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 itsโ new “Fewer Repeats” shuffle mode last โweek. The updateโ 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 shuffleโ algorithm โฃto cycle through the sameโค tracks repeatedly, even within extensive playlists. Theโ new “Fewer Repeats” mode appears to resolve this issue, delivering a noticeably wider varietyโฃ of songs per shuffle session. The changeโ comes after Spotify revealed last week that its previous shuffle algorithm was, in fact, “truly โrandom,” but didn’t feel that way to listeners.
The update defaults to “Fewer repeats,” meaning โฃusers automatically benefit without needing to adjustโ settings. One user reported the change immediately introduced previously unheard tracks into their โฃjazz playlist, including “Cascades” by Oliver Nelson and “Right On” by Boogaloo Joe Jones, breaking a patternโค of excessive Miles Davis repetition. Similarly, โa “Millennium Rock”โ playlist saw a broader mix of 2000s bands like Mr. Airplane Man, the Mooney Suzuki,โค and the Datsuns alongside more โpopular 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.โข
Usersโ can revert to the original “Standard” shuffle by navigating to their Spotify account settings andโข selecting “Standard” from the shuffle dropdown menu. Though, early feedback suggests a strong preference for the improved “Fewer repeats” experience.