Spotify Lyrics Not Working – How to Fix?

With millions of songs and podcasts to choose from, Spotify gives you a lot of reasons to use it, including the great interface, ever-growing variety of content, and sharing features that are getting updated and improved constantly.

Another great feature is the ability to view the lyrics of the song you’re listening to on Spotify.

Spotify Lyrics Not Working

It can, therefore, be very irritating when the Spotify lyrics feature is not working. Or when some songs appear not to have any lyrics uploaded at all. 

The inconsistencies in the availability of lyrics via Spotify have become the subject of discussion amongst users and artists alike. It is especially frustrating if you are a user who is paying for a premium Spotify subscription.

That’s why I’ve decided to dissect the lyrics feature of Spotify. I’m going to look at why some Spotify songs have lyrics, but others do not. As well as tips for situations where no lyrics seem to be showing up at all. So, let’s get straight to it. 

How Are Spotify Lyrics Generated?

Let’s start by answering one very simple question, “Where do the lyrics on Spotify come from?” Well, a couple of years back, Spotify integrated the use of a wonderful service called Musixmatch into their platform. 

What is Musixmatch?

This is a music data company that specializes in lyrics. Whether it’s getting the correct lyrics for a song, having the lyrics displayed in sync for a sing-along experience, or anything else that might have to do with the lyrics, they’ve got it covered. 

Initially, the deal between Musixmatch and Spotify only covered a small portion of Spotify’s market. After much nagging by users, particularly in America, Spotify agreed to make the feature available to all 26 of its markets. 

The deal was later expanded to 28 markets. Although, Spotify users in Japan are provided lyrics through a different platform owned by SyncPower.

Before all of this…

 Users had to make do with the feature called “behind the lyrics.” This was from Spotify’s partnership with Genius. It worked by showing short snippets of lyrics followed by trivia and other info about the song. 

The new Lyrics feature allows users to view the lyrics in real time and also allows you to share the lyrics. Lyrics is a feature available to free and Premium Spotify users. 

So How Does It Work?

Essentially, there is a constant synchronization taking place between the database of Spotify songs and the lyrics available through Musixmatch. If Spotify’s algorithm picks up lyrics for the song currently playing in Musixmatch’s database, it will make them available on the Spotify interface. 

The lyrics can be displayed while the song is playing. And you can follow along by simply scrolling as you listen to the tune. 

Most of the popular hits don’t even require the user to scroll. The lyrics will get highlighted in time with the music, and the display will auto-scroll when the track reaches the right place. It’s like having a karaoke machine built into Spotify. 

Spotify lyrics not working on certain songs…

As mentioned, this integration compares two databases and matches up the lyrics to the songs. The problem is that Spotify’s database contains more than 80 million songs, whereas Musixmatch’s database is around seven million. 

This means that there is a vast amount of lyrics that still need to be added to the Musixmatch database. This will surely take some time, and patience is the only solution we have. 

Accessing Lyrics via Spotify on Various Devices

Whether you are using a tablet, a smartphone, a laptop, a desktop computer, or even a smart TV, you can use the Spotify app to view lyrics for songs. 

The process might be a bit different for each one, so let’s dig in. 

Android and iOS devices 

When using the Spotify app on Android and iOS devices, the process for accessing the lyrics is the same. So, the following steps will apply to both platforms. 

1. Start by opening the Spotify App.
2. Find a song you want to hear and tap on it to start playing the track. 
3. Tap on the Now Playing bar at the bottom of the screen.
4. Once the Now Playing screen has been maximized, click on the Lyrics bar at the bottom of the screen to bring up the lyrics.
5. If you wish to view the lyrics in full-screen, tap on the Expand icon in the upper right corner of the lyrics window to maximize the lyrics. 

PC/Laptop

The lyrics feature on the PC version of the Spotify app is a bit more obscure. So, a lot of people believe that it’s only available on the mobile app version. This, however, is not true. Here’s how to access Spotify lyrics on a PC or laptop:

1. Start by opening the Spotify web player with your browser or by opening the Spotify Application on your PC. Find a song you would like to hear and click the play icon to begin playback.
2. Click on the tiny microphone in the bottom right of the screen on the Now Playing bar. 
3. The lyrics for the currently playing song should now be visible on the screen.

Spotify App for Smart TVs

Did Spotify know that once users got wind of this new lyrics feature, they would try some at-home karaoke with it, right? Well, luckily, the lyrics feature can be used on the Spotify TV app as well. Here’s how:

1. Start by opening the Spotify app on your Smart TV and navigating to a song you want to listen to. Click on the song to start it playing.
2. Select “Show Lyrics” in the bottom right corner of the interface.

It is important to note that the lyric feature is available on Android TV, FireTV, Samsung, Roku, LG, Sky, and Comcast.

How To Fix Spotify Lyrics Not Working

Let’s say that you can’t view the lyrics for a song on Spotify. You are sure it should have lyrics since it’s a very popular tune. Furthermore, someone that you share the Spotify plan with can view those very same lyrics. 

In a case like this, there might be some kind of issue on your end. A solution might lie in doing a simple reset of the app by logging out and in again or uninstalling and reinstalling the app on your device. The answer might also lie in doing some simple cleanup. Let’s look at how to do these things.

Log Out of Your Spotify Account Twice

Logging out and in again twice is a good way of taking care of potential bugs or other problems with Spotify lyrics. It has been reported to work for many other users. So, let’s have a look at how to do this:

Log Out of Spotify on an Android or iOS Device 

1. Start by opening the Spotify app and tapping on the gear icon to open the settings.
2. Scroll to the very bottom of the settings page and tap on the big white Log Out button.

