Gym-Goers Furious as Cheap Cover Songs Replace Pop Classics in Workouts
Fitness enthusiasts and instructors are up in arms after the Better gym chain replaced licensed music with royalty-free cover versions, claiming the move is destroying the atmosphere and energy of exercise classes. The social enterprise GLL, which operates Better’s 250 leisure centres across England, Wales and Northern Ireland, cancelled its music licence on 1 March and began playing songs from the Power Music app to save an estimated £1 million per year.
The decision came after the cost of the music licence was set to rise significantly above inflation. However, instructors and gym members say the change has been detrimental. Rachel, a London-based instructor who teaches body conditioning, power pump, and aqua aerobics, said she had to create entirely new choreography and playlists at short notice. “I had to create everything from zero,” she said. The original switch was planned for 1 January but was delayed to 1 March after pushback.
Rachel described the Power Music tracks as “flat” and said the limited choice restricts her creativity, damaging classes and reducing attendance. “I spent my life finding music which inspires me and creating good choreography. Now, with Power Music, there’s flat music playing, and the class is flat too,” she said. “I chose this profession because I love to create atmosphere and motivate people to move. When I finish my classes, I feel sad.”
Power Music defended its service, stating that “everyone is entitled to their opinion” and that many instructors love the variety. The company also confirmed that none of its music is AI-generated. GLL said it is broadening the range of music genres, including Afrobeats, bhangra, and soca, and will continue to listen to feedback.
Jacqui Lewis, 51, a member of Better’s Clissold Leisure Centre in north London for a decade, said the change has made classes less enjoyable. Her Ukrainian Zumba instructor previously incorporated flamenco, ballroom, Irish dancing, and Ukrainian polka, but can no longer offer that variety. “The instructor is as professional, enthusiastic and inspirational as ever, but she can’t do the sheer variety that she used to,” Lewis said.
Gabby, 34, another member, said her instructor’s UK dance, garage, old-school rave, and drum’n’bass music has been replaced with “janky” American hits like Rihanna covers that fail to reflect the community. “It’s disrespectful of GLL to assume that instructors would just be able to do their classes to completely different music,” she added. Several petitions on Change.org have gained thousands of signatures, and a website called Better Scrap the App has been launched to coordinate opposition.
GLL defended the move, stating that rising music costs impact resources for community programmes. A spokesperson said: “While music plays an important role in creating an engaging and enjoyable class environment, these rising costs inevitably impact the resources available for our wider community programmes. As such, we must carefully balance how we allocate funding to ensure we continue to deliver maximum social value.”
PPL UK, which issues licences and collects royalties, noted that a move away from licensed music means less money for music creators. The company reported that revenue from fitness and dance class licensing rose by 5.6% year-on-year, and fees have not increased beyond inflation since 2018. For now, some members are considering leaving if instructors depart, while Rachel is looking for alternative work. “I have hopes that GLL will withdraw their decision,” she said. “I have delivered classes for more than 20 years. I can’t imagine doing something else. But I don’t know how long I can keep up like this, without freedom of music.”
