Embarking on a Music Career in Fitness

Feed.fm interviewed representatives from three of our digital fitness partners–The Beachbody Company, CITYROW, and Aaptiv Division at PEAR Sports--to understand “Who’s in charge of music?” These workout music decision-makers have diverse expertise, both music and non-music job responsibilities, and creative sensibilities resulting from unique experiences in music, career trajectories, and connections to fitness and health.

Since we last reported on the fitness app ecosystem, there’s been tremendous change as the pandemic has accelerated adoption of digital tech. Consider the following stats:

• About 30% of U.S. smartphone owners used a health or fitness app monthly in 2020.
• Consumer spending on health and fitness apps in Q1 2022 was up 20%.

• The global market for fitness apps has ballooned to $1.1 billion, on pace to grow to $4.7 billion by 2030, according to the analysis firm Grand View Research.

Kanye West is a big deal. He’ll be the first to tell you so. My favorite Kanye lyric—"Damn, Ye, it'd be stupid to diss you, Even your superficial raps is super-official"—was served up as playful punnery within Late Registration’s “Gone” (2005). These boastful words have proven to be surprisingly prophetic.

We're motivated by the power of music to impact experiences in ways big and small.  No surprise, we've written a lot on the subject and have always gravitated to the concept that "Music is Performance-Enhancing." While the claim may seem hyperbolic, it's no empty boast. Many groundbreaking research studies and neuroscientists have demonstrated the positive effect of music on one's mood, the impact of pairing music and fitness, and its power to impact neurological and physical recovery. But that's just the tip of the iceberg.

At Feed Media Group, our team of highly-skilled curators manages hundreds of bespoke music stations for our business partners. This curation is at the core of what we offer as a B2B music integration platform. While technology and analytics play a critical role throughout the curation process, it’s the expertise, inquisitiveness, and ability of our curators to put the world around us into perspective that make our music stations so effective.

We know how it is: you WANTED to keep your 2021 fitness goals...but this year feels an AWFUL LOT like 2020 so far...and you’re having trouble motivating for that run, bike ride, yoga class, etc. (Yes, we ARE still talking about our New Year’s Resolutions, even in March.)

Fitness has permanently changed. Since COVID-19’s arrival there’s been an explosion of online content, with brick-and-mortar gyms pivoting swiftly into digital programs their members can access at home, and digital fitness brands driving record growth. As coronavirus spikes across the country, the fitness industry continues transforming...even as gyms and studios consider safety precautions that will eventually allow users to return in greater numbers.

Check out our scare-tastic selections for a Top 25 Halloween Songs of All Time Playlist...

Listen to the full YouTube playlist here.

“[Music] brings back the feeling of life when nothing else can.” — Neurologist & Musicophilia author Oliver Sacks

Isn’t 2020 over yet?? Nope. But we are, finally, nearing the 4th quarter. With the arrival of Labor Day and fall, it might be helpful to take a moment to step back and TAKE CREDIT for how hard we’ve all been working this year. That’s the point of Labor Day right? It’s hard to recall a time when reflecting on one’s work--medical professionals, essential workers, loyal telecommuters, working parents, brave protesters for racial justice, politicians (those actually working to keep us safe and solvent), those unexpectedly working to find a new job, etc.--was more important.