No more free lyrics? YouTube Music may soon put song lyrics behind a paywall

YouTube Music has started limiting how often free users can read full song lyrics, marking a shift that may change how listeners use the app.

YouTube Music has started restricting access to song lyrics for users on its free plan, according to several reports. Google had earlier tested lyrics as a feature reserved for paid subscribers in September, and the company now appears to be expanding this change to more users.

YouTube Music may soon not let you read song lyrics for free. (Google)

By MD Ijaj Khan

Ijaj Khan is a technology journalist and Senior Content Producer at Hindustan Times, with over three years of experience covering the consumer technology industry. His work spans smartphones, laptops, wearables, gaming, appliances and AI - from hands-on reviews, comparison and buying guides to breaking news and in-depth features that help readers cut through the noise and make informed decisions. Before joining HT Tech, he worked with Jagran New Media, where he sharpened his instincts for fast-paced digital reporting. He holds a Post Graduate Diploma in English Journalism and Mass Communication from the Indian Institute of Mass Communication (IIMC), Delhi. Whether he's testing the latest flagship smartphone, tracking a major AI announcement, or putting a gaming laptop through its paces, Ijaj approaches every story with the same goal - making technology feel relevant and easy to understand for everyday users, not just enthusiasts. When he's not in front of a screen for work, he's usually travelling to a new city, hunting for great food, or keeping tabs on what's next in tech before everyone else catches on.

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How the New Limit Works

Under the new setup, free accounts can view lyrics for a limited number of songs each month. Reports suggest the cap stands at five songs per month, though Google has not officially confirmed the exact limit. Once users reach this threshold, the service only displays the opening lines of a song, while the rest of the lyrics remain hidden.

When the limit is close, YouTube Music shows a notice in the lyrics section. This notice counts down the remaining free lyric views and prompts users to upgrade. After the limit runs out, the app blurs most of the lyrics and displays a message encouraging users to unlock full access by subscribing to YouTube Music Premium.

Comparison with Spotify

The restriction does not appear to apply to all users at the same time. Some free accounts still show full lyrics without limits, suggesting that Google is rolling out the change by region or account type. Where the cap applies, users see a bar above the lyrics that clearly shows how many free views remain, along with an option to switch to the paid plan.

YouTube Music Premium currently costs $11 per month, while Spotify Premium costs $13 per month. Unlike YouTube Music, Spotify continues to offer full lyrics access to users on its free tier. Spotify previously tested a similar restriction but later chose not to implement it. The company recently expanded its lyrics translation feature to more regions and added offline lyrics viewing for Premium users.

Google’s move comes as music platforms look for ways to encourage paid subscriptions. While some users accept ads on YouTube Music’s free plan, limiting lyrics could push more listeners to consider upgrading or turn to third-party apps such as Musixmatch or Shazam for real-time lyrics. Whether this change increases Premium sign-ups remains to be seen.