Choosing BPM and Sections for Your Cheer Division
Common tempos
Most competition cheer music sits between about 140 and 155 BPM. IPP Cheer Music describes 146 BPM as the common sweet spot, and count tracks are often recorded at 145 BPM. Sources: IPP Cheer Music BPM guide and Power Music 8 count track article.
Producers often slow mixes for younger or developmental teams so skills stay clean, while elite mixes tend toward the faster end. These are industry habits, not rules, so test with your own athletes. Source: Limelight Cheer Music 8 count chart.
How to choose
- Run a section of the routine to a count track at two or three tempos and film it.
- Pick the fastest tempo where landings and motions stay sharp.
- Keep one tempo for the whole mix unless a section, such as the pyramid, clearly needs a slower feel.
- Recalculate your 8 counts at the chosen tempo with (seconds x BPM) / 480.
Sizing sections
Give each section only the 8 counts its skills need, then add a clean transition hit. A 2:30 mix at 146 BPM has roughly 45 to 46 eight counts in total, so a long dance means less room elsewhere.
Always confirm the time limit for your division in your event producer rules for the current season.
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FAQ
What BPM is most common for cheer music?
Around 145 to 147 BPM, with most mixes between 140 and 155 BPM.