Highlight
- Recent Reddit posts highlight the long-reported issue with Spotify’s shuffle feature.
- Spotify’s shuffle feature repeats the same few songs, leaving many tracks untouched.
- Large playlists (e.g., 10,000 songs) only shuffle 20-50 tracks, making the feature feel repetitive.
We have many music streaming apps today but the popularity that Spotify enjoys remains unmatched.
According to the company’s last published data, Spotify has 615 million monthly active users.
The digital music repository gives you access to not only music but podcasts and other audio features from creators all over the world.
Despite this popularity, Spotify has a knack for not solving simple platform issues proactively.
The app is far from perfect and users online often report functionality issues.
The recent issue is with the shuffling feature.
Reddit users have raised the issue of the broken shuffle feature.
Some users complain that, when shuffling a playlist with thousands of songs, Spotify only cycles through about 50 of them.
Another user mentioned that their 10,000-song playlist only plays around 20 tracks on shuffle, making the feature feel repetitive and ineffective.
This isn’t the first time we have heard about this issue.
For years, users have reported that Spotify’s shuffle function tends to repeatedly play the same few songs.
This usually leaves the majority of tracks untouched from a playlist.
Here are a few more users’ complaints on Reddit comments:
Recent posts on Reddit highlight that the problem has become even more noticeable.
Users were quick to compare the issue with iTunes.
Meanwhile, username – bro-v-wade highlighted a relatively different issue. They commented on one of the original posts, “I have 2,400+, so not quite 3,000, and I’ve noticed that shuffle initiated from phone goes deep, while shuffle initiated from desktop plays a more “familiar songs” shuffle. It almost feels like there’s a different API call made when I launch from phone, even if it’s Spotify Connect. It’s still shuffle, and not as bad as people on this sub often say, but it’s different. Enough that I’ll sometimes stop shuffle and re-start it over Spotify Connect from my phone.”
Spotify could address the issue by implementing an iTunes-like algorithm that prevents frequent repeats or demotes songs with higher play counts.
It’s unclear why the company hasn’t taken any action yet.
Whether the shuffle feature was recently updated and inadvertently made worse, or if users are simply growing more frustrated with the lack of variety, remains uncertain.
How To Check If Your Spotify Shuffling Settings Are Correct?
Firstly, if you are a Spotify user and are having issues with the shuffle feature, you need to start with understanding how the feature works.
Spotify uses an algorithm to select the next song you hear.
This algorithm primarily works on user behaviour and if you’ve played certain songs frequently, it might throw that same track more often when the shuffle mode is on.
Here are some settings that you can check if your Spotify isn’t shuffling songs properly –
- Make sure the shuffle option is turned on.
- Ensure that you are using the latest version of the Spotify app.
- Clear Cache of your Mobile.
- Disable repeat mode. If ‘Repeat’ is on, it can interfere with how shuffle plays songs.
If none of the above solutions work, it is advised that you reach out to Spotify support for further assistance.
FAQs
Q1. How can I improve the sound quality on Spotify?
Answer. To improve sound quality, go to Settings > Music Quality.
You can choose from Low (24 kbps), Normal (96 kbps), High (160 kbps), or Very High (320 kbps) for the best listening experience. Note that higher-quality settings may use more data.
Q2. Can I listen to Spotify offline?
Answer. Yes, Spotify Premium users can download songs, albums, and playlists for offline listening.
Simply go to the content you want to download, tap the three dots (or the download button), and select “Download.”
This feature is great for saving data and listening without an internet connection.
Q3. How does Spotify’s shuffle feature work?
Answer. Spotify’s shuffle feature randomly plays songs from your playlist or library.
Q4. What is Spotify Connect and how do I use it?
Answer. Spotify Connect allows you to play Spotify on various devices, such as smart speakers, TVs, and gaming consoles.
To use it, ensure your devices are on the same Wi-Fi network, open Spotify, and tap the “Devices Available” icon to select the device you want to play on.
Q5. How can I create and manage playlists on Spotify?
Answer. To create a playlist, go to Your Library > Playlists > Create Playlist. You can add songs by tapping the three dots next to a song and selecting “Add to Playlist.”
To manage your playlists, you can edit the name, description, and cover image, as well as reorder or remove songs.
Q6. What are the Causes of Spotify Music Not Shuffle Play?
Answer. The causes of Spotify Music not shuffle play should be understood first before:
• Poor Network Connection can be a cause as the music won’t play if the internet connect or network connection is low .
• System Glitches / on Devices:System bugs will cause playback interruptions.
• Older app versions are incompatible with recent software updates.
This may cause performance issues like the malfunction of the Smart Shuffle feature.
• Excessive corrupt cached data on Spotify, the Shuffle algorithm will get stuck.
• Signing to multiple devices with the same account can spoil playback for others if they’re trying to listen simultaneously.
• Queuing a large number of songs on Spotify may take longer to load, causing delays in playing the next song.
Q7. How to Fix Spotify Shuffle when it’s Not Working or Random?
Answer. Reset Spotify Shuffle Play
Checking whether you’ve turned on Shuffle is a prerequisite for confirming the functionality of this feature. If Shuffle still isn’t working, disable and re-enable the feature and reset the app.
Step 1: Open a Spotify playlist on your device.
Step 2: Tap on the Shuffle Play icon to toggle it to the gray. Then hit it again to toggle it to the green.
Step 3: Restart the app and play with the Shuffle mode.
Q8. How to fix Spotify shuffle feature by Re-Login to Spotify?
Answer. A Spotify Premium account can be used on up to 6 different devices simultaneously.
If you have logins on multiple device, try signing out of all devices and logging back into Spotify.
If not, simply log out and log back into Spotify.
Step 1: Go to your Spotify Account page, find and click Sign Out everywhere.
Step 2: Now re-log in on the Spotify app with the same account credentials.
Q9. How to clear cache on Spotify when there is a problem in Shuffling?
When we clear cache , the software will get smoother navigation, faster loading times, and reduced lag or stuttering during Shuffle play.
From Android or iOS:
Step 1: Head to the “Settings” on the Spotify app.
Step 2: Scroll down to “Storage” and click “Delete Cache”
From PC or Mac:
Step 1: Launch the Spotify Desktop app, then click a profile icon in the top right.
Step 2: Go to “Settings > Storage.”
Step 3: Click “Clear cache.”
Q10. How to clear the queue of too many songs to avoid problem of Spotify shuffle ?
From Mobile (Android & iOS):
Step 1: Run the Spotify App, then start playing a song.
Step 2: Click the Queue icon on the bottom-right corner, then select the queued tracks you want to remove.
Step 3: Lastly, Tap the Clear queue button, located to the right of Next In Queue.
From Desktop:
Step 1: Launch Spotify App, and play your preferred Spotify playlist.
Step 2: Click the Queue option on the bottom right, then hit Clear queue button to delete the waiting track list.
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