A Handful of Tweaks to Fix Common Problems When Using Spotify

I still remember when Ben, my friend and roommate in college, first began using Spotify. Back then, we were still deep in the 'manage your owned music via iTunes and upload it to your iPod with the occasional burnt CD on the side' paradigm, and the idea of a library you could pay for that allowed unlimited access to listen to, but not own, the world's music was radical.

The fact that the parent company was out of Sweden added to the mystique. It just seemed too good to be true - it had to be illegal. You've got to remember back then we were constantly being reminded that we 'wouldn't steal a car' and seeing high-profile lawsuits where kids were getting taken to court by the record labels.

Now, a decade or so later, Spotify's model has completely changed the way we listen to music. It has revolutionized not only how we experience music but also how we discover itlo-fi and jazz while working or writing, which I love but don't want Spotify to consider when it recommends other music. I began 'excluding' my work playlists from my taste profile,. It's now incredibly easy to find and explore new artists and embark on deep and wide music journeys without ever taking your fingers off the keyboard.

If we could somehow send a video of how we use and consume Spotify to 14-year-old me, that little iPod mini, CD-toting music nerd would 1) not believe you and 2) be so genuinely excited.

Most Spotify users sense it's a huge app with numerous features. However, many just consume it as is and don't tweak it for their optimal experience. Below are my top 'fixes' for the most common issues people run into while using Spotify.

Top Spotify Fixes

Problem: Taste Profiles like Weekly Discovery Aren't Giving Good Recommendations

Solution: Remove a Playlist, Artist, or Song from Your Taste Profile

1. Go to the playlist, artist, or song.
2. Click on the three dots (more options).
3. Select "Exclude from your taste profile"

Notes: I listen to a lot of lo-fi and jazz while working or writing, which I love but don't want Spotify to consider when it recommends other music. I began 'excluding' my work playlists from my taste profile, and my Weekly Discovery playlist began healing immediately.

Problem: Only One Person Can DJ at a Time

Solution: Use the Jams Feature to Collaborate Together

1. Open the Spotify app and start a session.
2. Tap on the "Devices Available" icon.
3. Select "Start a group session."
4. Share the invite link with your friends.

Note: My place is wired to have Spotify able to play in 75% of the rooms at the sound of my voice via Amazon Echo. I love this setup, and it's really a luxury for parties or just to have music in the background that isn't centralized / only available when you're close to one speaker. The issue is that I don't live alone and that Macy often wants to get in on the fun of playing songs. This Jams feature has been awesome for that - as it allows her to take the wheels.

It's equally great for crowdsourcing DJ responsibilities at parties or letting others share fun songs.

Problem: Too Many Playlists and Saved Items Make It Hard to Find What You're Looking For

Solution: Use Folders to Organize Your Playlists and Saved Albums

1. On the desktop app, right-click on your playlists.
2. Select "Create Folder."
3. Drag and drop playlists into the folder for better organization.

Note: After years of using Spotify, it takes a turn of the hourglass to get from the new playlists to the stuff that's a bit more nostalgic from a few years back.: I make a ton of playlists - probably too many. After years of using Spotify, it takes a turn of the hourglass to get from the new playlists to the stuff that's a bit more nostalgic from a couple of years back - not to mention the bottom of the list.

Using the folders feature to create an organization system is huge for fixing this issue—hell, you don't even need to do much organizing. Just throw old playlists into a folder so it takes less time to get to the ones you want to interface with now.

One tip I have is to build a 'Record Collection' folder and begin saving full albums that you want to listen to for the first time all the way through or go back to again for the thousandth time. This leads nicely to my next problem...

Problem: Spotify Encourages Me to Only Listen to Singles or Individual Songs from Artists

Solution: Save Entire Albums and Use "This Is [Artist's Name]" Playlists

1. Go to the artist's profile.
2. Click on the album you want to save and tap "Save."
3. For a curated experience, select the "This Is [Artist's Name]" playlist from their profile.

Note: I like to think that I like music and have some knowledge of my favorite artists. I don't like to think I'm just here for the hits. When I look in the mirror, I say, 'Now that's a man who will enjoy a good b-side.'

This is especially true of Spotify's 'This is' playlists. I almost dislike how much I rely on them to really get into an artist for the first time or dive into an old favorite.

They're great - use them.

Problem: I Can't Find Anything While Searching

Solution: Construct Better Searches

1. Use Search Modifiers to narrow down results.
   • Example: Type an artist's name followed by year:2010–2014 to find songs released in that period.
2. Other modifiers include genre:, label:, and isrc: (International Standard Recording Code).

Note: This is more useful than you'd expect—there is a lot of stuff on Spotify. As of 2023, Spotify reports having over 100 million tracks in its library, so having a couple of advanced search tricks can be helpful when looking for stuff.

Spotify — About Spotify

Spotify For the Record — Official News and Views

Spotify

Problem: Playing Spotify on Headphones Doesn't Always Sound Right

Solution: Adjust Audio Settings

1. Set Quiet, Normal, or Loud Settings
   • Go to Settings > Playback.
   • Choose between Quiet, Normal, or Loud.
2. Set Audio Quality
   • Go to Settings > Audio Quality.
   • Select your preferred quality for both streaming and downloads.
   • More details can be found here.

Note: I use several different headphones and speakers when listening to music via Spotify, and I found that being a bit fussy with the controls makes music sound good across all of them. I wish there were more options in there for dialing in music.

Problem: Slow to Load or Inconsistent Playback

Solution: Download Playlists for Offline Mode

1. Go to the playlist you want to download.
2. Toggle the "Download" switch to save it for offline listening.
3. Ensure your device has enough storage space and a good internet connection for downloading.

Note: I love listening to music on the go but hate it when what I want to listen to is slow to playback, eating up a bunch of cell phone data, or just straight-up unavailable. I'm assuming most people know this feature, but it's a really good one to remember. It's equally useful for places where cell service is inconsistent as it is for when it's unavailable, like on a plane.

Problem: Streaming Services Don't Pay Artists Enough

Solution: Support Artists Directly

1. Visit their website or Bandcamp to buy physical copies of their albums or merch.
2. Attend their concerts when they come to your town.
3. Share smaller artists you love with all of your friends

Note:  I won't pretend to be an expert on this issue, but I love music and want to see small acts and independent artists flourish and make a living doing what they love.

Spotify and other streaming apps simultaneously break down the barriers of discovery that used to hamper small acts that couldn't get the reach they needed to build careers and also don't pay enough for musicians to make a living off of people listening to their music.

What Did I Miss?

Let me know what problems you're having with your Spotify account and - if the answer is yet unknown to you - I'll do some research to see if I can't add it and a solution to this list above.

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