Musical theatre fans have issued a complaint to Spotify about their real-time lyrics feature.
The music streamer introduced on-screen lyrics across its mobile and desktop apps in 2021. However, users have noticed errors in the words on screen and how they are spelled when following songs along.
A genre that users have repeatedly reported to be affected is musical theatre, with one person on X/Twitter highlighting mistakes in the lyrics for the Hairspray Live rendition of “(The Legend of) Miss Baltimore Crabs”.
Words misspelled in the real-time lyrics for Kristin Chenoweth’s iconic solo include “believe” (“belive”), “really” (“realy”), “plate” (“plade”), “bumping” (“bumbing”), “can” (“con”), “tough” (“togh”) and “never” (“necer”).
One X/Twitter user dubbed the on-screen lyrics a “mess”, adding they were “embarrassingly incorrect and riddled with typos” and begged the streaming platform to rectify the errors immediately.
Another social media user claimed the issue was “the case with lots of musicals on Spotify”, adding that the cast recordings of the Stephen Sondheim show Company often have “extra/missing lyrics”.
Spotify responded to the complaints, noting that the lyrics for songs are written by the market’s provider rather than by their in-house team.
hello @spotify the lyrics you have for “the legend of miss baltimore crabs” from hairspray live are a MESS. embarrassingly incorrect and riddled with typos. please fix immediately.
— Tom Smyth (@Tom_Smyth_) January 29, 2025
In the UK, Spotify’s real-time lyrics are provided by Musixmatch – an Italian music data company who also work with Apple Music and Instagram.
Spotify has previously directed users who have spotted incorrect lyrics while using the music streaming service to report them to their market provider directly, in this case, via Musixmatch’s online form.
Other users were glad to see Hairspray Live errors pointed out online. “As the certified number one #hairspraylive fan thank you for fixing this HEINOUS mistake and keeping its legacy alive,” one person said.
“Both Kristin Chenoweth and Michelle Pfeiffer devoured that role,” reflected another.
The controversy comes amid sustained criticism over the implementation of AI by Spotify and other media companies.
Bad lighting and a red lip have you all thinking this is AI?? There’s a reason I’m not a fan of either of those things! About to celebrate #Christmastime with my Boston #lambily! 💘💘💘 https://t.co/8guHlMMLSp
— Mariah Carey (@MariahCarey) December 6, 2024
Last month, singer Mariah Carey responded after fans had speculated that her video message for fans on Spotify Wrapped was in fact produced using AI.
“Hey, it’s Mariah. Thank you so much for listening to my music on Spotify,” the “All I Want For Christmas Is You” singer said in the video. “Your support through the years is the greatest gift I could ask for.
“This year, we’re celebrating the 30th anniversary of my album, Merry Christmas,” she continued. “I hope you enjoy listening to it and I can’t wait to share new music with you soon. Happy Holidays.”
“Bad lighting and a red lip have you all thinking this is AI??” she wrote on X. “There’s a reason I’m not a fan of either of those things!”
