Shuffle versus Click Wheel

 A recent-ish piece at Verge by Natalie Weiner argues that the shuffle button is the defining technology of the modern era of entertainment/media consumption. 

She traces its history back to the first CD players in 1982, when " Random playback was touted as one of the device’s best features." But notes that it really took a step towards the iPod / infinite jukebox idea with "the introduction of players that held multiple CDs; rather than just hearing a CD you owned play in an order you couldn’t predict, you could put a few that you liked together and, well, shuffle them, replicating the leanback experience of listening to the radio.... “Having a Sony CDP-C10 Disc Jockey in your home really is like having your own personal disc jockey,” another advertisement put it. “Ten hours of uninterrupted music enjoyment for hassle-free parties or background music in restaurants or shops.” 

The function combines surprise (whatever's next?) with safety (guaranteed it'll be something you've already enjoyed or are likely to enjoy). And it temporarily suspends the pressure of having to choose:  

"The introduction of the idea that media consumption could be both personal and passive had massive ripple effects. In the wake of the Napster era and its promises of a massive, totally unique music library, Pandora effectively invented the idea of individualized radio, promising the ultimate “shuffle” experience with technology that has since been used to great effect by streaming services intent on keeping people listening. Spotify, Apple Music, and their ilk offer both the promise of that Napster-scale range with Pandora’s ease. You could find anything, they suggest, but why not click this button and we’ll find it for you?"

My youngest son always put 'shuffle' on even when playing an album by an artist he loves - he prefers not to hear it in the right order, has no particular interest or respect for the sequencing decisions the artist has no doubt sweated over. I wonder if this is a common attitude among the youngers? 

I myself almost never use Shuffle (and generally spurn algorithmic guidance when using streamers or whatever). Which maybe why I think there's another contender in in terms of defining the modern era of consumer entertainment etc etc. the Click Wheel. (In Retromania, I refer to it as the iPod's scroll wheel and only realised Click Wheel is the right name!). In a recent conference talk on retro-culture themes, I used  the Click Wheel as a visual metaphor for hyperstasis: 

The wheel can scroll you to anywhere at incredible speed and fluency, so long as it is within archival space: the subdivided space of existing and already known music. 

The iPod is now itself a retro piece of technology now (although I still use one when I go on a trip or use the exercise bike - occasionally late at night, if unable to sleep. Sometimes I wonder if I'm the only one left in the world still using the little black rectangle).