YouTube Music has reportedly started nudging its free listeners toward a paid subscription by, you guessed it, limiting access to full song lyrics. Free users seemed to be capped at five complete song lyrics per month, post which, only the first few lines of a song’s lyrics are visible, while the rest are blurred.
Full access, as far as I can tell, is only available if you cough up for the YouTube Music Premium ($10.99 per month) or YouTube Premium ($13.99 per month) subscriptions.
Dear @youtubemusic,
I recently noticed that the lyrics feature is now only available for Premium users. This has been disappointing because the lyrics were one of the main reasons I loved using the app, I hope you can make lyrics accessible for free accounts again. pic.twitter.com/duYUR5JsXD
— DEADLINE 🍀 (@j_nnie16) February 6, 2026
A new restriction for free users
Upon being asked about the development by Android Authority, Google has played it cool by stating that it’s merely testing the paywall.
“We are running an experiment with a small percentage of ad-supported users that may impact their ability to access the lyrics feature repeatedly,” clarifies Google.
It also notes that the experimenting isn’t affecting “the majority” of its global users; they shouldn’t see any changes to the lyrics feature.
While the company’s statement about routinely running experiments on YouTube Music to improve users’ experience is quite generic, there are plenty of user reports about the inaccessibility of lyrics, suggesting that this might not be a trial after all.
If it’s an experiment, it should go away soon
As mentioned in the report, free YouTube Music users can still access the Lyrics tab, but only with a warning at the top that reminds them about the remaining views and a message that says “Unlock lyrics with Premium.”
While we won’t go so far as to say that Google is intentionally hiding lyrics from users to force them into paying for the subscription, it is concerning that the company is calling it an “experiment.”
If it starts showing up for more people in the near future, it would be considered less of an experiment and more of a calculated push to convert free YouTube Music users into paid ones.
For more than five years, Shikhar has consistently simplified developments in the field of consumer tech and presented them…
YouTube Music can now turn your thoughts into a personalized playlist
Of course, AI is at play here. Unsurprisingly, you must have an active YouTube Premium or YouTube Music Premium subscription.
Getting work done by simply describing is the hottest new trend. You can prompt an iOS app and publish it to the App Store with Replit. You can have Claude handle work files and make changes without even opening them. And then there are tools like ChatGPT and Gemini that can handle everything from Deep Research to making viral images and videos. The music streaming segment is aboard the AI train, as well.
Google has today announced that you can now simply describe your mood in natural language, and the built-in AI will create a playlist for you. The new AI playlist feature is already rolling out within the YouTube Music app on Android and iOS platforms. All you need to do is tap the “New” button that appears in the bottom-right corner of the Library page.
The Blue Yeti is still the easiest “sound better instantly” upgrade, and it’s back under $100
A 32% discount drops the Logitech Blue Yeti to $94.99 for streaming and podcast setups
If you’ve ever watched a stream or a YouTube video and thought, “The visuals are fine, but the audio is rough,” you already know the truth: sound quality makes or breaks content. The Logitech Creators Blue Yeti USB microphone is $94.99, down from $139.99 for 32% off. For anyone starting a podcast, upgrading a WFH setup, or trying to make game chat and voiceovers clearer, this is one of those practical buys that pays off the first time you hit record.
get the deal
Your next AirPods might get tiny cameras to sense the world
Rumored built-in cameras could add spatial awareness and AI tricks without raising the price.
Apple’s next pair of premium earbuds could gain a feature that sounds more sci-fi than audio: cameras. A new leak, shared by well-known leaker Kosutami Ito, suggests that the upcoming AirPods Pro may include tiny built-in cameras or visual sensors designed to understand your surroundings better. Surprisingly, they might not cost any more than today’s model.
Next AirPods Pro can see around you. At same price avail.
— Kosutami (@Kosutami_Ito) February 8, 2026
