Jalpuna
Level 1 (12 points)

Q: iTunes Smart Playlists "selected by Random" not updating with new random tracks

Let's say I create a new iTunes smart playlist and tell it to give me the following:

 

Rating is greater than 3 stars.

Limit to 10 items selected by random.

 

Simple, right?  iTunes gives me a smart playlist with 10 random songs.  When I right-click on the smart playlist name (or icon), there's an option to update the smart playlist...  but nothing changes.  iTunes keeps the same ten songs instead of updating it with 10 different random songs.  What's going on here?

 

I assume this is a bug in the latest version...  12.2.2.  Is that right?  Is there a workaround?

 

UPDATE:  More evidence that this is a bug.  Edit the smart playlist and, instead of random, select Artist.  The songs change.  Edit the smart playlist again and select Album.  The songs change again.  Edit the playlist again and select Random.  The songs didn't change this time.  Something is broken.

Mac mini, OS X Yosemite (10.10), null

Posted on Sep 6, 2015 5:10 PM

by ed2345,Apple recommended
ed2345 ed2345
Level 7 (25,018 points)
A:

Open the smart playlist.  Select All and Delete.  The list will fill up with a new random selection of tracks.

Posted on Sep 6, 2015 8:55 PM

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Jalpuna

Q: iTunes Smart Playlists "selected by Random" not updating with new random tracks

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  • Helpful answers

  • by ed2345,Apple recommended

    ed2345 ed2345 Sep 6, 2015 8:55 PM in response to Jalpuna
    Level 7 (25,018 points)
    Sep 6, 2015 8:55 PM in response to Jalpuna

    Open the smart playlist.  Select All and Delete.  The list will fill up with a new random selection of tracks.

  • by tonyd410,

    tonyd410 tonyd410 Aug 31, 2016 1:46 AM in response to Jalpuna
    Level 1 (4 points)
    Aug 31, 2016 1:46 AM in response to Jalpuna

    I have the same issue. Very annoying.

  • by ed2345,

    ed2345 ed2345 Aug 31, 2016 4:31 AM in response to tonyd410
    Level 7 (25,018 points)
    Aug 31, 2016 4:31 AM in response to tonyd410

    Tony,

     

    To an iTunes Smart Playlist, "Random" applies when the list has an opening.  It does not have anything to do with updating the list when the list is already full.

     

    If you want to get a new selection of random tracks, Select All within that Smart Playlist, and then Delete.  You will get the following dialog:

    If you now click Delete, it will empty the list and a moment later fill it up with new selections.  If your Smart Playlist criteria call for "at random," that is what you will get.

  • by doverrog,

    doverrog doverrog Aug 31, 2016 7:51 AM in response to Jalpuna
    Level 1 (13 points)
    iLife
    Aug 31, 2016 7:51 AM in response to Jalpuna

    I just tried that and it did.t work

  • by Woodduck80,

    Woodduck80 Woodduck80 Oct 12, 2016 5:33 PM in response to doverrog
    Level 1 (8 points)
    iTunes
    Oct 12, 2016 5:33 PM in response to doverrog

    I'm having this same problem with random TV episode smart playlists that I created. They used to work fine, but now it selects full seasons at random, rather than 25 episodes from all the seasons at random.

     

    I don't want to watch a full season in a row, I want it shuffled at random!

  • by BanniNL,

    BanniNL BanniNL Oct 13, 2016 11:22 AM in response to Jalpuna
    Level 1 (4 points)
    Oct 13, 2016 11:22 AM in response to Jalpuna

    I use an extra condition if I want to randomly fill playlist, so you could add "not played in the the last x months" to it. That way the list is refreshed with hew songs after playing them.