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Comment by nkozyra | Hacker News Reader

> Like Doobie Brothers followed by Nirvana.

What's inherently comical about this?

One of my least favorite experiences is having a radio station based on a song and getting nothing but songs that sound just like it.

Unless you have only played 90s grunge or 70s soft rock I'm not sure why this juxtaposition is not considered a feature.

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Well for me at least, I listen to music depending on mood. It's not generally that I dislike mixing, quite the opposite actually. But when I'm in the mood for metalcore, I'm not in the mood for happy hardcore. And when I'm looking for something quick, I don't want a slow song mixed in.

I like the idea of mixing genres, but Spotify seems to totally miss on what aspects I want mixed.

That example might be OK, but my daily mixes include "Weird Al, Nerdcore Comedy, and also Radiohead" and "60s/70s/80s Rock and also Broadway Show Tunes". The transitions are very bizarre.

My recent favorite was an auto generated “Soul playlist.” It had some super old school R&B tunes…then Dark Souls boss battle music.

I made the example up, but this is a better example of the phenomenon I was getting at.

The local classic rock radio station I listened to growing up has continued to slowly expand what they consider "classic"; whenever I go back home, it's always interesting to hear stuff like grunge and some metal (like certain Metallica songs). Hearing a Nirvana song right after the Doobie Brothers is exactly the type of thing I've probably heard before from them!

I agree. I love the wider scope of Spotify’s mixes. If I wanted a narrow scope then I’d just have created the playlist myself like the old days (or just thrown an album on). The reason I use Spotify mixes is for a variety within an approximate mood. And I’ve discovered so many good news tunes and artists through their mixes.

That all said, I do wish I could turn off their podcast recommendations. I never listen to podcasts and worse yet they keep shoving that same comedians is absolutely hate (and there aren’t many comedians I dislike; which just goes to show how far off the mark their podcast recommendations are)

Or even search for someone else's playlist!

Not happy about being forced ads though (on some podcasts)... I thought the idea of paying monthly was the value exchange for the content.

If you are listening to these songs back to back, you aren't getting the value either one offers.

It's like watching a movie that's half Fred Astaire and half Freddy Kreuger.

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