Arab Press

بالشعب و للشعب
Sunday, Mar 22, 2026

Spotify hides shuffle button after Adele says albums should ‘tell a story’

Singer highlights importance of track listing and says albums should be listened to as artists intended

Spotify has removed the shuffle button from album pages after Adele commented that the order tracks were placed in was supposed to “tell a story”.

The singer thanked the streaming service after it made it less straightforward for users to listen to the songs of her new album, 30, in a random order.

She tweeted: “We don’t create albums with so much care and thought into our track listing for no reason. Our art tells a story and our stories should be listened to as we intended. Thank you Spotify for listening.”

Spotify replied: “Anything for you”.


The shuffle option, signified by two crisscrossing arrows, was removed from the album play button but is still available when a user clicks to view the album tracks.

Adele made her big comeback with the single Easy On Me, her first new song in six years, which is No 1 in the UK singles chart, according to the Official Charts Company. It became the most streamed song in one day on Spotify and Amazon’s Alexa device when it was released on 15 October.

Other tracks from the album, including My Little Love, Oh My God, I Drink Wine and Hold On, have been praised by fans and critics for their sense of vulnerability and old-fashioned sound recalling the golden age of Hollywood.

30 was released on Friday and is her fourth studio album, which she had been reportedly working on since 2018. It details the breakdown of her marriage to the charity boss Simon Konecki, with whom she has a son, Angelo.

According to Spotify, the album accrued 60.7m streams globally in the first day it was available, making it one of the most-streamed albums on its release. The record is 90.8m, set by Taylor Swift just a week earlier.

The Guardian music reviewer Alexis Petridis gave it three stars, writing that the topic of divorce was “all-consuming” but nevertheless the album was “a not-unimpressive feat”.

Other critics were more generous, with Rolling Stone giving it five stars and describing it as Adele’s “toughest, most powerful album yet”. The Times, Independent and Financial Times all gave it four stars.

Adele’s previous album, 25, was released six years ago and was only available as a direct download or in physical form, as a CD or vinyl. It was added to streaming services in 2016.

Newsletter

Related Articles

Arab Press
0:00
0:00
Close
Saudi Arabia Criticises Israeli Strikes in Southern Syria Amid Rising Regional Tensions
Egypt and Saudi Arabia Warn Iran’s Actions Threaten Stability Across the Gulf
Egypt and Saudi Arabia Warn Iran’s Actions Threaten Stability Across the Gulf
Saudi Arabia Unveils Comprehensive 2026 Roadmap to Streamline Company Formation
Saudi-UAE Tensions Reveal Emerging Rivalry at the Heart of Gulf Power Dynamics
Saudi Arabia Launches Gulf Maritime Support Initiative to Safeguard Shipping
Saudi Arabia Expands US Military Access as UAE Braces for Prolonged Iran Conflict
Saudi Arabia Expels Iranian Diplomats Amid Escalating Regional Tensions
Saudi Arabia’s Edarat Wins Major Data Centre Deal with Regional Bank
Iran Intensifies Gulf Offensive as Saudi Arabia Intercepts Dozens of Drones
Regional Powers Hold Security Talks as Turkey Seeks New Strategic Pact
Asian Refiners Urge Saudi Arabia to Revise Oil Pricing Mechanism Amid War-Driven Volatility
Gulf States Weigh US Base Access and Military Alignment as Iran War Intensifies
IRGC Claims Strikes on Israel, Kuwait and Saudi Arabia as Conflict Widens
Saudi Arabia Intercepts Multiple Drones Amid Continued Iranian-Linked Attacks
Remains of Fallen Soldier Repatriated Following Death in Saudi Arabia
Iran Tensions Challenge Saudi Arabia’s Strategic Shift to Red Sea Oil Exports
Saudi Arabia Turns to Alternative Export Routes as Hormuz Disruption Strains Oil Flows
Saudi Arabia and UAE Move Closer to Backing US-Israeli Campaign Against Iran
Saudi Arabia Signals Readiness for Military Response as Iran Tensions Escalate
Saudi Arabia Warns Oil Could Surge Beyond $180 as Iran Conflict Disrupts Global Supply
Saudi Arabia Reports Drone Strike on Key Red Sea Refinery in Yanbu
United States Urges Citizens to Leave Saudi Arabia Amid Escalating Regional Conflict
Former Media Executive Chronicles Rise of Saudi Crown Prince in New Book
Saudi Aramco–Exxon Refinery in Yanbu Targeted in Latest Wave of Iranian Attacks
Greek-Operated Patriot System Intercepts Iranian Missiles Over Saudi Arabia
Asian Refiners Urge Saudi Arabia to Revise Oil Pricing as War Upends Markets
Arab and Muslim Ministers Convene in Riyadh to Coordinate Response to Iran Crisis
Saudi Arabia Expands Global Partnerships to Accelerate Vision 2030 Transformation
Europe and Japan Signal Readiness to Help Secure Strait of Hormuz Amid Escalating Crisis
Saudi Arabia Signals Firm Stance as Iranian-Linked Attacks Intensify
U.S. Lawmakers Press Rubio to Enforce Strong Safeguards in Saudi Nuclear Deal
Iran Issues Evacuation Warning to Gulf States After Strike on Major Gas Field
Saudi Arabia to Convene Arab and Islamic Ministers for Urgent Talks on Regional Conflict
Saudi Arabia Confirms Eid al-Fitr as Moon Sighting Determines End of Ramadan
Saudi Arabia Boosts Crude Exports to Highest Levels Since 2023, Data Shows
Iran Issues Warning to Gulf Energy Infrastructure Following Strike on Major Gas Field
Saudi Arabia Restarts Ras Tanura Refinery Following Drone Strike, Reinforcing Energy Resilience
Saudi Arabia Restarts Ras Tanura Refinery Following Drone Strike, Reinforcing Energy Resilience
Saudi Arabia Intercepts Ballistic Missiles Targeting Riyadh Amid Escalating Regional Tensions
Saudi Arabia Restores Significant Oil Flows Using Hormuz Bypass Amid Regional Tensions
Saudi Arabia Signals Potential Activation of Defence Pact with Pakistan Amid Escalating Iran Conflict
Saudi Supreme Court Urges Muslims to Observe Crescent Moon for Eid Determination
Saudi Supreme Court Urges Muslims to Observe Crescent Moon for Eid Determination
Saudi Arabia Reassesses Iran Strategy as Regional Conflict Tests MBS’s Diplomatic Bet
Iran Steps Up Drone Strikes on Saudi Oil Sites, Heightening Risks to Global Supply
Regional Fallout Grows as Iran Conflict Sends Shockwaves Across Jordan, Saudi Arabia, and Egypt
Saudi Arabia Intercepts Seven Drones in Intensifying Regional Security Threat
Saudi Arabia Intercepts Seven Drones in Intensifying Regional Security Threat
Saudi Arabia Weighs Regional Risks as Iran Conflict Deepens and Security Calculations Shift
×