What you need to know
- Spotify is removing the default shuffle feature from albums.
- The feature follows the launch of Adele's new "30" album.
- The new feature is available for Premium subscribers.
Right on the heels of Adele's "30" album launching, Spotify is changing how users will experience albums by default on the app. On Monday, it was announced that Spotify is removing the shuffle button as the default listening experience when users are listening to an album on iOS or the best Android phones.
Where does Adele factor into all of this? Apparently, it was a feature that she and many other Spotify users have long requested. In fact, Adele took a moment to praise the move for allowing users to listen to her album the way it was meant to be experienced:
This was the only request I had in our ever changing industry! We don't create albums with so much care and thought into our track listing for no reason. Our art tells a story and our stories should be listened to as we intended. Thank you Spotify for listening 🍷♥️ https://t.co/XWlykhqxAyThis was the only request I had in our ever changing industry! We don't create albums with so much care and thought into our track listing for no reason. Our art tells a story and our stories should be listened to as we intended. Thank you Spotify for listening 🍷♥️ https://t.co/XWlykhqxAy— Adele (@Adele) November 21, 2021November 21, 2021
Spotify did not immediately respond to our request for comment but did respond to Adele's tweet with "Anything for you." Additionally, Chris Macowski, the head of music communications at Spotify, confirmed the change with The Verge, saying that both users and artists alike have requested the feature. "For those users still wishing to shuffle an album, they can go to the Now Playing View and select the shuffle toggle," he says.
This comes right on the heels of Spotify launching its new Lyrics feature globally, allowing users on the free or paid version of the app to sing along with lyrics scrolling in real-time.
Macowski did note, however, that the new "Play" button is only available for Premium subscribers, meaning free users will still have to stick with the shuffle experience on mobile devices.
