Spotify has apparently found a new way to nudge its free users into a paid subscription: It’s putting the lyrics behind a paywall. Following various References quoting disappointed posts by users on Reddit, the company is quietly confirming the change — but without an immediate statement. Instead, the company told TechCrunch simply that Spotify’s features may vary over time, between markets and devices. The response suggests that the change in lyrics may be more than just a test, but that Spotify isn’t yet ready to make an official announcement about which markets will be affected.
However, there were some signs that Spotify was heading in that direction. Last fall, the company was spotted locking up lyrics for non-paying users. Free users who tried to access the feature would see a message that read: “Enjoy lyrics on Spotify Premium.”
However, at the time, a Spotify spokesperson clarified that the changes were “only a test” taking place with a limited number of users in a “pair of markets”. Spotify is no longer referring to the changes as testing, though it’s unclear why it doesn’t document access to lyrics as a premium feature somewhere on its site — such as on the page where users can upgrade designs or within the help documentation. This may be because the company is still testing the monthly limit on verses for free accounts. free users report seeing messages telling them that every time they hit Show Lyrics, it counts towards the new limit.
Spotify didn’t elaborate on why it’s now paywalling lyrics, but it’s clear that it’s an effort to push more people onto its paid tier. In the most recent quarter, the company reached 600 million monthly active users, above estimates, and paid subscribers were up to 236 million+, representing 15% year-over-year growth. However, quarterly revenue had missed analyst expectations 3.72 billion euros, instead to 3.67 billion ($3.94 billion).
Whether the blocking lyrics will drive more people to sign up remains to be seen. Lyrics are easily available and free via the web and in other apps that work alongside Spotify, such as Genius, Apple’s Shazam or Musixmatch, for example.
