Why Are Certain Songs Greyed Out on Spotify? Here Are Some Possible Causes and Solutions

Why are some songs greyed out on Spotify? Here’s what you need to know. Photo Credit: Norbert Buduczki

Over the years, more than a few music fans have asked, “Why are some songs greyed out on Spotify?” Here’s a quick look at answers to the common question as well as potential solutions.

Greyed-out songs, or those that appear on Spotify but cannot be played, usually stem from one of a few main causes. And while there’s no guaranteed solution to remedying the issue – save hiding greyed-out works altogether – listeners aren’t without options if their preferred music is unavailable on Spotify.

Regional Restrictions

First, Spotify occasionally greys out tracks on a regional basis due to licensing-agreement terms. In brief, some deals only allow the platform to offer certain songs to fans in select nations.

Additionally, commercially prominent releases have been temporarily greyed out in the past amid region-specific licensing disputes, before being restored following the resolution of the underlying issues.

Expanding upon the latter point, copyright problems, including but not limited to rightsholder disagreements, also lead to unplayable songs’ appearing on Spotify. Several comedians’ works, including an album from Joe Rogan, were greyed out at the start of a rights-related hang-up back in 2021, which ushered in a K-pop licensing impasse as well, for instance.

Additionally, copyright claims targeting allegedly unauthorized uploads likewise fuel greyed-out tracks. Against the backdrop of a rapidly evolving AI landscape, multiple uploads, from a Frank Sinatra soundalike recording of “Gangsta’s Paradise” to SpongeBob SquarePants character Plankton’s rendition of “All I Want for Christmas Is You,” were greyed out at the time of writing.

As regional restrictions and copyright complications can take time to change and resolve, respectively, checking different platforms (YouTube Music, Deezer, etc.) and physical formats for the sought music could be the best course of action.

Problems With the Spotify App

Problems with the Spotify app may cause tracks to be greyed out or otherwise affect the listening experience. Clearing the Spotify cache, updating the app, and performing related steps might do the trick, while consulting the platform’s support resources or team could be advisable for comparatively complicated issues.

Internet Connectivity Issues

Spotty internet connections could potentially produce greyed-out songs and related listening problems; using a reliable connection to download tracks for offline listening should provide a quick fix.

Plus, worth highlighting is that making local audio files available on Spotify and then removing or inadvertently corrupting said files could render tracks unplayable.

How to Remove Greyed-Out Songs from Spotify

For those who prefer to see only playable songs, greyed-out tracks can be removed from Spotify by toggling the “Show unplayable songs” option in the Playback section of the Settings menu.

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