Implement an actual shuffle function

[RoninTheOrigina]

Yes, you read that right.  The "shuffle" function in Spotify is nothing more than a randomizer.  There's a difference?  YES.

RANDOM - Play one song.  The next song can be ANY song in your playlist.  Including the one you just listened to.  Though I've never had this specifically happen, I literally just heard the same song that I heard 2 songs ago.  This is how Spotify's "shuffle" currently functions.

SHUFFLE - Take your entire list, shuffle them (like cards), and play the first song in the shuffle.  Once finished, move that song off the pile.  Once the pile is depleted, shuffle the deck again and start over (maybe pop a message up).

I know enough about programming (not much) to know that shuffling is probably a bit harder than random, but come on.  I may be in the minority, but I don't have a lot of little playlists.  I have one list with nearly a thousand songs in it, because I like all the music, and am rarely not in the mood for one of those songs.  But what I can't stand is hearing the same song over and over again.  I think there may even be songs in my list I haven't heard yet, while I've heard others 4-5 times.

I know it may not matter much, but I would probably lay down the money for at least a year subscription if this feature was implemented.

EDIT: Another user pointed out that I can see what all is queued up in my shuffle by clicking the Play Queue link, and that Spotify supposedly sets up a rolling shuffle of 50 songs.  It would be nice if this range could be expanded to say 50-100% of your playlist.

EDIT 4/6/12: I just dealt with the same song 16 tracks later.  The song played the first time yesterday afternoon.  I went home, listened for a bit on my home PC (just a few songs), then started listening again this morning.  If the list recycles itself after a day, or if you log in from another computer, I see that as an area for improvement.

[kschles52]

Thought I'd give your utility a try. I do have a premium account. When I went through the steps to install, I ended up with this message: We're sorry - we seem to have encountered an error: Forbidden.

Now every time I click on your link, I go right to message page. Tried putting in URL directly to browser, and still get error message. Suggestions?

[rednblu]

Well stated, Everyone!

I am listening . . . .

Could posting the shuffled songs to a "TEMPORARY block of songs" ever satisfy the basic "user requirements" here?  If the "TEMPORARY block of songs" disappears, I will most of the time get repeats and repeated patterns and repeated Repeats, right?

My friends tried to get me to understand the very small probability of NonRepeats in  (N! / N^N)-- I had to use an Excel spreadsheet to see how small and miniscule is the probability of "good shuffles" if the "TEMPORARY block of songs" disappears.

Did the OriginalPoster @RoninTheOrigina above correctly distinguish "RANDOM" from "SHUFFLE to play every track just once before a reshuffle"?

[mc_mellow]

@bytebodger 

hi! i do use the 'shuffle play', instead of turning on/off. reading your replies.

it is the case of Point 11 for sure. 

I totally understood your in depth explanation, many thanks.

you created a remedy and it is very good. i'm grateful.

but we want The Cure (not the band.. ). 

Is anyone from Spotify here (scratching their heads... or maybe laughing at us...)??? 😄

[bytebodger]

 @kschles52:  A few points here:

1. There is no installation taking place.  You are directed to login through Spotify, but there is no app in my utility that lives on your machine.  You may be clear on this already, but I just wanted to explain that again unless someone reads your description and thinks, "I don't want to install anything on my machine."  
   
   
2. Can you possibly attach a screenshot of your browser window when you're seeing this error?  Specifically, I want to see the FULL URL that is displayed in the browser after you get the error.

[mc_mellow]

@rednblu 

Excell?????????? Seriously? 

I'm not near a savy techie as you all seem to be. 

I just want to press A button that works...

Oh well, i guess it will be over for me when my free trial is over... 😞

Thanks to all.

[bytebodger]

@mc_mellow:  "but we want The Cure (not the band.. ).  Is anyone from Spotify here (scratching their heads... or maybe laughing at us...)??? :D"

No, NO ONE at Spotify cares at all about this issue.  They've proven that through 5+ years of inactivity on the issue.  They don't care about the problem.  They believe it's all in your head or it's unimportant.  So the only solution I know of is to use a third-party solution (like my utility that uses their APIs).  That's as close as we can get to a solution because we can't alter the code in their apps directly.

[rednblu]

Well said!

Thank you!

[bytebodger]

@rednblu:  The temporary nature of the Play Queue has nothing to do with whether or not a shuffle is random or is "truly" a shuffle.  The utility on my site will shuffle an entire playlist like a deck of cards.  That doesn't mean that you won't hear a certain artists back-to-back (assuming you have multiple tracks from that artist in your playlist).  But as long as you let the Play Queue play (after you've used my utility to put a shuffled version of your playlist into the Play Queue), you won't hear the same song twice until ALL of the other songs in the playlist have been played.

[mc_mellow]

@bytebodger 

yes, they don't care...

in the meantime, i already saved your link and will use this tool you created everytime i update my playlists. 

It is nice that people care!

at least, i hope it was fun for you to create this solution.  (i'm really not a techie)

thanks again! 

[kschles52]

I'm working with an IPad and IPhone here. The URL I get after an initial
attempt to implement your utility is

http://writing.voyage/spotify/oops.php?message=Forbidden.