Spotify's karaoke-style lyrics are gone, for now
The streaming service is no longer integrating Musixmatch's lyrics catalog.
If you tried to access Spotify's lyrics feature recently, you were likely greeted with a "Humming is fun" message instead. That's because the streaming service ended its partnership with Musixmatch, a company that power the tool with its catalog of song lyrics. Billboard reports that "updates" are on the way, though specifics aren't mentioned, so there's no concrete indication when or if the feature will return. Spotify does still offer insight into the meaning of a song's words, thanks to a separate partnership with Genius.
In a Medium post this week, Musixmatch explained that as of the end of May, its lyrics would no longer be available in the Spotify app. Musixmatch's library is still available through its own apps for Android, iOS, a Chrome app for YouTube and the web. "We don't want to run the risk of Musixmatch no longer existing, CEO and Founder Max Ciociola explained. "We would eventually like to offer this experience to third parties, however only if the economic value is recognized."
Spotify did confirm that the partnership was ending, but didn't elaborate on any future plans. "It was a great partnership and there is mutual respect between both companies as our business strategies move us each in different directions," a Spotify spokesperson told Engadget.
