In short: Some Spotify lyrics are wrong and not synced because they are provided by another company (Musixmatch). The lyrics are written and synced by people who can make mistakes.
I enjoy the synced lyrics feature on Spotify ever since I moved to Premium.
However, I can’t help but notice some songs either have a wrong lyric line here and there, show the line incomplete, or even have completely wrong lyrics attached to them.
Let’s talk about the bad lyrics on Spotify. If the lyrics are wrong, gone, delayed, or not synced, you can help to fix the lyrics, even if you’re just a casual listener on Spotify.
Why are Spotify lyrics wrong and delayed?
Some Spotify lyrics are wrong because they are user-generated. The lyrics on Spotify are provided by a company called Musixmatch, where anyone can contribute song lyrics.
Since the Musixmatch platform is community-based, some of the lyrics submitted to Spotify will be wrong and not synced properly. It’s just the result of human error.
To contribute to the database, anyone can sign up and contribute lyrics, synchronizations, translations, and structuring to get points and move up levels.
After someone submits the lyrics, Musixmatch will proofread them, then attach them to a song title and an artist’s name. The finished lyrics will be integrated with Spotify.
Some mistakes can pass through the inspection, causing the lyrics shown on Spotify to become wrong and in some cases, delayed. Mistakes are inevitable considering there are millions of lyrics.
Think of Musixmatch as a platform where transcribers can sign up to write and sync lyrics. It’s basically a large pool of freelancers writing lyrics for Spotify, so there will be errors.
Can you add, change, or edit lyrics on Spotify?
You cannot edit the lyrics if you’re just a casual Spotify listener.
All lyrics on Spotify are licensed and synced by Musixmatch. You can only add or change lyrics if you are a verified artist on Musixmatch, or if you are a lyric publisher on Musixmatch.
You can, however, edit lyrics on Spotify Japan. All you have to do is create an account on PetitLyrics (They manage all lyrics on Spotify Japan).
How to report wrong lyrics on Spotify
You can report wrong lyrics on Spotify directly to their lyrics provider Musixmatch. However, if you want to report wrong lyrics in Japan, you can report directly to PetitLyrics.
You can verify the lyrics provider by opening any lyrics, scrolling to the bottom, and checking the section “Licensed & Provided by (provider name)”.
If you’ve confirmed the provider is Musixmatch, you can follow these steps to report the lyrics:
- Click “Report a problem” at the end of the lyrics.
- Choose the relevant option and select “Next”.
- Select the part of the lyrics that should be changed.
- Add your corrections.
- Click “Send”.
Spotify listeners are encouraged to report wrong lyrics and add the suggested corrections. Your corrections will be reviewed and, if found to be correct, the lyrics will get updated.
How to change or fix lyrics on Spotify
The only way you can add, change, or fix lyrics on Spotify is to become a verified artist on Musixmatch, or become a lyric publisher on Musixmatch.
1. Become a verified artist on Musixmatch
If you are the song creator, you can join Musixmatch to become a verified creator. Once you verify your profile, you can publish your official lyrics on Spotify and other streaming platforms.
If you are an independent music creator or part of an artist management team, you are encouraged to join Musixmatch with superstars like Drake, Post Malone, Camilla Cabello, etc.
Not only can you add lyrics, but you can also edit and sync them. You’ll have full control over your lyrics and, once verified, they will be displayed as your official lyrics.
You can become a verified creator on Musixmatch here.
2. Become a lyric publisher on Musixmatch
If you are not a song creator, you can monetize your lyrics catalog via Musixmatch. They work with thousands of publishers worldwide to create a comprehensive lyrics catalog.
Not only can you earn royalties from your lyrics views, but you will also receive clear, summarized reports on Musixmatch and third-party platform data usage.
After all, their goal is to make distributing your lyrics and earning royalties simple. You can become a lyric publisher on Musixmatch right here.
Bottom line
If something is wrong with the lyrics on Spotify, (syncing error or missing lyrics), you can go to the Musixmatch app or website and create an account to help fix them.
Musixmatch is the partner Spotify is using to show the lyrics.
It’s community-run, so the more people that contribute the better. Artists and labels can also create an account to submit their lyrics directly as well, so it should get better over time.
Once the changes are made at Musixmatch, it takes about a week for the changes to show up in the Spotify app. Spotify is currently working to make these changes appear in the app faster.
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