[All Platforms] Shuffle algorithm that favours "unpopular" songs

[fraktalisman]

As a paying Spotify premium customer, I need a shuffle algorithm different from the current, non-random shuffle that seems to favor "popular" songs, as has been pointed out by other customers who experimented with what is actually happening (see links to other posts below).

Currently there are only two possible ways to listen to music in playlists, either in the listed order, or shuffled by an algorithm that makes listeners miss out on about 20% to 30% of the songs in the list, favoring the ones that we already listened to hundreds or thousands of times.

I want to be able to choose another algorithm that does exactly the opposite: play songs in a pseudo-random order but leaving out the ones that already have been played frequently, and instead focusing on songs seldom listened to, in order to make me rediscover new songs and inspirations! This is even more important when listening to playlists made by other people, to help me discover new music.

The new algorithm could be called something like "serendipity shuffle" or "discover mode". This could be an option to activate in the user's settings, so the existing popularity shuffle would stay the default option.

In case a serendipity shuffle is too hard for you to implement, a simple randomized shuffle function would also be much better than the current one. This has already been pointed out in other posts in this forum.

See other posts in this community:

https://community.spotify.com/t5/Ongoing-Issues/Shuffle-Is-Only-Going-Through-A-Handful-Of-Songs/idc...

https://community.spotify.com/t5/Ongoing-Issues/Please-stop-marking-shuffle-complaints-as-quot-not-a...

[fraktalisman]

Share your curated + algoriddim'ed playlists with your friends!
Instead of listening to your own release radar and weekly mix, swap links and listen to a friend's or stranger's release radar instead. Feel free to try mine.

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/37i9dQZEVXcPrDLc2i1Cmu?si=eij9aov0Qd6L8hFya4gVuA

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/37i9dQZEVXbl5btNKgLiOj?si=pHtVQhysTVGHFrP7MsMMYQ

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/6YB3tnzxG9XBxtI706cxHv?si=J5LjBKDHQzKA_s_sEOMwXw

[TehRater]

"Hi everyone, we like the idea, but we don't have any immediate plans to implement this." -Spotify

If you actually like the idea, why don't you have immediate plans to implement it?

Spotify's shuffle has been awful since the very begging. I used to think that Spotify cared about its users, but after YEARS of people complaining and making posts about wanting a better shuffle, I we got one (1) fix that barely fixed anything. I go back to old playlists and hear the same sons over and over! Stop it! I want hear the songs I've forgotten. Fellas, it's time to try apple music. 

[clocksworth]

Such a strange official response.

"We realise that we currently perform this task ineffectively.

We would like to do it better.

But we have no plans to actually do it better.

So we will continue to perform this task ineffectively".

Really?

[mrthomes]

Blimey, someone is either in a very bad mood or very drunk!!

[Javierba]

#SpotifyDoesntCare

[Kjetil_f]

What if Spotify continues to use their current shuffle mode, but add a option in the settings where people can choose another shuffle mode as default if they please? That way, most people will probably still use the Spotify-beloved shuffle algorithm. But the ones that have other needs can choose one of the other lovely shuffle suggestions on this thread.

[jakethehuman18]

Be careful what you wish for. My Spotify shuffle ALWAYS favors my least-listened-to songs and its so annoying. I have playlists for all of my favorite bands, and every time I play them, all of my favorites are buried beneath the deep cuts that I like but don't love. Just make shuffle what its supposed to be - a random assortment of the songs in a playlist. "Serendipity Shuffle" or other "------ Shuffle"s sound great, but keep the big green one on the command bar normal!

[tinyllama1]

I want an option to disable the shuffle algorithm and just play all the songs in the list randomly. I shouldn't have to use third party sites to randomize my playlists.

[LaurenCheerio]

That would be cool! Or they could do a personalized/regularly updated automatic playlist that gathers the lesser-played songs among your liked songs, kind of like the reverse of the "On Repeat" playlist! That'd be great, because in my huge list of liked songs, I'm sure a lot of songs that I like get a little neglected, especially when I use the On Repeat playlist ahaha

[fraktalisman]

As a paying Spotify premium customer, I need a shuffle algorithm different from the current, non-random shuffle that seems to favor "popular" songs, as has been pointed out by other customers who experimented with what is actually happening (see links to other posts in my original post).

I also want an option to disable the shuffle algorithm and just play all the songs in the list randomly. I shouldn't have to use third party sites to randomize my playlists.