Abstract: A media player provides a shuffle controller that slightly varies a play order of a playlist. The media player receives a playlist the defines a first play order of content items. The first play order is indicated by respective positions of content items identified in the playlist. The media player swaps respective positions of at least two content items identified in the playlist to define a second play order for the content items. In one configuration the media player determines a swap condition that may or may not result in the swapping of two adjacently identified content items in the play list. After iterating over the playlist, the media player provides the playlist defining the second play order of content items. This shuffled playlist can be played back or saved.