\u201cI want you to make me feel like I\u2019m the only girl in the world.\u201d The voice sounds like Rihanna, but it is thinner and less emotive, and the original song\u2019s groove bassline has been replaced by a generic backbeat.<\/p>\n
This is a cover song produced by the Power Music app. Some gym-goers will never hear the real Rihanna, or any other well-known artist, again, because GLL \u2013 the social enterprise that owns and operates Better and its 250 leisure centres across England, Wales and Northern Ireland \u2013 decided to cancel its music licence and instead play royalty-free songs from the Power Music app from 1 March.<\/p>\n
The decision, says GLL, was made after the cost of its music licence was set to \u201cincrease significantly, well beyond the rate of inflation\u201d. Scrapping the licence is expected to save the group \u00a31m a year.<\/p>\n
But instructors and gym members alike are up in arms about the change, saying that it\u2019s killing the energy in workouts. It also potentially feels like part of a broader shift in the public realm, where cheap-to-make music could start to edge out well-loved artists from gyms, shops, pubs and more \u2013 particularly as AI becomes more widespread.<\/p>\n
For Rachel, who teaches classes such as body conditioning, power pump and aqua aerobics at Better centres across London (her name has been changed), the switch has meant inventing new choreography and new playlists at short notice. \u201cI had to create everything from zero,\u201d she says. The change was intended to start on 1 January, with instructors notified on 11 December. But after some pushback, it was delayed until 1 March to give instructors more time to adjust.<\/p>\n
Cover me \u2026 instructors say they have had to come up with entirely new routines to suit the new songs. Photograph: Lim Weixiang\/Zeitgeist Photos\/Getty Images<\/p>\n
Rachel says there is a \u201cvery limited choice\u201d of tracks on Power Music, which is restricting her creativity, damaging her classes and \u201csignificantly reducing\u201d attendance. If attendance falls too low, her classes may be cut.<\/p>\n
\u201cI spent my life finding music which inspires me and creating good choreography \u2026 Now, with Power Music, there\u2019s flat music playing, and the class is flat too,\u201d she says. \u201cI chose this profession because I love to create atmosphere and motivate people to move. I\u2019ve danced since I was five years old. When I finish my classes, I feel sad.\u201d<\/p>\n
double quotation markI spent my life finding music which inspires me \u2026 When there\u2019s flat music playing, the class is flat too<\/p>\n
Responding to these criticisms, Power Music \u2013 which creates new tracks as well as cover versions \u2013 said \u201ceveryone is entitled to their opinion\u201d, and said there were numerous instructors \u201cwho love our music and variety\u201d. The company also said that none of their music is AI generated.<\/p>\n
Jacqui Lewis, 51, who has attended Better\u2019s Clissold Leisure Centre in Stoke Newington, north London, for the past decade, says the change has made her classes less enjoyable. Previously, her Ukrainian Zumba instructor would supplement the classes\u2019 Latin dances with flamenco, ballroom, Irish dancing, pop and even Ukrainian polka.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe instructor is as professional, enthusiastic and inspirational as ever, but she can\u2019t do the sheer variety that she used to,\u201d she says. \u201cIt means a lot to her to have us all dance to a Ukrainian folk song, and it meant a lot to us too.\u201d<\/p>\n
Gabby, a 34-year-old who did not want to give her surname, feels similarly. Since March, her instructor\u2019s \u201camazingly choreographed\u201d, UK dance, garage, old-school rave and drum\u2019n\u2019bass music has been replaced with \u201cjanky\u201d American hits \u2013 such as Rihanna covers \u2013 which fail to reflect the community that uses the gym. The instructor, Gabby says, would rather be playing \u201cthe music she grew up listening to, and is still passionate about. It\u2019s an oversight, trying to shoehorn people into playing music that doesn\u2019t represent them.\u201d<\/p>\n
Cover girl \u2026 one gym member described Power Music\u2019s output as \u2018characterless and flat\u2019. Photograph: FG Trade\/Getty Images<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s disrespectful [of GLL] to assume that instructors would just be able to do their classes to completely different music,\u201d she adds. \u201cThey don\u2019t seem to understand the level of work that goes into planning classes, and they\u2019re not paying instructors more to do this.\u201d<\/p>\n
Several petitions protesting the move to Power Music have been registered on Change.org, the largest of which<\/a> now has over 4,500 signatures. And a website called Better Scrap the App<\/a> has been set up to \u201ccoordinate next steps to persuade GLL to reverse this policy\u201d.<\/p>\n double quotation markI don\u2019t go clubbing any more. This is the nearest I can get to that amazing feeling of a room of people bouncing up and down<\/p>\n When I put the criticisms to GLL, a spokesperson said: \u201cWhile 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.\u201d<\/p>\n GLL says it is broadening the range of music genres available, adding Afrobeats, bhangra and, shortly, soca tracks. \u201cWe will continue to listen to feedback and explore ways to further enhance our music offering over the coming months.\u201d It also says it is following in the footsteps of other gym chains.<\/p>\n When a Power Music cover version gets played in a gym, the songwriter receives royalties for the use of their lyrics and compositions, but the performer of the original song does not receive performance royalties. A spokesperson from PPL UK, which issues licences and collects royalties for performers and rights holders in the UK along with PRS for Music, said: \u201cUltimately, a move away from licensed music means less money in the pockets of music creators. If businesses move away from licensing music, then creators will not be paid for that use.\u201d<\/p>\n