Spotify Lets You View Free Lyrics Again, But There’s a Catch
Spotify — the Swedish audio streaming service — is bringing back a much-requested feature months after it was put behind a paywall and removed from the free version, the company said. The lyrics feature is rolling out to non-Spotify subscribers following widespread backlash, but a monthly cap will still apply. The development comes weeks after the company detailed its plans for a new “deluxe” subscription tier that would offer users high-quality audio streaming.
Spotify lyrics return to free subscription level
Spotify first announced it would limit song lyrics for free users in September 2023, with a broader complaints on the service’s community forums and social media about the inaccessibility in May of this year. After this change, a Spotify Premium subscription would be required to view lyrics if free users exceeded a three-song limit.
A spokesperson for Spotify told TechCrunch reports that the music streaming platform is bringing back lyrics for users who don’t have a premium subscription. “In the coming weeks, we’ll be expanding the availability of lyrics to free Spotify users, so more people around the world can access more lyrics,” the spokesperson said.
However, Spotify does not offer unlimited access to song lyrics without a premium subscription. While the company did not specify the exact limit, a company representative said told 9to5Google that the number is “higher than anyone would ever achieve”. There is speculation that the changes will be rolled out across the platform in the coming weeks.
The music streaming service’s profit forecast for the second quarter of 2024 revealed that it has a total of 626 million active monthly listeners, of which only 246 million are paying subscribers. This means that more than half of Spotify’s user base is still on the free tier.
The company has also rolled out a price hike in recent months. In June, the price of all Spotify Premium subscriptions in the US increased for the second time in 12 months, with the Individual plan now costing $11.99 (roughly Rs. 1,003) per month, up from $10.99 (roughly Rs. 920).
