Tech Desk
Aug 22, 2024
One of the longest-standing problems with the Spotify music-streaming app is in its shuffle feature. For years, users have been complaining that once the shuffle button is hit, rather randomly, it keeps on playing the same few songs. This year, it got worse in recent weeks.
Users recently took to Reddit, sharing their frustrations, with users reporting that the Shuffle feature was playing the same 50 songs out of a 3,000-track playlist.
Others mentioned that they had the same problem, but it would play the same 20 tracks off a 10,000-song playlist. This is despite Spotify promising a random and enjoyable listening experience.
The issue lies in the randomisation of the playlist in Spotify's algorithm itself. The shuffle feature in Apple iTunes ensures that a song won't come back in the play-order sequence until all other songs were played at least once.
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Spotify can take upon itself this very rule or algorithm so that lesser status gets accorded to such tracks with high play rates in order not to become repetitive in the track sequence of its users.
One workaround is to play a random song in your playlist and then toggle the shuffle button. Some people say it works in this way, showing lesser-played songs.
Spotify would certainly come up with something to keep users satisfied. At least, it would develop some simple algorithms that can get this shuffle feature right with a random and amazing user experience.
