I’m always looking to listen to new music and relish finding new artists, genres, and songs. However, when I mindlessly open my Spotify app looking to hear a blend of familiar and new tunes, I am often met with the same 15 songs on a shuffle. Or worse, after the song I want to hear, the same popular song comes on autoplay, causing me to permanently get sick of it (I can’t listen to Noah Khan’s “Dial Drunk” anymore). I do genuinely enjoy Spotify as a platform and will ALWAYS claim superiority over Apple Music, but if you’re looking to avoid the Spotify repeat rut here are my top tips:
1. Listen to other’s playlists
Spotify isn’t a very social platform. Although you can create collaborative playlists as well as “blends” (auto generated combo playlists with your friends), there aren’t a lot of interactions with other users outside of this. I, for one, am a huge advocate of spotify stalking. I love listening to my friends and family’s playlists (especially those with similar music taste). Here’s my roommate’s winter playlist:Â
2. make a saved place for your songs
I have a 153 hour playlist dedicated to every song I’ve ever liked. “Liking” songs (which organizes them in your library) works too. I find that I will rediscover songs I’ve only heard once or twice when I’m listening to this playlist. I also love looking at the evolution of songs I listen to. Here’s the first song I ever added to that playlist in eighth grade:
3. explore more from artists
When I hear a song I like come up in my playlist, I make it a point to listen to more of those artist’s songs. It may sound simple, but in a world of single releases and the ability to listen to almost any song at any given moment it helps to focus on a specific artist. I also recommend listening to artist’s albums front to back. It’s a fun way to discover new songs and lean into a specific vibe, and especially effective if you already like a few songs from the album. I love Joni Mitchell’s “Blue” for this upcoming winter:
4. Listen to artist’s “radios”
One Spotify feature I’m a huge fan of are artist radios. If you like an artist’s vibe (and have already listened to a lot of their music), radios are a good way to listen to similar music. They usually combine a blend of music you already know and love with similar music you have yet to discover. I am a big advocate in listening to a mix of known and unknown music to encourage the expansion of your music library. I’ve been obsessed with Ray LaMontagne’s radio recently:
5. Make different types of playlists
I love ultra-specific playlists, as evident by my 132 public playlists on Spotify. From “a rainy day commute” to “un poco pep in my step.” Making very specific playlists for every occasion is a fun way to curate a vibe. It can also help you discover more music by actively searching for the perfect songs to fit the playlist. Here’s one of my favorite playlists ever, and an ode to my hometown of Chicago:Â
All this being said, there is nothing wrong with enjoying listening to the same 100 songs or the same two artists! But if you were disappointed in your Spotify Wrapped being the same as every other year, these are my favorite ways to switch it up.