YouTube Music has begun restricting access to complete song lyrics, making the feature available primarily to paid subscribers. According to a report by CNBC, the change has been in testing for several months and is now being rolled out to users across multiple regions, marking a significant shift in how free users interact with the platform.

Until now, lyrics were freely accessible on YouTube Music, allowing listeners to scroll through entire songs line by line. With the latest update, that experience is changing. Free-tier users can no longer view unlimited lyrics and must upgrade to a paid plan to unlock full access.

What Has Changed for Free Users?

Under the new system, users on the free version of YouTube Music are allowed to view full lyrics for only up to five songs. Once this limit is reached, the app restricts access by showing only the opening lines of a song. The rest of the lyrics appear blurred and non-scrollable.

A prompt on the “Now Playing” screen displays how many free lyric views remain, encouraging users to upgrade with a message such as “Unlock lyrics with Premium.” This approach closely mirrors tactics used by other music streaming platforms to convert free listeners into paying subscribers.

Why YouTube Music Is Making This Move

The lyrics restriction comes at a time when Google is increasingly focused on growing its paid ecosystem. The company recently announced that it has crossed 325 million paid subscriptions across services including YouTube Premium, YouTube Music Premium, and Google One.

In 2025 alone, YouTube reportedly generated over $60 billion in revenue from advertisements and subscriptions combined. By limiting popular features like lyrics, Google appears to be strengthening its strategy to push users toward recurring paid plans.

Industry analysts suggest that song lyrics are a high-engagement feature, especially among younger listeners, making them an effective incentive for subscription upgrades.

How This Compares With Other Music Apps

With this update, YouTube Music is moving closer to industry norms. Many rival platforms already treat lyrics as a premium or partially restricted feature, offering limited previews to free users while reserving full access for subscribers.

By aligning its model with competitors, YouTube Music is signaling that free access will increasingly come with boundaries, while premium tiers offer a more complete listening experience.

Who Still Gets Full Lyrics Access?

Users subscribed to YouTube Music Premium or YouTube Premium will continue to enjoy unrestricted access to full lyrics across all songs.

In the United States, YouTube Music Premium is priced at $10.99 per month. In India, Google offers YouTube Premium and Premium Lite, with plans starting at ₹89 per month, making it one of the more affordable premium music subscriptions in the country.

Additional Benefits of YouTube Premium

Beyond full lyrics access, YouTube Premium subscribers receive several added advantages, including:

• Ad-free music and video playback

• Background listening on mobile devices

• Offline downloads

• Access to AI-powered features like Ask Music

These bundled benefits position YouTube Premium as more than just a music service, but a comprehensive entertainment subscription.

What Users Should Expect Going Forward

As the rollout expands, the lyrics limitation is expected to become a permanent feature rather than a test. Free users may still enjoy music streaming, but with growing restrictions on high-demand tools.

For frequent listeners who rely on lyrics, upgrading to a paid plan may soon feel less optional and more essential.