Don't Stop

Another year has passed without the return of music that once moved us — physically, emotionally, and collectively. In its place, Epidemic Sound has become the reluctant soundtrack to our gym lives. Yet the conversation has never stopped. Instructors and members alike have continued to provide feedback, contacting branches and head office to call for the reinstatement of rights-managed music.

Quietly and persistently, we have reminded them that royalty-free playlists are not delivering the atmosphere, emotional connection, motivation, or cultural energy that VA gyms once thrived upon. The consequences have become increasingly visible: quieter classes, declining attendance, talented instructors stepping away, and an intangible sense of joy slowly dissipating from the experience.

So we don't stop, hoping those concerns are finally being heard. Perhaps decision-makers are beginning to recognise what has been lost, not simply in music licensing terms, but in community, motivation, and identity. Maybe they see the empty spaces where energy and joy once lived. Maybe they understand that music was never background noise, but an integral part of the experience itself.

Perhaps not today, but maybe tomorrow.