The Shuffle Feature – Are You Missing Out?

I have something cool to share.  It’s not deep, so no need to buckle yourself in or anything, just an ah-ha moment delivered courtesy of Apply and their new IOS 7 release.

So, I don’t know how you guys use your MP3 player, but I tend to vacillate back and forth between four playlists:

• Most Recently Purchased
• Favorite Rock Songs
• Favorite “Dance” Songs
• Favorite “Relaxed” Songs

Translated that means:

• I just bought these babies and I’m gonna play ‘em until I can’t stand them anymore, or something diverts my attention–whichever comes first.
• My go to list of the latest and greatest rock purchases which help me blow off steam or get in a better mood.
• The list of pop music I play when my six and ten year-old girls are in the car that I can actually abide listening too.
• The list of lyrically amazing artists with more laid back tempos to ensure I do not go postal on anyone.

Sometimes I use the shuffle feature on these playlists.  Sometimes I don’t.  Yet, despite the fact that my phone is fully loaded with every song I’ve dubbed “worthy of purchase” at any point past 2005, the songs on these four lists are all that get airplay.

Well, the recent IOS 7 release made me rethink my playlist usage.

You see, the release made my phone reset.  So when I hopped in my car and the Bluetooth kicked in, it defaulted to Shuffle FOR ALL.

How freakin’ cool that turned out to be.

You know how when you smell certain things it triggers really poignant memories?  The shuffle feature set on ALL SONGS has been doing that for me for the past week via music.  The range of emotions these songs have unearthed is staggering.  Everything from gut-cramping laughter, to chills strong enough I had to pull over and give myself a minute to process things.

I can’t tell you the last time I’ve been able to laze around, browsing through my music collection just for the sake of enjoyment, but I’m fairly certain it happened before my oldest daughter’s birth.

So, my question for you guys is, “Am I the only one who’s been missing out on the power of Shuffle?”  Have you guys ever set your MP3 player/phone/whatever to ALL and then just let the magic DJ do his thing?  How did it impact you?  If you haven’t done it, give it a try, see what happens, and then fill me in.