Have you ever been playing a Spotify playlist and suddenly heard a song that you didn't recognize? Chances are, it wasn't on your playlist. If you're wondering why Spotify is playing songs not on your playlist, you're not alone. In this blog post, we'll explore why this happens, how you can create custom playlists, and offer some troubleshooting tips for Spotify.

Why is Spotify Playing Songs Not On My Playlist?

What is Spotify?

Spotify is a digital music streaming service that offers users access to millions of songs and podcasts. It's available in more than 60 countries and allows users to create playlists, share music with friends, and discover new music. With Spotify, you can access a vast library of music, podcasts, and other audio content.

Spotify is free to download and use, but a paid subscription is required to access all of its features. The subscription also provides access to offline listening, higher quality audio, and ad-free music.

How Does Spotify Decide What Music to Play?

When you create a playlist on Spotify, the service uses the songs you've chosen to generate a personalized listening experience. It looks at the songs you've added to your library and the artists and genres you've listened to in the past. Then, it will create a personalized radio station based on your preferences.

The radio station will include songs from your library, as well as similar songs from artists and genres that you’ve enjoyed in the past. This helps to expose you to new music and encourages you to explore different genres and artists.

Understanding the Different Types of Playlists

When you create a playlist on Spotify, you can choose between two different types: radio and customized.

Radio playlists are generated by Spotify and are personalized based on your past listening habits. It's a great way to discover new music, as the songs that appear in the playlist will be similar to songs you've already enjoyed.

Customized playlists are created by you. You can add any songs you want to the playlist and organize them however you'd like. This is a great option if you want to create a specific mood or atmosphere with your music.

Creating a Custom Playlist

Creating a custom playlist is easy. All you need to do is log into your Spotify account and click on the “Create Playlist” button. You can then search for the songs you'd like to add to the playlist or browse through the music library. Once you've found the songs you want to add, click on the “Add to Playlist” button to add them to your playlist. You can also arrange the songs in the order you'd like them to play.

Spotify Discovery Features

Spotify also includes several discovery features that can help you find new music. For example, the “Discover Weekly” feature will generate a personalized playlist of songs based on your listening habits. The “Release Radar” feature will curate a playlist of new music from artists you’ve already listened to. And the “Discover” feature will suggest songs and artists similar to the ones you already like.

Reasons Why Spotify Plays Songs Not On Your Playlist

There are a few reasons why Spotify might be playing songs that aren't on your playlist. The first is that you may have inadvertently created a radio playlist instead of a customized one. Radio playlists are generated by Spotify and are personalized based on your past listening habits.

The second reason is that you may have enabled the “Autoplay” feature. This feature automatically plays music from other artists and genres similar to the ones you've already listened to. You can disable this feature if you don't want to hear music from other artists.

Finally, Spotify's discovery features can also introduce you to new music that isn't on your playlist. The “Discover Weekly” and “Release Radar” features will generate playlists of new music from artists you’ve already listened to. And the “Discover” feature will suggest songs and artists similar to the ones you already like.

How to Stop Spotify From Playing Songs Not On Your Playlist

If you want to stop Spotify from playing songs not on your playlist, you can disable the “Autoplay” feature or turn off the discovery features. You can also create a customized playlist and make sure to only include the songs you want to hear.

Troubleshooting Tips for Spotify

If you're having issues with Spotify playing songs not on your playlist, here are a few troubleshooting tips:

  • Make sure you're creating a customized playlist and not a radio playlist.
  • Disable the “Autoplay” feature if you don't want to hear music from other artists.
  • Turn off the discovery features if you don't want to hear new music.
  • Make sure you're only adding songs you want to hear to your custom playlists.

Conclusion

If you're wondering why Spotify is playing songs not on your playlist, there are a few different reasons. It could be because you've inadvertently created a radio playlist, enabled the “Autoplay” feature, or enabled the discovery features. To stop Spotify from playing songs not on your playlist, you can disable the “Autoplay” feature or turn off the discovery features. You can also create a customized playlist and make sure to only include the songs you want to hear. If you're still having issues, try the troubleshooting tips outlined in this blog post.

Spotify is a great way to discover new music and create custom playlists. With its personalized radio stations and discovery features, you can explore different artists and genres and find music that you love. So the next time you hear a song you don't recognize, don't be alarmed. Chances are, it's just Spotify introducing you to new music.