Spotify app plays random podcasts when I open it up after connecting to my car's bluetooth

[thegreengrass]

The past couple of days, when my Android phone has been automatically connecting to my car's bluetooth and then I open Spotify to continue listening to a podcast episode, a completely different and random podcast episode will start playing. All I want to do is continue listening to what I've already been listening to. It feels like the app is trying to be clever and do something when it detects that it's been connected to Bluetooth, but it's absolutely infuriating.

Plan

Premium/Family

Country

US

Device

Pixel 7a

Operating System

Android 14

Spotify version

8.8.94.577

[PMDN23]

I'm having the same issue on a Galaxy S21+. Every time I open Spotify to press play on the podcast I'm trying to listen to if it's paused, it will just start some random podcast I don't even listen to. The play button on bottom showing the podcast I'm listening to doesn't resume the one I'm on, it also plays a random podcast Then I have to scroll all the way through the menus to get back to the one I was listening to. Not intuitive.

[TheTallest]

I'm also having this problem. I'm especially irritated as it's playing only Spotify endorsed shows with ads on them. I pay for premium, and forcing their content over mine is... not cool. Hopefully there's a setting for this. I'd say start by turning off car modes ability to activate. 

[Dax37]

I am experiencing this too. I'm in and out of my van all day and listen to podcasts for most of it. Every time my phone connects to android auto, it plays podcasts I've never showed any interest in rather than continuing my current one. It's even tried to get me to listen to a certain podcaster that I have moral objections to on multiple occasions.

Same thing is happening with music, rather than continuing my current playlist it jumps automatically to "liked songs" and the only songs I've "liked" have been by accident. So it's a fairly small selection of songs. Everything I actually like goes into playlists that I choose.

Why is Spotify doing this now?

[nlenehan]

It just started to happen to me too - playing random podcasts. I didn't change any settings. This is dangerous as you end up having to click on several different options to get back to the podcast you started listening to.

[BobVillathe3rd]

I just started experiencing this same problem/bug the past few days on android.  Absolutely maddening, what a waste of my time.  Spotify developers, this is my time you are taking when I have to figure out what I was listening to, and then reload it.  Not cool, fix it please.  You are stealing 2 minutes from me every time this happens.  It is playing podcasts I do not listen to, and now will avoid them as well just for shoving them in my face.  And bring back the heart button, there was no need to remove that feature.

[Podcastenthusiast]

This has started happening to me too. When I open Spotify in car mode the screen either goes black and I have to press the back button and my last played is no longer there or it plays a completely random podcast, one I've never listened to or subscribed to before!

[LPPanther]

Happening to me as of today as well. Super annoying if you're in and out of the car frequently. Please make it so NOTHING autoplays when connecting to bluetooth. Not my music, not my podcasts, not random suggestions for music or podcasts you'll think I like. NOTHING. Thank you.

[DAMercer]

I've noticed it will happen every time I pause and switch to another screen. When I go back to the spotify screen it'll start a random podcast. It also does it when I start my car and connect. I have auto play similar off.

The podcasts it plays are podcasts that aren't even remotely related to what I've listened to. I'm listening to Critical Role and it started playing Joe Rogan.

Spotify needs to fix this asap or they're losing my money, and I imagine I wouldn't be the only one.

[Newq344t6]

Same exact problem. This is maddening. Also when I click back on the podcast I was listening to it takes me back to the most recent forcing me to scroll through to find the episode I was on. 

[Rara401]

Same exact issue when connected on Bluetooth in my car. Spotify needs ro fix this  now.

[MadMitch92]

Samsung Galaxy user with the same issue. At first, it happened a little, so I thought it was random, or my finger slipped and accidentally hit something. But, every time I open Spotify, a completely random podcast just starts playing. It was after I had been connected to Car Mode as well. I can't figure out how to fix it... very tedious. 

[jackhch87]

I feel a little less helpless knowing we're all on the same boat. Seems like it's a glitch/bug on Spotify's end. Hope they fix it soon, especially for the premium users. It's really causing a hassle.

[pip8]

I've had this issue too. While listening to my podcast when it goes into "Car Mode" it decides that after listening to episode 71 of my podcast I will want to listen to episode 30 afterwards or episode 111 (Yes, both of these happened.) It's infuriating. I'm going to try to turn off the car mode and see if that fixes the issue, but this is a problem and Spotify really needs to do a rework of how they present podcasts on their platform.

[Thene]

I've also had this issue. I came here looking for a fix and am deeply disappointed that there still hasn't been a fix for this. I use Spotify for teaching and sometimes ill go to put a song on for a student to play along to and it will autoplay some random song that scares the **bleep** out of me and them all the time. Maybe it's time to start looking for another app?

[pip8]

As an update, I turned off car mode in the app and that seemed to solve my issue of Spotify playing a random episode. I'd recommend trying to turn off car mode entirely as that function seems to be largely broken.

[pip8]

Have you tried going to Settings and turning off "Autoplay similar content"?

[dakotabeasley]

This has been an ongoing issue for months and I am seriously considering switching providers as this is SO annoying. First off, when I plug my phone into my CarPlay, it starts playing whatever it wants to automatically. This is annoying as I would much rather it play nothing. If it were to start playing something I would prefer it play wherever I left off. Just this morning, I was listening to a podcast. I got out of my truck to grab a coffee, less than a 3 minute stop. I get back into my truck and it starts playing a Podcast of random Joe Rogan clips. I do not follow this pod and have never searched it or downloaded it. It is insanely annoying and I cannot find anything to remedy this.

[domschkill]

Same issue and it seems there is still no fix. Super annoying. Considering switching to Apple Podcasts. So much more intuitive.

[lazanya]

Me too, I've had this issue on and off all year. It fills me with rage every time because it completely cuts off whatever I already pressed play on which I obviously actually wanted to listen to. Autoplay is off and there's no car mode settings. Usually Joe Rogan or Emma Chamberlain ???? ugh, can we please get this fixed already?