Spotify May Soon Make Lyrics a Premium-Only Feature

The once freely available in-app lyrics, which typically accompanied the currently playing song, are likely set to become a premium-exclusive feature on Spotify (via The Verge).

Instead of displaying lyrics as usual, some non-Premium Spotify users are being greeted with a notification bubble that reads, “Enjoy lyrics on Spotify Premium,” along with a link encouraging them to upgrade their subscription.

Spotify has clarified that this move is part of an ongoing test.

CJ Stanley, Spotify’s co-head of global communications, stated, “At Spotify, we routinely conduct a number of tests, some of those tests end up paving the way for our broader user experience and others serve only as an important learning.”

However, no further details regarding the test’s scope or duration were provided.

While it remains possible that Spotify may eventually reintroduce lyrics to non-Premium users, the company’s primary objective appears to be enticing more users to subscribe to its Premium tier.

Spotify has been exploring various strategies to increase its subscriber base, including investing heavily in podcasts and audiobooks. However, the impact of these efforts has so far been limited.

One of Spotify’s successful Premium-only features is DJ, an AI tool that creates personalized radio stations. DJ offers a distinct music listening experience and has garnered positive user feedback.

Additionally, Spotify’s HiFi, a lossless streaming option, has been in anticipation for over two years and could serve as another incentive for users to upgrade.

The company is also actively working to engage content creators, integrate more video content into its platform, and position itself as the “TikTok for audio,” as CEO Daniel Ek has previously mentioned.

In the future, users may witness more innovative features being offered exclusively to Premium subscribers as Spotify continues its efforts to attract paying customers.