YouTube Music can now show Android and iOS users lyrics

Back in February, some YouTube Music users noted on Reddit that they could access lyrics for different songs on their mobile apps. It was an interesting feature, but limited in scope as not everyone could check it out. Now, as The Verge first spotted, YouTube Music has launched lyrics for all iOS and Android users whether they have the free or Premium tiers of service. It's a work in progress, with some problems, but it's perfect for anyone who's ever struggled to remember the words for that one pesky song.

Enter LyricFind — The feature isn't available in the web player (yet), but it's a welcome addition to mobile nonetheless. YouTube Music has collaborated with LyricFind for the new feature, and has finally joined the likes of Spotify, Amazon Music, and Apple Music, which all include the option to view tracks' lyrics. Though, even on existing services, lyrics tend to only be available for relatively mainstream music — you're not going to find them for indie deep cuts, whether on YouTube Music or anywhere else.

Thom Yorke for the test drive — YouTube Music's straightforward and user-friendly layout makes the addition of lyrics quite the treat. On the left side of the mobile screen, you'll notice the info button. Once you hit it, you'll get the lyrics for the song you're playing beneath the video.

As mentioned, not all songs are accompanied with lyrics on the side. For example, YouTube Music has yet to offer lyrics (both original and translated versions) for some foreign songs, including "Roman" by Mashrou Leila. So when you hit info for "Roman", for instance, you will land on an empty page. For the most part, though, this collaboration between the platform and LyricFind is great. Here's an example of "Suspirium" by Thom Yorke on the iOS version of the app.

After hitting info, YouTube Music displays the lyrics for you.

What about songs that are almost indecipherable? — Yorke is easy. He ennunciates and doesn't bury his voice beneath layers of effects. But what about songs in the thrash, death, and black metal genres where growling, screaming, and howling is de rigueur? YouTube Music and LyricFind have those figured out, too, by and large. If you need convincing, look up "Ratamahatta" by the legendary and guttural-sounding Sepultura.

Static but we'll take it — In addition to having somewhat limited translation and real-time capabilities, YouTube Music's lyrics addition is static. This means you'll have to scroll up and down to read the words to your chosen song. But these details shouldn't discourage you from giving it a go. If nothing else, you'll finally know what Michael Stipe from R.E.M. is singing in "It’s the End of the World."