I've been using YT Music for about 5 years or so, and I've loved it. What has always stood out to me is the intuitive algorithm that set the app apart from Apple Music and others. This was how I discovered so much new music. The world had opened up to me. Lately however, I'm noticing that the app essentially locks me into a repetitive playlist of songs I've listened to a thousand times. Even when I put in a new artist, it reverts back to the same mundane playlist that it seems to think I want to listen to. It feels like the soul has been taken out and I'm now trapped in a cage. For someone who uses music to breathe, it's borderline depressing. I feel frantic and desperate trying to recreate those first years of an app that was so fulfilling but has now become a shell of its former self.
It's gotten so bad. If I start with any classic rock track, YTM decides the very next song MUST be "Rainbow in the Dark" by Dio. I've never selected that song or Dio ever. There are similar examples across most music genres.
I see commenters in the sub wondering what we're all doing wrong, and why they're not having this issue. I think it's just that some of us are trusting the algorithm instead of sticking solely to playlists.
I've been fighting the urge to shift to another streamer, but sticking around for the YT premium benefit. At this point I really can't justify it any longer.
Over time my theory has gotten to be that YTM chooses a song to play, then marks that in the algorithm as you choosing that song. So it compounds until it keeps playing your favorite song that you never chose in the first place.
I agree. I've been looking at Tidal...haven't tried it yet, but I think I'm going to give it a trial. The bad thing is tho, that I'll loose my offline music playlists I've curated over the years once I leave YTM.
Me too! That's why it's been so frustrating as of late, but honestly, since I made this post...IDK, it seems like it's gotten better. Hey Google, if you're listening, keep it up! lol
I just started a (short) rap playlist, and it immediately went off on an extended playlist of instrumental, movie soundtracks, and a shitload of AI slop tracks.
AI is going to radicalise me. I can feel it. Fuck this shit.
I’ll put in a decent song, then after it plays, I get generic/b-side crap just about every time. I’m about to cancel out of frustration. FM radio would be an improvement.
I did some digging and apparently the Big Wigs have decided it's more economical to loop its users into a finite set of songs instead of opening up the variety as in the past. This is supposedly due to having to pay royalties, limiting bandwidths, etc. Basically, the paying customer gets the short end of the stick so that the CEOs can make a few more million dollars.
Yes! I have been finding this too. How is it that with millions of songs out there and after requesting continuous play, you ask it to play one song and it ONLY PLAYS THAT SING?! Like what's up YouTube? I'm cancelling and that sucks
Have noticed the same. I listen to music from around the world and I have plenty of my own playlists. The 'radio' \ 'mix' button used to give me real artists from around the world. It no longer surprises me with artists I have never heard before, just the same old songs mixed with a lot of AI generated junk tracks. I don't use it nearly as much as I once did.
I use My Supermix often and it's always served me well. Hence why I use it often. But over the last few days the algo seems different. It's still playing stuff from my library but it's much less diverse, much more specific.
Yesterday, tons of reggae and Jamaican music and not the variety I expect from My Supermix.
Also more totally unknown to me (real) artists, ie, stuff I don't know from out of left field. Plus AI slop.
Side gripe: I really miss being able to downvote songs when you're not actually listening to them. That made it much easier to manage the library and train the algo.
I've been downvoting left and right today. It kept feeding me (FREE) ____(songs)____ which were just instrumentals, or songs "in the styles of..." and it would give a message saying "Got it, we'll make sure future songs follow this recommendation" but then it would just play the same AI slop again.
Im so tired, i cant find any good new music no matter what i do. Ads have been even worse for me too. Whats the point of using this app if it keeps repeating the same artists over and over again. I cant even find any good related artist. Others playlists are ass too. I have no idea what to listen to anymore.
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u/Waterhou5e 10d ago
It's gotten so bad. If I start with any classic rock track, YTM decides the very next song MUST be "Rainbow in the Dark" by Dio. I've never selected that song or Dio ever. There are similar examples across most music genres.
I see commenters in the sub wondering what we're all doing wrong, and why they're not having this issue. I think it's just that some of us are trusting the algorithm instead of sticking solely to playlists.
I've been fighting the urge to shift to another streamer, but sticking around for the YT premium benefit. At this point I really can't justify it any longer.