YouTube Music has introduced a new feature that lets listeners follow along with song lyrics. However, free users can only see the first few lines before the rest gets blurred. To access complete lyrics, users need to upgrade to a premium account, which is $14 for both music and video or $11 for music only. Premium users also enjoy ad-free listening and higher-quality streams.
This move is reminiscent of Spotify, which restricted lyrics for free users back in 2024. The backlash was intense, prompting Spotify to restore access for ad-supported accounts. YouTube Music might not face the same level of outrage, though. Many subscribers might not even notice the change since they pay for the ad-free experience.
Interestingly, as Google tightens restrictions on free accounts, its revenue continues to soar. In the latest earnings report, YouTube brought in around $60 billion, nearly $10 billion more than the previous year, thanks to both ads and subscriptions.
But why isn’t Google using AI to generate lyrics for free? Despite experimenting with various AI features recently, like automated comment summaries and fake DJs, it hasn’t ventured into AI-generated lyrics yet. This approach leaves many wondering about the company’s strategy.
As more users turn to streaming services, it’s clear that companies are finding innovative ways to monetize these platforms. In the long run, how user-friendly these platforms remain may determine their success. Will YouTube Music face the same backlash as Spotify, or will it manage to keep its audience despite the changes?
