School of Rock Celebrates the Opening of 300th Location

Milestone school opens in Plymouth, MN

Global brand more than doubles student count and grows unit count by over 60% in five years, despite pandemic disruptions

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School of Rock

Oct 06, 2021, 09:00 ET

CANTON, Mass., Oct. 6, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- In 1979 Neil Young sang that "rock and roll can never die" and School of Rock is proving the lyric to be true. The leader in performance-based music education is opening its 300th location in Plymouth, MN, this month. The milestone marks School of Rock's progression to a scale that few franchises achieve and underscores the company's position as the premier music education brand with more than 45,000 students rocking around the globe.

"At a time when so many businesses have been disrupted, this is a particularly gratifying milestone for the School of Rock community," said Rob Price, CEO of School of Rock. "Reaching this scale speaks to the power of our concept and the relentless drive of our people. Few brands resonate equally in markets as different as Minneapolis and Madrid, but the School of Rock model has universal appeal."

Jora and Adam Bart, the owners of the newest School of Rock, epitomize the franchisee talent. Jora has nearly 20 years of diverse experience in entertainment and sports promotion and Adam is a lifelong musician and songwriter.

"Opening a School of Rock combines our passion for music, people and making a difference," said Jora. "One of my motivations for opening a School of Rock is to ensure that our three kids grow up to be kind and that they love music. It truly 'rocks' to open School of Rock's 300th location and be part of this incredible organization."

The brand's 300th punctuates five years of dramatic growth for School of Rock, including

Footprint growth from 168 domestic schools and 19 international schools in seven markets to 245 domestic schools and 55 international schools in 12 markets, with three new countries being added in the coming year;
Total active enrollment increased from 22,000 students in 2016 to almost 46,000 students today, along with 34% growth in average school enrollment;
Awarded U.S. Patent Number 10,891,872 for the revolutionary School of Rock Method™ in January, validating the company's pedagogy as an exclusive and novel innovation;
Expanded into retail musical instruments and accessories sales through the School of Rock GearSelect program through partnerships with 40 of the world's most recognizable gear brands;
Unveiled Limited Edition Gibson Les Paul Signature Model guitar with 100% of all profits from the sale of these guitars to the Save the Music Foundation;
Named "Best Children's Service and Education Franchise" for the Global Franchise Awards 2021;
Recognized as Top Children's Music Enrichment Brand in Entrepreneur's 42nd Annual Franchise 500;
Won Distinguished 2021 Franchise Innovation Award for its School of Rock Method App™;
Ranked #293 in the Franchise Times Top 400 2021;
Acknowledged among best in the industry for franchisee and corporate culture;
Earned a "Silver" award with Franchise Business Review (FBR) in the Franchising@Work awards;
Expanded diverse curriculum to include additional music by black and female artists;
Bolstered partnership with the Society for the Prevention of Teen Suicide;
Launched FrontWomen, a community resource group to support women leaders, educators and professionals.

School of Rock provides students of all ages an exciting and engaging learning environment for taking guitar lessons, drum lessons, bass lessons, keyboard lessons, and singing lessons. Drawing from all styles of rock and roll, School of Rock students learn theory and techniques via songs from legendary artists such as Led Zeppelin, Lenny Kravitz, Aretha Franklin and Green Day. Thanks to the school's patented performance-based learning approach, students around the world have gained superior instrumental skills and confidence on the big stage, with some moving on to record deals and larger platforms such as American Idol, The Voice and Broadway.

About School of Rock
School of Rock helps aspiring musicians master skills, unleash creativity, and develop tools they need to thrive in life. Founded as a single school in Philadelphia, Pa. in 1998, School of Rock has become a rapidly growing international franchise with over 500 schools open and in development across 15 global markets. Since 2009, School of Rock has grown its student count from 4,000 to almost 46,000. School of Rock offers a wide variety of music lessons, including guitar lessons, singing lessons and piano lessons. The company also sells musical instruments and music gear through its GearSelect program. School of Rock was awarded US Patent 10,891,872 in 2021 for its innovative music education method. School of Rock also has garnered the following industry awards: 2021 Franchise Innovation Award for Most Innovative Use of Customer-Facing Digital Tools; 2021 Global Franchise Awards Best Children's Service and Education Franchise; 2021 Entrepreneur Magazine's Franchise 500 Top Children's Music Enrichment Brand; Franchise Business Review's 2021 Top 200 Franchises and Culture 100 list; 2020 Entrepreneur Magazine's Top 200 Franchise and the #1 Child Enrichment Franchise; and 2018 Forbes # 2 Best Franchise Medium-Level Investment Award and the #1 Music Franchise in America.