Adele

[peace47]

I just heard on the BBC Global News Podcast that Adele has been the driving force to convince Spotify to no longer allow people to shuffle playback of the songs on an artist’s album. Her justification is that the intentionality of the artist’s decision about the track listing should not be compromised, and if you’re going to play through the album, you need to listen to it as the artist conceived it, in a specific order.

I like some of Adele’s music (although I haven’t listened to the new album yet), and I thought she came across as very warm and funny when she hosted SNL awhile back (last year?), so I haven’t really had anything against her. But egads that came across as so pretentious to me I could barely believe it. I know there’s an academic debate to be had about how is that really different than an artist directing the required layout for a modern art exhibit vs. the viewer/listener transforming the art in how they select to experience of it, but at the end of the day, I just see the loss of what might have been a useful app feature to some. I mean it’s not like people cannot just drop the tracks into a personalized playlist and shuffle from there.

[mrspickles]

Nov 22, 2021 13:37:17 GMT -4 peace47 said:

I just heard on the BBC Global News Podcast that Adele has been the driving force to convince Spotify to no longer allow people to shuffle playback of the songs on an artist’s album. Her justification is that the intentionality of the artist’s decision about the track listing should not be compromised, and if you’re going to play through the album, you need to listen to it as the artist conceived it, in a specific order.

I like some of Adele’s music (although I haven’t listened to the new album yet), and I thought she came across as very warm and funny when she hosted SNL awhile back (last year?), so I haven’t really had anything against her. But egads that came across as so pretentious to me I could barely believe it. I know there’s an academic debate to be had about how is that really different than an artist directing the required layout for a modern art exhibit vs. the viewer/listener transforming the art in how they select to experience of it, but at the end of the day, I just see the loss of what might have been a useful app feature to some. I mean it’s not like people cannot just drop the tracks into a personalized playlist and shuffle from there.

Back when LP's were the norm, did artists have control over the order or was it based on time and perceived marketability of tracks (put the good stuff on Side A so it gets heard more)? Now I'm curious-it's bit something I ever gave thought to.

[tiggertoo]

Nov 22, 2021 13:37:17 GMT -4 peace47 said:

I just heard on the BBC Global News Podcast that Adele has been the driving force to convince Spotify to no longer allow people to shuffle playback of the songs on an artist’s album. Her justification is that the intentionality of the artist’s decision about the track listing should not be compromised, and if you’re going to play through the album, you need to listen to it as the artist conceived it, in a specific order.

I like some of Adele’s music (although I haven’t listened to the new album yet), and I thought she came across as very warm and funny when she hosted SNL awhile back (last year?), so I haven’t really had anything against her. But egads that came across as so pretentious to me I could barely believe it. I know there’s an academic debate to be had about how is that really different than an artist directing the required layout for a modern art exhibit vs. the viewer/listener transforming the art in how they select to experience of it, but at the end of the day, I just see the loss of what might have been a useful app feature to some. I mean it’s not like people cannot just drop the tracks into a personalized playlist and shuffle from there.

I had the same reaction. Just, c’mon on! Don’t take yourself so seriously!

[cabbagekid]

Nov 22, 2021 13:37:17 GMT -4 peace47 said:

I just heard on the BBC Global News Podcast that Adele has been the driving force to convince Spotify to no longer allow people to shuffle playback of the songs on an artist’s album. Her justification is that the intentionality of the artist’s decision about the track listing should not be compromised, and if you’re going to play through the album, you need to listen to it as the artist conceived it, in a specific order.

You can still shuffle, it’s just not the default anymore. It used to be when you hit the green play button on an album, it automatically shuffled - that’s what she got removed. Now if you hit play, it plays the first song of the album and the songs are played in order. You can still shuffle, but you have to hit the shuffle button separately like you would if you wanted only one song to repeat.

Although I do think it’s hilarious this is something she fought for, I do remember the days when I would burn CDs and I’d spend an hour trying to figure out what order I wanted the songs in. So I kind of understand where she’s coming from. I just wish she used this power on apps that she has on instagram so they’d bring back the user feed based off posting date, instead of whatever jumbled mess we have now.

[angelaudie]

From what I understand, the shuffle playback is still an option. It is just no longer the default option. All you have to do is turn it on. At least that’s how it is on Spotify.

Some albums are meant to be heard in the track order. Can you imagine playing Abbey Road and the first track played is “The End”?

[peace47]

Okay, got it, thanks. I either misheard or the BBC podcast didn’t clarify. I didn’t realize that shuffle was the default: I feel fairly certain I played the Hamilton soundtrack on Spotify in the past and didn’t have to turn off shuffle when I went to the album to listen to it, but maybe I did do that.

[Ginger]

I can't stand Shuffle, so go, Adele!

Jun 28, 2006 22:23:28 GMT -4 mrspickles said:

Back when LP's were the norm, did artists have control over the order or was it based on time and perceived marketability of tracks (put the good stuff on Side A so it gets heard more)? Now I'm curious-it's bit something I ever gave thought to.

Back in the days of actual LP's, it was partially influenced by how many minutes each side of the record would hold.

I know the bands I listened to as a teenager (late 80s/early 90s) spent a long time working on song order on their albums. It was a whole process of trial and error that they would work on it with their A&R person. The start and the finish were important. Do you start with a little introductory track to set the mood? Do you end with something slow and emotional, or something cute? And "front loading" meant putting all the really good songs first to keep listeners (or album reviewers) hooked.

[tiggertoo]

I too didn’t realize that shuffle was the default. I’m on Apple Music and it doesn’t work like that. I just heard some sound bite that Adele had disabled shuffle on Spotify. Lol. Should never rely on little sound bites!

[Deleted]

Nov 22, 2021 15:33:24 GMT -4 peace47 said:

Okay, got it, thanks. I either misheard or the BBC podcast didn’t clarify. I didn’t realize that shuffle was the default: I feel fairly certain I played the Hamilton soundtrack on Spotify in the past and didn’t have to turn off shuffle when I went to the album to listen to it, but maybe I did do that.

Shuffle was just the default on the free version of Spotify, on the paid version it hasn't been. That's one of the reasons I started paying for Spotify (that and the numerous annoying ads every two songs.)

[eveschmeve]

Before the change, if you clicked on the first track in an album, the default would be that it would play the tracks in order. If you navigated to an album page and clicked the green play button (which is really prominent) instead of the first track it would default to shuffle.

I love this as it was always the most annoying thing to me. I don’t know why shuffle would ever be the default.