Licensed To Play sticker says that you are a responsible, ethical, and legal part of the music ecosystem.
- Music creators deserve to be compensated.
Your fair music license goes to those who make the music that makes your programs and classes better. This is their work, and SOCAN members rely on royalties from licenses to make a living.
- It’s the law.
That’s right. We don’t like getting heavy, but if you play music in a public setting you are required by law to compensate artists for it through fair licensing. So even if you pay for your streaming service or paid for your playlist, if you play that music for your clients, then you must be licensed with SOCAN.
- Music adds value to your business.
Music is an emotionally-rooted medium that positively impacts behaviour and mood. When music isn’t there, we notice. Studies show again and again that businesses that use music reap rewards in higher traffic, greater customer satisfaction, and increased loyalty.
To learn more about SOCAN licensing, visit SOCAN.com.
Are you subscribed to a music supplier?
Did you know that music suppliers don’t cover SOCAN fees for music used in conjunction with physical exercise in various spaces, including dance schools, fitness centers, and gyms? That means if you subscribe to a music streaming service, you still need a music license any time music is played in your facility or during your program, regardless of whether you hold individual classes. Your SOCAN music license demonstrates to your clientele that music is an essential part of your success and brand, and that you also run your gym and classes ethically and legally.
