Spotify Repeats the Same Music Over and Over, and That Annoys Users

Spotify's shuffle algorithm is facing increasing criticism. Users are complaining about excessive repetition of the same songs, even in playlists containing thousands of tracks. Temporary solutions exist, but the problem persists.

By Kayne Andersen
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Image: Spotify

Daniel Ek, CEO of Spotify, recently confirmed that a “deluxe” version of the popular streaming service is in development, featuring superior audio quality and additional features. This new, more expensive subscription targets the most demanding users. But while the company continues to develop its offerings, another topic is fueling discussions: the shuffle mode. The latter, meant to vary the tracks played, seems to have lost its effectiveness, much to the dismay of its audience.

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Indeed, for several months, many users have complained about Spotify’s shuffle mode, which seems to have lost its effectiveness. Despite playlists of several thousand titles, the application tends to repeat the same songs. This deprives users of the musical variety they seek. This recurring problem has sparked numerous online discussions, with some clearly frustrated by the excessive repetition of tracks.

Subscribers Express Their Frustration With Spotify’s Faulty Algorithm

User testimonials are unanimous: Spotify’s shuffle algorithm no longer works as intended. “I have a playlist of 3000 songs, but I always hear the same 50 tracks,” reports a user on a forum. Others point out that this problem seems to have worsened recently and makes their listening experience less enjoyable. Indeed, some subscribers note that even playlists containing hundreds of songs no longer allow them to discover new tracks.

Although temporary solutions have been suggested, such as regularly clearing the application’s cache, they seem to provide only momentary relief. Some users suggest manually manipulating song playback to avoid repetitions, but this does not solve the underlying problem. Meanwhile, Spotify is focusing on launching new premium features, leaving the question of improving the existing algorithm unresolved. If no major update is deployed quickly, subscriber frustration could continue to grow and tarnish the platform’s image.