Official Apple Thread

[Tones]

I bought an iPod Nano a few weeks ago to check out if I like the iPod/iTunes UI. I have always used WMP/Winamp, so I'm a noob when it comes iTunes. While using the iPod, is there some way to choose the next song in line without interrupting the current song? I want to be able to add a song to a queue; either skip all others in line and listen to it when the current song ends (or I press next), or add it to the end. If the queue has elapsed, the playlist can default to random. I basically want a temporary playlist that's easy to build on the run, because I'm only using the Nano while I'm running.

[MarkRyan]

Nope! The inability to queue up songs like that is one of my biggest disappointments with iTunes (and I guess any Apple thing that plays MP3s). I first used queuing in Winamp and then in Rhythmbox on Linux. Such a convenient feature. Wish Apple had heard of it.

[A Robot Bit Me]

Huh? You can build playlists in iTunes and import them. And my 2005 iPod can build them on the fly by holding the center button when highlighting a song. Do the touch models really not have this?

[Josh]

Touch "playlist"
touch "new playlist"
add songs
stop being noob.

[MarkRyan]

See, this is something people that have only used iTunes and iPods don't understand.

The way queueing works in Winamp/Rhythmbox is so, so good. Say you're listening to your Lady Gaga playlist on shuffle and really want to listen to "Poker Face" next but without interrupting the current song. You queue it. And when the current song is over, "Poker Face" seamlessly starts playing. And then when "Poker Face" is over the player automatically goes back to shuffling through your Lady Gaga. You can queue up a single song or a small handful, and it'll play through those songs before immediately going back to shuffling the playlist you were playing before.

[Josh]

Yeah, it's been a long time since I've used Winamp. Like, ten years.

Anyway, I listen to albums pretty much exclusively, so I don't really have to deal with whatever you're talking about.

When I want a (for example) workout playlist. I make it at home, then sync it over. I have hundreds of gigaflaps of music at home, and only about 6 on my phone. It makes more sense to me to do it on the computer. This requires about 30 seconds of planning, so it may not be practical for most people.

Basically: you want it to be one way. But it's the other way.

[Tones]

See, this is something people that have only used iTunes and iPods don't understand.

The way queueing works in Winamp/Rhythmbox is so, so good. Say you're listening to your Lady Gaga playlist on shuffle and really want to listen to "Poker Face" next but without interrupting the current song. You queue it. And when the current song is over, "Poker Face" seamlessly starts playing. And then when "Poker Face" is over the player automatically goes back to shuffling through your Lady Gaga. You can queue up a single song or a small handful, and it'll play through those songs before immediately going back to shuffling the playlist you were playing before.

Until I started using iTunes this year, I honestly didn't know that iPods didn't have this capability. It seems so simple and intuitive. Is it something that Android phones can do? The Nano was really just a litmus test of whether I should go iPhone or Android for my next phone.

[Mzo]

I know that iPods had an on-the-go playlist, just hold the button on a song you want to add to it and it gets added to the list. So you either baby the playlist as you're doing whatever you're doing, or you set it up beforehand and then listen to it, free to do whatever you're supposed to be doing.

[kedawa]

Yeah, it's been a long time since I've used Winamp. Like, ten years.

Anyway, I listen to albums pretty much exclusively, so I don't really have to deal with whatever you're talking about.

When I want a (for example) workout playlist. I make it at home, then sync it over. I have hundreds of gigaflaps of music at home, and only about 6 on my phone. It makes more sense to me to do it on the computer. This requires about 30 seconds of planning, so it may not be practical for most people.

Basically: you want it to be one way. But it's the other way.

None of this has anything to do with queuing up a song spontaneously, or on request.

[Calliander]

You're looking for iTunes DJ on iOS. (That's what the feature is called in iTunes.)

http://www.apple.com/feedback/ipodtouch.html

"Enhancement Request."

If enough people ask for the feature, Apple will deliver.

EDIT: There are 3rd party apps that queue songs, but the interfaces are ugh.