Media content navigation user interface

A computer-implemented method, comprising:

• obtaining, by at least one processor, a first playlist, wherein a data storage element stores a plurality of playlists including the first playlist and a plurality of media content items of the plurality of playlists, wherein the data storage element has an origin, and the plurality of playlists or the plurality of media content items are stored in the data storage element at distances from the origin that indicate a respective degree of similarity of content in the plurality of playlists or the plurality of media content items to content in an origin playlist or an origin media content item stored at the origin of the data storage element;
• causing, by the at least one processor, a user device to display a first representation of a first media content item of the plurality of media content items in a user interface of the user device and to play back the first media content item;
• receiving, by the at least one processor, an indication of user input from the user device;
• traversing, by the at least one processor, the data storage element from the first media content item across a number of the plurality of playlists or across a number of the plurality of media content items based on the user input;
• obtaining, by the at least one processor, a second media content item and a first representation of the second media content item based on the traversing of the data storage element;
• and
• causing, by the at least one processor, the user device to display the first representation of the second media content item in the user interface and to play back the second media content item in response to the indication of the user input.

A system comprising:

• at least one processor;
• and
• a memory coupled to the at least one processor, the memory storing:
• a data storage element storing a plurality of playlists including a first playlist and a plurality of media content items of the plurality of playlists, wherein the data storage element has an origin, and the plurality of playlists or the plurality of media content items are stored in the data storage element at distances from the origin that indicate a respective degree of similarity of content in the plurality of playlists or the plurality of media content items to content in an origin playlist or an origin media content item stored at the origin of the data storage element;
• and
• instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to perform operations comprising:
• causing a user device to display a first representation of a first media content item of the first playlist in a user interface of the user device and to play back the first media content item of the first playlist;
• receiving an indication of user input from the user device;
• traversing the data storage element across a number of the plurality of playlists or across a number of the plurality of media content items based on the user input to select a second media content item;
• and
• causing the user device to display a first representation of the second media content item in the user interface and to play back the second media content item in response to the indication of the user input.