Spotify has decided that, from now on, song lyrics will only be available on a Premium plan. Until now, the lyrics were also available for the “freemium” experience. With this, the company seems to want to encourage users to switch to a paid plan.
Spotify was testing to hide song lyrics behind a paywall last year. The test was temporary and limited in scope. Now, more users are reporting that the service is requiring them to pay for the Premium plan to enjoy lyrics. This is in addition to the other limitations that free-tier Spotify users face.
Spotify free-tier users will no longer enjoy song lyrics
Currently, if you want to use Spotify without paying, the experience can be a little frustrating. You’ll find limitations like only six track skips per hour, forced shuffled playback, and unskipable ads. Now, the absence of song lyrics is added to the list. Song lyrics is one of the most valued features of music streaming services, either to better understand the songs you listen to, or to use them in improvised karaoke.
According to Android Police, Spotify could implement a limited song lyrics system for free users. As with track skips, the “free lyrics” count would reset every so often. However, there are still no more specific details on this matter.
YouTube Music’s free-tier is becoming more attractive
Given the situation, YouTube Music stands as a “savior” for free-tier users. First, Google’s music streaming service still offers song lyrics for everyone without limitations. Plus, users can enjoy unlimited skips, skippable ads, and a non-forced shuffled queue. The drawback of YouTube Music for free users is that screen-off and background playback are not available in the mobile app. However, this is not a problem in the web version.
Spotify is working on more changes that could affect its reality in the music streaming market. Recently, it began implementing price increases in some regions. The new basic plan no longer includes access to audiobooks. Meanwhile, a new “Music Pro” plan will begin offering lossless-audio music soon.