YouTube Music May Put Song Lyrics Behind A Paywall For Free Users

YouTube Music has begun restricting access to full song lyrics for users on its free plan, potentially marking a shift in how the streaming service monetises features previously available at no cost. Under the new setup, free users can only view lyrics for a limited number of songs each month , reportedly around five , after which only the opening lines are shown and the rest are blurred. A prompt then encourages listeners to upgrade to YouTube Music Premium to unlock full lyrics.

The change follows earlier tests of paywalled lyrics and appears to be rolling out to users in various regions, though Google has not officially confirmed the exact limits or rollout details. In the app, a counter displays how many free lyric views remain and offers a prompt to subscribe once the threshold is reached.

YouTube Music Premium, which currently costs around $11 per month, includes ad-free playback and other perks alongside lyric access, whereas rivals like Spotify continue to offer full lyrics to free users. The move may drive some listeners toward paid subscriptions or push them to seek lyrics through third-party apps.