Google introduced last Monday the ability to display song lyrics in search results.
So, the next time you search Google for the lyrics of a song, for example if you search for the phrase “Total eclipse of my heart lyrics” by Bonnie Tyler, the lyrics of that particular song will appear first in your search results.
The new feature, according to Billboard, is part of a multi-year licensing deal with Toronto, Canada-based company LyricFind that will lead to a new source of revenue for musicians and publishers.
The new feature is only available to US users starting today, although the deal with LyricFind reportedly includes international licensing. While terms of the deal were not disclosed, LyricFind CEO and co-founder Darryl Ballantyne believes it will be “a significant revenue stream” that could be worth millions to music labels and songwriters.
Mr. Ballantyne told Billboard: “It’s all going to be based on usage. The more views, the more people are going to get paid.”.
For users, this means that you will no longer have to click through to a third-party website to see the lyrics to a song. Until now, lyrics search relied on various bootleg sites that, while earning advertising revenue, are not licensed to publish the lyrics.
And, of course, Google will also benefit from linking each full lyric to Google Play, where users can purchase the song.
