The music in your gym is not just background noise. It is a key part of the member experience. The right soundtrack can motivate a client to push harder. It can create a focused, high-energy atmosphere. The wrong music—or worse, illegal music—can hurt your brand and your business.
Finding the best music for gyms seems simple. Many owners just plug in a personal Spotify or Apple Music account. This is a costly mistake.
This guide explains why you need a legal music service. We will cover costs, setup, and features. We will help you find the perfect sound for your specific type of fitness center.
Why Your Gym Needs Legal Music for Gyms (And What That Means)
You cannot use a personal music app for your business. This is the most important rule of business music.
Personal accounts (like a standard Spotify, Apple, or Amazon Music plan) give you a license to listen to music in private. A gym is a public space. Using it there is a “public performance.” This breaks the terms of service. Basically, there is no Spotify for Business, Amazon Music for Business or Apple Music for Business.
To play music legally in your gym, you must pay for public performance licenses. These fees go to artists and songwriters through groups like ASCAP, BMI, and SESAC. If you don’t pay, your gym could face massive fines, sometimes thousands of dollars per song.
A dedicated service for music for gyms handles all of this for you. They pay the licensing fees. You pay one simple monthly fee and get total peace of mind. You are 100% legal and safe from fines.
Make an informed choice! Compare music providers for your business on our Compare Page—free and simple.
What Makes the Best Music for Gyms?
Great music for gyms does more than just play songs. It gives you full control over your gym’s atmosphere and energizes your members to give their best in their workout.
- Create the Perfect Vibe: The best services give you access to millions of songs. You can use pre-made playlists for any mood, from high-energy pop to calming yoga. This helps you match the music to your brand.
- Control Your Environment: You need tools to manage your sound. This includes filtering explicit lyrics to keep your gym family-friendly. It also means scheduling music. You can have high-energy songs during peak hours and calmer music in the mornings.
- Keep it Fresh and Easy: Your members don’t want to hear the same 40 songs. A good service updates its playlists all the time. The app should also be simple to use for you and your staff. You can control it from a phone, tablet, or computer.
How Much Does Music for Gyms Really Cost?
Most services for a single-location gym cost between $25 and $50 per month per subscription. This flat fee includes all licensing costs.
The price can change based on a few things:
- One Location: This is the most common model. You pay one fee for one business address.
- Per Zone: Some services charge more if you want to play different music in different areas at the same time. For example, playing high-energy pop in the weight room and calm music in the yoga studio.
- Extra Features: Services that offer in-store audio messaging (letting you record your own ads) may cost more.
If you have multiple gyms or one gym location with multiple “zones” you will need to purchase a music subscription for each. For example, if you have two box gyms you need two music subscriptions. If you have one gym with 3 zones (Yoga, weight room and lobby) you will need 3 music subscriptions.
(More information on multi-location music and zone management.)
A Practical Guide to Setting Up Your Music for Gyms
Getting professional music for gyms is easier than you think. You do not need a lot of complex hardware.
Most services are app-based. You can run your music from a device you already own.
- Use Your Own Device: You can use a dedicated iPad, Android tablet, or smartphone. Just connect the device to your gym’s amplifier and speakers. This is the cheapest and most common setup but may conflict with your personal usage of the device.
- Use a Computer: Any PC or Mac with an internet connection can run the service’s web player or desktop app.
- Dedicated Players: Some companies will sell or lease you a small “music player” box. You plug this box into your internet and your sound system. This is a good choice if you don’t want to use your own computer or tablet.
(More information on music for business playback options.)
The Right Music for Gyms of Every Type
“Gym” is a broad term. The music needs for a CrossFit box are very different from a Pilates studio. Look for a service that understands these differences.
Music for HIIT and CrossFit Studios
You need high-tempo, powerful music. The focus here is on raw energy and motivation. You should look for services with strong playlist filters for BPM (beats per minute) and genre – think rock or hip hop.
Music for Yoga and Pilates Studios
Here, silence is just as important as sound. You need calm, ambient, and instrumental playlists. The music must flow without ads or loud changes. A key feature is the ability to schedule playlists that match your class times.
Music for General Fitness Centers
A large gym has many areas. You may need a service that offers “zoning.” This lets you play upbeat pop in the cardio area, classic rock on the weight floor, and instrumental music in the locker rooms, all at the same time.
Frequently Asked Questions About Music for Gyms
Q: Can I just use my personal Spotify or Apple Music account in my gym?
A: No. Personal music subscriptions are for private use only. Using them in a business is a “public performance” and violates their terms. This can lead to large fines for copyright infringement. Remember, there is no Spotify for Business, Amazon Music for Business or Apple Music for Business.
Q: How much should I expect to pay for legal music for gyms?
A: Most services for a single gym location cost between $25 and $50 per month. This fee includes all the necessary music licenses (ASCAP, BMI, etc.), so you are fully legal. Find more information on legal music licensing.
Q: What hardware do I need to play music in my gym?
A: You usually don’t need special hardware. Most services work with a smartphone, tablet, or computer. You just connect your device to your gym’s existing amplifier and speakers. Some services also work with smart speakers like Sonos. However, there is no “Sonos for Business.” You will need to select a music for business provider that is compatible with the Sonos ecosystem. You can learn which providers are compatible quickly with our free music for business comparison tool.
Q: How do I filter explicit lyrics?
A: All major business music services include an explicit lyric filter. You can easily turn this on in the app’s settings to ensure your gym’s music is family-friendly.
Q: Can I play different music in my yoga studio and my weight room?
A: Yes. This is a feature called “zoning.” Many services offer this, though it sometimes costs extra. It allows you to play different playlists in different areas of your gym from a single account.
Q: Can my instructors control the music?
A: Yes. Most services have apps that you can give your staff access to. An instructor could use their phone to select a playlist for their class, while you maintain main control as the owner.
Q: Can I create my own playlists?
A: Yes. Many services allow you to import your own Spotify or Apple Music playlists. Others let you build playlists from scratch within their system, giving you total control. Our music for business comparison tool can help you quickly find providers that offer this feature.
Q: Can I schedule music for different times of the day?
A: Yes. Scheduling is a key feature of most services for music for gyms. You can set a schedule to automatically play high-energy music during your 5 PM rush and calmer music during off-peak hours.