YouTube Music to charge for song lyrics

YouTube Music, YouTube's music streaming service, has been restricting free accounts from accessing lyrics, according to multiple reports. YouTube Music has been testing a feature that restricts lyrics display for free users, and it appears that this restriction is now being rolled out more widely overseas.

YouTube Music lyrics now require a Premium subscription
https://9to5google.com/2026/02/07/youtube-music-lyrics-premium/

YouTube Music starts putting lyrics behind a paywall | The Verge
https://www.theverge.com/streaming/875511/youtube-music-lyrics-paywall

Until now, anyone on YouTube Music has been able to see song lyrics. However, Google is testing a limit on showing lyrics only to YouTube Premium or Music Premium subscribers. When this limit is rolled out to accounts, a new card will appear at the top of the center tab on the 'Now Playing' screen, displaying messages like 'X plays remaining' and 'Lyrics available with Premium.'

WOW. Can't believe lyrics are now a premium feature. All hail our corporate overlords! You will get less year by year, for more money, and you will be happy!
by
u/u12bdragon in
YouTube Music

Also, free members can only view the first few lines of lyrics; the rest are blurred and cannot be scrolled.

Youtube music now needs premium for lyrics
by
u/Bruhyoulikejazz in
YouTube

Google is also testing a feature to translate lyrics for YouTube Music, which is currently free at the time of writing but may become available only to premium users in the future.