Are you trying to pick an album but feeling stuck? You’re not alone—music lovers everywhere struggle with choosing what record to play next. Fortunately, there’s a simple trick I use that can take the guesswork out of your decision.
…and no, it isn’t based on algorithmic suggestions.
Sure, streaming services offer algorithmic recommendations, but these often steer you toward unfamiliar territory. If you're in the mood to rediscover an old favourite or dive into the familiar comfort of your collection, what can you do to eliminate analysis paralysis?
You could stop playing music, but that would be a blasphemous act. My strategy is far simpler and more effective, and it works for both physical and digital music collections.
Shuffle.
Yes, you read that correctly, the strategy that has enabled my sanity to remain intact when it comes to selecting which album to play is to utilise the Shuffle feature.
Instead of agonising over the “perfect” album for your mood, Shuffle lets you lean into serendipity. If the first result doesn’t fit your vibe, no problem—just Shuffle again. It really is a game-changer for indecisive listeners as the decision-making process is taken out of the equation and we can get on with enjoying the music we love.
Shuffle also encourages exploration. You might rediscover albums you haven’t played in years or stumble upon hidden gems you’ve forgotten about. This element of surprise keeps your music collection feeling fresh and dynamic.
While many may link Shuffle to a playlist or random collection of songs from an artist’s library, via a streaming service, here at Subjective Sounds we focus on album experiences and Shuffle can most certainly play a role in ensuring that we don’t just listen to well-known favourites or in alphabetical order. Let’s first take a look at how to Shuffle albums in your physical music collection and then we’ll move on to streaming/digital options.
Let’s Shuffle Things Up, Shall We?
Shuffle (or random) is certainly not a new feature and well before computers, online databases, and streaming services, it wouldn’t have been odd to come across a music lover with a notebook and dice. Yes, dear reader, a roll of the dice and the number corresponding to a particular album, or shelf, or position of a record on a particular shelf, is one low-tech way to explore one’s collection. Today, however, we’re going to use Discogs.com; the world's leading music discovery and record collecting platform empowered by a community of obsessed music fans.
Discogs: Build Your Digital Library, Then Shuffle It
If you have a physical music collection, Discogs can help you digitise it—well, at least in catalogue form. Once you’ve added your albums to your Discogs library, you’ll unlock the powerful Random Item (Shuffle) feature.
Here’s how it works: On the desktop version of Discogs, within your Collection, you can click the Random Item button and the platform will select a random album from your collection. If you’re using their mobile app (iOS or Android), you can shake your device to get a random result. It’s that simple.
Of course, this functionality depends on building your library within Discogs. While it can be a time-consuming process, especially for those with substantial collections, the effort is worthwhile. Not only does it give you a detailed organised catalog of your music, but it also transforms your collecting and listening habits.
One downside of Discogs, however, is that you can’t directly integrate streaming editions into your collection. You can, however, add digital albums to your Discogs library when they’re listed in the database as FLAC for instance. It’s a workaround that isn’t necessarily ideal, but Discogs’ focus is most certainly on physical releases, so it’s understandable. Plus, as the database is generated by music lovers, and then vetted for quality purposes, if you were so inclined you could go through the lengthy process and add your digital albums to the system. There are plenty of music lovers who would appreciate the effort, but such an endeavour is a labour of love; literally.
Discogs is, ultimately, useful for hybrid collections that span all physical and digital formats, but if you exclusively stream (or purchase digital downloads), perhaps there’s a better way than building a duplicate collection.
Revitalising Apple Music With Shuffle
For those who primarily rely on streaming platforms like Apple Music, Shuffle can be a thoroughly satisfying feature when we’re unsure of what we wish to listen to. There is, however, one notable drawback (if using Apple Music via an iPhone or iPad). Apple has never included the beloved album Shuffle feature that was available on older devices like the iPod. But don’t despair! Here’s a workaround, that I use daily, for mobile versions of Apple Music:
Go to your Library, then tap on Albums.
Then tap the Shuffle button to play random songs from your library.
When you hear a song that sparks your interest, tap on the More button (three dots) then select “Go to Album” and press Play.
Voilà! You’ve effectively shuffled your library at the album level, even if Apple doesn’t officially support the feature (outside of the desktop app).
Admittedly, this process isn’t as seamless as it once was, but the payoff is worth the minor inconvenience.
Yes, some apps can do that for you, such as Albums: Music Library Player, but I much prefer to stay within the official apps. It isn’t that anything’s wrong with third-party offerings, but I’ve found too many to be abandoned over the years, thereby eventually leading to disappointment.
You could also explore the vast collection of shortcuts, particularly for iOS, but they too are subject to change and abandonment. Yes, you could build your own, but who wants to be bothered when Apple could simply integrate the feature into all variants of Apple Music? While I can’t comment on the other services, as I don’t use them, I know for certain that Qobuz has solved this problem with an ingenious Shuffle Button that floats within one’s library on the service.
Now, you may have noticed that I referenced the desktop app (for Mac) and that, interestingly, still contains the Album Shuffle feature. You will need to go to Controls > Shuffle and make sure Albums is selected as well as the Shuffle option being turned on if that’s how you wish to listen to your music library. If, however, you enjoy using Shuffle on songs as well, you’ll have to remember this setting and toggle back and forth as there’s no other way to change between shuffling songs and albums. Wouldn’t it be great if there were two Shuffle buttons? One for albums, the other for songs and it would be wonderful for that to be included in the mobile app. Perhaps, one day, but until then the above serves me well.
Final Thoughts
The next time you find yourself paralysed by indecision, let Shuffle be your guide. Whether you’re exploring your digital library or digging through your physical collection, Shuffle adds an element of surprise and excitement to your listening experience. The beauty of Shuffle is that it’s endlessly adaptable—you’re always just one click (or shake) away from finding the perfect album for your mood. And remember: If the first Shuffle result doesn’t hit the mark, try again.
