Spotify shuffle isn't shuffling? You're not alone

Despite being the most popular music streaming app, Spotify is far from perfect. One common issue users have been reporting for years is the broken shuffle functionality, which only surfaces the same few songs in a Spotify playlist. While the company could technically solve it by deploying a basic algorithm, it appears that the problem is only getting worse with time.

According to multiple Reddit posts (1, 2), the shuffle button in Spotify has gotten exceptionally worse recently. One user highlights that the app shuffles between the same 50 songs or so — despite the playlist featuring 3,000 tracks. Another user stated that the app plays the same 20 tracks when shuffling a 10,000-song playlist.

Apple iTunes’ shuffle feature used to avoid playing the same song again until all other tracks in a certain playlist had been played. This kept the queue fresh at all times and ensured that no song got left behind.

Spotify could easily implement a similar rule in its app’s backend or at least build an algorithm that demotes songs with higher play rates. This would spare users from going through the same few tracks over and over again while some of their favorites remain unplayed.

It’s unclear if Spotify recently updated its shuffle feature and broke it further or if users are coincidentally feeling fed up with how unreliable it is at the same time. One potential workaround for those impacted is playing any song in a certain playlist and then toggling the shuffle option in the queue. Some users have reported that this sometimes surfaces lesser-played songs when compared to hitting the main shuffle button in a Spotify playlist.