After recent reports of YouTube blocking background play on third-party browsers, YouTube Music now appears to be limiting access to song lyrics for free users. Multiple users have been posting online that full lyrics are now locked behind a Premium subscription. The change appears to be rolling out more widely after initial testing last year. The change matters because lyrics have become a standard feature across streaming services, and restricting them could influence how users compare platforms.
As per online reports, YouTube Music free accounts are said to be capped at five full lyric views per month, after which only the first few lines remain visible, with the rest blurred out and a prompt reading ‘Unlock lyrics with Premium.’
The banner showing how many lyric views remain appears prominently within the app’s lyrics tab. Once the monthly limit is reached, users are directed towards a YouTube Premium subscription to regain full access. Google began testing Premium-only lyrics access in September 2025, and the company seems to be rolling out the restriction in phases.
WOW. Can’t believe lyrics are now a premium feature. All hail our corporate overlords! You will get less year by year, for more money, and you will be happy!
by u/u12bdragon in YoutubeMusic
By limiting access, YouTube Music is turning what was once a free utility into a subscription feature.
Recently, the company has tightened background playback on browsers and increased prompts encouraging users to subscribe. Background play, which allows audio to continue when the screen is off or another app is in use, remains a core Premium benefit on mobile.
A YouTube Premium subscription currently offers:
By adding lyrics to the Premium bundle, YouTube appears to be strengthening the perceived value of its paid tier.
Also Read: Spotify now lets you use lyrics, previews and translations offline: Here’s how
Spotify continues to provide full, time-synced lyrics to both free and paid users in most markets. The feature, powered by Musixmatch, is integrated into the main playback screen and does not currently require a Premium subscription. Free users still encounter advertisements and playback restrictions, but lyrics remain accessible.
Apple Music, which does not offer a free ad-supported tier in the same way as Spotify or YouTube Music, includes real-time lyrics as a standard feature within its paid subscription.
The key difference is that neither Spotify nor Apple Music has placed an additional paywall specifically on lyrics. In YouTube Music’s case, the restriction affects users who are already on a free tier, effectively reducing feature parity with rivals.
For users deciding between platforms, the change may influence the perceived value of YouTube Music. However, users who prioritise ad-free viewing across YouTube and Music, offline downloads, and background play may still find value in YouTube Premium.
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