Perhaps one of the worst feelings for an athlete is arriving to the gym and realizing that you have forgotten your headphones at home. As your heart sinks, you realize that, begrudgingly, you will have to listen to the music over the loudspeakers at the gym. And with this realization, you may begin to ask yourself, just why is gym music so bad?
And I don’t mean kind-of bad, I mean really bad. As in, maybe I should trek back home for my headphones bad. As in, should I pop over to the nearest electronics store and purchase the cheapest headphones they have bad. As in, should I even workout today bad.
Yeah, we’ve been there, and we’ve thought the same exact thing.
Well, below we’re going to review just why gym music is so bad. While you likely won’t be able to change the music, at least you’ll be comforted in knowing that you’re not alone in your feelings.
Gym Music Isn’t Meant to be Popular
This may seem like an unpopular or slightly controversial statement, but gym music is so bad because it is not meant to be popular. And while that may seem paradoxical, it is in fact very true.
You see, gym music isn’t meant to be popular. Nor is it meant to be liked by all members. Rather, the music at the gym is meant to exude a feeling of confidence, of a can-do attitude, and to stir up emotions of inspiration.
That is why, too often, the music at the gym will trend towards up-tempo and electronic fixtures. These sound rhythms are most often associated with a motivated, can-do mindset. In addition, these musical rhythms are easy on the ears and don’t take much effort to listen to.
I mean, you would rather hear electronic and up-tempo music at the gym rather than Beethoven, right?
Gym Music is Meant to Mask Other Sounds
Similarly, when a gym plays music over the loudspeakers, they are doing so not in an effort to attract more members or appeal to current members. Rather, it is done to mask other sounds that are occurring at the gym. You see, the music being played is meant to act as a cover so that members can better focus on their own workouts.
Think about the last time you were at the gym. Now, imagine being at the gym and removing the music from the loudspeakers. What do you hear?
Grunting, flexing, the sound of weights crashing on to the floor, people panting with sweat dripping down their faces. While these are all normal sounds that are expected at the gym, they aren’t sounds that are particularly attractive.
To combat these naturally occurring sounds, gyms will play music over loudspeakers, at a slightly higher decibel level.
Gyms Can’t Appeal to Everyone
My wife loves Adele, she listens to Drake on repeat, and Nicki Minaj may be her spirit animal. While I don’t dislike any of those artists, they aren’t my go-to’s.
Needless to say, long car rides can be difficult for both of us. And while I tend to think, and believe, that both my wife and I are capable of compromising, it becomes infinitely more difficult to compromise when you are looking to gauge the interests of thousands of members.
Honestly, gyms have to walk a fine line when it comes to playing music. They need to choose a genre that is generally acceptable to most members, music that won’t offend any member, and music that is somewhat popular and new.
And in doing so, gyms simply cannot appeal to every musical taste. Rather, they must find a happy middle, a genre that is generally accepted by all, and a musical genre that will act as a motivator to most members.
Gyms Simply Don’t Care
Lastly, and perhaps most bluntly, gym music is so bad because gyms simply don’t care. And we don’t mean to say that in a nefarious, evil, or ill-mannered sense. Rather, gyms and gym owners understand that the vast majority of their members have smartphones capable of playing music.
And with services like Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube Music, and Amazon Music, gym members can choose from nearly millions of songs to their liking. So, with such a vast array of available music at their fingertips, gyms and gym owners are less inclined to cater the music they play. At the end of the day, most members are simply not listening to the music at the gym.