This free YouTube Music characteristic simply vanished behind a paywall

For those who use YouTube Music without spending a dime, sadly, Google has determined to lock considered one of its finest options behind a paywall.

The characteristic in query is lyrics, which, because the identify suggests, lets customers view the total lyrics of the track they’re listening to within the app. It first launched in 2020 and, till just lately, was out there to all customers at no further price whereas streaming songs on YouTube Music.

Nonetheless, again in September, Google quietly started testing a change that put lyrics behind a paywall. In accordance with 9to5Google, that restriction has began rolling out far more extensively over the previous few days, affecting many extra customers. Reviews about this on Reddit have additionally began popping up.

Whereas lyrics are actually largely locked behind a paywall on YouTube Music, free customers aren’t fully shut out. Free customers can now view the lyrics of solely 5 songs per 30 days, and something past that requires a YouTube Music subscription, which begins at $11 a month. When this restriction impacts your free YouTube Music account, you may see a bar above the lyrics exhibiting what number of free viewings you’ve got left, together with an choice to “Unlock lyrics with Premium.”

Why is YouTube Music doing this?

Spotify nonetheless affords lyrics without spending a dime…

There are lots of issues on this world that drive me loopy, and options that had been free for years instantly being locked behind a paywall is on that checklist. YouTube Music has now completed precisely that by placing lyrics which have been free for 5 years behind a subscription paywall.

Google, which owns YouTube Music, hasn’t formally defined why it is making this alteration. That stated, there’s been hypothesis concerning the reasoning. One possible rationalization is that YouTube Music depends on companies like LyricFind and MusixMatch to supply and show track lyrics within the app, which presumably include prices. To assist offset these prices, Google could have determined to lock lyrics behind a paywall (through Android Authority).

It is also price noting that whereas YouTube Music is now locking lyrics behind a paywall, Spotify, considered one of its greatest opponents, nonetheless affords lyrics without spending a dime. Spotify really examined placing lyrics behind a paywall in 2024, however after dealing with important backlash, it backed off and by no means rolled it out absolutely. Apparently, Google missed that memo.

I will admit that YouTube Music nonetheless affords stable worth, particularly because it’s bundled with YouTube Premium. Nonetheless, the truth that track lyrics are not free seems like a foolish resolution. Fairly than convincing extra customers to subscribe, it may find yourself pushing individuals towards one other platform, like Spotify.