Let’s shed some light on what you legally require to ensure you are operating within the legal requirements for music.
TheMusicLicence gives you the right to play or perform music in public. It does not give you the right to, for instance, broadcast music, make it available online or copy it onto physical products such as CDs, DVDs or digital devices. These activities are licensed separately.
If you teach exercise to music fitness classes, then chances are you will use music in your workouts. You should make sure that the venue in which you are teaching holds the appropriate licences – in the vast majority of cases, including all fitness centres, clubs, etc., it is the responsibility of the venue to procure that licensing.
It’s only if you teach in community centres, privately hired halls and the like where it may fall to the instructor to sort the PPL component of TheMusicLicence, as the PRS component is normally again still the responsibility of the venue.
If original artist music is used in any venue, then both PPL and PRS components of the TheMusicLicence are required. If you use cover version music (soundalikes), then most often only the PRS component of the TheMusicLicence is required. And finally, if an instructor uses completely copyright-free music, then neither PPL or PRS licensing is required.
Many group X instructors are using subscription streaming services, like Spotify, as a source of music. Quite often clubs and fitness centres also use these apps for background music as well. The terms and conditions of such apps state that they are for personal entertainment only and therefore are not licensed for public performance in a venue.
There are, however, legal subscription services and apps out there for group exercise instructors that provide high-quality, bespoke music for all genres of classes. Take a look at mygroupfit.com which is the world’s largest original artist fitness compilation library. Try the app now and get three months’ free unlimited access to the ultimate digital music subscription service. There are over 450 albums available and all are professionally mixed and evenly phrased for fitness classes, with new compilations added every month.
So go and check it out – and stay legal.
