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Music Licensing for Fitness and Dance

Music plays a crucial role in fitness classes and in accompanying other dance and fitness activities, as it sets the tone, motivates participants, and creates an energetic atmosphere. As a fitness business, you need to be mindful of music usage and copyright laws to ensure you’re using music responsibly, while staying legally compliant.  

How to Obtain a Music License for Your Fitness Business  

If you use music in a studio or as part of your fitness instruction, we’ll make sure you have the right license(s) you need to build an experience that keeps your clients energized. Here’s how music licensing in Canada for fitness businesses works: 

Who Needs a Music License? 

  • Gym or fitness studio owners/operators  
  • Dance studios 

Which Licenses Do You Need?   

Depending on how you’re using music, you may need one or more of the following music licenses:    

  • Physical Exercises and Dance Instruction  

How Much Does a Music License Cost?  

The fees for these licenses are set by the Copyright Board of Canada. We offer various RE:SOUND and SOCAN licenses for fitness businesses and studios, and you only pay for the music that is used. The cost is usually based on number of participants and types of activities taking place. 

Why music licensing matters:  

Getting the right music licenses like RE:SOUND and SOCAN through Entandem is essential. These licenses ensure that music creators are properly recognized and paid for their work. They let you use music legally and ethically, which helps support the music industry. Without them, business owners and operators could face legal trouble for copyright infringement.  

Get Licensed

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need a music license if I use a digital streaming service in my fitness activities?

Yes, you usually do. Personal subscriptions to streaming services are meant for individual use only. If you play music from a streaming service in a public or commercial setting, you’ll need public performance licenses. We can help you figure out which RE:SOUND and SOCAN licenses are right for your business, event, or organization based on your music usage.

I am an independent fitness instructor. Do I still require a license?

It is the responsibility of the space or facility where the fitness class or dance instruction is given to obtain appropriate music licenses. Please contact Entandem if you would like more information.

If I don’t use Canadian-made music, do I still have to get a music license?

Yes. Entandem administers public performance licenses on behalf of RE:SOUND and SOCAN, each of which represents the public performance rights in virtually all copyright-protected music used in Canada, not just Canadian-made music. Royalties collected by each organization for performances in Canada of music made by non-Canadians are distributed to their creators through reciprocal agreements each organization (or in RE:SOUND’S case, its member organizations) has with affiliated societies around the world.

Do I need different music licenses for dance rehearsals and recitals?

Dance activities or lessons are different from a performance that typically has an audience. For these cases, you should contact Entandem for guidance on the type of license you will need.

My studio/gym has multiple locations. How do I obtain licenses for all of them?

Please contact us at license@entandemlicensing.com and we’ll set up a head office account to ensure all locations are properly licensed.