YouTube Music Limits Free Users to 5 Songs' Lyrics Per Month

YouTube Music free users now face a harsh reality: only 5 songs worth of lyrics per month. After that, they'll see just the first couple of lines before everything blurs out.

The Lyrics Paywall Goes Live

Google has been testing lyrics as a Premium-exclusive feature since September, and reports suggest this restriction is now rolling out more widely. Once free users hit their 5-song monthly quota, they're greeted with "Unlock lyrics with Premium" prompts—a not-so-subtle nudge toward the $10.99 monthly subscription.

This move follows a familiar playbook in music streaming: gradually restrict free features until users cave and subscribe. Spotify pioneered this approach with ad interruptions and skip limits, and now YouTube Music is applying the same pressure to lyrics access.

When Lyrics Become Premium Content

The timing isn't coincidental. Lyrics have evolved from nice-to-have extras to essential features, especially for younger listeners discovering international music or wanting to sing along. In an era where K-pop, reggaeton, and other non-English genres dominate global charts, lyrics help bridge language barriers.

For many users, reading lyrics while listening has become as fundamental as seeing album artwork. It's about understanding, connecting, and participating in the music experience—not just passive consumption.

The Freemium Squeeze Intensifies

Music streaming services are systematically dismantling the free experience. First came ads, then skip limits, followed by offline restrictions, and now lyrics paywalls. Each restriction pushes users closer to a subscription decision: pay up or accept an increasingly degraded experience.

But there's a delicate balance here. Push too hard, and users might jump ship to competitors. Apple Music doesn't offer a free tier, while Spotify maintains more generous free access to lyrics. YouTube Music's aggressive approach could backfire if users feel nickel-and-dimed.

The Broader Streaming Wars Context

YouTube Music faces unique challenges. Unlike Spotify's music-first approach, it competes with regular YouTube, where users can find most songs with user-generated lyrics in comments or descriptions. This internal competition might explain the aggressive monetization push—Google needs to differentiate the paid music service from its free video platform.

Meanwhile, emerging platforms like TikTok Music and regional services continue pressuring established players. Every feature restriction risks pushing users toward alternatives that offer more generous free tiers.

The answer might reshape how streaming services balance free access with paid perks, determining whether lyrics join the ranks of essential premium features or remain accessible to all music lovers.