Can I Use Spotify in My Yoga or Meditation Class?
No. Spotify's terms only allow personal, non-commercial use, so playing it in a paid yoga or meditation class isn't covered. That applies in a studio, a village hall, on a retreat and on Zoom. To play music in your classes, you need music that's licensed for that use.
Plenty of teachers use Spotify anyway, and most never hear a word about it. But nobody noticing yet doesn't give you permission. This post explains why, what a PRO music licence does and doesn't fix, and the simplest way to sort it out.
This is general guidance, not legal advice. Rules vary from country to country, so check locally if you're unsure.
What Spotify's terms say
Spotify gives you permission for "personal, non-commercial use" of the service and its music. A paid class is commercial use, so it falls outside that permission.
The same goes for a free taster class that promotes your paid ones. It's still part of your business. Apple Music, YouTube and similar apps have the same kind of personal-use terms.
Upgrading to Premium doesn't change any of this. Premium removes the ads. It doesn't add any rights to play music in your business.
"But the venue has a music licence"
A venue's music licence still doesn't make Spotify OK to use. Two separate permissions are involved, and you need both.
The first is permission to play recorded music in public. In the UK, that's usually TheMusicLicence from PPL PRS. In the US, it comes from PROs such as ASCAP and BMI. These licences pay songwriters and record labels when their music is played to an audience.
The second is permission from the service you're playing the music through. Spotify's terms still say personal use only, and a PRO licence can't change another company's terms.
So a studio with TheMusicLicence still shouldn't play a personal Spotify account in classes. It needs a music source that allows business use as well. PPL PRS makes the same point. Its guidance for exercise classes, which mentions yoga by name, tells teachers to check that streaming platforms allow commercial use.
Who needs the licence: you or the venue?
It depends on your set-up. If you teach in a studio that plays its own music, the studio may already hold a licence. If you hire a hall and bring your own speaker, you may need your own.
PPL PRS says instructors who run classes in venues need a music licence in place. Ask the venue what they hold, and check with PPL PRS (or the PRO in your country) if you're not sure.
What about online classes?
Online classes have the same problem, plus a few more. Spotify's terms still apply, and streaming music to a group means playing it to an audience.
In the UK, PPL PRS offers a licence for online fitness classes. Even with one, you still need a music source that allows that use. There's a practical snag too. Video calls often cut or muffle background music, so the sound your students get can be patchy.
If you record classes for replay, you need the right to use the music in a recording. That's yet another permission. Our guide to meditation content on YouTube covers why recordings get flagged.
What actually happens if you use Spotify?
Most of the time, nothing happens. Even so, the risks are real enough to take seriously.
- A letter from a licensing body. PROs do contact businesses that play music. You may be asked to buy a licence and pay for past use.
- Action on your account. Spotify can suspend or close accounts that break its terms.
- Questions from a venue. Larger studios, gyms and corporate clients often ask teachers how their music is licensed.
- Claims on recordings. If a class recording ends up online, the music can trigger a copyright claim.
Playlists cause problems in the room as well. Ads on free accounts, gaps between tracks and sudden changes of mood all pull people out of the practice. Our post on what makes great yoga class music goes into this.
Your options
There are three main routes. Each suits a different kind of teacher.
1. A business music service, plus a PRO licence
Some streaming services are built for businesses and licensed for playing in public. You'd usually pair one with a PRO licence where needed.
This suits studios that want lots of variety. Check that the service covers classes as well as shop background music. And check whether it covers recordings, if you make them.
2. Music that's free of PROs and licensed for classes
Some royalty-free music has never been registered with a PRO and comes with a licence for live classes. With music like that, there's nothing for a PRO licence to cover.
That's how Melobleep works. Our music has never been registered with PRS, PPL, ASCAP, BMI or any other PRO. One purchase covers live classes, online sessions and recordings, for good. If you also play other music in the same classes, you may still need a PRO licence for that music.
3. Silence, or your own live sound
Plenty of lovely classes use no recorded music at all. Your voice, the breath and a singing bowl can be enough.
Sounds you make yourself are a different matter from recorded tracks. Improvising on a bowl or a drum is your own sound. Playing other people's songs live, even on a guitar, can still need a PRO licence.
A simple set-up for most teachers
For most yoga and meditation teachers, a small licensed library does the job. You don't need thousands of songs.
- One calm music bed for the main practice. A long, steady track you can talk over. A 60-minute sound bed covers a whole class without looping.
- One track for savasana or the final rest. Softer and slower than the first.
- One specialist track, if you need it. Paced breathwork music, or a frequency track for deeper work.
Download the files to your phone or laptop and play them offline. No ads, no gaps and no surprises.
See exactly what's covered on our licence page, or get the full picture in music licensing for wellness practitioners. Before you buy from anyone, our 10-point licence checklist will help you compare. And our page on royalty-free meditation music explains how our licence works for classes.
FAQs
Can I use Spotify Premium for my yoga classes?
No. Premium removes ads, but the terms are still for personal, non-commercial use. A paid class falls outside that.
What if my class is free?
It's still risky. A free class that promotes your business is business use. And playing music to a group can need a PRO licence whether you charge or not.
Does TheMusicLicence let me play Spotify in class?
No. TheMusicLicence covers playing music from the PPL and PRS catalogues in public. Spotify's own terms still limit you to personal use, so you need a music source that allows business use too.
Can I play music from YouTube in my class?
It has the same problem. YouTube's terms are written for personal use, and you can't control the ads. Use music with a licence that names live classes.
What music can I legally play in a yoga or meditation class?
Music with a licence that covers live classes. That could be royalty-free music licensed for sessions, or a business music service paired with a PRO licence where needed.
