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.

[1215162914]

Exactly. Tell me how this song radio makes any sense

[Mrduder]

spotify makes listening to new music and new artists impossible. your ridiculous service curates playlists and radio stations based on what spotify "thinks" you want to listen to. for instance, if you listen to Taylor Swift a lot, well, now spotify thinks you want to hear taylor swift with your Nirvana radio. It makes it nearly impossible to discover new music at a certain point and every playlist ends up sounding the same and playing the same artists. its an absurd feature. If i create a radio station or playlist based on an artist or song, well spotify, i want that radio station or playlist to sound like that artist or song. I don't want you throwing other random stuff YOU think I ALSO like.  Im not making a radio station or playlist to play other artist and genres I like. Im clearly making a playlist or station because I want it to sound like whatever I'm basing it on in the first place!

we use spotify at our work. it runs for 8-10 hours a day.  well whats happened now is that every single new playlist or station we try to create just ends up playing the same 5 artists over and over. its now become impossible to listen to different music and discover new music. thanks spotify for having the most absurdly horrible feature of all time.  time to try apple music or youtube music because they don't function this way

[saunteringmayhem]

Radio stations used to be my favorite feature. Yes, I love curating playlists that I can listen to on repeat, ad nauseum. That's what they are there for - to be comfortable and familiar. But radio stations are how I discover new songs and artists to fall in love with. Now every time I listen to a radio station, it basically just plays the most recent playlist I was listening to instead. Now I cant ESCAPE my playlists when all I crave sometimes is something new and different. 

I despise the suggestion on another similar forum that says, "Well just like different artists and songs and the algorithm will change!" That's not helpful if I don't know any new artists to like, since I cant seem to find any anymore. Its an endless echo chamber that I am dying inside of and its starting to make me hate some of my favorite artists because I'm hearing them everywhere I go.

[LadyPenelopeC]

Exactly this!

[Aidan1111]

How many people have to complain about this for how many years before Spotify actually takes this seriously? 

Spotify will never fix this. They're doing this on purpose. They've somehow determined that this will make them more money, so the user experience can go screw itself. Just like the shuffle function playing the same 30 songs in a 300 song playlist every single time. 

[anitanm1]

I've found that song radios will mostly have songs that I have liked recently creating a poor experience when I'm wanting to listen to songs similar to a specific song. Playing I've liked recently creates a scenario where I'm listening to the same songs over and over again. 

Also, I've found that the app is clear that these playlist are "made for me" whereas the web player does not. 

[malvvoods]

Love AI and I love turning on smart shuffle when I need new music for a specific genre playlist.  But I noticed that with the other AI functions (daylist, made for's, etc) you get stuck in a loop where you're constantly being force fed the same songs, artists, genres over and over again.  For example, my daylists almost every morning now are the exact same theme with almost identical songs.

I wish they would have more discover weekly style playlists where you're served completely fresh music you've never heard before.  Keep some AI ability for recognition of patterns but dial it back a lot.

[125114072]

I would like to turn of the "For You" feature when playing a song or artist radio - I keep getting the same 20 songs I already listen to in a "radio" playlist, even if they are not the genre of the radio I created

Can I create a radio playlist that excludes my taste profile?

[willcr]

3 years and this still hasn't been fixed. This was my primary way of discovering new music and expanding my taste, I really miss it.

[joemccarthy11]

This may sound weird, but PLEASE stop adding random songs or artists that don't belong in certain playlists like radio, daylist, etc.  Just because I like a song or artist, doesn't mean you need to interject them into everything.

For example, my daylist today was "funky jazz saxophone tuesday morning" which was comprised of mostly progressive rock or jazz with a heavy focus on sax. It was fine until I'd randomly hear a Tame Impala song I recently liked, a Childish Gambino song I recently listened to, and a couple Khrungbin songs. None of these fit the sound of the rest of the playlist or even had any saxophone. This is just one example of what seems like hundreds recently.

It feels like you're just adding songs/artists I already like just to ensure I enjoy the playlist. The whole point of a playlist like a radio is to have a similar, consistent vibe and even discover new music/artists. 

I signed for for a free trial of Apple Music to see if their algo was any better, that's how bad it's gotten.

Hope this can be addressed.