Khruangbin, again? I quit Spotify for a month to escape samey algorithms – this is what I learned

After being served the same artists again and again, my tastes were narrowing – so I tried vinyl, iPods and radio to see if I could rediscover the joy of finding new music

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If you use music to set or fix your mood, Spotify is a tantalising tool. Feeling sad? Cry to your personalised “Depress Sesh Mix”. In a romantic crisis? Stew in your own “Situationship Mix”.

As I write this, I’m listening to Spotify’s Daylist, a mix that refreshes every few hours based on my own listening habits. Today’s vibe is “funky beats roller skating tuesday early morning mix”. At 120bpm, the algorithm knows I need some energetic house to roll from my bed to my desk.

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