Log Out of Spotify on your PC/Laptop

If you are using Spotify on a Windows or macOS machine, the process for logging out is the same. Simply click on the Profile button in the upper right corner of the screen. Then, click on “log out” at the bottom of the drop-down menu.

Log Out of Spotify on Smart TV App

Logging out of Spotify on a remote device like a Smart TV is not as straightforward as on a mobile device or PC. The best option is to use the “Sign Out Everywhere” option. Here’s how:

1. Open the Spotify webpage on your web browser, log into your account, and go to the account overview page. 
2. Scroll to the bottom of the page and then select “Sign Out Everywhere.”

Uninstalling and Reinstalling the Spotify App

Sometimes, simply logging out and back in again a few times will not be enough to get the Spotify lyrics feature to work again. Sometimes, the entire app needs to be reset by performing an uninstall and reinstall. 

That being said, when you do a simple uninstall and reinstall, there are still files that get left behind. These are small data and cache files associated with the installation. If you wish to have a truly clean install, it is best to remove these files first. 

Remove Excessive Playlists

Some users have noted that having lots of playlists with more than a thousand songs can cause problems. Things like lagging, total freeze-ups, and crashes have been mentioned online. Another feature this problem seems to affect is the lyrics feature.

Many users reported that after getting rid of several of their playlists, the lyric feature reappeared, and they could open and view lyrics with no problem. 

Contact Customer Service

If you have tried all the above-mentioned fixes and still can’t view the lyrics for the songs that you listen to, then you are left with no choice but to phone up Spotify’s customer service. 

Sometimes, an account needs to be adjusted to make lyrics available for that user. This is often the case with “family” Spotify accounts. These modifications can only be done by a representative of Spotify. So, don’t go browsing the settings for hours.

Here’s how to get in touch with Spotify…

Head on over to the Spotify contact page on their website. Here you can select which medium (Twitter, email, Spotify Community, etc.) you would like to use. 

Send them a message explaining who you are and what your problem is. It is also a good idea to explain all the previous fixes that you have tried to eliminate them from any potential suggestions Spotify might make. 

Also, make sure you have your User ID and password ready for when they do get back to you, as this will be necessary. 

Adding Lyrics To Spotify

As we’ve already established, the lyrics on Spotify are not sourced from Spotify but from the database maintained by Musixmatch. Musixmatch does not provide users the ability to upload lyrics of their own or edit the already existing lyrics in the database. 

The only way you can add or edit lyrics on Musixmatch and, therefore, Spotify is if you are a verified artist who wishes to add their lyrics. Or if you are a publisher who has been recognized by Musixmatch. 

If you’re a fan looking to upload lyrics of your own or want to add your twist to someone else’s lyrics, then you will want to consider third-party lyric sites. 

Alternatives to Getting Lyrics on Spotify

If you are not happy with the lyrics features available via Spotify, then third-party sites are your best option. Most of these only provide lyrics, but some of them do offer extras. For example, insightful news articles and quotes, chart information, and even some cool merchandise. 

At the moment, the two most popular sites for this would be Genius and AZLyrics. Let’s take a look at these two:

AZLyrics

AZLyrics has been around since 2000, which means it’s been adding to and correcting its vast database of lyrics for more than two decades. That’s not bad for an independent platform that gets added to by the public. 

AZLyrics hosts lyrics that are not just in English but in various languages. The site accepts submissions for corrections and new submissions from anyone willing to give it a shot.

There are requirements that you must meet, and the lyrics and/or corrections will be reviewed before they can be placed on the website. These reviews usually take around a week. You do not need to sign up or create a profile to make submissions. 

Genius

Genius was created in 2009 and has quickly grown into one of the biggest music discussion and analysis platforms in the world. The main focus of the website’s content is song lyrics. 

But, it also adds to the experience with insights, analysis, annotations, and discussions amongst its users to enrich the information available for each song.

How it works…

To participate in any way (add, edit, discuss, or analyze), you will need to sign up and become a member. But it’s well worth it if you are into this sort of thing or if it could be beneficial to your work. 

The site does have some lengthy guidelines as to the content you put up, but that’s a good thing, right? It means they are thorough. Genius has even developed a mobile app for easier and on-the-go access to the platform. 

Have Other Spotify Questions?

We can help. Take a look at our handy articles on How to Turn Off Shuffle on Spotify, How to Download Songs on Spotify, How to Change Spotify Username, Why Spotify Logged Me Out, and Can You See Who Liked Your Playlist on Spotify for more useful information.

Of course, you want to listen to Spotify. So, check out our in-depth reviews of the Best Headphones for Music, the Best Sound Quality Earbuds, the Best Headphones Under $200, the Best Bass Earbuds, and the Best Wireless Bluetooth Headphones you can buy in 2023.

Also, don’t miss our comprehensive reviews of the Loudest Portable Bluetooth Speakers, the Best Tailgate Speakers, the Best Waterproof Speakers, and the Best Wireless Outdoor Speakers currently on the market.

Spotify Lyrics Not Working – Final Thoughts

Spotify is arguably the most popular music-sharing platform on the internet. You listen to great tunes that get added to every single day. And you can enrich the experience by viewing the lyrics. In some cases, you can even have them light up as the song plays like a karaoke machine. 

But remember, these lyrics do not come from Spotify but Musixmatch. So, if you can’t view the lyrics to a particular song, it is because that song is probably not in the MusixMatch database. 

This is very common since it’s much smaller in size when compared to the number of songs in the Spotify database. 

If you cannot view lyrics for any song…

Try using some of the fixes above, and you should be fine. Otherwise, give Spotify support a call, or try sourcing your lyrics on a third-party site like Genius or AZlyrics. Better yet, why not try your hands at figuring out the lyrics yourself and uploading them?

Until next time, good luck, and happy listening.