Some desktop Spotify users have reported seeing an error message that reads “Spotify Can’t Play Current Song” when attempting to play a song. Turns out, though, that only a subset of songs gives rise to the aforementioned error message; the others can be played without incident.
As an added bonus, the same music that cause issues on the desktop version play without a hitch when accessed through mobile device or web browser. It’s possible that your hosts file entries or your offline music cache are to blame for this issue.
In this article, we will explain how to fix the aforementioned error message, so read on for specific instructions.
Some Causes of Spotify Can’t Play Current Song Problem:
Song Downloads — Offline Music Storage The offline music cache is one possible root cause of the issue at hand. Parts of music and podcasts that you listen to are saved on your computer’s hard drive. It is possible for an error to occur if this cache is corrupted.
Crossfade on Spotify — It’s also possible that the problem stems from the crossfade settings you’re using on Spotify for Windows. The problem can be fixed by switching to crossfade mode and setting the value to 0.
File is hosted on Windows — If you have Spotify as an exception in your hosts file, you may experience problems. If this occurs, the problem can be fixed by erasing the offending records from the database.
Method 1: Reduce Crossfade to zero
The issue might also arise as a result of crossfade. If you’re unfamiliar, a crossfade is simply the seamless transition between two different audio tracks. Accordingly, the term “crossfade” can be used to describe the change from one track to another in this context.
As mentioned above, crossfade is sometimes to blame, so try disabling it to see if it helps. Listed below are the steps to take:
Step 1: So, fire up Spotify on your desktop to get started.
Step 2: To modify your account’s settings, locate your profile picture and click on your name.
Step 3: Then, select Advanced Settings by scrolling to the bottom of the Settings screen.
Step 4: Now, under Playback, turn on Crossfade if it isn’t already and set the slider to 0 to disable it.
Step 5: As an alternative to leaving Crossfade at its current setting of 0, you might consider turning it off entirely.
Step 6: Once that’s finished, try relaunching Spotify to see if the issue persists.
Method 2: Empty Local Music Storage
It turns out that the offline song cache is a possible cause of the “Can’t play the current song” error message. Some of the music or podcasts you listen to on Spotify are downloaded to your computer in order to ensure a smooth playback experience.
Problems like the ones described above can arise if this cache becomes corrupted or damaged.
Consequently, deleting the offline music cache will fix the issue. All you have to do is comply with the guidelines provided below.
Step 1: Launch Spotify on your device to get started.
Step 2: Simply select Settings from the menu that drops down from the upper right corner.
Step 3: If you go all the way to the bottom of the Settings menu, you can access the Advanced Settings by clicking the corresponding option.
Step 4: Again, scroll down until you reach the area labelled “Offline songs storage,” and make a mental note of the address shown there.
Step 5: Now launch File Explorer.
Step 6: In the File Explorer window, navigate to the Offline music storage location.
Step 7: Select everything by pressing CTRL + A and hitting delete once you are there.
Step 8: At this point, you can restart Spotify. Inquire as to whether or not the issue persists.
