Spotify & "Song Radio" is Essentially Just an Echo Chamber & Doesn't Breed Discovery

[cawul]

This hasn't always been the case, and I don't know if this has to do with the amount of time I've had my Spotify account or if something about the algorithm has drastically changed - but whenever I start a radio based off a song or artist (which is with the intention to find a NEW artist or NEW music that is related to the song/artist I'm starting the radio off of) it just creates essentially a playlist of music I've been listening to - and not even within the same genre off the song.

I've realized that I haven't found any new artists or any new music, and just continuously listen to the same things over and over again which is quite depressing. The point of the song radio or at least how I use it is to discover new artists that are in the same realm of the artist I'm listening to, and I think you all at Spotify are putting everyone - artist AND listener - at a huge detrimental disadvantage by having it go that way because then there is no discovery for new artists and there is no way for listeners to get into new music without scouring the platform instead of giving good recommendations based off your algorithm. More than anything I want to be able to discover new artists based off song radio, not just hear the same songs I've been listening to. If I wanted to listen to those songs, I would just continue to listen to them. Especially since maybe when I start a song radio off something that is midwest-emo/indie, it'll still play hyperpop/rap in the same playlist which are two completely different genre's and moods.

[darrick5]

The way Autoplay functions is that it creates a radio, based on the playlist/album just finished.

The way radio playlists work right now makes it possible that some of the tracks in the playlist/ album they're based on get included.

My idea is do not include any tracks from the playlist/album the autoplay radio playlist is based upon in the autoplay radio playlist.

[Kaesee99]

I definitely agree with this idea. I loved when you were able to thumbs up or thumbs down a song in the radio to make it better, but now that option is gone. I’m playing an artists’ radio to find NEW stuff because I’m tired of my playlists, so why is the radio only playing songs that I already have in my playlist? 

[p59_5m-am377]

I loved Spotify for a while when I first got it, but more and more terrible decisions have convinced me that it's about time to switch over to Apple Music; Premium is a waste of money as it is.

[rocnbol]

I too would love to see a redeveloped algo for Radio that plays new tracks and artists. I left a review in 2017 stating  Radio sucks and that I use Pandora for discovery. To this day if I want to discover new artists I either look through canned playlists in the search menus, search a fav artist and use the "if you like" feature to find new, or I still go to Pandora

[man2128267]

The radio is what made me not get Apple Music for years. Please fix! I don’t need to listen to the same recycled 20 songs for every radio station I choose for a song or artist. 

[cittauk]

To be honest I learn more about new artists from Facebook & YouTube than I do from Spotify. Only THEN will I check out Spotify. I've been discovering more artists via YouTube & even Apple than I have Spotify of late, causing me to listen to YouTube more. I'm just not sure if I should migrate & pay YouTube Music to be advert free. Anyone know if it's worth the money? (As Spotify don't seem to listen to paying users comments often or fast enough). 

[Alex]

Updated on 2021-06-03

Hello and thanks for submitting your idea to the Idea Exchange!

We've gone ahead and marked this as a new suggestion. Spotify Staff will look into this idea once it reaches the necessary amount of votes.

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Cheers!

[Armand]

Good thing you have me locked in with expensive multiroom speakers that just work best with spotify but the music selection from spotify has been becoming so terrible I'm considering ditching the system entirely

[user-removed]

Yeah, the stations used to be a great feature for me, now if I want to discover new music, I have to search for other users' playlists... Or I'll have to find it elsewhere.

[Haisom]

Last time I used Radio I discovered plenty of new great Artists... I noticed it will always put some music you already have added, but I don't have any problem with it. Duo Playlist seems more like a random Radio than actually songs that were liked by both users.