SCHOOL OF ROCK ENTERS 2024 ON A HIGH NOTE FOLLOWING 25TH ANNIVERSARY YEAR FILLED WITH RAPID GROWTH, STRATEGIC ALLIANCES AND INDUSTRY ACCLAIM

CANTON, Mass., Jan. 11, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- School of Rock, the leader in performance-based music education, announced today that its record-setting 25th anniversary year in 2023 concluded with 27 new franchise agreements awarded during a year the brand's global footprint increased by nearly 20%, indicating a strong trajectory for continued growth in 2024.

Heading into its 26th year of business now under the umbrella of Youth Enrichment Brands ("YEB"), the leading youth activities platform that acquired School of Rock in Q4 of last year, School of Rock is proudly serving nearly 65,000 students across its global network, reflecting a 195% increase in enrollment since 2022. Through major expansion milestones achieved in 2023 including the opening of its 350th location in Chile, School of Rock now boasts 282 domestic schools and 77 international schools spanning 15 markets, with hundreds of locations still under development.

Other highlights from School of Rock's successful 2023 include:

• Named the 2023 Global Franchise Awards Grand Champion;
• Master franchisee Matias Puga Hamilton (Latin America) named by the International International Franchise Association ("IFA") as a 2023 Franchisee of the Year;
• Franchisee Dom Loiacono (Australia) named by Franchise Business Review as a 2023 Franchise Rock Star;
• Included in prestigious rankings such as Entrepreneur Magazine's 500 Top Children's Music Enrichment Brands and Franchise Business Review's lists of the Top Recession-Proof Businesses for 2023, the Top 50 Most Profitable Franchises and the Top 100 Most Innovative Franchises;
• Partnered and collaborated with prominent organizations such as SJC - Custom Drums, VocalEze and Gibson;
• Hosted a Songwriters Showcase at the American Songwriter Headquarters in Nashville;
• And performed at the Governor Ball Music Festival alongside Grammy-winning artists Kendrick Lamar, Lizzo and ODESZA.

"In 2023, we made incredible strides that position us to make an even bigger impact in 2024 and beyond," said School of Rock CEO Rob Price, who was named by Ernst & Young as New England's Entrepreneur of the Year for 2023. "We're embarking on this new year bigger and better than ever before, but we remain steadfast in our dedication to being an integral part of the communities we serve, fueled by purpose and committed to positive change that goes beyond just music."

With a commitment to expand this year well beyond its current 359 locations, School of Rock is already off to a strong start after announcing last week that it awarded master franchise agreements for four new countries, including Argentina, Bolivia, Ecuador and Uruguay.

Next month, School of Rock is set to take center stage in more ways than one at the IFA's 2023 convention at the Phoenix Convention Center in Phoenix, Arizona, from Feb. 17-20, 2024. School of Rock students will perform at the opening reception on Feb. 17 at 6:30 p.m., and multi-unit School of Rock franchise owner Kristen Kidd is scheduled to speak on navigating the leadership landscape on Feb. 17 at 11:45 a.m. Learn more at: https://www.franchise.org/convention.

For more information on School of Rock, visit www.SchoolofRock.com or call 866-695-5515. To learn more about School of Rock franchise opportunities, head to schoolofrock.com/franchising.

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 over 62,000. 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 is proud to support Music Will (formerly Little Kids Rock), the National Museum of African American Music (NMAAM), and the Society for the Prevention of Teen Suicide (SPTS). 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: 2023 Global Franchise Grand Champion; 2023, 2022 and 2021 Global Franchise's Awards Best Children's Service and Education Franchise; 2023 Entrepreneur Magazine's Franchise 500 Top Children's Music Enrichment Brand; 2021 Franchise Innovation Award for Most Innovative Use of Customer-Facing Digital Tools; Franchise Business Review's 2023 Top 200 Franchises and Culture 200 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.

Follow School of Rock on Facebook at www.facebook.com/SchoolofRockUSA and on Twitter at www.twitter.com/SchoolofRockUSA.

SOURCE School of Rock