YouTube Music has started expanding a new restriction for non-paying users. The change affects how free listeners access song lyrics on the platform. Google appears to be pushing this update to encourage more Premium subscriptions across YouTube services.
The lyrics limitation was first reported in September. At that time, YouTube Music was testing the feature with a small group of users. Recent reports now suggest the restriction is reaching a wider audience. Multiple users have shared similar experiences over the past few days.
According to reports posted on Reddit, free users are now limited in how many times they can view full lyrics. Non-Premium accounts are reportedly allowed five complete lyrics views. After reaching this limit, access becomes restricted.
Once the limit is reached, the lyrics panel changes. Only the first few lines of the song remain visible. The rest of the lyrics appear blurred. Users then see a message encouraging them to subscribe to YouTube Music Premium. Some users also receive an option to start a free trial if they are eligible.
When the feature is active, a progress bar appears above the lyrics section. This bar shows how many free views are still available. It also displays a message urging users to unlock full lyrics with Premium access. These details were highlighted in reports shared by 9to5Google.
The restriction does not appear to be active everywhere. Some free users report no changes to lyrics access. This suggests the rollout is happening gradually. The feature may depend on region or specific account settings. Google often uses phased rollouts for major updates on YouTube platforms.
This gradual expansion indicates the restriction may reach more users soon. Based on past rollouts, wider availability is expected in the coming weeks. Despite criticism from some users, the company is unlikely to reverse the change.
Spotify continues to follow a different approach. The service still offers full lyrics access to both free and Premium users. Although Spotify tested paywalled lyrics in the past, it later abandoned the idea.
YouTube Music Premium costs $11 per month. Spotify Premium costs $13 per month. However, Spotify’s free tier still includes lyrics access. This gives Spotify an advantage for non-paying users.
Spotify recently expanded its lyrics translation feature worldwide. The feature was first introduced in 2022. Spotify also added offline lyrics viewing, but this option remains limited to Premium users.
In other news read more about Apple May Launch iPhone 17e in Mid-February, Leaks Suggest
With development underway for months, YouTube Music appears committed to this strategy. Free users can still rely on third-party apps like Musixmatch and Shazam for real-time lyrics.
