YouTube Music is testing a new lyrics restriction for non-Premium users, capping access at five views per song. That could be connected to the lyric-sharing tool that was released in June.
Once users hit the limit, the remaining lyrics are blurred, prompting them to upgrade to YouTube Music Premium or start a free trial if eligible.
YouTube Music’s Lyrics Paywall
YouTube Music
According to The Verge, free users can only see the first few lines of a song after reaching the five-view threshold. A progress bar above the lyrics indicates how many free views remain and includes a prompt to “Unlock lyrics with Premium.”
Currently, the rollout is regional, meaning not all users are affected yet.
Read more:
YouTube Music Introduces ‘Find in Playlist’ Feature to Instantly Locate Your Favorite Songs
Spotify vs. YouTube Music
Unlike YouTube Music, Spotify continues to offer full lyrics to both free and Premium users. Although Spotify briefly experimented with paywalled lyrics, the feature was abandoned.
Spotify has also expanded lyrics translation globally and added offline lyrics for Premium subscribers, giving it a notable advantage over YouTube Music for free-tier listeners.
YouTube Music Premium Pricing
According to Sammy Fans, a premium subscription costs $11/month, slightly cheaper than Spotify Premium at $13/month. By restricting lyrics for free users, Google is likely aiming to boost paid subscriptions, though the change may frustrate users accustomed to unrestricted access.
Free Alternatives for Lyrics
Listeners seeking unlimited lyrics can turn to apps like Musixmatch and Shazam, which provide real-time lyrics similar to YouTube Music. Despite backlash, the five-view cap appears to be a permanent strategy to convert free users into subscribers.
In November, YouTube Music brought the “Find in Playlist” feature, where you can easily search for your favorite songs. It will save you time and energy because it won’t let you scroll through extensive playlists anymore.
Related Article:
YouTube Music’s New Search Placement Makes Finding Songs Easier in 2025