Spotify Users report Significantly Improved Shuffle Experience with New “Fewer Repeats” Mode
Stockholm, Sweden – November 22, 2023 – Spotify users are reporting a dramatically improved listening experience after the company rolled out its new “Fewer Repeats” shuffle mode last week. The update addresses long-standing complaints about repetitive song selections within shuffled playlists, a frustration voiced by many of the streaming service’s 574 million active users.
For years, Spotify listeners have noted a tendency for the shuffle algorithm to cycle through the same tracks repeatedly, even within extensive playlists. The new “Fewer Repeats” mode appears to resolve this issue, delivering a noticeably wider variety of songs per shuffle session. The change comes after Spotify revealed last week that its previous shuffle algorithm was, in fact, “truly random,” but didn’t feel that way to listeners.
The update defaults to “Fewer repeats,” meaning users automatically benefit without needing to adjust settings. One user reported the change immediately introduced previously unheard tracks into their jazz playlist, including “Cascades” by Oliver Nelson and “Right On” by Boogaloo Joe Jones, breaking a pattern of excessive Miles Davis repetition. Similarly, a “Millennium Rock” playlist saw a broader mix of 2000s bands like Mr. Airplane Man, the Mooney Suzuki, and the Datsuns alongside more popular artists.
spotify explained the new mode works by generating multiple random playlists and then “downgrading” songs recently played. The playlist with the fewest downgraded songs is then selected for the user.
Users can revert to the original “Standard” shuffle by navigating to their Spotify account settings and selecting “Standard” from the shuffle dropdown menu. Though, early feedback suggests a strong preference for the improved “Fewer repeats” experience.
