Spotify's New Shuffle & Audiobook Recaps

Spotify Updates Shuffle Feature and Introduces Audiobook Recaps

Spotify, the popular music streaming platform, has announced an update to its shuffle functionality. The new option aims to reduce the repetition of previously suggested tracks.

New Shuffle Option Reduces Song Repeats

Initially launched in 2023 for subscribers, Smart Shuffle introduced songs to a playlist queue based on a user’s listening history and preferences. Previously, disabling this feature wasn't possible.

The latest update establishes a shuffle mode with fewer repeats as the default for paying members. This change will result in listeners encountering a greater variety of new songs, alongside fewer tracks from their recent listening activity.

Users desiring the original shuffle experience can revert to the “Standard” option within Settings > Playback, under the Shuffle Mode section.

Enhanced Shuffle Algorithm Explained

Spotify explains that true randomness can sometimes feel uneven. The probability of hearing the same songs repeatedly is inherent in a purely random system.

Lauren Saunders, Product Director for Personalization at Spotify, elaborated on this point. She noted that random shuffling can lead to unexpected clusters of the same artists or albums.

“Instead of a single random order, we now generate hundreds of random playlist versions,” Saunders stated. “Each version is then evaluated for freshness, considering recent listening habits, initial variety, and the timing of repeats.”

New Features for Audiobook Listeners

Alongside the shuffle update, Spotify is also rolling out an AI-powered recap feature for audiobooks. This allows users to quickly revisit the narrative up to their stopping point.

A recap button will appear at the top of the audiobook page, providing a summary of the story's progression.

These recaps will become available after users have listened to at least 15-20 minutes of a book and are updated regularly as they continue listening.

AI Recap Details and Availability

Spotify assures users that audiobook content is not being used to train AI models. Furthermore, the recaps do not replicate the original narration.

Currently, the audiobook recap feature is in beta on iOS, supporting a selection of English-language titles.

Note: This article has been revised to clarify that the “Standard” setting applies to Shuffle, not Smart Shuffle.