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.

[tzachar2]

I have new theory this is primarily done to save bandwidth, as many of our
favorite songs are saved on our systems. It probably saves tons of output
from their databases or something?

[Strommingen]

Yeah, I think you might be on to something. But it’s one thing to cache our most played songs on our hardware to save bandwidth. 

It’s a very different monster to remove the heart, soul and spirit of Spotify (revolutionize and democratizing the distribution and discovery of new music).

Remember your roots and #dontbeevil…

[tzachar2]

For sure. It does suck

[12161062604]

Song radio is broken, playlists or just bad. It keeps showing me songs that ive already listen to or in my playlist. Song radio should show me songs that are similar to the song itself like genre and style. For an example Alibi (with Pabllo Vittar & Yseult) Radio. I want songs that sound similar and similar style but instead i see XG something aint right, Genie in a bottle etc and none of these are similar songs or style they are just songs ive recently listened to. When i listen to a specific kpop song i don't want other songs reccomended that are kpop but completely different genre. if i like one kpop song it doesn't mean i will like all of them it keeps considering all korean pop as a genre when it isn't i should get diverse recommendations for a song that relate to that songs style, genre and sound. If i get a song that happens to be from a korean pop boy group for example WAVY which is mostly rnb i want rnb recommendations not XG or blackpink or ITZY i want other rnb songs whether its korean or not. not to rec KPOP as if its all the same which is wild like saying American or uk pop is all the same when its not or if in any artists puts out multiple songs from different genres but i have been listening to rnb don't rec their pop song cause its an artist i listened to if its not the genres i like. Its becoming so frustrating how all the rediscovers, song radios any stylised playlists are just not good or promoting certain songs because popular. I used to get great playlists and recs. For example in the song radio for Genie In a Bottle it should not have Please Please Please from Sabrina Carpenter or the boy is mine stop pushing songs for promotional reasons and actually provide good playlists that make sense. 

Example that just happened: 
Went to song radio for 'wherever u by UMI, NATURE, V and gives recs like Walk like this flo which is not the chill song vibe of this song its a great song but shouldn't be in the song radio. Also the entire Enhypen album is in the song radio for this song that feels to me like they paid for that because not all those songs relate nor why would a whole album be listed under a song radio. Standing next to you same thing not related to the genre of the original song but cause BTS HYBE they add it or Caught up flo or Tell My Momma by KARD are also not related to the original song. There were many that were but it irks me how there is never a song radio anymore that clearly dosen't have advertising by pushing certain artists or songs and only connecting by artist not by genre. I want to listen to similar music and listen to new artists not rec artists just cause when their other songs don't relate. 

[Kokofido]

Yes please you are my voice. I have been using Spotify for ever. But for a couple year I keep hearing the same music that I like so I am starting to hate them. I am trying YouTube to see if I can find new recommendation. It comes to a point when I don't even know what to listen when I open Spotify. Even on my liked songs! I have 13h of songs byt It plays only a few one...

[jazzjazon]

I've given up waiting for Spotify to fix the issue. I don't think they will. So, I have cancelled my subscription after making my first comment in this thread, four months ago. I waited enough.

[CJMouat13]

I cannot agree with this enough. I used to find all sorts of new artists before by doing radio station based on a singular song. Now its literally just regurgitating what I already listen to. 

I listen to no shortage of music and would like to have diversity and discover artists I'm not familiar with instead of hearing the same 50 songs over and over with the occasional remix thrown in. 

[aderand]

This issue bothered me so much that I got here, and I've never even been before on Spotify forums. When I hear the song I like, I want to hear other NEW similar songs, not randomly **bleep** from my liked playlist. 

[jujubean407]

I came to the community board just for this concept. The algorithm has gone too far I'm swimming in circles in my music. If a playlist ends, same songs. If I 'go to radio', same songs. If I click on anything 'made for me', same songs. What happened to new music discovery? I feel like I'm listening to music inside a little bubble. Please fix this! It made more sense that you can 'smart shuffle' like/similar songs into a similar vibe playlist. And made for me makes sense to be geared towards songs and music you'd know I'd like. 'Go to radio' however, feels like it was the one exploratory outlet I had. Now that's gone too. 

[1goldenfairy_]

Agreed! Just create a radio based on the song’s textures and genre. I don’t want to hear my playlists or “liked” songs shuffled and recycled. That defeats the purpose!!