YouTube Music has begun restricting access to song lyrics for free users, turning a feature that has been available at no cost since 2020 into a limited preview unless users subscribe to Premium.
According to reports from 9to5Google and multiple users, the Lyrics tab in the Now Playing screen now displays a notice reading: “You have [x] views remaining. Unlock lyrics with Premium.” Free users can view full lyrics for up to five songs. After that limit is reached, only a few opening lines are shown, with the rest of the lyrics blurred.
YouTube Music is owned by Google, which has been quietly testing this restriction since at least September 2025 with a limited group of users. While the company has not officially confirmed the change, signs suggest it is now rolling out more broadly, though it may still be part of an extended experiment.
One likely motivation is cost. Lyrics on YouTube Music are largely sourced from third-party providers such as Musixmatch, and limiting free access could reduce licensing expenses while nudging users toward paid subscriptions.
The move mirrors a similar decision by Spotify, which placed lyrics behind its Premium tier in 2024. That change sparked significant user backlash, eventually leading Spotify to restore free lyric access. Whether YouTube Music will face similar pressure remains to be seen.
YouTube Music Premium currently costs $10.99 per month in the United States. The subscription includes ad-free listening, offline downloads, background playback, and access to additional features. The price aligns it with major competitors including Apple Music and Amazon Music.
For now, free users should expect lyrics to be capped at a handful of songs, with full access increasingly positioned as a Premium-only benefit.
