Bug: Android app crashes on startup with too many playlists

[SimonCox]

There appears to be a limit on the number of playlists supported in the Android app.  The bug manifests itself by causing Spotify to crash on startup leaving the user no choice, but to wipe the app and all sync'ed data, remove the additional playlists from a desktop app then re-install and re-sync.  It's been around for over a year and has even been acknowledged by a Spotify employee.  Sort it out.

https://getsatisfaction.com/spotify/topics/android_app_crashing_due_too_many_playlists

And

• http://getsatisfaction.com/spotify/to...
• http://getsatisfaction.com/spotify/to...
• http://getsatisfaction.com/spotify/to...

These might be also the same problem:

• http://getsatisfaction.com/spotify/to...
• http://getsatisfaction.com/spotify/to...
• http://getsatisfaction.com/spotify/to...

[puch]

Hi,

I recently had this problem myself. I contacted Spotify via e-mail, and asked for help. They replied after some days, with some tips on how I might be able to fix the problem. In the e-mail, the guy wrote that the Spotify app still don't support Android ICS. Quote: "Although the Spotify application may occasionally work well on your device, it is not one that we currently support (android ICS)."

I was kind of shocked to hear this. Even though only about 3 per cent of Android devices use ICS (according to Wikipedia), ICS have been around for quite a while now. The number of devices using it will of course rise quickly in the next months.

Anyways, here are the steps that worked for me:

1. Open Spotify in your device
2. Go to "More" » "Settings" and select "Clear saved data"
3. Close Spotify and uninstall it from your device: "Settings" » "Application" » "Manage applications" and then choose Spotify and press "Uninstall".
4. Install Spotify once again through the Android Market or by visitingm.spotify.com in your device's web browser.

I had already tried to reinstall the app, but without clearing my data. I suppose that might be a key in this problem.

[Zulthar]

That first step is a pretty big one, considering the major issue is that Spotify crashes as soon as you start it, leaving you no time to enter settings.

[puch]

That's what I though too. But if you delete the app first, then reinstall it, you can delete the saved data on the log-in screen (which doesn't crash, afaik). Then reinstall the app again, and it should work (did for me at least). 

[vh]

Didn't work for me. I've also gotten the mail from Spotify that currently they don't support my device (galaxy S2/ics). So they've given up. Of course they waited until the day after charging my account for another month of premium telling me this. Unfortunately for me that means bye bye Spotify in about 29 days. The **bleep**ty thing is that Wimp, that works fine on my device, has a UI that needs a lot of improvement when it comes to classical music, so now I don't know what to do.

[karmasparks]

This has been driving me mad too. At first I was able to get around it by just deleting any new playlists I'd made on my pc version of spotify and then trying again and again to wipe the cache in the app. The last time this didn't work so I repeated the same steps a few times before trying an uninstall. That didn't work either.

What finally worked was (likely in addition to the steps above), logging out and logging in again.

This and the lack of folder support in android has gotten me to the point where I am ready to jump ship as soon as I find a decent alternative. I used to preach to anyone who would listen about how amazing spotify was but lately I've found it more and more challenging to use.

[vh]

Alas, it has become pure garbage. 

[andrer · Accepted solution]

This worked for me on my Galaxy Nexus:

1.) Set your phone in airplane mode.

2.) Start Spotify and log out. The app should stop instantly.

3.) Start Spotify again and you'll be greeted with the login screen. Open the options menu and do a "Full Reset of Spotify".

4.) Bring the phone out of airplane mode and login.

[vh]

No change for me unfortunately. 

[izb]

I use an HTC Desire S, which is not android ICS, and it still crashes on startup.

[SteveBrammer]

The problem with too many playlists is not related to ICS and affects all versions of Android running on all handsets.

[andrer]

In my case it didn't seem to be an issue with too many playlists. I didn't do any changes to my playlists in order to get Spotify working again, the reset procedure was all it took. I can still see all my playlists as usual. I got about 100 playlists where about 30 is in 9 different folders.

[izb]

I managed to get it working by removing spotify, clearing everything and re-installing. It didn't take long to start failing again though.

[kobben72]

With my profile of 1500+ albums in 500+ playlists, sorted in gengre + alphabetically  + my own system of symbols ( offline - ☎, ♥ - rating on favorites etc. ) I'm not able to log in at all. It's taking me years to build up my collection, so I really, REALLY dont entend to fiddle around with that at all. My way of consuming music just don't work with playlists like pop, rock, PARTY, techno etc. etc. Maybe Spotify dont realise that for a lot of people music is more than friday night partys, It fit's right up there with food, sleep and sex. I think it's time to take us powerusers seriously, cos we WILL take our business elsewhere if we are not satisfied. And we take our money with us...

[vh]

Alas, they don't give a **bleep**. 

[kobben72]

Of course not. They bring in money from bigger actors than their average users by this time, and that's why it's so sad and depressing to see that people actually believes that they do. They've gon to "nothing personal, just business"...

[Richard · Accepted solution]

Hey guys,

Just to let you know, this bug is reported as fixed in the new Android app, a new version of which is available at http://www.spotify.com/download/previews/

So try installing that and let us know if you continue to have problems. Any other general feedback about the new app would also be appreciated.

[vh]

Seems like this one is working. BUT you've taken away the possibility to decide whether or not to use the sd-card. I have bought a 32GB sd-card specifically for the purpose of using it with Spotify. Now it fills up my phone and I can only download a fraction of my playlists.

[Castor]

Thank you so much for this info! Just tried the new Android app - and "lo and behold" it WORKS! Solves all of my problems with "too many" playlists! (also seems to have some really nice features to control download/streaming quality, FB-integration etc) Seems very promising!

The most important thing though is that I can use Spotify on my Android smartphones again for the first time in two years!  

[licenced]

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@vh wrote:

BUT you've taken away the possibility to decide whether or not to use the sd-card. I have bought a 32GB sd-card specifically for the purpose of using it with Spotify. 

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Added to the 'missing feature' thread: http://community.spotify.com/t5/Mobile-Android/quot-Official-quot-new-application-beta-release-missi...

[Slayergnome]

Mine still crashes it last longer but still.....