Spotify lyrics finally roll out to all subscribers worldwide
You won't have to jump out of Spotify's app to find the words to that song anymore.
- Three Folio Eddie award wins: 2018 science & technology writing (Cartoon bunnies are hacking your brain), 2021 analysis (Deepfakes' election threat isn't what you'd think) and 2022 culture article (Apple's CODA Takes You Into an Inner World of Sign)
Spotify launched lyrics as a native feature of its service for all its users -- free and paid -- globally Thursday, widening a long-awaited product feature to its entire listener base after it was already native to its service in a few large corners of the world.
Spotify teased the news on social media the previous day.
Hint: It's what you've been waiting for...
— Spotify (@Spotify) November 17, 2021
Y R E M K Y O B Q I
D W L Y R I C S U Q
U R H A R E T Y P U
E C O M I N G R M L
W H X A G S Y K W
As the culture at large has shifted to streaming as the most common way people listen to tunes, Spotify's has emerged as the world's dominant music service. But while many Spotify users would have to jump out of its app to find the words to the song they were listening too, lyrics were pro forma features of rival streaming services. Until now, lyrics were a Spotify product feature only in India, Latin America and Southeast Asia. With the global rollout Thursday, Spotify listeners everywhere will be able access the words to the song they're hearing without having to go hunting for them on their own.
Lyrics will be available on Apple and Android mobile devices, desktop computers, smart TVs (including Android TV, Fire TV, Samsung, Roku, LG, Sky, and Comcast) and gaming consoles (including PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5 and XBox One).
To find lyrics on Spotify's mobile app, tap open the "now playing" view on a song and swipe up from the bottom on the screen while listening. Lyrics to that song will scroll in sync with the music. To share specific lyrics from that song on social media, tap the "share" button at the bottom of the lyrics screen and highlight the lyrics to share on a platform you choose.
On Spotify's desktop app, click on the microphone icon from the "now playing" bar. In the TV app, look to the lyrics button in the right corner of the "now playing" view and select whether you want to enable lyrics. Once they're turned on, you'll see lyrics in the "now playing" view by default.
Read more: Best streaming music service
