Bach to RockFranchise Cost, Revenue & Review 2026
Data from FDD filing + SBA 7(a) records
FranchiseVerdict summary · 2026
A Bach to Rock franchise requires a total initial investment of $255K – $545K, including a $45K franchise fee and an ongoing 7.0% royalty[2]. Per the 2025 FDD, average unit revenue was $579K[2]. Verdict grade: A. Run a live ROI scan →
Data last verified June 18, 2026 · figures per the 2025 FDD issuance
Overview
- Investment
- $255K – $545K
- 46th pct Education
- Avg gross sales
- $579K
- 26th pct Education
- Royalty
- 7.0%
- 17th pct Education
- Units
- 59
- 51st pct Education
- SBA default
- 0.0%
- system-wide median varies by category
Quick verdict · Education · color = vs category peers
Green = >15% above Education avg · No shading = within ±15% · Red = >15% below avg · Source: FDD filings + SBA 7(a)
Data from public FDD filings and SBA records. Not financial advice. Methodology
Franchised units fell from 48 to 44 over 3 years. Investigate why operators are leaving.
Bottom line
- Total investment $255K – $545K including a $45K franchise fee, 7.0% ongoing royalty.
- Average unit revenue of $579K/year (median $534K).
- Verdict A (Top Quintile) with a risk score of 43/100.
Item 1 · who you're contracting with
The Franchisor
- Legal entity
- America’s Music School LLC
- Parent company
- Music Makers Holdings LLC
- Incorporated in
- MD
- HQ
- 4910 Cordell Avenue, Bethesda, MD 20814
- Auditor
- Baker Tilly US, LLP
- Audited financials
- Franchisor revenue
- $2.8M
- vs $3.0M prior year
Overview
About
Bach to Rock franchisees operate music instruction studios offering lessons in instruments (guitar, piano, drums, voice) and ensemble classes for children and adults. Day-to-day operations include managing instructors, scheduling lessons, maintaining instruments, recruiting students through marketing, and delivering customer service to families in protected local territories.
- CEO
- Brian Gross
- Headquarters
- MD
- Founded
- 2011
- FDD year
- 2025
- States available
- 22
FDD Item 7 · 2025 filing
Initial investment breakdown
| Cost component | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Initial franchise fee | $45K | $45K |
| Working capital (3–6 mo) | $20K | $40K |
| Equipment, build-out, other | $190K | $460K |
| Total initial investment | $255K | $545K |
Source: Bach to Rock 2025 FDD, Items 5 and 7[2]. “Equipment, build-out, other” is computed as total minus disclosed line items above.
Single-unit · estimated
Returns at a glance
Indicative numbers using FDD Item 7 / Item 19 inputs and category-benchmarked cost ratios. Full single-unit, 25-unit portfolio, and LBO models (with every input editable to stress-test your own scenario) live on the financials page.
Store EBITDA · annual
$75K
13.0% margin
Unlevered ROIC
18%
EBITDA / total invested capital
Payback
5.7 yrs
cash-on-cash, unlevered
Item 7 · what it costs to open + operate
The Vitals
- Total investment
- $255K – $545K
- Near category avg vs category
- Liquid capital req'd
- $20K – $40K
- Better than avg vs category
- Franchise fee
- $45K – $45K
- Better than avg vs category
- Royalty
- 7.0%
- Gross Sales · typical 6–8%
- Ad fund
- 3.0%
- typical 3–5%
- Total fee load
- 10.0%
- vs 9–13% typical
Ongoing fees · Item 6
| Fee | Amount |
|---|---|
| Royalty | 7.0% of gross sales |
| Marketing / ad fund | 3.0% of gross sales |
| Technology fee | $250 |
| Transfer fee | $20K |
| Renewal fee | $9K |
| Total fee load | 10.0% of rev |
Financial Performance
- Avg gross sales
- $579K
- Per unit, per year
- Median gross sales
- $534K
- Item 19 type
- Actual
- Sample size
- 55 units
- vs category median 14 · large
- Range (low → high)
- $157K→$1.2M
- Cohort dispersion (min → max)
- Transparency
- 7 / 5
- vs category median 4 / 5 · above
Compared against 237 Education brands
vs Education averages
How Bach to Rock Compares
Unit growth
Item 20 · unit dynamics
The Growth Chart
- Total units
- 59
- Opened
- 4
- Last reporting year
- Closed
- 0
- Turnover rate
- 0.0%
- Company-owned
- 11
- Corporate units in the system
- % franchised
- 81%
- vs corporate-owned
- Net growth (yr3)
- +6.7%
- Net unit change last year
- 3-yr CAGR
- +9.1%
- Compounded over last 3 years
3-year detail · Item 20
- Transfers (3yr)
- 1
Year-over-year franchised unit counts and net change. Source: FDD Item 20.
Item 20 · 20 states with active franchisees
The Territory Map
Derived from franchisee contact records. Shows states with at least one current operator. Not where the franchisor is registered to sell new units (that data is re-extracting in a future refresh).
States derived from franchisee contact records (FDD Item 20). Shows states with at least one current operator on file. Full state registration data (Item 12) will appear on a future FDD refresh.
