YouTube Music has begun widely restricting access to song lyrics for users who don’t pay for a subscription, a move that is sparking frustration among its free tier.
Multiple user reports have spiked over the past few days, confirming that a test the company began in September is now rolling out for everyone. The new policy limits non-paying users to viewing full lyrics for just 5 songs. After that limit is reached, the lyrics panel will show only the first few lines, with the rest blurred out.
When the restriction is active on an account, a prominent bar appears above the lyrics showing the number of free views remaining. It includes a prompt to “Unlock lyrics with Premium” or start a free trial.
See also: How to transfer YouTube Music playlist to Spotify (and vice versa)
A YouTube Music Premium subscription costs Php149 per month. The service’s main rival, Spotify, which charges Php169 per month for its premium tier, continues to offer full lyrics access to all users, including those on its free, ad-supported plan. Spotify briefly tested locking lyrics behind a paywall in 2021 but reversed the decision shortly after.
This change for YouTube Music comes just days after Spotify announced it is expanding a feature that translates lyrics into different languages globally, a tool that had been limited since its 2022 launch. Spotify also recently added the ability for premium subscribers to view lyrics offline.
Given that this plan has been in testing for months, it is unlikely YouTube Music will reverse course due to user complaints. The strategy’s success in boosting premium sign-ups remains to be seen.