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YouTube Music Tests Limiting Lyrics for Free Users

A small, surfaced trial restricts lyric views and echoes Spotify’s short‑lived 2023 paywall.

Overview

  • Free listeners report a cap on lyric views followed by prompts to upgrade to YouTube Premium for full access.
  • Evidence of the trial originated from Reddit user Xinfinte and was subsequently covered by Dataconomy and PCWorld.
  • PCWorld notes similar attempts by Spotify last year to gate lyrics for non‑subscribers, a move it later reversed after complaints.
  • Discussions point to third‑party lyric licensing from firms such as LyricFind or Musixmatch, suggesting costs could be a factor though motives are unconfirmed.
  • The restriction appears to be a limited experiment rather than a platform‑wide policy change, with broader rollout and user response still unclear.