SBA loan performance
Government records
SBA Loan Data
Aggregated from SBA loan disclosures. This brand has only 8 7(a) loans on file; statistical reliability is limited below 10 loans.
- Total loans
- 8
- Loan volume
- $3.5M
- Median loan
- $310K
- 50th percentile
- Charge-off rate
- 0.0%
- rates vary by category · see methodology
Historical SBA 7(a) lending data, not predictive of future performance. How SBA charge-off rates are calculated
- Repayment rate (PIF)
- 100.0%
- 5-yr charge-off
- 0.0%
- Loans approved 2021+
- Active lenders
- 4
- Defaults
- 0
Explore lender portfolios on Bank Reports or regional data on State Reports.
Premium insight
SBA Lending Report
Deep-dive into Bach to Rock's SBA lending history: lender network, geographic footprint, interest rates, and more.
SBA Lending Report
- Principal loss rate and NAICS industry benchmark
- 4 lenders with concentration factor
- Per-state charge-off rates across 6 states
- Startup risk premium and job creation velocity
- 4-year lending trend
Instant access. No subscription.
Risk analysis
FranchiseVerdict rating + FDD Items 3, 5, 6, 12, 17
Risk & Legal
Bach to Rock presents moderate-to-cautious risk due to undisclosed profitability metrics, slow unit growth, and capital-intensive business model lacking transparent performance data.
Audited financials (Item 21)
Yes · Baker Tilly US, LLP
Franchisor revenue (Item 21)
Franchisor entity revenue (not unit-level)
Score breakdown · what drove the 43 / 100 rating
- 01MEDNo Item 19 (Average Unit Volume) disclosed despite $579K average revenue claim — prevents accurate ROI validation
- 02MEDNet income not disclosed — unable to assess profitability or payback period on $254K-$544K investment
- 03MINORSlow unit growth of 6.7% YoY with only 59 locations suggests mature/saturated market or recruitment challenges
- 04MEDHigh initial investment ($254K-$544K) relative to disclosed revenue ($579K) creates thin margin for error
- 05MINORMusic education franchises face high operating costs (instructor salaries, instrument inventory, facility rent) with seasonal demand volatility
Severity inferred from the FDD text · not a regulatory classification
FDD Items 5, 6, 12, 17 · continued from Risk & Legal
Contract & Territory Detail
| Initial term | 10 years |
|---|---|
| Renewal term | 5 years |
| Allowed renewalsℹ | 1 |
| Territory type | surrounding area |
| Protected territory | Yes |
| Online sales rights | Granted |
| Franchisor can compete | Yes |
| Hire a manager? | Allowed |
| Owner-operator | Optional |
| Non-compete (years)ℹ | 2 years |
| Right of first refusalℹ | Yes |
| Termination notice | 30 days |
| Mandatory arbitration | No |
| Jury trial waiver | Yes |
| Governing law | Maryland |
| Litigation count | 0 |
Items 10, 11
Training & Operations
- Classroom training
- 40 hrs
- On-the-job training
- 24 hrs
- POS system
- Harmony Gateway
- Operating tech stack
Items 5 & 11
Franchisor Support
Technology: Harmony Gateway
Item 20 · call current owners
Franchisee Contacts
57 owners to call
Name · phone · city · state. Extracted from FDD Item 20
FDD download
Bach to Rock · FDD (2025) PDF
Frequently asked questions
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does it cost to open a Bach to Rock franchise?
The total investment to open a Bach to Rock franchise ranges from $255K – $545K, with an initial franchise fee of $45K. This includes real estate, equipment, inventory, and working capital as disclosed in their Franchise Disclosure Document (FDD).
What do Bach to Rock franchise owners earn?
According to Item 19 of the Bach to Rock FDD, the average gross sales per unit is $579K. The median is $534K. Note: this is gross revenue, not profit. Actual owner earnings vary based on location, operating costs, and management.
What is Bach to Rock's franchise failure rate?
SBA 7(a) loan charge-off data is not available for Bach to Rock (fewer than 10 loans on file). Charge-off rates are one way to gauge franchise risk, but not all franchise loans go through the SBA program. We recommend reviewing turnover and closure data in the FDD and speaking with current franchisees.
How many Bach to Rock franchise locations are there?
As of their most recent FDD filing, Bach to Rock has 59 total units in the United States, including 48 franchised units and 11 company-owned units. 4 new units were opened in the latest reporting year.
Is Bach to Rock a good franchise to buy?
FranchiseVerdict rates Bach to Rock as a A-grade franchise with a risk score of 43 out of 100, based on our analysis of investment costs, revenue data, SBA loan performance, and growth trends. Our rating is based solely on publicly available FDD and government data; we recommend speaking with current franchisees before making any investment decision. This is not investment advice.
Data sourced from public FDD filings and SBA 7(a) FOIA records. Not financial advice.
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Data extracted from public FDD filings and SBA 7(a) loan disclosures (FOIA). This information is provided for research purposes only and does not constitute financial, legal, or investment advice. Verify all figures with the franchisor's current Franchise Disclosure Document before making any investment decision.