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[Radio] Bring back Playlist Radio context menu option for everything

Official response from Spotify as of 4 Feb 2019:

 

"

Apologies, but the playlist radio context menu has been removed with our current update.

Paul
Spotify Customer Support

"

So there you have it.

 

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Please vote on the right -->

 

This is an intentional change by Spotify, so we need to make it heard that we want this feature back. Read on below.

 

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 Let spotify know you want this feature back: go to https://support.spotify.com/us/contact-spotify-support/ > Other > I still need help and write to them

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This is a request that Spotify undo their change over the last two weeks to remove the context-menu Playlist radio option from all their platforms.

 

It is NOT sufficient to link to "Where is Radio?" https://support.spotify.com/using_spotify/system_settings/why-am-i-seeing-different-features-than-my... - this is not a communications issue, or a learning curve issue.

 

We are asking very precisely that Spotify undo this change. Return the "Playlist radio" contextual option in all platforms. We further ask that it return for all objects, i.e all playlists (created by the user or other users), albums, artists etc. Basically: make it like it used to be.

The most obvious example is that the create radio playlist option is missing from the right-click context menu on Macos and Windows. But all platforms now make it more difficult to create radio playlists.

It disappeared for me on my Mac last week, Windows PC on Monday and Android yesterday.

Once you get the update, to create a radio station you now need to go to Radio > Create Radio Station, this will then open a sidebar which you can type the name of your playlist into using your keyboard which will then give you the option to create a radio station. So the feature is effectively buried.

I contacted support and they said:

At Spotify, we’re often testing and launching improvements and new features. When we’re testing, you may see something on the app your friend doesn’t, or get a new feature for only a temporary period. Let us know what you think over at our Community.

Seems like they are following an industry trend of removing features from their service to "reduce complexity". Looks like design bunker thinking to me.


I hope the option returns.

If it doesn't return, vote with your wallet. Youtube Music has playlist radio on everything and 1 month free trial: https://www.youtube.com/premium

Updated on 2019-03-20

Hey folks, 

 

The Radio feature should appear on the context menu of most albums, tracks and playlists. To access the menu, just right click on desktop or click the three dots on mobile. There you'll see the option to select 'Go to Song/Album/Playlist Radio'. 

 

As a heads up, there's been some recent changes to the way Radio works. You can check out the details of this here. It looks like the more recent comments on this thread are about these changes to Radio. There's a new idea about this specifically which you can add your vote to here.

 

Thanks!

Comments
StefanoBrunesci

Well without wishing to jinx myself, the feature has now returned for me, both on Android and the PC. Fingers crossed....!

From a software development POV it makes sense, in a system where you have some features available to some users and not to others due to tiered subscription levels, to make ALL features configurable on a per-account basis. That seems to be what's going on here, which is why some users are seeing it and why - when pushed - the Spotify support staff will say things like "It's switched on for your account".

Clearly, what's been happening is either, a) there's a bug in the configuration system leading to some accounts being 'downgraded' to a state where Playlist Radio isn't available or, b) Spotify have - as other users have suggested - been deliberately disabling Playlist Radio on some accounts to gauge reaction to its loss, which of course is clearly unacceptable on paid accounts. Spotify of course deny that "b" is the answer and claim that it's due to a bug, so I guess only the fullness of time will give us the answer to that.

In the meantime, I suggest that people contact Spotify support directly via the chat system and make it clear that they are really unhappy that Playlist Radio has been turned off and want it back ASAP. That seems to
be effective in the end, although in my case it took a few days for the change(s) to filter fully through.

To contact Spotify support via chat, go here and choose "Technical Issues->Other->I still Need Help"

https://support.spotify.com/us/contact-spotify-support/

bmgoau

It was basically A/B testing. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A/B_testing

They were seeing how many features they could strip out before people stopped engaging with the app.

They didn't need to do A/B testing for this - removing playlist radio is a terrible idea that shouldn't have gotten off the drawing board.

Lbalcewich

I like the feature

darkcubix

I agree.  I didn't realize how much I enjoyed using this feature until it was gone.

 

Something that seems so simple, just plucked away.  😞

eyeheartny

Garbage move from Spotify. May make me cancel my Premium subscription after years of happily paying. 

poplopo

This feature has returned to my desktop application! Very much enjoying it again!

 

EDIT: Never mind, it's gone again! What a bummer. The "similar playlist" option just clutters up navigation for my real, actual playlists. What's the logic of the UX designer here?

StefanoBrunesci

 I just had a support agent tell me that " The creating the Radio station feature was removed on the last update on the app. We've changed the way radio works by converting Radio into playlists."

UTTER**bleep** SPOTIFY
Not acceptable in any way, shape or form. 

rararaph

Please bring back this option, it was the best thing about Spotify!

darkcubix

I gave the solutions that are suggested throught the forums on this topic.  On Windows and Andriod, station adding is not available.  However, on Windows I am able to tune (thumbs up or down songs as they play) the station but I cannot on Android. 

 

Unless someone (*ahem* Spotify) can point out that Spotify is working on a new feature that is comparable or better than before, I don't see Spotify as a choice for me.  This feature was a main selling point for me and is why I bought

Spotify Family. 

 

If I'm not able to tune a simple station to my likes and am forced to create manual playlists all the time (because you cannot tune a station anymore on Android), what's the difference between that and my personal music collection? 

Sebasty

I also really hope it's not gone for good, and that there will be a better version of it coming back.

I loved radio stations! I'd just find an album that I really liked, click the three dots and start album radio. It was rad.

There were also differences in selections between different albums and songs by the same artist, and most of all, it was endless.

 

Fingers crossed.