NEW YORK, January 20, 2026 — YouTube Music is preparing to restrict access to full song lyrics to Premium subscribers only, according to a report citing internal documents and sources familiar with the matter. The change would end free access to lyrics for non-paying users, aligning the feature with other premium-only perks.
Currently, lyrics are available to all YouTube Music listeners during playback, synced with the song and displayed prominently in the app. The proposed shift would require a YouTube Music Premium subscription (currently $10.99/month or $109.99/year) to view complete lyrics, while free users would see only partial lines or none at all.
The move follows similar decisions by Spotify and Apple Music, both of which locked lyrics behind paid tiers in recent years. YouTube Music has historically offered lyrics for free as a competitive advantage, especially in markets where Spotify and Apple dominate paid subscriptions.
A YouTube spokesperson declined to comment on future product plans but stated: “We’re always exploring ways to improve the experience for our users and creators, and we’ll share more when we have something to announce.”
The change, if implemented, could generate additional revenue for YouTube Music, which has struggled to match Spotify’s subscriber growth despite integration with the main YouTube platform. Lyrics are one of the most frequently used features in music apps, with millions of daily views, making them a valuable incentive for conversions to paid plans.
User backlash is likely. Forums and social media already show frustration with paywalled lyrics on competing services, with many citing lyrics as essential for sing-alongs, language learning, and understanding song meanings.
YouTube Music has not announced a timeline or confirmed the plan. The feature remains freely accessible in the current app version.
