There are several benefits of using a gym to exercise, whether you’re putting in the miles on a treadmill or building core muscles lifting weights. Going to the gym gives the option of exercising with others which can be a huge motivating factor, and your workout won’t be affected by the weather. 

The physical benefits of exercising include helping you maintain your bone density, muscle mass and a healthy weight, and improving your cardiovascular health. For many people, the mental health benefits are the motivating factor that gets them through the gym doors. Improved mood, better sleep and lower stress levels are just some of the ways exercise helps to improve our mental health.

Whether you are pounding the pavement or working out in a gym, music is an important motivating factor for many that helps us keep going and power through even the toughest run or workout.

PPL free exercise music

This blog post explores why music is so important in a gym setting and how licence-free music can be a game-changer. And the first-class music and services Background Sounds provides to gym owners across the UK.

Why is Music Important in a Gym?

Listening to music while they work out is a vital part of many people’s fitness routines. Hearing motivating tunes helps them get into the zone, work harder and keep going when their energy levels dip. 

Listening to music while exercising activates your brain’s feel-good neurotransmitters like dopamine, helping to improve your mood which is a powerful tool when you’re feeling demotivated or sluggish. 

Playing the right type of music that matches the pace of your workout is often key to getting the most out of the tunes. So, fast-tempo tracks are best for running if you want to improve your endurance whereas slow beats will help you get into the cooling down and stretching zone. The variety of tracks and pace is important too, particularly if you are moving between machines and type of exercise. 

What Are the Music-Playing Options for a Gym?

If you’re a gym owner and want to play music for your members, you need to make sure you have an appropriate licence. To be able to play the radio or streaming services like Spotify, or even your own CDs, you legally need to have a PPL PRS licence. If you don’t, it could cost you a lot of money in fines. The cost of a PPL PRS licence will depend on the size of your building, its use and the number of people who use it.  We’ll get into this in detail soon.

The alternative to getting a costly licence is to play PRS PPL-free fitness music via a specialist royalty-free service. Royalty-free music is a legal way for businesses to play music for their staff and customers without the hefty price tag of a music licence from PRS PPL. This type of music isn’t registered with PRS PPL so they don’t collect royalty payments on behalf of the copyright owners.

That doesn’t mean that the music creators don’t get paid for their work. They do, but this is done by a music licensing company. It tends to be a much cheaper way of playing background music for businesses and is also less complicated as they pay for their subscription, either monthly or annually and that’s everything sorted.

PPL licence-free music

How Much Money Can You Save With Royalty-Free Music?

The cost of playing music in a Gym can vary massively but below are three price examples* for a PRS PPL music licence for a gym to give you a guide.

  • Small boutique gyms (2000 sqft) approx £830.00 (inc VAT) per year.
  • Medium-sized Gyms (4000 sqft) approx £1,435.88 (inc VAT) per year.
  • Large commercial Gym (10,000 sqft +) approx £1,707.14 (inc VAT) per year.

In comparison, an annual subscription to Background Sounds is £180 (inc VAT).

Our subscription price is per site, regardless of the gym size. It doesn’t change if you recruit more staff, or move to a bigger venue. It’s a clear price that gives you excellent value for money and an amazing music range that will motivate your members to move!

*Example prices based on the combined total of the PRS and PPL standard tarrif charges.

How Much Money Can You Save With Royalty-Free Music?

Background Sounds is one of the UK’s leading royalty-free music services, providing business owners with non-PRS PPL music they can play legally. We have a wide range of genres and over 50 expertly curated playlists. You can listen to playlist samples here.

We charge a flat fee which provides you with unlimited use and the ability to play whatever style of music suits your business.

Based on the above price examples savings made can be between £650 – £1,500 plus per year by swapping to our royalty-free music service.

Because we have such a wide range, you’ll never be struggling for choice. You can take out a subscription either monthly or annually and you can request a certificate that satisfies PRS PPL requirements. Giving you peace of mind that you can legally play our music without risk of being fined.

You have access to a great selection of playlists to help your gym members pump it up and get motivated during their workout. We’ve got everything from high-tempo Tech House, Afro Latin Beats, Trance and Rave. To the slower-paced Pure Pop and Stress-Free which are perfect for a cool down.

music subscription for business

We’re confident we’ve got the perfect playlists for your gym. But don’t just take our word for it; take our 7-day free trial and listen for yourself.

You’ll get access to our full playlist and there’s no requirement to add any payment details to start the trial. If it’s not for you, there’s no pressure to take out a subscription. 

About Us

Background Sounds is a specialist provider of royalty-free music. That’s music you can play without a PRS PPL Music Licence. We supply businesses across the UK with background music at a fraction of the cost of a music licence.

Access to the service is via our digital streaming platform and is available with a subscription. You can find out all you need to know on our home page here