Spotify appears to have found a new way to drive free users into paid subscriptions. It's about putting the lyrics behind a paywall. The company has quietly confirmed the change following various reports citing complaints from users on Reddit, but has not issued a direct statement. Instead, the company told TechCrunch only that Spotify's features may change over time across markets and devices. This response indicates that while the lyric change may be more than just a test, Spotify is not yet ready to make an official announcement about the affected markets.
However, there were some signs that Spotify was moving in this direction. Last fall, the company was caught locking down free users' lyrics. If you are a free user and try to access this feature, you will see a message that says “Enjoy lyrics with Spotify Premium.”
But at the time, a Spotify spokesperson clarified that the change was “just a test” with a limited number of users in “a pair of markets.” Spotify is no longer calling this change a test, but it's unclear why it doesn't document access to lyrics as a premium feature somewhere on its website, such as on the page where users can upgrade their plans or in the help documentation. That could be because the company is still testing monthly lyrics limits for free accounts.free user report A message appears telling you that each time you tap Show Lyrics, it counts toward your new limit.
Spotify didn't provide details on why it's charging for lyrics, but it's clear that it's trying to push more people into the paid tier. In the most recent quarter, the company exceeded expectations, reaching more than 600 million monthly active users and up to more than 236 million paid subscribers, representing 15% year-over-year growth. However, quarterly sales came in at 3.67 billion euros ($3.94 billion), below the 3.72 billion euros expected by analysts.
It remains to be seen whether blocking lyrics will encourage more people to subscribe. Lyrics are easily available for free through the web and other apps that work with Spotify, including Genius, Apple's Shazam, and Musixmatch.
Reasons why TF Spotify Gon set a monthly limit on lyrics: 1. The lyrics are wrong 2. There are almost no lyrics 3. You can find lyrics for free on the Internet 💀
— Mark (@marcobanzz) April 30, 2024